Self Check Out, A Poll

[OceanAnnie]

Do you think a self check out is "express only", if it isn't marked as such? Does "Self Check Out", equate to "express only" to you even if there is no sign?

I'm interested because I've been noticing less checkers at grocery stores and warehouses and longer lines. Seems like more people are using the self check out.

Don't get me started on self check out etiquette. I only want to add, many times I've wanted to say, "Wait your turn! Don't send your items crashing into mine!". Okay off my soapbox.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I voted other because it depends on how it is labeled. MANY are labeled as express or with a limited number of items. If it is not labeled as express that it is not express only.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I haven't seen any labeled as, "express only". I do look. Not a one.

ETA- I changed my OP to reflect when there is no, "express only" sign. Thanks, Hadley.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I haven't seen any labeled as, "express only". I do look. Not a one.

My experience (but I have not lived in the US in about a year and a half so maybe they are changing) is about 50-60% were labeled as express depending on if it was grocery stores (higher percentage) or discount type stores. This was the case in both Michigan and New Hampshire. I am surprised you have NEVER come across one.

ETA--just saw YOUR edit lol---count me as a NO then!

 

[Magic Mom]

The self check out lanes here (at least the stores I shop at) are labeled express.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I have to make an addendum. When shopping at the grocery stores, I have certain, "Self Check" machines I zip to. I know they don't have any, "express only", signs because I scoped them out. I *may* have visually shut out a few others. I'll have to look more closely at the ones I don't use. Maybe they do have, "express only signs".

But this poll is for the lanes that don't have the limiting signs.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

The store I frequent most has 3 "small" self-checkout that are labeled "Express." They also have 3 lines that have a longer conveyor belt, and those are for the non-express customers.

I do tend to get cranky in any self-checkout line, because there are some people that just shouldn't be in those lines!

 

[MIGrandma]

No, I don't feel that self check out lanes are "express only." If they were, there should be signs up stating it.

That said, I absolutely hate self checking and won't do it. DH will if he only has one or two items. I just don't see the draw to it, especially if you have a cart full of stuff. Unless you're one of the many who cheat and bag stuff that you haven't paid for.

I much prefer to wait my turn in the regular line, even if it's long, and have a checker ring me up, and a bagger bag my groceries.

 

[nmrgrl55]

I would think most people wouldn't put a cart full of stuff on one of those mini self check out areas but if it is a normal check out belt and no sign then no...not express.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I voted "no".

At least around here, they will say, "Self Check Out 10/15/20 or Less", or "Self Check Out No Limit".

If it said nothing, I would assume I could use it for as many items as I had. But I probably wouldn't take a whole cart through one... too messy with the piling up at the bottom of the belt, and bagging it all as someone else waits impatiently!

 

[Carl]

Although I voted "no," I don't see how you could use one if you had very much to check out, because you have to leave all your bags on the scale and there really isn't that much room.

 

[bettymae1121]

I put "other". Around here none of them are labled as express, but I think that the ones that don't have a belt should be considered an express. It's just too awkward to have a cart full of food and no bel to put it on. Most people in my area must feel the same way because I've only seen a few people over the years take a cart full of food to one of the small self checkouts, the vast majority either just have one or two things, or just have a hand basket full of stuff

 

[bicker]

Do you think a self check out is "express only", if it isn't marked as such?

Of course not. Express Only lanes are always labeled as such.

Don't get me started on self check out etiquette. I only want to add, many times I've wanted to say, "Wait your turn! Don't send your items crashing into mine!". Okay off my soapbox.

If a shopper has any significant amount of bagging to do, and the supermarket provides order separators that fit into a slot in the bagging area, it is the responsibility of the person bagging their groceries to quickly move all their groceries into the bagging area past that slot, insert the separator into the slot, and then bag their groceries, thereby allowing the next shopper to begin their transaction. Once the area above the separator is full, then the check-out stops until the previous shopper has cleared all their groceries from the bagging area.

 

[golfgal]

I voted no because none of the self check registers where I shop are labeled express-the ones at the grocery store even have a conveyor belt. If they were LABELED as such, fine.

 

[bicker]

That said, I absolutely hate self checking and won't do it. DH will if he only has one or two items. I just don't see the draw to it, especially if you have a cart full of stuff.

No one bags groceries as well, for stocking our cupboard and refrigerator, as my wife and I do. Very often, even when using a "regular" check-out lane, we thank the bagger profusely for offering to bag our groceries and then proceed to bag them ourselves.

In our store, they've made it yet-even-better: We have hand-held scanners that we pick up as we enter the store, and we scan things as we're pulling them off the shelves. They then go directly into the correct bag. When we reach the check-out, the self-check-out has our full order immediately entered. The only things we may need to scan there at the check-out are things that, for some reason, didn't scan with the hand-held scanner, and that happens maybe once every month or two. So basically check-out is a 30 second operation, including swiping the credit card and signing for the charge.

 

[Meriweather]

I voted other also because it depends on how they are marked.
If marked as under a certain number, then of course yes. If not marked, then no.

Ours around here are marked if they are express.

 

[NHdisneylover]

No, I don't feel that self check out lanes are "express only." If they were, there should be signs up stating it.

That said, I absolutely hate self checking and won't do it. DH will if he only has one or two items. I just don't see the draw to it, especially if you have a cart full of stuff. Unless you're one of the many who cheat and bag stuff that you haven't paid for.

I much prefer to wait my turn in the regular line, even if it's long, and have a checker ring me up, and a bagger bag my groceries.

Oh I MUCH prefer to bag my own groceries--I always have. As often as not at the self checkout I had one or both kids or my husband along so one of us could scan while the other(s) bag anyway. 90% of the time we can get our order done faster than a cashier and bagger would AND my groceries are bagged better (cold items together, nothing squished, no bags too heavy, etc).

Here is Germany it is ALWAYS bag yourself EVERYWHERE. I am told that one of the reasons Wal Mart failed here is that they insisted on bagging for you and most Germans do not want others touching their groceries I do not know how true that is but i have heard it from a number of Germans.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I voted Other because it seems awfully inconvenient to me for someone to use a self-checkout for 50 items or so. So they aren't really designed to large shopping orders, but if there is no sign. then you can buy as many items as you want.

 

[ICF]

I do tend to get cranky in any self-checkout line, because there are some people that just shouldn't be in those lines!

Agreed. They do tend to work well as a type of IQ test...to see if you can both read and follow simple directions. It's amazing how many people fail the test.

 

[jen0610]

The store I frequent most has 3 "small" self-checkout that are labeled "Express." They also have 3 lines that have a longer conveyor belt, and those are for the non-express customers.
I do tend to get cranky in any self-checkout line, because there are some people that just shouldn't be in those lines!

I love that Meijers has these types of lanes. Between the cashier experience that I have and the bagger experience DH has, between the the two of us, we can ring up and bag faster and with far fewer bags then a regular cashier can.