Self-Checkout

[WVRed]

I'm kinda curious for responses on this as I currently work in retail. I personally use them all the time because I want to get in and out of places (especially Wal-Mart) as quick as humanly possible. On the other hand, there are some people who feel that U-Scan's, self-checkout, etc. take jobs away from the cashiers.

Which category do you fall into?

[wolfboy]

It all depends. Sometimes the technology is a little lacking on the self-checkout, so I avoid it. I've never really heard the "it eliminates jobs" angle, but that doesn't really bother me.

[Rojo]

It all depends. Sometimes the technology is a little lacking on the self-checkout, so I avoid it. I've never really heard the "it eliminates jobs" angle, but that doesn't really bother me.

It bothers me but I think its not going to do much good to fight it. Still, I prefer checkers.

[SunDeck]

Still, I prefer checkers.

Especially when they don't look me in the eye or otherwise acknowledge that I'm a living, breathing person, as happens all too often in most grocery stores. Honestly, that drives me to self checks just as much as the convenience factor.

[RonDunn95]

Sometimes, it really depends on the quantity.

[texasdave]

Especially when they don't look me in the eye or otherwise acknowledge that I'm a living, breathing person, as happens all too often in most grocery stores. Honestly, that drives me to self checks just as much as the convenience factor.

+1

[757690]

Especially when they don't look me in the eye or otherwise acknowledge that I'm a living, breathing person, as happens all too often in most grocery stores. Honestly, that drives me to self checks just as much as the convenience factor.

I agree.

It's not like I'm anti-social, I just hate dealing with people. ;)

[SunDeck]

I agree.

It's not like I'm anti-social, I just hate dealing with people. ;)

Maybe I project a creepy vibe that keeps them from interacting with me. I could believe that.

[izzy's dad]

When I use a self checkout I always seem to have to get an employee help me out with an item or a malfunction of some type. I might as well go through regular line. Maybe this is an indictment on how awful I am with technology, or how crummy Wal Mart's self checkout machines are.

[SunDeck]

When I use a self checkout I always seem to have to get an employee help me out with an item or a malfunction of some type. I might as well go through regular line. Maybe this is an indictment on how awful I am with technology, or how crummy Wal Mart's self checkout machines are.

Please put your item in the bag.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Welcome Valued Customer.
Do you have any coupons?

[izzy's dad]

Please select payment type

[WVRed]

Wal-Mart usually has the easiest SCO out of any stores I have been in. Once you do it enough, it becomes second nature.

I was in two Wal-Mart's yesterday, one in Barboursville above the Huntington Mall and the other in Hurricane coming back from visiting family in Kentucky. Neither Wal-Mart had SCO lanes. The Huntington store surprised me given its massive size and traffic.

It seems like every Kroger I've been in except for one in the area I live in has SCO. Given the UFCW presence in Kroger, you would think they would be fighting to keep them out.

[Larry Schuler]

The only negative thing I've encountered with self check out is when the store gets busy, you always have 3 of the 6 checkout stands being stonewalled by people staring blankly into the screen, frozen and unable to figure out what to do next, and then there is always one pushy guy a few people behind you who keeps bouncing around ready to run ahead of the entire line because we are all "wasting" his time unnecessarily by not bum rushing the slowpokes.

But besides that, on slow days, I prefer them.

[AtomicDumpling]

If I have a few items I do self-checkout. If you have more than a few items it is actually faster to wait in line and go to the regular checkout with a cashier and a bagger.

[JayStubbs]

I thought this was a family site?

I understand the importance of self-checkouts, and they should be done on a regular basis, just in case, but do we really need to discuss it in a thread on this site? Kinda personal, if you ask me ;)

[Slyder]

The problem I always had with them is people are not honest when using them. Its a nightmare on inventory systems.

[LoganBuck]

The problem I always had with them is people are not honest when using them. Its a nightmare on inventory systems.

We had an incident with one at a Meijer this weekend. After having my home broke into this weekend, I am keenly aware of theft. We checked out, and then went out the door. The security system went off, and they waived us out the door. We checked at the car and sure enough, a bottle of wine was not on the receipt. We went back in and paid for it, but we ran the bottle across the scanner, and put it on the tray and somehow it didn't register.

