Self-Checkout

[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.