Listening to Jessica Simpson wasn't required. This is relevant because the goal was to go shopping in the real world -- not online -- without having to interact with human beings.

Practically person-free technology is moving far beyond ATM machines and pay-at-the-pump gas stations. Last year, consumers spent more than $137 billion in self-checkout transactions at retail stores, up 24 percent over 2005 as a result of new machines installed at supercenters, warehouse clubs and hardware stores, according to IHL Consulting Group in Franklin, Tenn.

Growth in self-service has its critics, and for good reason. People need jobs. Machines may be perky, but they offer little in the way of friendliness, compassion or fashion sense. Even an employee in a bad mood rarely offers as little response as an electronic device with an "out of order" sign.

Yet 44 percent of more than 1,000 consumers surveyed over the summer not only like self-checkout, they really like self-checkout, according to the IHL report. Just 9 percent flat out refuse to deal with it.

With the nation bracing for the day-after-Thanksgiving sales that draw tens of millions of Americans into stores, the concept of holiday shopping without dealing with people has its temptations. We decided to see if it would be possible to make a dent in the gift list without talking to anyone.

Man vs. machine

This is why Jessica Simpson comes up. The celebrity is a spokeswoman for a line of Proactiv skin care products sold in a stylish vending machine plugged into the middle of Century III Mall in West Mifflin.

When we found the machine next to the mall elevator, two little girls were dancing in front of its windows, which resemble a refrigerated display case. Inside were boxes and bottles of Renewing Cleanser ($16), Advanced Blemish Treatment ($18) and even a four-piece skin care set ($49.95). A video featuring Ms. Simpson's skin care tales played on an attached video screen.

Invigorated by a credit card swipe, a robotic arm slid smoothly past rows of products. It stopped to receive a $19, 4-ounce bottle of Daily Protection Plus Sunscreen, then slid back to deliver it to small opening below the ordering screen.

ZoomSystems, the San Francisco company that made the machine, is trying to offer more upscale vending experiences. Elsewhere at Century III mall, one sold Johnson & Johnson products such as Tylenol and Neutrogena Age Shield Sun Block. At Ross Park Mall, one ZoomSystems machine holds iPods while another sells Motorola cell phones.

The idea of trusting products more valuable than candy bars and cigarettes to vending machines seems to fascinate people, said Francie Mendelsohn, president of kiosk consulting firm Summit Research Associates Inc. in Rockville, Md.

Soon, there are likely to be more such devices stationed at malls, airports and elsewhere. Grocery chain Kroger reportedly is testing a sort of vending convenience store at a site in Columbus, Ohio.

Based on our experience, vending machines don't offer enough choices in this market to handle much of a Pittsburgher's holiday shopping chores.

That is, unless everybody would be happy with a $20 ticket for the Millionaire Raffle drawing to be held Dec. 29. Those were available in a Pennsylvania Lottery vending machine at Monroeville Mall, not far from the Foto Fantasy Cube photo booth with the "temporarily out of order" sign.

Going mobile

Actually, our day of independent shopping began in Monroeville. The Borders bookstore had computers set up so customers could burn compact discs and download tunes to personal music devices. Touch screens with headsets helped track down that "Legally Blonde" Broadway soundtrack that a niece has requested.

Since there didn't seem to be a way to check out without being forced to say "hello" to someone (horrors), buying would have broken the speak-to-no-one rule.

Inside the nearby mall, technology generally held a supporting role. Macy's and Boscov's had devices to allow customers to check prices, and more than one mall store had invested in flat-screen TVs to show off merchandise. A Rite Aid pharmacy had a digital photo booth.

An analyst with Forrester Research wrote not long ago that consumers' ability to search for products by cell phone is threatening to turn traditional stores into showrooms for online retailers such as Amazon.com. That sounded as if it would fulfill a piece of this do-it-yourself quest -- finding and researching items without asking for directions.

Monroeville Mall has its own take on the development of mobile phones as shopping aid. This fall, the shopping center hooked up with a service called NearbyNow that lets consumers search for products at its stores via the Internet or mobile phones.

