Self Checkouts?

carey24 · Post by **carey24** » March 18, 2008 7:08 am

A co worker and I got into this conversation yesterday. Do you love self checkouts or hate them?

My coworker thinks that if you are paying for an item, you should get the service included.

I personally think they are awesome. I am always in a rush and I HATE waiting for slow cashiers. Drives me nuts. I can do it alot faster myself. My grocery store and Ikea both have them and they are super easy to use. I hope to see them everywhere.

In addition, I never use bags and always have to convince cashiers that I do not need one. I don't like carts and manage to carry all the items up there, and they argue with me that I need a bag. Like another 30 feet to the car makes a difference. A Walmart cashier argued with me to the point of me getting a manager.

chippewa · Post by **chippewa** » March 18, 2008 7:12 am

Love 'em. A lot of people don't want to use them, so there's rarely any line at all at our grocery store. They used to be just express lanes, but now they have 4 or 5 regular lanes too, if you have a lot of items. I like checking the price that rings up, if I go to a cashier they scan too fast for that.

TommyBahama · Post by **TommyBahama** » March 18, 2008 7:17 am

i use it when i have a few items...but i do like it....usually no waiting!

ejr · Post by **ejr** » March 18, 2008 7:26 am

Absolutely hate them!!!!

I am convinced that they are are intended to allow the store to hire fewer cashiers so the store can make more money, and I don't want to be a part of it. If they want me to do the work instead of the cashiers, give me a discount!!!

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » March 18, 2008 7:47 am

ejr wrote:Absolutely hate them!!!!

I am convinced that they are are intended to allow the store to hire fewer cashiers so the store can make more money, and I don't want to be a part of it. If they want me to do the work instead of the cashiers, give me a discount!!!

Exactly.

ScarletB · Post by **ScarletB** » March 18, 2008 7:51 am

I'm with Tommy, I only use them when I have a small amount of items. It beats standing in line behind someone who says "Oh I have the change" and then spends ten minutes rummaging around the bottom of their purse. Or forgot their checkbook, or needs cigarettes or a price check or any one of a million things that holds up the regular line. Or the chatty cashier gossiping with the person in front of me.

V-town Fin Truck · Post by **V-town Fin Truck** » March 18, 2008 7:54 am

RinglingRingling wrote:
ejr wrote:Absolutely hate them!!!!

I am convinced that they are are intended to allow the store to hire fewer cashiers so the store can make more money, and I don't want to be a part of it. If they want me to do the work instead of the cashiers, give me a discount!!!
Exactly.

I'm with you guys. I refuse to use them. I would prefer somebody have a job.

flyboy55 · Post by **flyboy55** » March 18, 2008 8:13 am

I have used them, but I don't like them.

Try using one at a building store like Home Depot. The sensors they use don't seem to be adapted to large or odd shaped items. It seems to me the cashiers who are monitoring them always have to come over and 'fix' something or override the system and do it manually.

In the end it will be like everything else to do with customer service that gets automated. They'll get rid of all the real live humans who work there and then when the simple minded computer freezes up (and they always do sooner or later) there'll be nobody around to help.

Like ejr said, if you're going to make me do what your employees used to do, then I want a BIG discount.

Another example of what I think is automation gone bad is the self-check-in kiosks used by the airline industry. When they first introduced them, few people would use them so it meant almost no wait to check-in and no wait in the special bag drop-off line. That was then. Now that most people use them, the time to check-in has gone back to what it used to be if you have bags to check, because the bag drop-off line is just as long. The only exception is if you have no bags to check. Then the system makes sense (and gets you to the long security lineup quicker).

At some airports United Airlines

has the most ridiculous system of self-check-in. The screens are right up at the counters where you drop your bags. So you're standing there literally in front of an agent and if the computer won't check you in the agent tells you to go back and stand in the other line that lets you talk to an agent!!

I don't know what sub-human in the executive suite thought this would be a good way to treat people, but it seems to me it only provokes the very folks that you want to impress - your customers!

Sorry to stray from the topic at hand. That is my neo-Luddite (and proud of it) rant for the week.

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » March 18, 2008 8:18 am

I will not use self check out, unless the store compensates me for the service I am providing. I save more money when the cashier rings me up. I can't tell you how many times my leeks have been rung up as green onions or how many items I have received free because the cashier was too lazy to get someone to find a price when a barcode doesn't read.

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » March 18, 2008 8:35 am

Skibo wrote:I will not use self check out, unless the store compensates me for the service I am providing. I save more money when the cashier rings me up. I can't tell you how many times my leeks have been rung up as green onions or how many items I have received free because the cashier was too lazy to get someone to find a price when a barcode doesn't read.

maybe we could use your idea yesterday, indentured servitude by immigrants, in conjunction with this. I am sure you could get all sorts of discounts from disinterested, or even downright angry slave labour.

win-win for you all around....

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » March 18, 2008 8:37 am

RinglingRingling wrote:
Skibo wrote:I will not use self check out, unless the store compensates me for the service I am providing. I save more money when the cashier rings me up. I can't tell you how many times my leeks have been rung up as green onions or how many items I have received free because the cashier was too lazy to get someone to find a price when a barcode doesn't read.
maybe we could use your idea yesterday, indentured servitude by immigrants, in conjunction with this. I am sure you could get all sorts of discounts from disinterested, or even downright angry slave labour.

win-win for you all around....

