Self Service Checkouts

[nailit]

Do you use self service checkouts?
Our local Poundland has got rid of half its checkouts and replaced them with self service. Interestingly, while there are always empty self service stands there is always a (big) queue waiting to be served by a real person.
Personally, if im giving my custom (and money) to a retailer I expect to be served by them, not do it myself.

EDDIE asked on another thread about jobs been taken over by technology, is this another one of them?

[hc4361]

Amazon has just opened a shop in the US with no check outs at all. You put your shopping directly in to your bags as you go round the store and just walk out. The bill is added automatically and your account is charged. Your receipt arrives on your phone.
It won't be long before that is common.

[murraymints]

Hi Nailit..nice to see you posting xx I NEVER use them..doing folk out of a job..and I hate all that unexpected item in bagging area stuff....NO THERE'S NOT !!!!

[ubasses]

I hate queuing but it does depend on how much I am buying. Always use them for a few items but wouldn't for a trolley full in the supermarket.

[andy-hughes]

I wonder who came up with the phrase 'Unexpected item in bagging area'?

What did they think it would be?

An elephant? An AK47? A diver's helmet?

Or is it likely to be an item of shopping, in which case it is anything by 'unexpected'!

[mikey4444]

I have noticed this morning, that our brand new Lidl has a self-service checkout !

[nailit]

Hi Murray. Thanks for your card, hope yours arrived by now. xx

[vulcan42]

My local B&Q use both, the self service tills will only accept credit cards and the tills with an operator accepts cards and cash. However, over the past few weeks the self service tills have been shut but they haven't increased the operators so the queues are horrendous.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't care for them and choose to wait to be served by a person , I only get irritated when a staff member approaches and tries to persuade me to go and use them.

[nailit]

I actually went into Poundland for a few bits and bobs early one morning last week and there were no cashiers available and the only option was to use self service. I left my thing there and went elsewhere.

[zebo]

Our Tesco here in Norfolk, where else, recently had one person scanning and another packing for a fairly able-bodied man who stood there playing with his phone.

[murraymints]

received nailit..ta xx

[ummmm]

I use them quite a lot. I haven't heard 'unexpected item in the baggage area' for a long time. Self service seems to have improved no end.

[hereIam]

Do not like them, prefer to be served and judging by the queues at my local Asda at the manned checkouts, the majority feel the same.

[Cloverjo]

I can't stand them. I always get in a flap, and need a staff member to help me. I try to only use one if my son is with me, he seems to have no trouble.

[SlackAlice]

Use them all the time when I've only got a few items to purchase much quicker than standing in a queue.

Not had "unexpected item in bagging area" for some time.

An example recently was a queue of about seven people waiting for a 'human' assistant and an empty self service machine. Scanned my morning newspaper, paid for it, received change and was probably half way home before I would have reached the front of the other queue.

[bhg481]

We prefer the scan-as-you-go system (Sainsbury's call it Fasttrack). Much less hassle than the self-service and no queuing problem either.

[jno]

andy, if it's been paid for it's expected. If it hasn't, that's unexpected (as it should be). Mostly they just think you've forgotten and are changing the baby's nappy there without scanning it first.

I'll use a personned checkout if one is available - sometimes there's more of a queue at the self-service ones - or if I need to make sure my meal deals are getting the correct discount applied or if I need someone to take the security devices off wine bottles etc. But it depends on the circumstances.

[MallyJ]

I never use self service because I have seen people queuing up with 1 item to buy and then having a brief chat with the member of staff ... sometimes being asked how the customer is and how their day is going. I believe that many people's only regular contact with another human being is a quick chat in the shops or with other strangers at bus stops etc. This is so valuable for those who are alone and should be seen as a small service to those people. If , by insisting on a real person at check out it helps them stay open for those that need a connection with others, then I will continue to use check outs with real people

[hereIam]

Great post Mally x

[Baldric]

I think they are brilliant, but not for a large weekly shop. ½ dozen items fine, but after that no.