My wife likes self checkout. Give me a human anytime, normally someone has to come fix something, and you waste time with it.

[bucksfan2]

It really depends. If I only have a few items I tend to go through self checkouts. It used to be I had a problem every time I went through but they have gotten much more reliable.

If I have only a few items but beer is one of them I see if there is a register open with no line. I don't particularly care to scan alcohol and have to wait and see if the attendant is attentive that day.

If I have a bunch of items I head towards the register and attendant. At Meijer they now have self checkouts for a bunch of items which are nice, but you have to bag your own groceries.

[Sea Ray]

When I use a self checkout I always seem to have to get an employee help me out with an item or a malfunction of some type. I might as well go through regular line. Maybe this is an indictment on how awful I am with technology, or how crummy Wal Mart's self checkout machines are.

My WalMart is only a few yrs old and doesn't have self checkouts (in Mason). I wish they did

[Sea Ray]

We had an incident with one at a Meijer this weekend. After having my home broke into this weekend, I am keenly aware of theft. We checked out, and then went out the door. The security system went off, and they waived us out the door. We checked at the car and sure enough, a bottle of wine was not on the receipt. We went back in and paid for it, but we ran the bottle across the scanner, and put it on the tray and somehow it didn't register.

My wife likes self checkout. Give me a human anytime, normally someone has to come fix something, and you waste time with it.

So their security system noted that the bottle of wine wasn't paid for? That's amazing. I didn't realize their technology had come that far. I think of those large cards on clothes that they need to unclick in order to remove them.

[PedroBourbon]

My biggest reason for using self check out is so that I can bag the groceries. Somehow what I am able to squeeze into 5 bags takes the store employee 14 bags, several with 2 or 3 items only!!!

[RollyInRaleigh]

I prefer to self-checkout if I have just a few items. It is a pain at the grocery if you have a large amount of items because the area for bagging is so small. The problem I really have is when you go to a store on the weekend and they only have 2 to 3 cashiers and lanes open.

[Roy Tucker]

Generally speaking, if its 5-10 items and they are all scannable, I do the self-checkout. Like what Randy said, sometimes a store will only have 2-3 lines open and the lines are long and the self-check thing is quicker. I'm not afraid of technology.

If I have a produce item, I sometimes quail at the thought of looking it up the PLU, but I can usually fumble my way through it. Or if I'm at a place like Costco and buying one big-ticket item, I go through the line just to make sure things are done right.

My only beef with them are the bagging Nazi ones that won't let you continue unless you bag the item. Its like "who cares what I did with it, I scanned it, can we move on please?".

[foxfire123]

Absolutely NOT. I see first hand how this takes hours away from the checkers. I'll stand in line for half an hour to avoid those &*^%^ things.

[foxfire123]

Especially when they don't look me in the eye or otherwise acknowledge that I'm a living, breathing person, as happens all too often in most grocery stores. Honestly, that drives me to self checks just as much as the convenience factor.

this is an in-general rant, not directed at SunDeck personally. They just happened to bring something up that is a pet peeve of mine as a grocery employee. "You" is being used in general here. and be forewarned, I'm going off on a tangent here and sidetracking the original subject.

Ok, I'll give you that some checkers just don't acknowledge customers as much as they should. Those ones need a smack, but the majority of checkers are hard working people who are taking care of a family just like you are. HOWEVER, when you go through a line do YOU acknowledge the checker/bagger also? Or are you too busy yakking away on that cell phone implanted in your head? Do you act with common courtesy, or do you treat the person helping you like a peon that put dog poop on your porch step? There is a huge difference between "Service" and "Servant", and your grocery/department store checker is not a *servant*. they're providing a service, and deserve a little bit of respect and courtesy.

Before I became a cake decorator, I was a checker, and checker trainer. and I know how many times I've wanted to stuff those cell phones up someone's.... um..., nose..... there have also been times where I have comethisclose to asking them if they talk to their mama the way they do checkers.

[Sweetstop]

when i go krogering every 10 days or so and spend $150 or more, i want a competent cashier and bagger to take care of me. i have my favorites, who i will wait for, just because i know they are fast, efficient and not likely to make time-consuming mistakes. i expect the bagger to bag my groceries evenly (frozen in insulated, etc.) in the reusable bags i've provided..

if i'm picking up a couple of items and cashier lines are long, i will use a self-checkout line. it's not rocket science...

