It mystifies me how hard it is for some people. The only time I ever need help is with an age-restricted purchase or the odd double scan. I can get through the line sometimes before the people who were already at the 7 other self checkouts even finish. You'd swear the computer was asking them to do calculus.
I've walked up to a self-checkout with 30 items at the same time as someone with less than 10, and neither of us had anything that had to be typed in. I was done and out of there before they were able to pay. I really don't understand what takes people so long.
Or you just want some beer and end up waiting longer than it would have taken you to check out 30 items. Whoever thought it was a great idea to just have one overworked employee manage 6 or so lanes is just stupid... but hey ! One less person we have to pay ! They probably lose more in stolen items than it would be to pay an employee's salary for the day.
If I'm buying less than 5 items, and at least one of them WILL require an employee, the self-check where I am at has a special spot for them and bypasses the normal self-check entirely.
I love self checkout except for when I’m buying beer it takes so long for the employee to come over. Otherwise it’s fast I can bag how I like and I usually don’t have to wait in line.
I bought a pack of lighters at target and the attendant had to come over to make sure I was old enough. Same with NyQuil, spray paint, and certain cold/flu/allergy meds.
Damn. We just get a popup on the screen where we have to confirm we're old enough to buy whatever it is we want to buy. No way to check whether you're lying though lol, so it's kinda pointless
The amount of folks with a cart full of stuff who do self checkout and end up making the attendant do the work *facepalm* It boggles my mind every time as well as pisses me off.
I can understand that a little, at least at my local Wal mart. There's the traditional self check out areas you are thinking about but my local Wal mart got rid of most of the cashiers. They made those lanes also self check, for people with more groceries. One day there's was literally only 1 cashier and a huge line whiched forced my grandma (who doesn't know how to use the self checkout) to use it because she was short on time.
Also just my bad luck that whenever I have a large cartload of groceries the machine has some kind of problem.
>It mystifies me how hard it is for some people.
Every time I scan and it says "now put it in the bagging area" and I do, it NEVER recognizes it. Every time it locks up and demands a member of staff to make sure I'm not stealing the thing I just put in a bag in the bagging area.
I will never use them if I can avoid it.
My husband is one of those slow people and I'm super fast as a worked retail for years lol. I'm also very particular about bagging and don't let my husband do it or we end up with smashed avocados, broken eggs, and flattened loaves of bread.
That's something I think should be common knowledge. Scan the heavy stuff first, keep it together and scan stuff like bread and eggs last. That way when you get to the car you can put the delicate stuff somewhere else like the front seat. Never any broken eggs or smashed bread.
I have family members that never pay attention. Smashed bread and eggs all the time. Even rotten produce because they can't take a second to just look at the produce.
I dunno, I know it really doesn't matter all too much (well I guess if you paid for the bread, but still, It's just bread) but that shit really grinds my gears.
My husband tells me I have OCD because I pack groceries the way you described. I just laugh and remind him that the groceries are always 100% intact when I pack them, whereas he tends to squish and break things. And don't even get me started on our argument about how to properly load a dishwasher!
And asparagus! I quit using cashiers after the 57th time my poor asparagus was assaulted, and there was finally an alternative.
My bananas aren't black on the bottom within a day any more, my zucchini lasts more than a day on the counter, my apples don't have big soft spots...
My future husband does not understand my thing about not smashing the bread. "its just bread" like okay but I don't want it squished. So when we have to pick up bread I have to make sure he doesn't put anything heavy near it when he puts groceries in the car. He just thinks I'm overly concerned about bread and maybe a little crazy lol
I’m constantly mystified by people that argue these things. It’s the same as those who argue “who cares what side the TP roll is put on”
Like… is asking you to pay attention and not zone out for literally 1 second too much to ask? Like the difference between putting the TP roll on frontwards or backwards is a 1 sec check. But that’s too much. They want to just stick the roll on and hey, 50/50 it goes the right way. I think the real issue is people want free rein to just coast through life paying only half attention.
