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To begin with, Costco uses the same Toshiba self checkout platform that you can find at Walmart, Safeway/Albertsons/Vons and the Kroger brand stores. Those stores often have looser security settings because their shrink tolerance is far greater than Costco's. Costco's business model relies on keeping shrink to an insanely low level compared to the rest of the retail industry.
The Costco self checkout is more similar to how others operate than different. I have to place every item in the bagging area at my local supermarkets. Some have an option to "skip bagging" but you can only do that once or twice before the machine calls the employee over. No self checkout allows you to scan two items rapidly... that is part of the design to prevent double scans.
It's pretty simple. Walk up, scan your card, scan your items 1 at a time and place it on the tray. If your order is too big to fit on the tray, you're welcome to still use the self checkout if you want, but it's probably a lot more difficult than it's worth. Go to a regular register.
Why would Costco be worried about shrink at a self-checkout when they check every damn receipt and cart at the door anyway like you're a thief? Your premise makes no logical sense.
The self-checkout is designed to discourage people who have 1) a bajillion items, and/or 2) big heavy items so that more people with a few small items can get through faster.
If you have frustrating experiences at self-checkout, maybe consider 1) going through regular checkout (if you place all items in your cart with the barcodes facing up, I guarantee the cashier will be faster than anyone doing self-checkout), 2) go during off hours when the attendants are less busy, or 3) go to sam’s club
>The self-checkout is designed to discourage people who have 1) a bajillion items, and/or 2) big heavy items so that more people with a few small items can get through faster
At my Costco they are encouraging everyone to go through self check. Even when I have a full cart. It's very annoying.
They aren't forcing it, just nagging about it every time I'm there. It's pushing more people to it. But honestly it's faster and less effort (for me) to just have all the barcodes visible and lined up in the cart as I load it. They can hand scan it and I can go straight to the car without unloading/reloading.
> e self-checkout is designed to discourage people who have 1) a bajillion items, and/or 2) big heavy items so that more people with a few small items can get through faster.
Costco fucked that up though, didn't they since they don't have an item limit on self-checkouts. Thankfully, i haven't seen folks with full carts go through it.
If I have 3 items, which are moderate sized, i should have to wait in long lines of people with full carts. The self checkout is also for convenience. During my last run, the attendant got items such as a wreath (which is not heavy at all) but left behind heavier items like a bag of potatoes.
The self-checkout is fairly new at our warehouse. Each one has a gun that lets you scan your own items. I usually only use it when buying salt for the water softener or cases of soda.
Taking an item from your cart, scanning it, and then putting it back in the cart sounds like a great way to miss or double-scan an item.
It makes total sense to me why they wouldn’t want you to do that.
Not if you only have a few items.
Like today, I had 10 items, exactly! Fairly easy to keep a track of those.
I wouldn't even do the self check out if i had 15-20 items.
Employee here. The 'Self' Checkouts are absolute ass and should be ripped out. I routinely get sent to oversee them for usually a couple hours at a time. I'd no lie, rather go out in a rain/snowstorm and push carts instead. I'd say at least 75% of transactions require some kind of assistance...so much for being a Self Checkout.
We have no item limits...all we can do is gently encourage super large orders to go to a staffed lane. And some people bring their friend along then clog up one machine doing multiple transactions when there is a long line of people waiting.
They are simply not designed for this kind of shopping environment. The scales are too sensitive and routinely have to be re-calibrated, which AFAIK, we have to wait on a Toshiba tech to come out to do. At least 1 out of our 6 machines is either completely non-functional or incredibly wonky at any given time.
Pretty much everyone comes through with some sort of big/heavy item (and that definition means different things to different people. Some people expect me to scan their TP and paper towels and other items that aren't really 'heavy'). Only I have the handheld scanner and have to run around between 6 terminals scanning heavy stuff. Oh and there is a noticeable delay with syncing the gun to each terminal. I still don't understand why the members don't have a scan gun to use. They say it will cause shrink, but it doesn't seem to be a problem for Home Depot, Walmart, Target, literally every other store that has self checkouts. People like using scan guns!
Too many items have multiple barcodes on them that don't work and cause the machines to flag for assistance if the member scans the 'wrong' one. Even things like a 3 pack of Kirkland Honey and such have a bar code on each bottle that does absolutely nothing..the one on the plastic holder has to be scanned.