[Caveat Emperor]

Absolutely NOT. I see first hand how this takes hours away from the checkers. I'll stand in line for half an hour to avoid those &*^%^ things.

I'd actually be more prone to use checkout lines if they weren't already half self-serve. At virtually every store I have to swipe my own credit card, navigate the menus to make sure it does credit instead of debit. If you're going to have full-service lines, make everything full service -- swipe my card, push the right buttons, etc.

[klw]

My biggest reason for using self check out is so that I can bag the groceries. Somehow what I am able to squeeze into 5 bags takes the store employee 14 bags, several with 2 or 3 items only!!!

This has never been a concern because almost all the time when there is a bagger in a line, they leave when my groceries start to get processed even if they just helped someone else. Very bizarre and does not matter what store I am in. In a past life, I must of done something evil to grocery bagger.

[SunDeck]

this is an in-general rant, not directed at SunDeck personally. They just happened to bring something up that is a pet peeve of mine as a grocery employee. "You" is being used in general here. and be forewarned, I'm going off on a tangent here and sidetracking the original subject.

Ok, I'll give you that some checkers just don't acknowledge customers as much as they should. Those ones need a smack, but the majority of checkers are hard working people who are taking care of a family just like you are. HOWEVER, when you go through a line do YOU acknowledge the checker/bagger also? Or are you too busy yakking away on that cell phone implanted in your head? Do you act with common courtesy, or do you treat the person helping you like a peon that put dog poop on your porch step? There is a huge difference between "Service" and "Servant", and your grocery/department store checker is not a *servant*. they're providing a service, and deserve a little bit of respect and courtesy.

Before I became a cake decorator, I was a checker, and checker trainer. and I know how many times I've wanted to stuff those cell phones up someone's.... um..., nose..... there have also been times where I have comethisclose to asking them if they talk to their mama the way they do checkers.

No argument from me- the world is full of inconsiderate people. I work in direct customer service and it never ceases to amaze me how people will take a cell phone call right in the middle of our transaction, while I'm trying to help them.

[pedro]

First, the grocery store I frequent most doesn't have self check outs but I do use them occasionally at other places. Second, and I say this with the most delicacy possible, as I know some people will likely take this with offense, but generally the experience I have here with people working at grocery store check outs is infinitely more pleasant out west than it is in the midwest, south and on the east coast. I won't go all out and say people are nicer here because I'm not sure that they are, but I will say that people seem to me to be much happier here than in a lot of other places I've been and it seems to reflect in their attitude to others.

[*BaseClogger*]

I rarely have issues with self-checkout and greatly prefer it...

[Razor Shines]

Use self check whenever possible. I actually get mildly annoyed when I go to a grocery store that doesn't have self check and I try to avoid that store in the future if possible. It doesn't really have much to do with the customer service, im just faster than they are. I've become an expert on those things.


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[Razor Shines]

If I'm too far over the item limit, I'll put things back to get nearer to the limit.


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[Danny Serafini]

Personally, I love the self-checkout and will use it anytime i can.


HOWEVER, when you go through a line do YOU acknowledge the checker/bagger also? Or are you too busy yakking away on that cell phone implanted in your head? Do you act with common courtesy, or do you treat the person helping you like a peon that put dog poop on your porch step? There is a huge difference between "Service" and "Servant", and your grocery/department store checker is not a *servant*. they're providing a service, and deserve a little bit of respect and courtesy.

Having spent a few years of my youth as a bagger, I totally empathize with this. There's a lot of rudeness on display from customers. I'd tell each customer to have a good day, and I'd say 90% of them would would just grunt in response or simply ignore me. To this day I always make sure to be polite to those in customer service, because I remember how much it sucked being on the receiving end most times.

[fearofpopvol1]

Whichever line is shortest and gets me out of the door quickest. On any given day, that could be the self checkout or the cashiers.

[GAC]

It bothers me but I think its not going to do much good to fight it. Still, I prefer checkers.

Depends on who the checker is. Here at the local Walmart we got a few humdingers. LOL

I use for their speed and convenience if I'm only purchasing a few items. But other then that I stick with checkers. If the technology is too successful then that means more people getting replaced and in the unemployment line.

