Self Check Out, A Poll

[cteddiesgirl]

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.

Not all self check outs require you to keep everything on the scale. The ones at my Wal-Mart don't. I use them often and with quite a bit of items. Sometimes I have to take bags off the scale and put into the cart. But I'm pretty fast, so people waiting behind me are often waiting less time for me than others who have far less than me.

Although, the local grocery store does require you keep everything on the scale.

There are some that are labeled as express, but others that are not. Obviously, the ones at my local Wal-Mart are not labeled at all.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I always wonder if the machines really save the business money. First, they are a pain unless they are only used for low count because the conveyor belt is usually short, but they are not. Second, they must be much more expensive than regular registers. Third, they probably lead to an increase in theft because when things are busy that one person stationed there can't see EVERYTHING. Fourth, they are time consuming because it takes a long time to do it all alone, unload, scan and bag which ties up registers that could move a lot faster with 2 humans involved. Fifth, they always seem to break or demand the assistance of an attendant anyway and when that happens the whole set-up is brought to a crawl because credit card users still need to sign with the attendant so a line can build quickly. Then, considering the number of people out of work and the many jobs chucking those machines would create... well, lets just say I'm no fan of them.

I think the whole idea of it is an epic fail.

Wouldn't it be nice if, instead of spending millions on advertising, big co's would just toss the machines to create jobs and use that as a marketing angle?

 

[kwelch10377]

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.

I love those hand helded scanners at Stop N Shop. It is so nice to just bag as a shop and then just take less than a minute to checkout.

 

[curious3069]

OK, the hand held thing sounds awesome...how do they keep people from bagging something but not scanning??

I think if the lane isn't marked, then it isn't express. I've never ones where all the self-checkout aren't marked, but I'm sure they are out there. I like the idea of self checkout, but it doesn't seem to work all that great, especially with items that don't weigh much.

 

[bicker]

I suspect the supermarkets are making a mint by putting self-service check-out in place. The cost of labor is ridiculous, between salary and health benefits and social security and unemployment and training and so forth. There is surely some theft, but they'd have to have most people acting dishonorably, and rolling out without paying for substantial portions of their purchases, to make up for the money they save in lower labor costs. And a place like Stop & Shop capitalizes on their ability to attract customers away from Shaws, because of S&S's even-better hand-held system.

 

[bicker]

OK, the hand held thing sounds awesome...how do they keep people from bagging something but not scanning??

Random re-checks. We were re-checked a few times when the system first started, and then, apparently after establishing our accuracy, we have only been re-checked once since.

 

[OceanAnnie]

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

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.

None of those, "if, then" situations apply. No order separators, no bagging. Warehouse shopping. I have had people send their stuff into mine while I am placing my items in my cart. That bugs me to no end. I usually don't even have that much stuff. And even if I did, wait your turn!!

I have asked someone if they are sending me a gift. They got their items, and then waited the minute or so it took. Crazy.

 

[piglet too]

I chose "other."

If it is the small little self-checkout, then I think it should be an express lane. It should also be a lane where you are able to scan all of your items, like soda. I see too many people who don't take their soda out of the cart and the cashier watching over the area needs to come and scan them. Alos, if you are writing a check, you will need assistance so just go to a regular lane. (this applys to both type of self-checkout lanes)

The full length self-checkout though is for all size orders. I love that our local store finally added these.

 

[eeyoremum]

I voted other because I refuse to use them.

I don't get a discount for using them but they are saving money by not hiring more staff. So for every one self check out that is 1 or 2 more people out of jobs.

 

[KAMLEM]

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.

There are plenty of honest people out there who like to use self check out and don't steal and I'm willing to bet that the ones who DO steal are a very small number.

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.

I only know of one supermarket that works like that. The others are conveyor belts and everything just moves down to the end. Most of the time the employee that is monitoring the self check out area will bag your groceries, too. I hate the one with the scales, it's always telling me that I have something in my bag that was not scanned but I don't.

 

[bicker]

That's a shame: They really should give you those dividers - it makes a big difference in how long people have to wait to check-out. I've also seen some places that have split conveyors, with orders alternating between two adjacent bagging areas. Those are really cool, and makes it very clear that a shopper shouldn't monopolize the check-out station after they've paid.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I always wonder if the machines really save the business money.
\

I mean this respectfully, but you are probably one of those slower users (since you think they are a pain to use) that drive those of us who can self check faster than a clerk can check us batty I do not mean that disrespectfully, I only mean that the system obviously does not work as well for you as it does for some of us.
I actually think theft must be pretty low with them or else stores would not keep adding more. I think most people are either honest or not--and those who would steal would steal regardless.
I DO know that I will choose to shop at a store which offers self check over one which does not simply because I like the convenience of it--so I know that in at least my case having self check means the store gets more business.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I voted other because I refuse to use them.