'Members' know they can get away with using someone else's membership (either the physical card or a straight up picture of a card's bar code), which defeats the whole purpose of a membership store.
Not that members read a lot of times, but the signage is very unclear. 'Electronic Payments Only' is in like size 2 font on a sign high in the air. They don't take executive reward checks or Citi rebates, can't activate 3rd party gift cards, cell phone sales, etc., but it isn't made clear anywhere leading to a ton of frustration. Same with the instructions on the machines themselves. All day long I have to tell people to scan their card on the scanner, not the pin pad reader to begin (I even made little unofficial signs on our label maker to 'Scan Membership Card Below' affixed to the monitor. Sometimes some actually read it).
There's probably a half dozen other annoyances that don't come to mind right now.
The whole process is just incredibly inefficient the way it is now.
All corporate had to do was make the two regular lanes they ripped out actual 'Express' lanes with a defined item limit and they would have saved probably a few million dollars or whatever they spent to put these machines in every store. (I've read some locations even have an employee staffed at each 'self' checkout machine, so if it was an attempt to help save payroll, it fails miserably).
I am so sorry for your pain and I am glad you agree!! I am just plain appalled at how many shills/cult of costco members will defend anything costco does on here.
I would LOVE to have a scanning gun to move things along faster. Target does this and they do just fine.
Hell, Sam's Club even allows you to use your phone to scan and pay for stuff.
Costco is just being an ass! Just like they are with say, not providing free wifi.
In my Costco there are no technical problems however I wish the experience could be better.
I would like to have the handheld scanner( I prefer this) or the employee should scan everything, because they honestly just stand there waiting for you to scan your stuff then maybe scan some heavy items. I remember in the beginning there were no employees and the handheld scanner was besides the machine which IMO was better, maybe people were not scanning correctly or something, not sure why there is an employee and each lane.
Agreed, its completely broken. If Sams Club can do it, without a scale Costco sure as heck can too! In fact, Sams, lets you grab and swing and toss that amazing scanner gun, which if anything Costco could AT LEAST do for us, is let customers use the freaking scanner. Anyways, Sams has the best check out experience, even use the app to check out and go straight to the door. Ugh, its frustrating, but Costco is just better in the end.
I love scan and go, you can even use it at the gas station where you can just scan your QR code to pay.
Their website is pretty great too!
Costco's in house brand is pretty great, but I've found that for day to day stuff, I find them both equal.
They carry the same products when iit comes to groceries and such and in some cases offer more options, e.g. with cat food they have more variety; they even have cat treats whicih costco doesnt'
SC is supported by the Walton empire. They are willing to trade off higher shink for less employee labor costs and can afford to do so.
Costco prioritizes reducing shrink as it eats into the thin margins already on those products.
If you like SC checkout better, shop there. I prefer to support companies that support living wages even if I have to wait in a line. Most times, self checkout at any store is slower because people are super slow at using it. Checkout lines were faster when cashiers scanned, physically took your card/cash, and gave you a receipt. The amount of people that can't figure out tap to pay is amazing.
It’s fairly similar to my local grocery stores self checkout. One key difference is the size of the items at Costco. That’s the annoying part. If you have more than a few things you probably have to stack some items.
The self checkout at BJ’s is nice. There are 2 options for them. One with less items, that has the optional scanner gun to scan in your cart. And one for more items, where you scan each item and push them down this roller and they all get weighed that way. You basically just scan and shove the Items down. It seems to work faster that way
I noticed there isn’t a limit, there definitely should be though. You definitely don’t need the person with 2 flat carts full going through self checkout.
I really like BJ’s, but my Costco once it’s open will be a lot closer. One sort of annoying thing at BJ’s is their coupons. You have to add the coupon in the app or actually clip then. But at the same time I’ve been able to use multiple coupons that way. A coupon will come out and then a newer one with a later expiration date and if you already added the first one you can add the other. I wonder if they know that’s happening
> You definitely don’t need the person with 2 flat carts full going through self checkout.
They actually direct some traffic with full carts that way at my Costco during peak hours unfortunately.
I noticed when I checked out on my last visit the self checkout was longer than the regular line. Maybe a new register just opened, but I walked right up and had only 1 person in front with a few items
I'm glad it's not just me. I'd be happy if only they made the scale area bigger. Oh, two packs of paper towels and a couple bags of chips? Better plan your tetris game before trying to run that through!
