In stores, do you prefer SELF-checkout lines?

[kenny]

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170509-the-unpopular-rise-of-self-checkouts-and-how-to-fix-them

Why Yes?
Why No?

I suspect, like em or not (since they get to lay off humans) they are here to stay.

 

[kenny]

I prefer self checkout lines when they are much shorter and I know the only thing in my cart is simple-to-read-barcoded and not-likely-to-hold-up-the-line items.

Otherwise I'll deal with a human clerk.
They have brains.

I've learned to (generally) avoid human contact ... but as with nearly all new technology self-checkout promises the world, but when it hits the world we find out that it has a long long way to go.

 

[lissyflo]

I like self-scan lines if I only have a few things but, like you, prefer a person if I have a lot (I find packing the bags in a small space stressful) or something where I know an assistant will need to come over anyway (like to check age for alcohol or medicine).

What I much prefer are the self-scanners you use as you walk around. It makes life so much easier being able to pack items into your bags as you go, plus I know a running total of the cost. It's also environmentally great as you have to take your own bags with you to shop that way.

A store here recently removed all staff-operated lines and received a lot of negative press, mainly concerns about elderly and isolated people who appreciate a few moments of human contact in the day.

 

[Austina]

We also have self scan, so you can pack your shopping as you go round. I prefer it because we can get in and out of the supermarket as quickly as possible. When you're finished, you point your hand heldscanner at the terminal, insert your car and you're done.

 

[arkieb1]

I go to whichever has the shortest line and will get me through faster regardless of how much stuff I have. I can have a trolley full and scan & bag it all myself.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Self checkout. It's easier, never has an attitude, fun for the kids if they are with me and can be faster depending on the cashier.

 

[Missy]

I only use it if I have one or 2 items and the express line is long. I don't love the self checkout because a. it does take away jobs from people and b. often it doesn't go smoothly and hence the staff is always waiting there to help anyway.

Plus I like to support jobs where I can so rather use a human.

 

[Calliecake]

Couldn't agree more Missy. I've used the express lanes when I'm in a hurry but if the lines are not terribly long prefer to use the regular check out.

 

[Vanilla Bling]

I want to say something about self checkout, in my humble opinion when you scan in self checkout you should get a discount because the item would have other charges such as employee checkout factored in I would think and I know a lot of things go into the price of goods purchased. What's your thoughts on this?

 

[kenny]

I want to say something about self checkout, in my humble opinion when you scan in self checkout you should get a discount because the item would have other charges such as employee checkout factored in I would think and I know a lot of things go into the price of goods purchased. What's your thoughts on this?

Well, in theory prices go down when operating expenses do.
I'm sure NO company would ever lower expenses and just keep the extra profit.

Sarcasm aside, competition between stores with self-checkout may nudge prices down.

 

[Austina]

I have to say, that the supermarket here where you can scan and pack, still has lots of staffed checkouts, as it doesn't seem that popular. I think most people prefer the human contact.

 

[marcy]

I rarely use them. I know they replaced a person so I try to stay away from them and I honestly don't like using them. My husband uses them all the time because he can check out faster than waiting in line.

 

[marymm]

I much prefer self-checkout (except at a few stores with glitchy systems) - I have decided preferences for how my groceries are bagged, and self-check out lets me handle my chosen stuff the way I prefer - not sure why so many grocery store baggers don't put frozen/refrigerator items into the same bag so they all stay cooler but as this is a major pet peeve of mine I appreciate being able to self-checkout. Add the fact that most of the time there is no/little wait, and it is a win-win for me.

 

[kenny]

... not sure why so many grocery store baggers don't put frozen/refrigerator items into the same bag so they all stay cooler but as this is a major pet peeve of mine

Speed, ease, apathy, laziness, lack of training.

My first job was bagging groceries in a supermarket.
I remember one old lady told me to put it all in one bag, but don't make it too heavy.
She was not joking.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I use both. I love coupons and is a PITA with self checkout.

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

We also have self scan, so you can pack your shopping as you go round. I prefer it because we can get in and out of the supermarket as quickly as possible. When you're finished, you point your hand heldscanner at the terminal, insert your car and you're done.

How is loss prevention managed with this system???

 

[telephone89]

I will go with whatever has the shorter line. Unless I have a cartful, then I just go to the person.

 

[Platinum-blonde]

We also have self scan, so you can pack your shopping as you go round. I prefer it because we can get in and out of the supermarket as quickly as possible. When you're finished, you point your hand heldscanner at the terminal, insert your car and you're done.

I've never heard of this before. Where do you live and/or shop. I think it's an amazing idea if you bring your own bags.