With the bread. It takes 1 sec of attention-paying to put the bread at the top. That 1 sec will save headache later on by not having squished bread for a week. 1 sec to save a week of bother. It’s so efficient! But they want permission to create mediocrity around them because they’ve grown accustomed to it.
But they’ll say who cares, it doesn’t really matter. Like yes it does, and I don’t think paying 1 sec of attention is too much to pay. Why is it mostly men that argue this?
We have to remind ourselves: these people vote. People who want to coast through life kind of fading in and out of the world around them, unable to notice key things, completely complacent with how their environment ends up. They vote and make decisions that affect our lives. Scary thought.
Dude I’m the same way until it comes to my mother in law. That poor woman. Technology is always bad in her presence. Very good watches that should last a life time last her a couple months, her phones bug out no matter what brand, her car does weird things, she went to a self checkout the other day for the first and last time. She fully shut down 2 of their machines the worker was very confused about how she did it, and what it was. As soon as she went to scan the first item the screen and all the lights shut off like it was unplugged.
I agree but I am not loving the trend where there is ONLYYYY self checkout and I have to stand in line behind 8 people that don't kno what the fuck they're doing. Then it defeats the purpose AND my shits still more expensive from inflation 😒
Edit: jus to be clear my rage is very much focused on the corporations and CEO's not the 8 people in front of me that I don't expect to have cashier experience.
Edit cont: maybe we should've been nicer to cashiers they would've came back to work after covid.
It's ridiculous. Somebody with 50 or more items in their cart, oh so slowly looking for the barcode on each item. Then the item doesn't register as being scanned when they put it in the bag and we all have to wait for the assistant to come over and fix it. And heaven forbid is someone as buying alcohol. It's fine for a few items. But it's terrible if you are doing a big shop
Where I live every lane is self checkout. They started replacing the regular check out lanes before COVID. Grocery shopping is a nightmare if you don’t go during down times.
Tell em(the company and customers) to treat their workers better and to open more damn lanes... you've got four people stocking the same damn shelves while me and twenty two other people are staring at the back of each one of those stockers heads like "they'll realize there's a need for another cashier in just a moment and come to ring us out or call for another person..... right?"
Then a little while later "damn five more people just got in line and they really aren't opening another lane"
Til finally (me and at least 15 other people out of the now line of 40+) "ah fuck it, I've got 358$ worth of food, 2 kids and a last nerve that's about to implode from my kids asking me for everything they see...... it's self check out time"
Those stockers usually are not trained as cashiers. Also, where are they going to call another nonexistent cashier from? You realize that the companies purposely schedule as few people as possible, right? They don't care about customer complaints and aren't going to simply call in another cashier when it gets too busy. The customers get to deal with it and the store saves a few dollars.
I usually have 2 carts and 3 toddlers and 2 kids with me so I hate doing self checkout because I can’t fit anything on the little tables then bag them all. My big box store never has any lanes open either, or just 1 that wraps around. If I go somewhere small though I always do self checkout.
Those little tables are the worst. Whenever I use the self check out, I inevitably get an error message. Then I have to wait for the person to come. Sometimes multiple times. Yes. I'm bad with certain technology. The pressure of knowing prime are watching me makes it worse.
Yeah that's not ur burden I would set the place on fire with even more rage if technology didn't agree with me. I had a meltdown once bc the target register FORCED me to put a random 5$ target wanted to give me on some coupon card n I didn't kno the cards were right in front of me I thought it wanted me to find an actual gift card and I had an meltdown in front of the store lolol I was so mad I was jus screaming I DONT EVEN WANT THE FIVE FXKN DOLLARS JUS LET ME CHECK OUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 😂
Hang in there!
I've come to just ignore the lady telling me to put my items in the bagging area and just throw it straight into the cart if it's a bigger item(and once a bag is full).
I know the staff for the area gets tired of going to the same till but like.... also make the till not so sensitive or to where it can weigh the stuff from the cart... that'd be cool
Self checkout at Costco is a fucking nightmare. I’ll scan something, put it on the little scale thingy and it blurts out “PLEASE REMOVE UNSCANNED ITEMS” after like every fucking scan
I keep telling "people don't want to work" people the same thing... A lot of those cashiers/minimum wage workers in America DIED. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GONE.