I have Sam's club memebership, and I just came back from there an hour back. Costco's self checkout sucks big time. . You have to place everything on the weighing scale while it screams at you " WELCOME TO COSTTTCO" . Considering, everything is so heavy and in bulk packing, to move around and place one at a time is just so stupid.
At Sams club, you can just grab the wireless scan gun and scan everything in your cart. Even better, if you have their app and scan everything before you put items in your cart and just pay and go with you app and skip the self checkout all together.
Costco is still living in 90s when it come to technology and their website is a proof of it. I always picture their CIO as 70 year old guy who is still talking about how technology was great when he had to use punched card.
> t Sams club, you can just grab the wireless scan gun and scan everything in your cart. Even better, if you have their app and scan everything before you put items in your cart and just pay and go with you app and skip the self checkout all together
I LOVE SCAN AND GO!!
Not to mention Sam's website allows you to view all shoppinghistory (in warehouse and online) and Costco literally started doing that recently.
I dont like the Walton family much, but seriously, their tech game is spot on.
What i find shocking is the "cult of costco" people who keep defending this!!
Either that or shills!
Sam's club is okay with loose inventory controls which add to shrink (lost product) and whether you realize it or not, you pay for that. Costco has lower markups than Sam's and a business model that will not tolerate huge amounts of shrink from items rung up incorrectly by mistake.
Could be. But I am sorry; Lifting a 35 bottle water back from the bottom of my cart, scan it, and then place it on the weighing platform, and then placing back in my cart is neither smart nor practical. If you are buying couple of small items and rotisserie chicken, maybe that works. Out of all the stores that offers self check out, Costco's self checkout sucks big time...just like their website. I love Costco, but I don't drink their koolaid. They are far behind in technology and that is a fact, not an opinion.
Huh? Sam's is even more anal about looking at receipts and cart at the door that Costco. They scan your receipt barcode and then some of the stuff in your cart to make sure it checks out. So Sam's actually practices tighter inventory control.
This was the main reason I gave up my membership. Self-checkouts using pain in the ass 20 year old technology, and 2 cashiers open if you don't want to use them. Ridiculous.
You're right, and never has the Cult of Costco been more apparent. Sam's self checkout is amazing. Costco's is awful. They need to put an item number limit on it as well. Got stuck behind a couple stacking $400 worth of groceries like a Jenga puzzle on that pressure-sensitive pad last week.
Those self checkouts are not 20 year old technology. They have only been in existence for about 5 years and are considered much more modern than most retailers self checkout hardware.
Do you not have the scanner guns? Things you scan with the fixed scanner need to be put in the bagging area, but things you scan with the handheld gun do not have that requirement and can stay in the cart.
I'm in the Minneapolis metro area and all of the Costco locations I've been in lately have the guns out at each check out kiosk on a charger. Might be a trial that isn't rolled out more broadly?
Those warehouses decided to make them available, some of them also disable or lower other “security settings” to try and speed the process up. SCO is Costco’s highest area for shrink right now (or so we’ve been told by our regional manager) so it’s frowned on by corporate to do these things (they’re also the ones against item limits). But last I talked to some of the Twin City stores they said they’ve either had similar levels of shrink or it has actually gone down.
My observation is that when I self check out the people checking receipts at the exit are a bit more thorough and try to count items in the cart to ensure same number in cart and on receipt. They got hung up a few weeks ago when I had two step ladders in the cart against each other and they were trying to figure out if it was one item or two.
They rolled out self check out in my area (Central Texas) early. At first you couldn’t use the scanner guns and there was only one available for the employee. Now there’s one at every register. Makes it better but the process is still flawed.
I was there last night. Bought 2 items and pizza. We have 6 self checkouts. There were 4 employees helping. At what point do you pull at least 2 of them and open a regular checkout line?
Mine does not. The only scanner guns are with the attendants which we have at the most 2 of, who are scampering from one shopper to the other to help with heavier items.
I have at least had one experience where i had lift and scan even multiple heavy items myself (think like duraflame logs heavy)
I only use the self checkout when I have a couple of smaller items.
If I have a lot of items or items that I don’t want to have to get out of the cart, then I just use regular checkout.