[Outlaw133]

I'll use the self-checkout, but what with that, ATM banking, drive-through windows, on-line shopping, & etc., I think we are giving up our ability to interact with actual people.

[Outlaw133]

Took me a moment to see the joke. Kinda' subtle, as good jokes should be.

[savafan]

This has never been a concern because almost all the time when there is a bagger in a line, they leave when my groceries start to get processed even if they just helped someone else. Very bizarre and does not matter what store I am in. In a past life, I must of done something evil to grocery bagger.

Guess that makes two of us.

[Rojo]

Took me a moment to see the joke. Kinda' subtle, as good jokes should be.

:lol:

[Roy Tucker]

This has never been a concern because almost all the time when there is a bagger in a line, they leave when my groceries start to get processed even if they just helped someone else. Very bizarre and does not matter what store I am in. In a past life, I must of done something evil to grocery bagger.

As a variation on this theme, I used to stand and wait for someone to bag my groceries at a non-self-bagging store like Kroger. I figure since I'm paying for the service, I might as well get my value.

But somewhere along the line, I got over it. If my wife is handling the money part and there isn't a bagging dude in sight (which seems to quite often happen), I just bag up the groceries myself.

[RBA]

Let's see how well trained we are. Who returns their shopping cart? Who buses their own fast food table?

[Razor Shines]

Let's see how well trained we are. Who returns their shopping cart? Who buses their own fast food table?

I absolutely do both. It really annoys me when people don't do those things. Especially the cart. I'll return more than one cart if it's on my way.


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[RollyInRaleigh]

Let's see how well trained we are. Who returns their shopping cart? Who buses their own fast food table?

Both, always.

[SunDeck]

I like to see from how far away I can shoot a cart into the corral. So yes, always.
As for fast food restaurants- it's not nearly as fun, but I bus my table always.

[Roy Tucker]

Let's see how well trained we are. Who returns their shopping cart? Who buses their own fast food table?

Yep, both always.

If I find a stray cart in the lot and my hands are free, I'll return it to the corral on my way into the store.

And my youngest works at the local Chick-Fil-A and she says its amazing how many people just get up and walk away from their trash.

[foxfire123]

Considering I had to replace a fender thanks to a lazy person not returning their cart, I always take mine to the corrals.

[foxfire123]

double post

[HeatherC1212]

I don't often have to buy a lot of things at one time at the store so I like to use the self service check out because it's quicker for me. My biggest pet peeves about those checkouts though is when someone doesn't know how to use it and stands there looking like an idiot without asking for help (or takes 2 hrs to process their order of six items), and when someone gets in line with a flipping cartful of about twenty plus items and then take forever to scan them all. If you have a cartfull of groceries, go to the other checkout lines because the self service ones are for SMALL ORDERS ONLY and twenty items is NOT small. Irks me to no end when someone thinks that's okay and holds up all these people (like me) who are standing there holding about three items and waiting on their sorry behind to get done. :bang: /end rant

And I always return a cart when I use one and clean up my table at a fast food restaurant. It's a force of habit by now and I've also worked fast food before so that makes a difference too. My current problem is walking through a store and starting to pick up or refold clothes as I walk by since I'm working a part time retail job through the holidays. It's a new force of habit to clean up the area as I walk by all the messes and I really need to break it after the new year, LOL :laugh: :)

[LawFive]

Put me down for "never". Part of the cost of groceries is paying for the employee's services. The store doesnt discount my bill for saving on their labor costs, so I always be sure to get what I'm paying for.

[foxfire123]

Put me down for "never". Part of the cost of groceries is paying for the employee's services. The store doesnt discount my bill for saving on their labor costs, so I always be sure to get what I'm paying for.

Well, dude. I hope that next time a cart gets left in the middle of a parking lot and starts rolling, it's YOUR car it slams into and not mine. Like I said, done replaced a fender because of that. (and currently have a small dent in a rear quarter panel from another cart runaway....)

[WVRed]

Well, dude. I hope that next time a cart gets left in the middle of a parking lot and starts rolling, it's YOUR car it slams into and not mine. Like I said, done replaced a fender because of that. (and currently have a small dent in a rear quarter panel from another cart runaway....)

