Self Checkout Lanes are for Idiots.

[88keys]

http://thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=self_checkout_lanes_blow

Pretty accurate.


What amuses me is the shoplifting part. But if you think about it; you are scanning bagging your own groceries and yet they pass none of the cost savings on to the consumer.


I hope amazon will start selling and shipping a full grocery line because I really hate grocery shopping in general.

 

[cubby1223]

Meh, just another article by someone with anger issues.

 

[lxskllr]

I hate them. Seems like I always get the 'special' item that doesn't scan, and an employee that was standing there watching me has to do their job. I avoid them at all most costs.

I also hate employees bagging my groceries. Most places have gotten rid of the back conveyor, so I can't bag. That means I can't use my string bags, and the employee tries to give me as much plastic as possible. You'd think they were made from rice paper judging by how little they pack them.

 

[dank69]

That article is stupid and those arguments for self checkout are stupid. I go to Stop & Shop where I get my scanner when I walk in the door and scan and bag my stuff as I shop. Self checkout takes less than a minute.

Self checkout is not for stupid people. Smart people can scan their own shit just as fast as the clerks. Stupid people fuck everything up which drags the average time up for these studies.

Privacy? Retarded. The store card tracks everything you buy.

Cut down on costs? Retarded. I use them to save time. Time is more valuable than whatever imagined costs people think they are saving.

 

[Engineer]

Stores have sold the public on everything except stocking the shelves. They would prefer you grab a cart on the way in so they don't have to go get them. You pick the stuff, self checkout and bag the stuff. Only thing left is to stock it.

Throw in the fact that the portion size is always shrinking while the prices goes up.

 

[CoPhotoGuy]

They are fine if there's no line and there's a bunch of lines elsewhere and I only have a few items. I'm not incompetent so it's easy to use them.

 

[akugami]

If I have a lot of stuff or stuff that may have problems, I'm going in a normal checkout lane. If I just have a couple items, usually it's faster to go to the self-checkout lane.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Self checkout lanes are nearly idiot proof. Even with the 'special' items. While I could give some nod to the passing the savings part (which is like those grill your own steak places), when all 2-3 open of the 30 lanes are full and you have only a few items they can save you quite a bit of time.

 

[Ns1]

i go to whatever is fastest. seems obvious?

 

[justoh]

Self-checkout is awesome, especially if you don't have people employed to bag your shit anyway. Lazy asses.

 

[TwiceOver]

Maddox still has a site? Had to look at the year of the post to be sure I wasn't getting pulled into a necro thread.

 

[dawp]

I used to live near a Walmart that removed them due to higher rates of theft. and when buying alcohol you had to wait for approval which can take several minutes if busy.

 

[88keys]

I've often questioned the efficiency of self checkouts. Some of it is the fault of stupid people but I also think that the is fault in the design. Ringing up produce in particular is a pain in the ass, and things that vary in weight throw the scales off which means you'll need assistance.

Honestly, I think the idea of scanning your groceries and putting them in your own cart and weighing when make your purchases is a much better solution.

Or better yet. Place orders online and since we buy mostly the age things every week, we could set certain items to be selected by default. Pay online and set a time to pick up your items. Drive to the store and everything is bagged and ready to go in the trunk.

 

[LTC8K6]

High minimum wages may start to put an end to the cashier position.

Soon they will figure out how to get rid of the stockers as well.

I hardly see anyone using the self checkouts, though. I tried them a few times, but there was always something to hold me up. Something not in the system, wouldn't take debit card, couldn't buy something at the self checkout, etc.

So, I quit using them.

If they gave a price discount, then I'd use the self checkout.

Right now, I figure I am paying to have a cashier do that work.

 

[ImpulsE69]

In the interest of not putting people out of jobs, I tend to only use them in what I referenced above situations, but it does happen on occasion.

 

[Imp]

The Ikea I usually go to has the best self-checkout: corded scanner gun, no weight sensor, large working surface. I've gone full stupid before by trying to enter the bar code in manually and pressing the wrong button.

Ikea, in the US of A, is apparently getting rid of self-checkout?

 

[Newell Steamer]

Self check out is just fine.

Or do you guys want robots to ensure major humiliation towards replacing the people you have an unfathomable hate and distain for by showing them a lifeless being can do their job instead?

 

[GeekDrew]

I use self-checkout at every available opportunity because I can always do it just as fast or faster than unloading the crap onto a conveyor, having some apathetic prick cashier who is required to pretend to be friendly scan it and put it on another conveyor, while yet another store employee bags the crap for me, in the least efficient manner possible. I don't /care/ if I'm theoretically paying for cashiers that I don't use. I place a /much/ greater value on my own time and ability to avoid interacting with any other person.

 

[styrafoam]

They save me from having to look someone in the eye on the feminine needs trips that I sometimes get assigned, so I have no issues.

 

[rh71]

Only use them at Home Depot or Lowes. Usually no line and quick since there's between 6 to 8 of them. Yes, in that case, they're definitely faster and idiot proof (because I'm now experienced).

The only time I wouldn't use them is when the item doesn't have a barcode.

 

[holden j caufield]

when all your items have easy access to the barcode it's far faster

 

[nageov3t]

9 times out of 10, they're faster.

obviously it doesn't take a rocket scientist to eyeball the lanes and see if there's a dozen people lined up at self-checkout while traditional lanes are empty.

maybe it's a regional thing, but hereabouts the grocery store cashiers typically *don't* bag your groceries for you unless you ask them to, unless you go to a lane specifically marked as an assistance lane, so you're not really even saying that extra thought process.

 

[Ketchup]

Story is a laugh. Self-checkout has been around since 1992. Story reads like this is something new. Well, welcome to the 21st century dude!

 

[ALIVE]

well
to be fair
if the company uses the check out to eliminate people working thus increasing their profits
then it is a rip off
if you get a discount in that line then is a good compromise
i save some money i do it myself

but in the end we end up eliminating people from works and we have prices up
because the machines used to be operated from regular people are more expensive need more often service or other aspects
and that will drive the prices up

while weighting the groceries yourself sound excellent
in practice the touch screen does not work for some products
and you spent ridiculous amount of time trying to weight the product

in markets that there is still a human it always fast
to weight

so things need to work as they are supposed to work if not they are a failure
saving time !?!!?!?
well how you can actually determine that??
i go to market and i find noone in the cashier
i go to market and i find tons waiting
how fast is determined of the people in front of you amount
and special considerations they may have that will slow down the process

if noone is using the self check out and thus it is always empty then of course it will be faster
but has actually be a real test???
taking 6 people and check them out once in the self line and 1 in the normal line
with the same order and count time???

well i bet you in this comparison self checking will fail
because you will have to check your things and then bag them
in contrast cashier is checking you are bag them
just some thought

 

[MustISO]

I use it almost all the time at stores that have it. For a few items it's usually faster when the other lines are really backed up. Some scanners are MUCH better than others, I have a hard time with the harris teeter scanners but our other grocery stores are usually spot on. One near us has the scanner you carry with you which is very accurate and so you just scan as you bag in your cart and then scan the scanning gun on the way out.