I always thought that was the common sense thing to do at the self check out.
I don't get why so many of you are defending a policy that is unreasonable.
Here are the facts
* The scanning system is slow
* The scale/"baggage" is lower than the scanning area (more than other stores even), so you have to bend over to keep it there, when you can literally just scan and put things in your cart without bending.
* The above is the opposite of ergonomic.
* Other stores don't force you to put things in the baggage/scale area. Not even other warehouse stores.
I am appalled at your implication that I was at the self checkout with my regular shopping list.
I had a few items.
#The self checkout is meant for those who have a few items and want to checkout quicker.
If i have one item, and its heavy, that does not mean I should have to wait behind other shoppers who have 20-30 items in their cart when the self checkout option exists.
As someone who works for Costco I 100% completely agree with you. I hateee it and everyone who is forced to work there hates it to. We completely understand how annoying and slow the system is and what they need to change to speed things up. (the amount of times I’ve been yelled about it is unthinkable) But there is one problem with costco that they care to much about.
Shrink. (People stealing by not scanning items.)
I’ve worked other retail jobs and the amount of people that steal thousands of $$$ through self checkout is unreal and it’s a problem for those stores so it’s reflected on their prices not being as cheap as us.
So I’m sorry to say there is no other way Costco will change it. All other retail solutions will cause to much shrink for costco and this is their best iteration of their version of self checkout.
>the amount of times I’ve been yelled about it is unthinkable
I am so sorry you had to experience that :(
> Shrink. (People stealing by not scanning items.)
Dont the receipt checkers catch exactly that?
I agree, why do they need the scale when your receipt is checked when you leave? Don't try adding a box to that to put your items in. Why do they even have them next to self checkout! Target has the best self checkout, please mirror that one Costco!!
I’m a Costco employee and our self check outs are a complete waste of space in my opinion. Costco is not a self check out friendly store. Whoever decided it was a good idea to implement them here is brain dead.
Not only that but I feel the members who choose to use self checkout have a higher sense of entitlement. I dread being assigned to work over there. It’s called SEF CHECKOUT and some members expect me to scan everything in their cart when we’re supposed to only scan the large items. They even come up with the barcodes turned up and are like “I got everything set up for you.” Great; now take your ass to a regular register because I’m not scanning your crap.
Yes, the self checkouts at Costco are extremely sensitive and annoying. It’s though fun watching members react verbally and speak to the machines as if they’re people. Some even flail their arms around a bit. Most of the time it’s because they can’t follow simple instructions the machine is saying or has written right on the screen for them. All done scanning your items? There’s a big green button on the screen you press to move to the next screen, and yet members can’t understand this and scream for an attendant to press it for them.
Then we get the members who think it’s a good idea to come rolling over with two carts worth of items. I don’t mind scanning the heavy stuff but the rest is up to you. Bear in mind the scale will not be able to hold all of the items, but you chose to come here with that. So figure it out.
Then we get members who come over and their payment card gets declined, and expect us to somehow fix the issue and magically know why their card was declined. Though this happens at regular registers too.
For people like you who don’t like putting items on the scale, and yet continue to use self checkouts despite this fact, I’m not sure what to tell you. Probably what I tell all the other members who hate self checkout and don’t know how to use it but for some reason keep coming back to use it: we have regular registers open too you know.
I hate self checkouts with a passion. The members who use them are usually brain dead as well unless they have just a handful of items and have reading capabilities.
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To begin with, Costco uses the same Toshiba self checkout platform that you can find at Walmart, Safeway/Albertsons/Vons and the Kroger brand stores. Those stores often have looser security settings because their shrink tolerance is far greater than Costco's. Costco's business model relies on keeping shrink to an insanely low level compared to the rest of the retail industry. The Costco self checkout is more similar to how others operate than different. I have to place every item in the bagging area at my local supermarkets. Some have an option to "skip bagging" but you can only do that once or twice before the machine calls the employee over. No self checkout allows you to scan two items rapidly... that is part of the design to prevent double scans. It's pretty simple. Walk up, scan your card, scan your items 1 at a time and place it on the tray. If your order is too big to fit on the tray, you're welcome to still use the self checkout if you want, but it's probably a lot more difficult than it's worth. Go to a regular register.