I think you misread his post. He was saying he never uses SCO due to paying for employee services, aka keeping the employees jobs.

[foxfire123]

I think you misread his post. He was saying he never uses SCO due to paying for employee services, aka keeping the employees jobs.

Yeah, I think I did too. I apologize. I was still in mental mode of the carts part of the discussion and went with that without thinking.

(See, women CAN admit we're occasionally wrong! *snerk*)

As for getting the service you "pay" for a higher end groceries--yes! insist on it! If you're paying a premium price for groceries/whatever, you have a right to good service. Just be realistic and kind about what you expect, please. We'll help you to your car, but unloading it at home and cooking it for you isn't an option, sorry. :p ;)

[GAC]

When it comes to Walmart's self-checkout system, and I don't know if it's been mentioned yet or not, what makes me laugh is when you have items you don't want to bag, or can't, due to size. After you reach that limit of three it stops you from proceeding further until an attendant comes and resets it. And you usually have to flag them down. They say they do it to help prevent theft. Yeah, like I'm going to shove a 24 count carton of pop down my shorts. :eek:

And then there's the time factor between scanning and getting the item into one of those plastic bags (which are all stuck together) before you get the dreaded "PLEASE PLACE ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA!!" Have you ever tried to get a 24 dbl roll pack of AngelSoft TP into one of those bags? LOL

[*BaseClogger*]

When it comes to Walmart's self-checkout system, and I don't know if it's been mentioned yet or not, what makes me laugh is when you have items you don't want to bag, or can't, due to size. After you reach that limit of three it stops you from proceeding further until an attendant comes and resets it. And you usually have to flag them down. They say they do it to help prevent theft. Yeah, like I'm going to shove a 24 count carton of pop down my shorts. :eek:

And then there's the time factor between scanning and getting the item into one of those plastic bags (which are all stuck together) before you get the dreaded "PLEASE PLACE ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA!!" Have you ever tried to get a 24 dbl roll pack of AngelSoft TP into one of those bags? LOL

At the grocery by me, there is an open scale next to the one with the four rotating bags where you can place larger items such as TP...

[RBA]

I have heard some stores doing away with the self checkouts due to them breaking down, thefts, and the person monitoring them could probably checkout the customers faster the old fashion way at one register than have them using four self check out stations.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/09/15/big-y-supermarkets-dump-self-service-checkout-lanes/

[Roy Tucker]

As for getting the service you "pay" for a higher end groceries--yes! insist on it! If you're paying a premium price for groceries/whatever, you have a right to good service. Just be realistic and kind about what you expect, please. We'll help you to your car, but unloading it at home and cooking it for you isn't an option, sorry. :p ;)

Talk to my wife about it. She's the one that give me the skunk eye when I'm idly standing by when groceries are piling up with a bagger nowhere in sight. Being a participant in the marriage continuation plan, I bag the groceries.

We grocery shop at Biggs/Remke and Kroger (with side trips to Whole Foods). Biggs isn't an issue because its self-bag. When we run into this kind of issue is when we do a big shopping trip at off-hour times. Kroger is usually staffed up at busy times but in off-hours, they may only have a couple lanes open and no baggers. And if we have a full cart, the checkout person has their hands full with ringing stuff up. A manager may get flagged down to bag, but more times than not, its just me standing there and I say "what the hell" and start bagging. I want to get in and get out and I don't want to wait around for someone to finally do their job and I'm not their QA.

[RBA]

At the military commissary (grocery store) the baggers work for tips only. I wish they would go ahead and pay them a wage, because I normally do not carry cash around and it becomes a hassle when I scrambling to find some tip money in my pockets or have to get to a machine to get cash and than I am not going to give them a $20 to bag groceries, so I need to get change from that.

[dougdirt]

At the military commissary (grocery store) the baggers work for tips only. I wish they would go ahead and pay them a wage, because I normally do not carry cash around and it becomes a hassle when I scrambling to find some tip money in my pockets or have to get to a machine to get cash and than I am not going to give them a $20 to bag groceries, so I need to get change from that.
People that work for tips... the business owners best friend. They can legally pay well under minimum wage for workers because the customer is expected to directly pay that worker. Really bothers me.

[Chrietic]

eh, it is what it is.