I knew you would eventually jump on board.

Hooray Beer! · Post by **Hooray Beer!** » March 18, 2008 9:15 am

V-town Fin Truck wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:
ejr wrote:Absolutely hate them!!!!

I am convinced that they are are intended to allow the store to hire fewer cashiers so the store can make more money, and I don't want to be a part of it. If they want me to do the work instead of the cashiers, give me a discount!!!
Exactly.
I'm with you guys. I refuse to use them. I would prefer somebody have a job.

Add me to the same list

Jobs before making my life "easier" please

IrishPirate · Post by **IrishPirate** » March 18, 2008 9:21 am

ejr wrote:Absolutely hate them!!!!

I am convinced that they are are intended to allow the store to hire fewer cashiers so the store can make more money, and I don't want to be a part of it. If they want me to do the work instead of the cashiers, give me a discount!!!

Absolutely!!! That could be a job for someone on the unemployment line!

Tarheel Tail-Gator · Post by **Tarheel Tail-Gator** » March 18, 2008 9:28 am

Skibo wrote:I will not use self check out, unless the store compensates me for the service I am providing. I save more money when the cashier rings me up. I can't tell you how many times my leeks have been rung up as green onions or how many items I have received free because the cashier was too lazy to get someone to find a price when a barcode doesn't read.

You are exactly right about this. Not only do the self-service check-outs save the stores $$$ by reducing employees, but they also take the human element out that often works in your favor.

In fact, if you scan an item that is priced wrong (too high), most people are going to pay the higher price rather than bog down the self checkout trying to fix the problem.

I'll use the self checkout only if the line is shorter and I have a few items or if my keet wants to be entertained

carey24 · Post by **carey24** » March 18, 2008 9:37 am

I understand about the store saving/making more money by not paying employees. However, my time is WAY, WAY more valuable than that. If I can save time I really don't care that the store is making more money or not. I'm always in a rush when shopping and have more important things to be doing than standing in line waiting for a slow cashier and slow people checking out.

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » March 18, 2008 9:44 am

What is this "customer service" people are talking about? Maybe if it actually existed I'd be willing to go to a cashier instead of the self-checkout but most of the time they act like they're doing you a favor when they take your money.

chippewa · Post by **chippewa** » March 18, 2008 9:46 am

ScarletB wrote:I'm with Tommy, I only use them when I have a small amount of items. It beats standing in line behind someone who says "Oh I have the change" and then spends ten minutes rummaging around the bottom of their purse. Or forgot their checkbook, or needs cigarettes or a price check or any one of a million things that holds up the regular line. Or the chatty cashier gossiping with the person in front of me.

Amen, sister. People, who needs 'em?

Chatty cashier is fine, but not when there's a line of people waiting to check out.

CUparrot · Post by **CUparrot** » March 18, 2008 9:53 am

flyboy55 wrote:IAnother example of what I think is automation gone bad is the self-check-in kiosks used by the airline industry. When they first introduced them, few people would use them so it meant almost no wait to check-in and no wait in the special bag drop-off line. That was then. Now that most people use them, the time to check-in has gone back to what it used to be if you have bags to check, because the bag drop-off line is just as long. The only exception is if you have no bags to check. Then the system makes sense (and gets you to the long security lineup quicker).

At some airports United Airlines has the most ridiculous system of self-check-in. The screens are right up at the counters where you drop your bags. So you're standing there literally in front of an agent and if the computer won't check you in the agent tells you to go back and stand in the other line that lets you talk to an agent!!

I don't know what sub-human in the executive suite thought this would be a good way to treat people, but it seems to me it only provokes the very folks that you want to impress - your customers!

Sorry to stray from the topic at hand. That is my neo-Luddite (and proud of it) rant for the week.

I hate HATE the self check-in at the airport. If you have no bags to check, it makes sense, but if you're checking bags, it doesn't save time at all.

We were flying United last year home from a trip to Vegas. At the Vegas airport there had been a power outage the day before and I guess it screwed up some of the self check-in machines. So we approached the counter w/o checking in first and got practically YELLED at by the agent b/c we had not checked in first. I was like, "HELLO......isn't that YOUR job?" I explained to her that we tried three machines and they were not working, and then she proceeded to lecture us and the people in line behind us that they are REQUIRED to check-in with the machines first (even though many of them were not working.......not sure how that was supposed to work, but whatever). We had several negative experiences flying United that trip and will not be flying with them again.

Sorry.....off my soapbox now......

aeroparrot · Post by **aeroparrot** » March 18, 2008 10:01 am

I use them when I don't have too much stuff.

spartan1979 · Post by **spartan1979** » March 18, 2008 10:11 am

carey24 wrote:I understand about the store saving/making more money by not paying employees. However, my time is WAY, WAY more valuable than that. If I can save time I really don't care that the store is making more money or not. I'm always in a rush when shopping and have more important things to be doing than standing in line waiting for a slow cashier and slow people checking out.

Bingo. I love them, there's always one available so I don't have to wait in line. I usually get stuck behind the woman buying 15 items from the closeout bin and needs 7 price checks.

Although the one at the grocery store is starting to annoy me. It's telling me to put the item in the bag about 1/10th of a second after I scan it and then telling me to wait for the attendant. It tells me to wait for the attendant so often, it's getting to be more trouble than it's worth.

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