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Self Checkouts
- Thread starter Herdfan
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Yes, I am usually behind the retired single person enjoying shooting the breeze with the cashier - while I'm in a hurry and could have left the store 5 mins. earlier if there'd been a self-checkout.No offense, but this is the reason I like Self-Checks.
The thing I dislike about self checkouts is when the person in front just doesn't know what they're doing and ends up taking 10 years to scan and pay for 3 items.
Agreed, Self-checkouts are easy. I would be in and out in 5 mins with full set of groceries. The only thing I hate is that you cant put your bags on a small table top next to the machine as they would register an error while checking out. It looks like a security measure i guess. It would be nice if they have a place to set aside of finished checked-through groceries.No offense, but this is the reason I like Self-Checks.
That's becoming more common with Restaurants, home improvement, and groceries. For example Amazon deliveries depending where you are, most of the time you would see private citizen working for Amazon delivering to your home. Major cities uses Amazon company truck, rural areas using Uber like deliveries. The best part about those type of deliveries that you dont pay to the Uber directly as your order already paid for.
I love self checkouts. There's 3x self checkouts vs. manned checkouts
at Walmart, & the cashiers are standing around waiting for customers to use the manned checkouts. We roll by them, & quickly self-checkout. Don't need to bag most of it anyway. Any problems & there's always someone to assist you.
The manned checkouts are designed for you to buy more stuff while you wait in line.
at Walmart, & the cashiers are standing around waiting for customers to use the manned checkouts. We roll by them, & quickly self-checkout. Don't need to bag most of it anyway. Any problems & there's always someone to assist you.
The manned checkouts are designed for you to buy more stuff while you wait in line.
I show a slight preference to a manned checkout line but My primary concern is which line looks shortest. If it’s all the same, I’ll go to the line with the person performing a check out function. If on the other hand, the line for the self check out is significantly shorter, That’s where I’ll go.
Our local Walmart has made the self-checkouts 15 items or less now. If your Walmart hasn't done that yet, be aware that it could happen.
It's frustrating, because I had to relearn how I deal with regular cashiers. If I don't group my items they won't do it for me. Everything gets tossed into a bag in the same way it comes down the belt. Which is fine during the winter, but during summer in Phoenix, you want all your cold stuff together so you can get it in the house and put away in one go - not spread across several bags.
Before self-checkouts, Walmart had the problem of not enough cashiers and long lines. But at least they had a 15 item or less line. They make all the self-checkouts 15 items or less, but do not account for people with say 20 items. I whined about that a couple months ago when long lines were causing ice cream to melt. At the time I couldn't use the self-checkout because I had about 20 items.
Now, they are having the cashiers track people down when the lines get long. The other day, the lady in financial services checked me out.
An easy way around this is to have Walmart+, which would allow me to use the designated self-checkout for that no matter how many items I have. But with Walmart's opaqueness on how Walmart+ actually works and my singular experience with it, I ditched it after the first delivery.
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Our local Walmart (and our Fry's grocery store) have two separate self-checkout areas. It's funny, because a lot of people are cattle. They will go to the same place, over and over. So, for both Walmart and Frys that is one particular self-checkout area near the door. But the SECOND self-checkout area is NOT near the door or is near a less commonly used entrance/exit.
That second area is rarely busy. You just have to take the few extra moments and steps to walk down there and you'll find no lines. But because people either don't think, don't want to walk the extra distance, or for whatever reason they don't go down there. Which is why there are no lines.
I'm always going to take advantage of that and I just head right towards that second self-checkout area when I see the first is busy.
I for one prefer self check out. I hate human interaction when shopping. I have a Walmart+ membership. I scan and bag as I go, scan the QR code at self checkout and be on my way. I love the scan and go feature of the Sam’s Club app. I wish every store had this feature. I use my PayPal debit card for all of my transactions vs my debit card from my credit union. I use Apple Pay everywhere that it is accepted.
That's what my local grocery store did. There used to be no item limit for self-checkout, so I would use it every time. Now they've placed a 15 item limit (most likely due to theft issues, can't think of any other reason), but they almost only ever have 2 manned checkout lines open, one of which is the express line with a 15 item limit! So overall my shopping experience there has gotten worse since the change.
I prefer self-checkout in most situations. I can do it myself faster, and I don't have to wait in line between someone who has a dispute about a coupon...
My usual grocery store doesn't have self-checkouts, but I'd use them if they did.
My local Target store has them and I've always used them, however recently they've limited the time of day when they're available....which is annoying. They have a security problem that's made worse by the layout of the store.
My local Target store has them and I've always used them, however recently they've limited the time of day when they're available....which is annoying. They have a security problem that's made worse by the layout of the store.
My local Walmart has installed at least 10-12 self checkouts with no limits. They still have the manned checkouts with shorter lines now. The 2nd closest Walmart to me has about 5-6 self checkouts with 1 of them dedicated to Walmart+ scan and go members. That’s the register I use as I never wait in line. I just scan the QE code, pick my card, pay and be on my way.
I despise self checkouts. As soon as I get a discount I'll consider using them. I am currently avoiding Home Depot for this reason, in favor of a local hardware store. There is not 1 single manned checkout line at my local HDs or Lowes.
Frog, meet pot of water, don't mind the flame below.
Frog, meet pot of water, don't mind the flame below.
I am another who prefers to have someone at a register ready to assist me; my grocery stores have self-checkout areas but I never use those at all. Even if I have to wait a while in line at a register, that's perfectly OK with me. I'd rather see people employed on a regular basis rather than people losing their jobs due to self-checkout.