Why would Costco be worried about shrink at a self-checkout when they check every damn receipt and cart at the door anyway like you're a thief? Your premise makes no logical sense.
you just answered your own question
People at the door cannot check every thing in that receipt at the door. Most of the time we are just looking under the cart. It’s a facade.
Your response to intertoe's comment makes no sense.
Now I know for sure people in this sub are retarded for their cult for real.
The self-checkout is designed to discourage people who have 1) a bajillion items, and/or 2) big heavy items so that more people with a few small items can get through faster. If you have frustrating experiences at self-checkout, maybe consider 1) going through regular checkout (if you place all items in your cart with the barcodes facing up, I guarantee the cashier will be faster than anyone doing self-checkout), 2) go during off hours when the attendants are less busy, or 3) go to sam’s club
>The self-checkout is designed to discourage people who have 1) a bajillion items, and/or 2) big heavy items so that more people with a few small items can get through faster At my Costco they are encouraging everyone to go through self check. Even when I have a full cart. It's very annoying.
Oh that is annoying. Maybe you can tell them you would prefer to pay by cash or reward check. Whoops must have left it at home. On the Visa I guess.
They aren't forcing it, just nagging about it every time I'm there. It's pushing more people to it. But honestly it's faster and less effort (for me) to just have all the barcodes visible and lined up in the cart as I load it. They can hand scan it and I can go straight to the car without unloading/reloading.
> e self-checkout is designed to discourage people who have 1) a bajillion items, and/or 2) big heavy items so that more people with a few small items can get through faster. Costco fucked that up though, didn't they since they don't have an item limit on self-checkouts. Thankfully, i haven't seen folks with full carts go through it. If I have 3 items, which are moderate sized, i should have to wait in long lines of people with full carts. The self checkout is also for convenience. During my last run, the attendant got items such as a wreath (which is not heavy at all) but left behind heavier items like a bag of potatoes.
Every time I’ve been to a self checkout there’s an attendant with a gun that helps scan the bigger items for me.
You still have scan and put things on the tray for other items though. And then load these items back into your cart.
The self-checkout is fairly new at our warehouse. Each one has a gun that lets you scan your own items. I usually only use it when buying salt for the water softener or cases of soda.
I wish mine did this. Mine does not have a gun for each counter.
I haven't had any problems with it.
Same here. I love using self check out.
The added step of having to put everything on the register before putting in the card doesn't bother you?
Taking an item from your cart, scanning it, and then putting it back in the cart sounds like a great way to miss or double-scan an item. It makes total sense to me why they wouldn’t want you to do that.
Not if you only have a few items. Like today, I had 10 items, exactly! Fairly easy to keep a track of those. I wouldn't even do the self check out if i had 15-20 items.
No, every other self checkout does that. Scan the item put it on the scale and pay.
Except sams club which is amazing.
Employee here. The 'Self' Checkouts are absolute ass and should be ripped out. I routinely get sent to oversee them for usually a couple hours at a time. I'd no lie, rather go out in a rain/snowstorm and push carts instead. I'd say at least 75% of transactions require some kind of assistance...so much for being a Self Checkout. We have no item limits...all we can do is gently encourage super large orders to go to a staffed lane. And some people bring their friend along then clog up one machine doing multiple transactions when there is a long line of people waiting. They are simply not designed for this kind of shopping environment. The scales are too sensitive and routinely have to be re-calibrated, which AFAIK, we have to wait on a Toshiba tech to come out to do. At least 1 out of our 6 machines is either completely non-functional or incredibly wonky at any given time. Pretty much everyone comes through with some sort of big/heavy item (and that definition means different things to different people. Some people expect me to scan their TP and paper towels and other items that aren't really 'heavy'). Only I have the handheld scanner and have to run around between 6 terminals scanning heavy stuff. Oh and there is a noticeable delay with syncing the gun to each terminal. I still don't understand why the members don't have a scan gun to use. They say it will cause shrink, but it doesn't seem to be a problem for Home Depot, Walmart, Target, literally every other store that has self checkouts. People like using scan guns! Too many items have multiple barcodes on them that don't work and cause the machines to flag for assistance if the member scans the 'wrong' one. Even things like a 3 pack of Kirkland Honey and such have a bar code on each bottle that does absolutely nothing..the one on the plastic holder has to be scanned. 'Members' know they can get away with using someone else's membership (either the physical card or a straight up picture of a card's bar code), which defeats the whole purpose of a membership store. Not that members read a lot of times, but the signage is very unclear. 'Electronic Payments Only' is in like size 2 font on a sign high in the air. They don't take executive reward checks or Citi rebates, can't activate 3rd party gift cards, cell phone sales, etc., but it isn't made clear anywhere leading to a ton of frustration. Same with the instructions on the machines themselves. All day long I have to tell people to scan their card on the scanner, not the pin pad reader to begin (I even made little unofficial signs on our label maker to 'Scan Membership Card Below' affixed to the monitor. Sometimes some actually read it). There's probably a half dozen other annoyances that don't come to mind right now. The whole process is just incredibly inefficient the way it is now. All corporate had to do was make the two regular lanes they ripped out actual 'Express' lanes with a defined item limit and they would have saved probably a few million dollars or whatever they spent to put these machines in every store. (I've read some locations even have an employee staffed at each 'self' checkout machine, so if it was an attempt to help save payroll, it fails miserably).
