Self-service or Regular Check-outs?

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Ragnarok

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We have an old saying here on the Island "I am like a horse that sees the barn!" Meaning, I get into one routine or habit, and, that is what I head for! Today while shopping at the Safeway a gal came over and said "Doc why don't you try the self-service check out?" Of course that went right over my head, but, if I am anything, I am curious so I thought why not?! Didn't seem that difficult to me, however, I mucked up the coupons and the Safeway card entry, then I dropped canned goods on the floor and sent then rolling in the aisle! The receipt would not print,some alarm went off, and, I had no clue that someone would NOT BAG my groceries for me so I just stood there as if they would magically hop into the sacks themselves! Finally the Manager, a nice gentleman that I have known for years, walked over howling with laughter, and, said "Doc, promise me you will never, never, never get into this lane again!" I replied "Now look here, I did all this work, and, what do I get now, another ten percent off my groceries?!?!" To which he replied, laughing, "No! You only get out of here faster!" What a stupid concept! I do their work, bagged my own groceries, and, do not receive an extra credit, a coupon, a free donut, ANYTHING for my hard effort?! Won't be doing THAT again!:mmph: Folks laughed and clapped as I pushed my very full cart of groceries by, and, I just laughed and waved, and, took a bow!LOL

Anyway.....Spoofee folks, do any of you use those self-check out lanes when you shop? Am I the only moron to muck up that so called express lane check out? Is there a course to take or a manual one is suppose to read to navigate the dam thing with speed and grace?!?! Whatever happened to just answering the checker's question of "Do you want paper or plastic bags?!"

Rags:wave:
 
If I have a few items I use it. Its really, really fast if you dont have produce. If I have a cart full of stuff I let them do it.

I have trouble doing it the first time at a new place but once I get the hang of it Im pretty speedy. But like I say, only if I have like 10 things and no produce. I dont know the PLU codes for green beans or apples.
 
I like the self checkouts when I don't have a lot of stuff,but if I have a lot of items then I go through the regular checkouts.
 
Ragnarok said:
I do their work, bagged my own groceries, and, do not receive an extra credit, a coupon, a free donut, ANYTHING for my hard effort?!
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exactly why I don't like them.. I have a full time job and do not get paid by Kroger or Walmart to check myself out.

although, I have been known to use them on occasion when time is important to me. But it seems to me a way for stores to spend less on payroll, yet the grocery prices keep rising
 
PugGirl said:
exactly why I don't like them.. I have a full time job and do not get paid by Kroger or Walmart to check myself out.

although, I have been known to use them on occasion when time is important to me. But it seems to me a way for stores to spend less on payroll, yet the grocery prices keep rising
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The Safeway here is a brand new store, of only about four months. Most folks here on the Island have taken due note of the painful increase in prices. It hit home for me, when I use to pay about $4.25 for a bag of Senseo pods. Now they are priced at $5.69!!! Now THAT is highway robbery...or island robbery!:mmph: They can certainly BAG my groceries at that rate!

The same store had Halloween pumpkins and they are out of sight for them, charging five dollars and up for these tiny pumpkins. Shoot, you cross the street and go to Lowry's farm and get huge pumpkins at half the price. And yes, they do carry them to the car for you! One day I wanted a snowball, and, was feeling really really tired, so I jokingly pulled into the farm, rolled the window down and hollered "I want a spearmint snowball with mushmallow on it!" The gals laughed and I reached over to grab my purse to get out of the car, when here they can on out with my snowball! LOL Now that is service, and, probably why this Farm has served the Island for over seventy years. :) I got out anyway, and, went in and sat down to chat with everyone and ate my snowball!
 
it's what happens when minimum wage goes up.
 
MrsK2002 said:
I like the self checkouts when I don't have a lot of stuff,but if I have a lot of items then I go through the regular checkouts.
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Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of people will use the self checkout when they do have a buggy crammed full of stuff. It doesn't help when the store has 20 to 30 checkout lanes and only two are open.
 
The prices are a result of the Federal Reserve being in charge of the money. They are not part of the government, you know. And they are screwing everything up.


I like the self checkout if I don't have too much stuff.
 
MrsK2002 said:
I like the self checkouts when I don't have a lot of stuff,but if I have a lot of items then I go through the regular checkouts.
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Same here, around here they're still pretty new, but overall I find them very convenient :)
 
"It doesn't help when the store has 20 to 30 checkout lanes and only two are open."