I rarely self checkout, because I ask for paper bags if I don't bring my own. I find that self checkout when you bring your own bags tends to be a bit cumbersome.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I like self checkout.

 

[kenny]

How is loss prevention managed with this system???

I'd guess humans paid to stare at security cameras.
Maybe new software 'watching' the video can spot theft somehow.

 

[Queenie60]

I prefer the human. My few experiences with self checkout is that I seem to get stranded when checking non-barcoded items.

 

[lissyflo]

The shops with self-scan as you walk around (so you can pack into bags as you walk round the shop) tend to do occasional audits. So once in a while the till signal flashes when you try and pay at the end and a staff member needs to come over and re-scan all your shopping. It typically happens on the worst possible days when I'm in a rush, but I think I've only had one re-scan in the last year or two.

 

[monarch64]

Loved self-checkout for years. But now I'm addicted to Click List. You order online, designate a pickup time, park in a special lane, and they bring your groceries out to you and put them in your car. I never get out, and the customer service is awesome!

 

[dk168]

It depends.

If I only have a few items and none of them manually reduced, then I would go through self-service checkout.

If I have a week's worth of grocery, or have manually reduced items, then I would use a manned checkout

DK

 

[jordyonbass]

Both but I will intentionally go to a staff member if they are doing nothing and look bored

 

[KaeKae]

I, too, will use the self check out if I have just one or two items and the staffed registers have lines. If I have more than a couple things, it's all but inevitable that something will go wrong and I'll need a clerk to help me out anyway.

 

[PierreBear]

I use self check out if there are only a few items. If I have a whole cart full (usually the norm), I just go through the normal line. Helpful with coupons and occasionally someone will help you bag.

I noticed that people mentioned self scanning while you shopped. Is this a brand new thing? I've never heard of it where I live and it's a fairly big city. I hate to be skeptical but does that allow those to shoplift more easily too or does is there a scanner that checks your items as you walk through the front door?

 

[Karl_K]

Speed, ease, apathy, laziness, lack of training.

My first job was bagging groceries in a supermarket.
I remember one old lady told me to put it all in one bag, but don't make it too heavy.
She was not joking.

My second real job was bagging groceries.
We also put them in the car for people at the drive up deck.
One female pulled up to the deck with no top on fairly often.
Another time a shoplifter pulled out the bottle of vodka he was stealing and broke it over the managers head when confronted.
The saddest ones where the ones that put goods under a baby in a carrier and walked out with them. We had both men and women do that.
We had a policy not to confront them but to call the cops if they came back to do it again. One guy grabbed the bottle of booze and threw the baby at the cop and ran off. Luckily the cop caught the baby and another cop pulled up and caught the guy.

There are a million stories.

anyway....
I don't use the self scanners, I know too many people that need the work even if the pay is not great.

 

[iLander]

Oh, hells no. Not unless the regular checkout lines are too long.

There are trained professionals that will check me out fast and easy. Also, I don't want to contribute to the demise of simple jobs for people that need them.

 

[monarch64]

Re: jobs/job loss--I posted above that I've moved on from self checkout to ordering online and picking up at the store in a designated parking area. The Click List feature has created a bunch of new jobs since staff now has to get the orders online, fulfill them, and bring them out to the customer. People are never going to be out of the equation. For those of you who refuse self checkouts on that basis, do you use other automated services, like checking into a flight at a self-serve kiosk or printing boarding passes from home (if you even print anymore; I just get the pass on my phone and don't even own a printer now). Movie tickets? Automated car washes? Self-serve gas pumps?

I kind of have a beef with sales associates ringing me up. Half the time they act like I'm not even there, or they're busy talking to other staff, and 90% of the time they do NOT thank me for my business. Poor training on the part of the store, but too bad. Either appreciate your job and the fact that I'm the reason you have one, or I'm not dealing with your crappy attitude and poor manners. The young women who've brought my groceries out to my car and loaded them up for me have been FAR AND AWAY nicer, more proficient, and better trained than any cashier in the store I've come in contact with in the past 10 years. It's almost like they realize the job isn't beneath them!

ETA: and yes, I've been a grocery store cashier--my senior year of high school. I was quickly promoted to counting down the cash office every night, and people used to come through my line specifically because I had a good attitude and was accurate. I appreciated my job. I went on to make retail management my career. So I know the ins and outs of all of this and don't see how it's a problem to add more convenient options for the customer. Someone still has to service the self checkouts, count the tills, keep bags stocked, help people when they have problems or questions, etc. Cuts down on the amount of extraneous employees hired who then quit because they're promised a certain amount of hours and get sent home when it's slow.