I don't get a discount for using them but they are saving money by not hiring more staff. So for every one self check out that is 1 or 2 more people out of jobs.

I respect that.

When the lines are too long (because of the lack of cashiers) those self checkers are too attractive for me to resist. I just want out.

 

[kwelch10377]

I voted other because I refuse to use them.

I don't get a discount for using them but they are saving money by not hiring more staff. So for every one self check out that is 1 or 2 more people out of jobs.

The self checkout exists as more of a convience factor for the customers, not really to save money. They still have to have someone who is watching the area and helping customers when they have an issue at the self checkout, so no one is out of a job. It does help with getting people out of the store faster since instead of that person only being able to check people out on one register, they are now able to watch over several registers at once. In a time where stores can't afford to hire more help this is the best solution for trying to get customers out the door faster.

Many people see the time it generally saves them as the discount and/or they have an "it is easier to do it myself" attitude and perfer to do it themselves. This is the attitude I generally have and I love self checkout. Some people perfer to wait in the regular checkout line and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[bicker]

While most of that is true, do keep in mind parallels. Exact Change/Toll Tag Only lanes started out on our local highways as one or two per toll plaza. Now most of the lanes are self-service lanes.

The loaded cost of labor is so incredibly high that it makes rewarding those who prefer self-service the best approach for a wide variety of businesses.

That's one reason why some advocates try to disparage self-service wherever they encounter it: They either prefer full service, personally, or prefer it because it fosters employment for others, and therefore don't like the fact that all indications are that self-service will not only stay but grow over time.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

If it is a regular grocery store, then I think it should be express only. There isn't that much room for the bags in the self checkout, so when I see people with a loaded cart, I just have to question their intelligence since there is no way they can fit it all into the bagging area.
If you are talking about a store like BJ's, Sam's Club, or Costco, then the answer is no.
As far as etiquette goes, some people just don't get it. I was at BJ's in the self checkout. Paid for the stuff, and was in the process of putting it in the cart when the person behind me started with their order. I looked at them and said quite loudly, "Can I pack up my stuff before you start sending your crap through?" My wife was mortified, but I said, again quite loudly that it was rude on their part.

 

[OceanAnnie]

If it is a regular grocery store, then I think it should be express only. There isn't that much room for the bags in the self checkout, so when I see people with a loaded cart, I just have to question their intelligence since there is no way they can fit it all into the bagging area.
If you are talking about a store like BJ's, Sam's Club, or Costco, then the answer is no.
As far as etiquette goes, some people just don't get it. I was at BJ's in the self checkout. Paid for the stuff, and was in the process of putting it in the cart when the person behind me started with their order. I looked at them and said quite loudly, "Can I pack up my stuff before you start sending your crap through?" My wife was mortified, but I said, again quite loudly that it was rude on their part.

That's been my experience to a "t". It burns me up! What are these people thinking? Why is it okay to send their stuff crashing into mine?? Do they have any brain cells? Do they not know their stuff could get packed with mine? It has happened to me a number of times from people of all ages. I don't get their logic. I would never do that to someone else.

 

[bicker]

If it is a regular grocery store ... There isn't that much room for the bags in the self checkout

That's not the case, in my experience. Perhaps you mean to say that if there isn't room for bags in the self-checkout, then it should be treated as express. That I can agree with wholeheartedly.

As far as etiquette goes, some people just don't get it. I was at BJ's in the self checkout. Paid for the stuff, and was in the process of putting it in the cart when the person behind me started with their order. I looked at them and said quite loudly, "Can I pack up my stuff before you start sending your crap through?" My wife was mortified, but I said, again quite loudly that it was rude on their part.

Another case of there not being an order separator? Gosh, that's really a shame. I think that should be a fundamental aspect of any self-service check-out like that.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

I can only speak from experience. the store I go to you have about enough space for four packed bags. After that you would have to take away a bag and put it on the floor or something, yet I see people with an overflowing cart. Makes me wonder.

At the BJ's you send your stuff down the chute to the end. Common sense would tell you if the previous person is still packing their cart, maybe you shouldn't be sending your stuff down. I should have kept quiet and just started packing their stuff in my cart. If they complained I would have said "Sorry, maybe you should have waited before adding your stuff to mine." Its not like the people that punch a hole in your receipt verify every item in the cart.

 

[luvmy3]

That's been my experience to a "t". It burns me up! What are these people thinking? Why is it okay to send their stuff crashing into mine?? Do they have any brain cells? Do they not know their stuff could get packed with mine? It has happened to me a number of times from people of all ages. I don't get their logic. I would never do that to someone else.

Once at BJ's someone started scanning their stuff before I had even paid. She was clearly in a hurry but because of that we both had to wait for someone to come over and take the item off my bill.

I voted "no", my grocery store and BJ's have self checkout and they each have one marked for a certain amount of items or less.