Walmart? I can count on one hand the number of times I've ever been in a Walmart. Really cannot imagine buying groceries there! We have several grocery stores convenient to where I live and that's where I always shop for food and other necessaries such as paper goods.
Haven't been to Home Depot or Lowe's in ages, didn't realize that they have now gone to all self-checkout. Ugh!
Walmart? I can count on one hand the number of times I've ever been in a Walmart. Really cannot imagine buying groceries there! We have several grocery stores convenient to where I live and that's where I always shop for food and other necessaries such as paper goods.
Haven't been to Home Depot or Lowe's in ages, didn't realize that they have now gone to all self-checkout. Ugh!
Around 50 years ago, people went to the shop, stood there, and told the shopkeeper what they wanted who then reached behind the counter and gave the produce to them. I'm glad we can now browse at our leisure and pick what we want ourselves.
This was originally done in the UK by ASDA (I believe) who copied it from a US supermarket. Of course, it was done to reduce staff and allow customers to be processed quicker.
The frog doesn't want to freeze to death either. Hopefully, we're smarter than frogs and know when to quit.
I don’t like self checkouts. Sure, they’re faster, but they take away (cashier) jobs. Plus I generally have issues with them anyway. Trying to scan produce and such at a self checkout never works, and the attendant comes to do it for me anyway. No point in a self checkout in that case.
Most of our groceries gets delivered these days. The idea of going to a supermarket and using any type of checkout fills me with dread.
Mrs AFB goes once a week to get the fresh vegetables and a few other bits. I pop to the shops a handful of times a year.
I do tend to use the self checkout although was originally against them. If you just have a few items they are much quicker.
The cashier loosing their job argument doesn’t really stack up. The same staff are generally picking orders these days for online orders.
Mrs AFB goes once a week to get the fresh vegetables and a few other bits. I pop to the shops a handful of times a year.
I do tend to use the self checkout although was originally against them. If you just have a few items they are much quicker.
The cashier loosing their job argument doesn’t really stack up. The same staff are generally picking orders these days for online orders.
The Home Depot and Lowe's stores in Alaska have one or two people at the registers designated for contractors. But others buying lumber and other home building materials can pay at these areas. Both stores offer military discount for active and retired military members. While Lowe's always offers a military discount for lumber purchases, Home depot does not. Also, if these two stores are crowded with customers, most often they have someone at the registers near the self-checkouts. I avoid the self checkouts as much as possible
I'm not trying to change your mind, but I will rebut point by point according to how I relate to things like this.
1. Taking away jobs. If you mean taking away a job from a lazy cashier who doesn't want to do their job, doesn't want to work and couldn't care less, then I disagree with you. I'm totally fine with that. I had a cashier once who told me that Walmart does not accept Walmart Pay.
She didn't want to punch the few extra buttons that would put the QR code on the screen so I could use the Walmart app to pay. You know, like Walmart encourages you to do? Only, according to this cashier, Walmart doesn't accept their own payment system.
I've had other lazy or incompetent people over the years who either didn't want to do their job, didn't care or both. Sorry, I'm not cool with those people keeping a job that a self-checkout could do.
2. Most produce has a 4 number code and a bar code. Scan the bar code or enter the numbers, weigh or enter the quantity. Not much involved in this here. When you're picking your produce, just make sure it has the code/bar code. If it doesn't, take one from the pile (these are stickers that are stuck on to the produce). Some are on tags and some even have the codes printed on the bag.
I've only encountered a problem when a particular machine had a malfunctioning scale which caused the system to reject the item altogether.
I am far more accepting of the fact that a self-checkout has gone down then I am of an employee who can't or won't do their job.
Not specifically self-checkout related, but maybe if they had one.....
Has anyone seen that Advance Auto is closing 700 stores? I could have called this years ago. The stores used to have kiosks and a register counter. You went to the kiosk if you needed help finding a part or if you had questions and the counter if you just wanted to pay for a jug of car wash.
Then for some reason, Advance (at least all the ones near me in WV) removed all their counter registers and moved to all kiosks. So if you just wanted to go in a grab some car wash, you might have to wait in line while the guy in front of you is looking for parts for an '82 Toyota.
So I quit going there. Autozone and O'Reilly's were within a mile, so I started going there.
People don't want to wait, but had they put in a self-check, things might be different.
Has anyone seen that Advance Auto is closing 700 stores? I could have called this years ago. The stores used to have kiosks and a register counter. You went to the kiosk if you needed help finding a part or if you had questions and the counter if you just wanted to pay for a jug of car wash.
Then for some reason, Advance (at least all the ones near me in WV) removed all their counter registers and moved to all kiosks. So if you just wanted to go in a grab some car wash, you might have to wait in line while the guy in front of you is looking for parts for an '82 Toyota.
So I quit going there. Autozone and O'Reilly's were within a mile, so I started going there.
People don't want to wait, but had they put in a self-check, things might be different.
That’s too bad because I always get more discounts from Advance Auto than Auto Zone.
Recently (like in the last two months), our local KFC put in kiosks. That made me very happy, because out of all the restaurants we frequent, KFC is usually the one that screws our order up the most.
KFC, McDonalds and Taco Bell all have kiosks in our area and I use them rather than talking to a server. It's cut down considerably on screwups, especially when you have special orders. It's great, I don't have to deal with anyone really, except the person giving me my order.