I gotta ask...

[DMD]

Grocery stores are going to self serve checkouts - usually they have a couple of them available where you the customer has to scan every freaking thing correctly, bag them yourself and pay for it all for the privilege of not getting anything taken off your total. The grocery industry is now considering new technology where you get a small computer with your cart that has a hand scanner on it. You go through the store, scan each item you select and place it in a bag in your cart. By the time you are done, you can just push the cart out the door and have your debit card hit for the total. You have to scan your "store loyalty" card before you start so they know exactly who you are and exactly what you are getting.

 

Does anyone like this stuff?

 

What ever happened to service? I know it is not being sent offshore - it just disappearing from stores. They want ME to do all THEIR work? For nothing in return? Ain't going to happen. I never use self-service checkout and never will. If a store goes entirely to it, I will not shop there.

 

I won't even go into the privacy issues I have with them knowing exactly when I am at their store, what I am buying and with the most recent technology, they even know what order I gather the items.

 

I hate going into stores anymore.

 

And another thing.... If my items total up $11.53 and I give the cashier $22.03 why in the name of all that is good do these morons freak out? "Uh... it's only $11.53. You gave me too much". "Uh, I only want a ten and two quarters back instead of a five, three ones, a quarter, two dimes and two pennies back YOU IDIOT -Just ring it up and see what happens".

 

I worked retail when I was a teenager. I work food service. I was never an idiot like people these days.

 

Then again maybe I am too young to be this grumpy...

[darin3]

 

 

And another thing.... If my items total up $11.53 and I give the cashier $22.03 why in the name of all that is good do these morons freak out? "Uh... it's only $11.53. You gave me too much". "Uh, I only want a ten and two quarters back instead of a five, three ones, a quarter, two dimes and two pennies back YOU IDIOT -Just ring it up and see what happens".

 

 

Do you tip them on your way out?

[Sam]

I never go through the self check-out for the reasons you stated. Why should I do their work for nothing in return.

[TimC]

All that hate's gonna burn you up, kid.

[H8tank]

Well I don't go shopping, I have people to do that for me, however, I would love not to have to deal with people, and they already have cart service now in some areas, I think it is a great idea.

[Caveman_Nick]

Grocery stores are going to self serve checkouts - usually they have a couple of them available where you the customer has to scan every freaking thing correctly, bag them yourself and pay for it all for the privilege of not getting anything taken off your total. The grocery industry is now considering new technology where you get a small computer with your cart that has a hand scanner on it. You go through the store, scan each item you select and place it in a bag in your cart. By the time you are done, you can just push the cart out the door and have your debit card hit for the total. You have to scan your "store loyalty" card before you start so they know exactly who you are and exactly what you are getting.

 

Does anyone like this stuff?

 

What ever happened to service? I know it is not being sent offshore - it just disappearing from stores. They want ME to do all THEIR work? For nothing in return? Ain't going to happen. I never use self-service checkout and never will. If a store goes entirely to it, I will not shop there.

 

I won't even go into the privacy issues I have with them knowing exactly when I am at their store, what I am buying and with the most recent technology, they even know what order I gather the items.

 

I hate going into stores anymore.

 

And another thing.... If my items total up $11.53 and I give the cashier $22.03 why in the name of all that is good do these morons freak out? "Uh... it's only $11.53. You gave me too much". "Uh, I only want a ten and two quarters back instead of a five, three ones, a quarter, two dimes and two pennies back YOU IDIOT -Just ring it up and see what happens".

 

I worked retail when I was a teenager. I work food service. I was never an idiot like people these days.

 

Then again maybe I am too young to be this grumpy...

 

 

1) I hate loyalty cards/programs. I sholdn't have to carry a card to get a store's discouts on items. I shop at stores that do not have these programs.

 

2) Yes...morans are running amok.

 

3) I like self checkout. It's a good option when there are lines and I am in a hurry. But I use regular checkout as well. Self checkout is good if you have 2 people.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Caveman_Nick

[Big John]

A factor is that there is usually not enough staff in the checkouts, which causes long lines. If this is so, I will use the self-checkout if there is no waiting there so I can get out of the store faster.

[Gonkis]

I hate it, as well. I was at Home Depot the other day and the lines for the self-checkout were 2-3 people long as I walked down the aisle. I got to the end and noticed an employee in a normal line with NO people waiting. I didn't think she was open, but she was.

 

Sick.

[Duchess Jack]

My local grocery store has a service where they will shop for you (you place your order online and can save and combine (this recipie, this party, etc) shopping lists.

 

You pull up - pop your trunk hand them a credit card and wait. then you drive home and put it away. $10.

 

For like $5-$10 more they will drive it to you and unload it. We do not do that but when push off grocery shopping as long as you can - and thusly shop big - $10 is a steal when compaired to how much time you'd spend in a place.

 

It also keeps impulse purchases to a min

[Czarina]

I use self checkouts whenever it's an option. Then it's up to me how fast I get out of the store.

[Egret]

When did DMD turn into this guy?

 

I use the self-checkout as often as possible. I don't want to have to make small talk with the cashier. I want in and out as fast as possible. It's like pay-at-the-pump, and that's good stuff too.

[Kid Cid]

Grocery stores are going to self serve checkouts - usually they have a couple of them available where you the customer has to scan every freaking thing correctly, bag them yourself and pay for it all for the privilege of not getting anything taken off your total. The grocery industry is now considering new technology where you get a small computer with your cart that has a hand scanner on it. You go through the store, scan each item you select and place it in a bag in your cart. By the time you are done, you can just push the cart out the door and have your debit card hit for the total. You have to scan your "store loyalty" card before you start so they know exactly who you are and exactly what you are getting.