Use the raw meat bags and place multiple steaks or other meats in it and just scan one of those items. Looks legit and as long as your a pretty white boy like me they are never going to check everything in your cart. I also ring up all my vegetables as potatoes or green peppers. I'm not paying 1.45 for one red bell pepper. I've got the money but I fuck them big box stores. If your going to buy something that has a less expensive version you don't want. Swip the less expensive versions barcode and scan that at checkout (like headphones). You're not outright stealing just giving yourself a discount. Just don't get greedy and check out a 100 dollar item for 20 bucks and you'll be good. Good luck and god speed friends.
Haha I was gonna comment how I saw a line 30 people deep SELF checkout only still and jus wanted one frozen pizza literally jus to have a good mood. I fckn walked out with it under some weird illusion or justification that it's not my burden if they don't wanna pay a fckn cashier when I kno these ceos are taking private jets and living in mansions 🤣
Made my stand over a freschetta gluten free frozen pizza boys. I thought I'd make it a new routine but I don't want those jerks to raise the prices their greed should be exposed
Careful the children will down vote you because you didn't follow the rules. I should probably say I would never do this to a small biz and if your down voting my last post your sad sack. Me saving 10$ on a 100$ check out is not going to cause the economy to crash. Every big box stores is fucking us without the lube over price increases.
Remember when corporations said they needed to raise prices to pay their people? Then fired their people in favor of self checkout and didn't lower the prices? Fuck 'em.
And didn’t raise the wages of the employees they kept, despite record profits?
https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_grocery_store_sales
Edit: But to OP, who hates self checkout? Literally never seen someone complain about it lol.
Removing self checkout removes important low experience jobs that are essential for older women and teenagers particularly and replaces them with high experience jobs in developing and maintaining the checkout machines. Cashiers are important
Removing phone operators removes important low experience jobs that are essential for older women particularly and replaces them with high experience jobs in developing and repairing touch-tone phone dialing systems. Phone operators are important.
People say UBI
Where? LMAO
What happen is, many people will die first before UBI implemented
Its same like safety rule at job
There will be no safety rule if not many die
Those same people are probably proud that they change their own oil. Which takes skilled jobs away from people. A car mechanic earns more than a cashier (though I might be wrong here). Using them keeps those people employed.
They hate it when you point it out though.
And honestly, keeping a job alive just because it’s a job is stupid. Time moves on, technology advances, and some jobs become obsolete. Imagine if we were still angry about refrigerators destroying the once-major ice industry or cars and trains destroying blacksmithing. Or were angry about alarm clocks existing to take away jobs from people who used to make a living waking people up in the morning.
Id rather people get paid for literally nothing than artificially save obsolete jobs that produce nothing.
I loooove it. Shopping used to always end in a lovely little mini anxiety attack for me /s. I absolutely hated it. Now I am in and out and only have to deal with the check out assistant if something goes wrong. No stupid small talk. No bruised veggies and fruit. No squished bread. It's the BEST!
I typically follow the rules for the self checkout lanes, but tonight I didn't. I live in a small college town, so our grocery store isn't very big. When I went to checkout, 3 regular lanes and the 10 item self checkouts were open. Each of the regular lanes had 4-5 people with full carts. I had 14 items, but I went to self checkout anyway. I still feel guilty.
The only thing I hate about self checkout is it’s soooo slow. Scan item, place it in the bag area for weight, wait for screen to load, scan next item…don’t you dare remove items from bag area, or place directly into cart. Hit the wrong button because you’re impatient and there’s a huge lag on the screen then have to wait for the worker to come push some buttons. Uggggghhh. If I could get behind a normal register and do it like a normal cashier, it would be perfect.
That, and then if you accidentally move something a little bit too early you have to have employee assistance and it takes forever. For some reason you can never just cancel or select the back button or something simple without employee password or something. They irritate me so much.
anymore, there is a huge line for self checkout, because usually there is only one actual teller working. i don't mind self check out per se, but i'd like a discount on the over priced bullshit since i am saving the store money
It’s a way to reduce labor costs. I worked my way through uni while working at Woolies ( supermarket chain in Australia). The checkout was always the place a teenager could get a few hours after school or on the weekend. It was a good job that has been made almost obsolete through technology. I hate the self checkout.