I totally agree. This is usually the situation at Wal-Mart here. They know there are people waiting in line with their buggy's full and only 2 to 4 registers are open. I like the self check out lane if I have to run in a grab a couple of things but otherwise I usually let the cashier do it.
 
I love the self-checkout about as much as I like the "bag spin" thing at Walmart.

On a related note, everyone be careful around that bag spin thing. Don't try to get your groceries out until the checkout person stops putting stuff in the bags. I tried to get a bag by leaning over. The checkout girl pushed the thing and made it spin. It hit my hip and I had a TERRIBLE bruise for 3 weeks. I'm 24 and I don't bruise easily either and it hurt the entire time! I actually thought about going to a doctor and calling Walmart about this issue, but I just let it go. I mean, it was an accident and the person apologized.

Had I been a really old person with a fragile hip, there is no doubt in my mind it might have broken a bone.
 
lawschoolmom said:
I love the self-checkout about as much as I like the "bag spin" thing at Walmart.

On a related note, everyone be careful around that bag spin thing. Don't try to get your groceries out until the checkout person stops putting stuff in the bags. I tried to get a bag by leaning over. The checkout girl pushed the thing and made it spin. It hit my hip and I had a TERRIBLE bruise for 3 weeks. I'm 24 and I don't bruise easily either and it hurt the entire time! I actually thought about going to a doctor and calling Walmart about this issue, but I just let it go. I mean, it was an accident and the person apologized.

Had I been a really old person with a fragile hip, there is no doubt in my mind it might have broken a bone.
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:(


Oh my goodness! That is plum horrible for you! Sure hope you are feeling much better? Our new Safeway has a bizzare set up....once the groceries hit the sack, the cashier picks up the bag and puts it at the end of the counter. Okay, so far so good. However, the coin machine is there, and another contraption and one has to reach over top of both, lifting the sacks over, and, into the cart! Not a problem if you are healthy, but more frail, or physically challenged folks find it a challenge! And no....you can't walk to the end of the holding bin and push the cart in front either! There is stuff at the end.:mmph: What I find helps me (and my bum back!) as the peson bags one bag, I merely reach my hand over to take it before they shove it into the netherworld! Dollar General has those bag spins as well. Can't tell you how many bags I have LEFT and had to return for them that I didn't catch as my own! Dah!


Phew...you need battle gear on to hit the stores anymore!!!:(
 
We hardly ever use the self-checkouts because when we go to the store we always have a cart-full! If I run in and I am in a hurry and have 1 or 2 things I will go thru it myself, but that is a rare occasion.

However, last night after dinner we stopped at the ever wonderful Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. They had 2 lanes open (2!!!) and 3 self checkouts. Hubby looked at me and said, let's just do self checkout. So we actually had to stand in line....but once we got up there we scanned a recorder for Kadin and it said "restricted." We put it aside and said "well whatever that means, he doesnt really need it anyway." So when we finished scanning it wouldnt let us pay because that restricted code was on it. We stood there for a few minutes and finally my Dad walked over and got the attendant on duty. The good thing was that the computer restricted the sale of the recorder because there was a recall on it. So we paid for it and then hubby was buying some stuff for work that he needed to ring up separately. None of that stuff would scan - so we had to go and get the clerk again and she had to type in every UPC.
So much for self checkout!
 
Self-checkout is still kinda new and they still dont have all the bugs out of it yet...I tried one about 6 months ago (at Kroger) and it kept telling me after i scanned it to"Put the item in the bag" even though i was doing just that. I finally ended up going to a regular cashier anyway....let 'em earn their money!
 
I prefer the self-checkout but I agree that we should receive a discount or something when we use them. I once was a "bagger" for a retail chain and later was promoted to cashier (ah good times!). The self-checkout wiped out both of those jobs.

Where I shop, they have the self-checkout for 'express' orders (12-items or less), and a few for full cartloads. Because time is more important to me vs. waiting for the slow cashier to scan my order, I will opt to self-checkout.

I will make an exception however, when I'm buying items which require ID, I will try to find a live cashier. This is usually quicker then to wait for someone at the self-service lane to check your ID and key it in.
 
I go to any line that has the shortest number of people! LOL
 
Sometimes, if you have less that 5 things you can check out at customer service or the pharmacy. :) that's cooL!
 
At Walmart you can't use the self check if you want to pay with a personal check either. You have to find the checker and have them mess with the stupid thing. The only time I will use the self check is if I have less than 5 things and pay with cash and am in a big hurry. otherwise, I like the human interaction.
 
I use it if I have one or two items. But there is always staff nearby at the master control panel.
 
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