Having used this service before for a different mall, we arrived expecting signs with reminders on how to use it. Instead, the only signs seemed to be the ones suggesting consumers, "Abandon the rat race. Join the mouse race."

Memo to self: Sign up for that Web-enabled cell phone before trying this again.

Never mind. There is a Frucall service offering comparison prices to even basic cell phone users. Unfortunately, the number happened to be on a piece of paper left in the car. Taking a guess at an 800 number just got the answering machine at a business. The 888 version was wrong, too. "For live talk with exciting people, call ..."

Mobile shopping may be the wave of the future but for only those with the vision to buy the right tools and do some preplanning.

People everywhere

Nothing had been checked off the shopping list yet, but human interaction had been successfully avoided, despite the presence of people all around.

"May I ask you a question?" a woman called out from one of those temporary stores selling make-up in the middle of the mall. A head shake and fast walking worked.

After veering off into the food court and then returning to different area, it happened again. "Excuse me, miss, can I ask you question?" another woman projected across the width of the mall.

Never slowing down, escape seemed certain until a man popped up in front with startling abruptness: "Excuse me, miss, can I ask ..."

It was almost disturbing enough to justify a $3 Mini Melts ice cream from a vending machine by the children's play area. That self-serve machine must have had issues. A sticker that seemed to have been added after many questions noted: "Spoon inside the cup."

There are limits

If a machine is so complicated it needs a human helper to intervene, it has fundamental problems, according to Ms. Mendelsohn, the kiosk consultant.

This is a great attitude. Blame the programmer, not us.

We did fine punching in a lunch order on the touchscreens at a Sheetz on Clairton Boulevard. The guy ahead was a pro, not even slowing down as he tapped away. More slowly, we settled on a hot dog with mustard (69 cents) and an order of sliced apples ($1.29). The machine had an "Oops" button, just in case.

Paying a real person was required but we made the sacrifice to avoid being forced to eat out of a vending machine.

Meanwhile, management wasn't taking chances on customer confusion at the Giant Eagle's Market District store in Bethel Park. Efforts to look experienced did not work on the employee stationed by the handheld devices that customers can use to scan as they shop. "Have you used this before?"

A quick scan of an Advantage Card set off the assigned device and we tried to rush off. "Don't forget your bags," he said, drawing attention to a rookie mistake. Privacy is so important while messing up around new technology.

Ms. Mendelsohn might offer a different assessment. While she advocates allowing shoppers to try the technology on their own, she said retailers make a mistake if they don't teach employees how to help. It also can be a good way to get reluctant workers to buy into the arrival of tools that seem likely to reduce the overall need for staffing.

Giant Eagle had certain limitations as a holiday gift store. For foodies, there were kitchen goods such as the Mario Batali micrograter, Mikasa glasses and sleek metal utensil holders. A display held gift baskets. A small toy section had a $24.99 Apples to Apples game for the cousins. The scanner made a satisfying beep as we pointed our wand at it.

Good thing no employees were near the Personal Shopper checkout. We must admit we had to ask the shoppers at the next stand if they knew how to do this.

Speed and convenience are the most common reasons to use the self-checkout, IHL Consulting Group found. The main reason people don't like it is the need for intervention by a store employee. We want to do it ourselves and not have to deal with those flashing lights advertising our need for help.

The need for speed

As the day was waning, speed became more important than the thrill of new technology. A swing through Home Depot added a gift card for relatives to the pile, no assistance necessary.

Wal-Mart, with its self-checkout stations, may be among the more efficient stops for a shopper focused on getting gifts without conversing with others. The massive discounter may not carry Godiva chocolates or Coach handbags, but it does have home goods, toys and even clothing.

Don't go with plans to buy one of the hot new video games without assistance, though, because they're safely locked inside display cases. And nodding at a people greeter may be necessary.

Also, in the interest of full disclosure, it must be said that using self-service technology offers no protection against being forced to listen to the song, "White Christmas," again and again and again.