 

Does anyone like this stuff?

 

What ever happened to service? I know it is not being sent offshore - it just disappearing from stores. They want ME to do all THEIR work? For nothing in return? Ain't going to happen. I never use self-service checkout and never will. If a store goes entirely to it, I will not shop there.

 

I won't even go into the privacy issues I have with them knowing exactly when I am at their store, what I am buying and with the most recent technology, they even know what order I gather the items.

 

I hate going into stores anymore.

 

And another thing.... If my items total up $11.53 and I give the cashier $22.03 why in the name of all that is good do these morons freak out? "Uh... it's only $11.53. You gave me too much". "Uh, I only want a ten and two quarters back instead of a five, three ones, a quarter, two dimes and two pennies back YOU IDIOT -Just ring it up and see what happens".

 

I worked retail when I was a teenager. I work food service. I was never an idiot like people these days.

 

Then again maybe I am too young to be this grumpy...

 

 

We have a store in the area called Bloom that already has this computer wizardry. I'd always shop there if their products were better. Love the technology though. I always use the self check out when I can. My wife and I can scan and bag twice as fast as the minimum wage momos that are working there.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Kid Cid

[Piranha]

I'll use whatever is most convenient for me at the time.

[Cameltosis]

What drives me nuts is when someone is in the self serve line with a cartful! There should be a item limit. And there should also be an age limit, because rest assured I will end up behind the 90 year old lady that cant figure out how to scan the items or pay for them.

 

[dmarc117]

public service announcement....

 

if you dont know how to use the self service checkout, pleas stay away!!!!

 

 

carry on

[BearcatGreg]

I'm in the retail food biz. Self checkouts are perceived as a positive among most customers. Surveys indicate that the most annoying part of grocery shopping is waiting in the checkout line. Customers prefer being an active participant in the process. Believe it or not, grocery chains have a hard time recruiting store employees. Self checkouts do replace warm bodies, but there just aren't enough warm bodies interested. Everone starts part time with few, if any, benefits. Kids can flip burgers for more money when you factor in union dues. Our annual turnover among store employees exceeds 100%. Don't use your loyalty card if you prefer, but we still know who you are and where you live.

[BillyBalata]

When I go grocery shopping I expect my groceries to be bagged up for me. I have a Cub foods 2 blocks from my house. I don't go there because I would have to bag everything up myself. I'll go to the Hy-vee a couple miles away instead.

[DMD]

All that hate's gonna burn you up, kid.

 

 

 

It keeps me warm...

[Whiskey Pimp]

If the cashier is attractive then I use that, if not I use self check-out where possible.

[Duchess Jack]

When I go grocery shopping I expect my groceries to be bagged up for me. I have a Cub foods 2 blocks from my house. I don't go there because I would have to bag everything up myself. I'll go to the Hy-vee a couple miles away instead.

 

When I have to go in - I get all pissed off when I have to bag. When I do have a bagger... I don't lend a hand at all.

 

I am paying for the service... and the bagger... he she is there all day anyway... if not me, he/she will be bagging for someone else... me not helping doesn't cause any additional work or keep the bagger any longer than his/her shift dictates.

 

I really hate bagging though. And for the same reason, I hate self checkout.

 

I want into the post office the other day... line was empty but I was pulled aside by a postal guy who wanted to show me how to save time with a postal machine... took like 5 times as long as asking the lady for some scotch tape... taping my label to my package and handing her my package and credit card. The line was flipping empty. Even if it wasn't I think I would have gotten out of there at the same time - but I would have been afforded some vege time

Edited June 26, 2007 by Duchess Jack

[twiley]

I use self-checkout all of the time. I can usually get it done in half the time it takes the cashier and the lines are much shorter.

[MikesVikes]

 

What ever happened to service?

 

 

The funny thing about this is that I was going to post a story about what happened to me last night at the grocery store.

 

It's a good size store that has about a dozen or more cashier lines. On this particular night, there was ONE cashier working ONE line. It was around 9 PM or so, so they didn't expect alot of traffic. But there was a store employee purchasing two items. The cashier didn't know how to ring up the sale. There were 10 people in line waiting for the cashier to get some help from somebody else to figure out how to take money from another employee.

 

Edited: This is probably the Cub Foods store a few blocks from BillyBalata's house.

 

If I were at Walmart, I could've went to the self checkout but this store doesn't have that.

Edited June 26, 2007 by MikesVikes

[Big Country]

As a marketing wizard and having business sense, I am sure the theory is that as the self checkouts become more standard, stores will save money in the long run.

 

At my local Home Depot, they can have one employees monitor 4-6 self checkouts at one time, as oppossed to the one on one that comes from a standard checkout.

 

Same goes for grocery stores.

 

If they can pay one person to monitor 4 stations, it saves them a lot of money. In theory, those savings eventually will be passed on to the consumer to attract more customers, as if they can charge 10 cents less per gallon of milk, they will attract customers.

[polksalet]

Rumor is that a major retailer is planning to phase these out over the next couple of years because of increasing theft.

 

I think it is Sears?

[MikesVikes]

If you've seen a Walmart employee bag up groceries, you'd be happy to do it yourself. Two cans per bag, one bag of chips in another bag, another two cans in another bag...