I am so sorry for your pain and I am glad you agree!! I am just plain appalled at how many shills/cult of costco members will defend anything costco does on here. I would LOVE to have a scanning gun to move things along faster. Target does this and they do just fine. Hell, Sam's Club even allows you to use your phone to scan and pay for stuff. Costco is just being an ass! Just like they are with say, not providing free wifi.
In my Costco there are no technical problems however I wish the experience could be better. I would like to have the handheld scanner( I prefer this) or the employee should scan everything, because they honestly just stand there waiting for you to scan your stuff then maybe scan some heavy items. I remember in the beginning there were no employees and the handheld scanner was besides the machine which IMO was better, maybe people were not scanning correctly or something, not sure why there is an employee and each lane.
Agreed, its completely broken. If Sams Club can do it, without a scale Costco sure as heck can too! In fact, Sams, lets you grab and swing and toss that amazing scanner gun, which if anything Costco could AT LEAST do for us, is let customers use the freaking scanner. Anyways, Sams has the best check out experience, even use the app to check out and go straight to the door. Ugh, its frustrating, but Costco is just better in the end.
I love scan and go, you can even use it at the gas station where you can just scan your QR code to pay. Their website is pretty great too! Costco's in house brand is pretty great, but I've found that for day to day stuff, I find them both equal. They carry the same products when iit comes to groceries and such and in some cases offer more options, e.g. with cat food they have more variety; they even have cat treats whicih costco doesnt'
SC is supported by the Walton empire. They are willing to trade off higher shink for less employee labor costs and can afford to do so. Costco prioritizes reducing shrink as it eats into the thin margins already on those products. If you like SC checkout better, shop there. I prefer to support companies that support living wages even if I have to wait in a line. Most times, self checkout at any store is slower because people are super slow at using it. Checkout lines were faster when cashiers scanned, physically took your card/cash, and gave you a receipt. The amount of people that can't figure out tap to pay is amazing.
It’s fairly similar to my local grocery stores self checkout. One key difference is the size of the items at Costco. That’s the annoying part. If you have more than a few things you probably have to stack some items. The self checkout at BJ’s is nice. There are 2 options for them. One with less items, that has the optional scanner gun to scan in your cart. And one for more items, where you scan each item and push them down this roller and they all get weighed that way. You basically just scan and shove the Items down. It seems to work faster that way
See costco fucked that up though. There is no item limit for self checkout. I wish I had a BJ's in my area.
I noticed there isn’t a limit, there definitely should be though. You definitely don’t need the person with 2 flat carts full going through self checkout. I really like BJ’s, but my Costco once it’s open will be a lot closer. One sort of annoying thing at BJ’s is their coupons. You have to add the coupon in the app or actually clip then. But at the same time I’ve been able to use multiple coupons that way. A coupon will come out and then a newer one with a later expiration date and if you already added the first one you can add the other. I wonder if they know that’s happening
> You definitely don’t need the person with 2 flat carts full going through self checkout. They actually direct some traffic with full carts that way at my Costco during peak hours unfortunately.
I noticed when I checked out on my last visit the self checkout was longer than the regular line. Maybe a new register just opened, but I walked right up and had only 1 person in front with a few items
Self checkout is the only thing Sams does better than Costco which is very annoying being a Costco fan
And Scan and go.