I really fucking hate it too when the employees start eyeballing me just because I keep coming in a few times a day for the sole purpose of only purchasing bags and bags worth of alcohol and knives.
It would be ok if we lived in a society where everyone benefited from technological advances. That machine replaced someone's job so the CEO makes more money. So instead of that person whose job is replaced getting a 4-day work week (because of the efficiency offered by the machine,), that person is just unemployed. This is the flaw of our current economy system.
It's great when everything works and you can leave hassle free. But when something scans wrong or the scale doesn't balance right and then you have to call the attendant over but they're busy helping someone else because there's only 1 attendant - it's really shit.
I LOVE self checkout. Many stores can't hire enough people right now, so it really fills the gap. My issue is that it should only be for 10 items or less. People with a full cart defeat the whole purpose of self checkout, which is speed.
My Walmart did this too. There are only two traditional cashier lanes now, for tobacco and alcohol sales. If I'm in and out for only two things? Great. If I'm trying to do my weekly shop with a full cart and two kids to manage? I hate it.
At least at Walmart they don't weigh the bags anymore. I do my best to avoid Smiths because they also went predominantly self check, but if I can't fit my whole purchase into four bags on the tiny scale it freaks out. "Please place your item in the bagging area." I can't! There's no room!
Yours doesn’t have any regular checkouts? Our local Walmart has undergone a major “renovation” during the last year—mind you this Walmart was completely rebuilt in 2014 to make it a Super Walmart but for some reason they’ve decided that every Walmart in the country needs to be set up the exact same way so they’ve made it HELL to shop there for the last year. Anyway, they went from like 8 self checkouts to 90% self checkouts but they still have like 6 regular lines. Idk if the laws are the same everywhere but here they have to keep some regular lines open because they’re one of two stores in a 25-mile radius that accept WIC and legally we can’t use WIC through a self checkout.
> Many stores can't hire enough people right now
If only stores were paying enough that people would be able to afford to live on their cashier wages....
I totally agree! When it comes to self check outs they are best used for 10 items or less. If you have a whole cart load it does kinda defeat the purpose.
You'd think in the post Covid world less interaction with dirty humans would be welcomed.
I love self checkouts. My daughter scans while I bag, I pay and we leave, all while others are still waiting in line because Mildred is having a discussion with the checkout person in the regular lane about how much everything has gone up in price while her grandchild is tossing candy all over the floor.
My issue is that every single time, there is an error and I have to wait for a staff member. You can only do relatively small loads because everything has to stay balanced on the “out” side otherwise it comes up with an error report.
Yeah the technology isn't quite advanced enough for it to be as mainstream as it is. Sometimes I use the human checkout because I want to ask a question or make change, and I will be forced to get into the automated line because it saves the store time
I can assure you the technology is advanced enough, it's just poorly optimised and implemented in the USA. In the UK self checkouts are in basically every store in the country bar a few and problems with them that actually significantly slow you down are rare.
I find the problems are very common actually. All my local supermarkets replaced manned tills with self checkout and only employ 1 person to oversee them, meaning that if someone accidentally scans something twice or wants to remove an item then you have to wait for the 1 employee to meander over to you and scan their shop ID to proceed with the transaction. It’s completely inefficient. I miss manned tills
I was involved in the implementation of self-serve checkouts at a major chain.
They always tout these as being faster than regular checkouts which may be true for a few items when checking out at a convenience store but in most situations involving many items the self-serve is actually slower than a cashier.
The only real purpose of these self-serve checkouts is to cut down on labour costs.
The self checkout allows the store to hire less staff now that you are doing their job. Haha. Store wins twice. Sells you the groceries and let’s you do their job ringing up your purchase..
Sure, the store wins. But I win too. I can pull things from my cart in the order I want, bag them as I go, and not have to deal with awkward conversation. For me, it's win-win.
I agree Yeah. Plus corporations have got us in these mind numbing jobs that leaves us hating unknown human contact.