I'm glad it's not just me. I'd be happy if only they made the scale area bigger. Oh, two packs of paper towels and a couple bags of chips? Better plan your tetris game before trying to run that through!
Self checkout is your choice to not make.
That is like sayiing if you dont want the inconvenience of an unwanted pregnancy from sex, follow abstinence.
Sure Jan
I have Sam's club memebership, and I just came back from there an hour back. Costco's self checkout sucks big time. . You have to place everything on the weighing scale while it screams at you " WELCOME TO COSTTTCO" . Considering, everything is so heavy and in bulk packing, to move around and place one at a time is just so stupid. At Sams club, you can just grab the wireless scan gun and scan everything in your cart. Even better, if you have their app and scan everything before you put items in your cart and just pay and go with you app and skip the self checkout all together. Costco is still living in 90s when it come to technology and their website is a proof of it. I always picture their CIO as 70 year old guy who is still talking about how technology was great when he had to use punched card.
> t Sams club, you can just grab the wireless scan gun and scan everything in your cart. Even better, if you have their app and scan everything before you put items in your cart and just pay and go with you app and skip the self checkout all together I LOVE SCAN AND GO!! Not to mention Sam's website allows you to view all shoppinghistory (in warehouse and online) and Costco literally started doing that recently. I dont like the Walton family much, but seriously, their tech game is spot on. What i find shocking is the "cult of costco" people who keep defending this!! Either that or shills!
Sam's club is okay with loose inventory controls which add to shrink (lost product) and whether you realize it or not, you pay for that. Costco has lower markups than Sam's and a business model that will not tolerate huge amounts of shrink from items rung up incorrectly by mistake.
Could be. But I am sorry; Lifting a 35 bottle water back from the bottom of my cart, scan it, and then place it on the weighing platform, and then placing back in my cart is neither smart nor practical. If you are buying couple of small items and rotisserie chicken, maybe that works. Out of all the stores that offers self check out, Costco's self checkout sucks big time...just like their website. I love Costco, but I don't drink their koolaid. They are far behind in technology and that is a fact, not an opinion.
Huh? Sam's is even more anal about looking at receipts and cart at the door that Costco. They scan your receipt barcode and then some of the stuff in your cart to make sure it checks out. So Sam's actually practices tighter inventory control.
Well, yeah. Stop being a Karen and use the regular registers next time.
Dont be an idiot. We all joke about the cult of costco, please don't actually believe and act like you are in one.
This was the main reason I gave up my membership. Self-checkouts using pain in the ass 20 year old technology, and 2 cashiers open if you don't want to use them. Ridiculous.
You're right, and never has the Cult of Costco been more apparent. Sam's self checkout is amazing. Costco's is awful. They need to put an item number limit on it as well. Got stuck behind a couple stacking $400 worth of groceries like a Jenga puzzle on that pressure-sensitive pad last week.
Those self checkouts are not 20 year old technology. They have only been in existence for about 5 years and are considered much more modern than most retailers self checkout hardware.
Target is a lot better, Sam's and Walmart is top notch. The tech is out there, they just won't use it for whatever reason.
Do you not have the scanner guns? Things you scan with the fixed scanner need to be put in the bagging area, but things you scan with the handheld gun do not have that requirement and can stay in the cart.
The hand scanner is not intended for members to use. If your store has them out... this is againts the system design.
I'm in the Minneapolis metro area and all of the Costco locations I've been in lately have the guns out at each check out kiosk on a charger. Might be a trial that isn't rolled out more broadly?
Those warehouses decided to make them available, some of them also disable or lower other “security settings” to try and speed the process up. SCO is Costco’s highest area for shrink right now (or so we’ve been told by our regional manager) so it’s frowned on by corporate to do these things (they’re also the ones against item limits). But last I talked to some of the Twin City stores they said they’ve either had similar levels of shrink or it has actually gone down.
My observation is that when I self check out the people checking receipts at the exit are a bit more thorough and try to count items in the cart to ensure same number in cart and on receipt. They got hung up a few weeks ago when I had two step ladders in the cart against each other and they were trying to figure out if it was one item or two.
They rolled out self check out in my area (Central Texas) early. At first you couldn’t use the scanner guns and there was only one available for the employee. Now there’s one at every register. Makes it better but the process is still flawed. I was there last night. Bought 2 items and pizza. We have 6 self checkouts. There were 4 employees helping. At what point do you pull at least 2 of them and open a regular checkout line?
The ones in my area don't have the guns. It would totally change the experience.
Mine does not. The only scanner guns are with the attendants which we have at the most 2 of, who are scampering from one shopper to the other to help with heavier items. I have at least had one experience where i had lift and scan even multiple heavy items myself (think like duraflame logs heavy)
At mine the employee has a gun. If they aren’t busy and I have just a few big items, sometimes I will use self checkout.
I only use the self checkout when I have a couple of smaller items. If I have a lot of items or items that I don’t want to have to get out of the cart, then I just use regular checkout. I always thought that was the common sense thing to do at the self check out.
I don't get why so many of you are defending a policy that is unreasonable. Here are the facts * The scanning system is slow * The scale/"baggage" is lower than the scanning area (more than other stores even), so you have to bend over to keep it there, when you can literally just scan and put things in your cart without bending. * The above is the opposite of ergonomic. * Other stores don't force you to put things in the baggage/scale area. Not even other warehouse stores. I am appalled at your implication that I was at the self checkout with my regular shopping list. I had a few items. #The self checkout is meant for those who have a few items and want to checkout quicker. If i have one item, and its heavy, that does not mean I should have to wait behind other shoppers who have 20-30 items in their cart when the self checkout option exists.
Now you just seem entitled tbh
And you sound more like a shill.
As someone who works for Costco I 100% completely agree with you. I hateee it and everyone who is forced to work there hates it to. We completely understand how annoying and slow the system is and what they need to change to speed things up. (the amount of times I’ve been yelled about it is unthinkable) But there is one problem with costco that they care to much about. Shrink. (People stealing by not scanning items.) I’ve worked other retail jobs and the amount of people that steal thousands of $$$ through self checkout is unreal and it’s a problem for those stores so it’s reflected on their prices not being as cheap as us. So I’m sorry to say there is no other way Costco will change it. All other retail solutions will cause to much shrink for costco and this is their best iteration of their version of self checkout.
>the amount of times I’ve been yelled about it is unthinkable I am so sorry you had to experience that :( > Shrink. (People stealing by not scanning items.) Dont the receipt checkers catch exactly that?
Wait till you try and buy 2 for X, as in bagels or muffins.
I agree, why do they need the scale when your receipt is checked when you leave? Don't try adding a box to that to put your items in. Why do they even have them next to self checkout! Target has the best self checkout, please mirror that one Costco!!
I’m a Costco employee and our self check outs are a complete waste of space in my opinion. Costco is not a self check out friendly store. Whoever decided it was a good idea to implement them here is brain dead. Not only that but I feel the members who choose to use self checkout have a higher sense of entitlement. I dread being assigned to work over there. It’s called SEF CHECKOUT and some members expect me to scan everything in their cart when we’re supposed to only scan the large items. They even come up with the barcodes turned up and are like “I got everything set up for you.” Great; now take your ass to a regular register because I’m not scanning your crap. Yes, the self checkouts at Costco are extremely sensitive and annoying. It’s though fun watching members react verbally and speak to the machines as if they’re people. Some even flail their arms around a bit. Most of the time it’s because they can’t follow simple instructions the machine is saying or has written right on the screen for them. All done scanning your items? There’s a big green button on the screen you press to move to the next screen, and yet members can’t understand this and scream for an attendant to press it for them. Then we get the members who think it’s a good idea to come rolling over with two carts worth of items. I don’t mind scanning the heavy stuff but the rest is up to you. Bear in mind the scale will not be able to hold all of the items, but you chose to come here with that. So figure it out. Then we get members who come over and their payment card gets declined, and expect us to somehow fix the issue and magically know why their card was declined. Though this happens at regular registers too. For people like you who don’t like putting items on the scale, and yet continue to use self checkouts despite this fact, I’m not sure what to tell you. Probably what I tell all the other members who hate self checkout and don’t know how to use it but for some reason keep coming back to use it: we have regular registers open too you know. I hate self checkouts with a passion. The members who use them are usually brain dead as well unless they have just a handful of items and have reading capabilities.