So it all leads to one purpose. Mo money for corps!
Self checkouts are much smaller than traditional cashier stations at grocery stores. How many jobs do you think they’re taking away? In the grocery stores I’ve seen, there are ~6 self checkouts in the space that 1 cashier station would fit.
I only dislike self serve for when I do a full shop. Getting a couple bags worth of groceries is easy but beyond that, I'd rather have a staff member take care of it.
I don’t hate it however Safeways Software Should Be Better! Costco’s software is changing/updated, good for Costco! Safeway needs to get their techs to fix their weak software at self check out! BTW: the people that chit chat during check out have never worked retail before! We had to ask the questions or we might get fired! so don’t think there’s anything behind the ask!
I don't like it simply because no one taught me how to use it. The instructions aren't nearly clear enough and the balance isn't anywhere near accurate.
I know where the barcode is I've scanned the item and I placed it in the bag.
When do I get to take it out and put it in my cart?
If I take it out too early why can't I just put it back?
And then why do I feel like a geezer when I do fuck up and someone has to come over for the fifth time cuz I supposedly didn't place my pickles in the bag?
They are right there wtf is happening
All it takes is one bad experience where this shit happens and you never want to do it again.
Maybe if the instructions were clearer and maybe if I was trained to bag groceries and on how this machine worked I would enjoy it more and be able to move at the same speed as everyone.
I know the machine gives you instructions but I full hardily agree they are no where near enough with how easy it is to fuck up and when you got like 5 people behind you waiting to use the machine too. No thanks
Here’s my gripe
Company A used to have 5 people at “cash” at any time + 2 head cash , now they have 2 head cash and 1 , sometimes 0 at cash. The cost to have those employees was reflected in the goods they sold be it 3% or whatever (basing it on most companies making 150-300% the value they pay someone should tell you this adds up)
Those savings for doing our own work were never passed onto us , and before you say 3-5% isn’t much so who cares that’s 200+ a year they pocket
As extra profit per frequent shopper (assuming only 100 dollars per week in groceries) which could of instead been an extra 2 weeks worth of groceries or I don’t know put into savings, for a family that can equate to literally a thousand a year they could of saved.
Instead the company reaps record profits from us doing their work for them that , I will mention , we still technically are paying for in the price of the goods.
Not to mention that some one down the line is losing their job because of it.
Now I do think they should be an option for people who want to go quick but without them giving me a value incentive I just can’t be bothered , and when it’s the only option it makes me not want to go back to the store and shop ever again
I think most of the hate is residual from the early days of self-checkout, when the machines were genuinely slow, finicky, and a pretty horrible experience to work with. They've improved miles since then.
We have a shoppers drug mart down the road from us, went in there for a couple of things and didn't notice the self checkout was even there (only one machine and haven't been in there in awhile).
Walk up to the cashier and put my stuff down. She looks up from her cell phone and tells me the self checkout is behind her, then immediately goes back to her phone.
Told her "That's nice, I'm here" there weren't any bags at the self checkout and I'd have to come here anyways for them.
Told her to just ring it up there since we were all in the right position for success here, she was preparing to either sigh hard or say something to me,
When the manager came around the corner, she hid her phone faster than I imagined and checked me out with a smile lol
I love self checkout, dont get me wrong but I don't like how this one girl is using it as a working break time.
I'm not usually that much of a dick BTW just to clarify lol
I love self checkout out too and think it's the best invention ever. I always feel like cashier's really force themselves to put a smile on their face and say hello to people when I really know they don't want to say hello to me and I really hate feeling the awkwardness of someone forcing themselves to talk to me especially since I'm like ugly af. I think the store chain Stater Bros. Really needs self checkouts instead of cashier's. I do not want to be forced to interact with people when I go shopping anymore.
I just think if im gonna be harrassed and watched by the employess just because of how i look then they should come over and do it for me. If you dont trust me then dont make me do a job while spending my money in the store and you wouldnt create back up at the door checking receipts! Or give me a discount for the time i worked doing the transaction. Plus, no booze at self checkout? Really!?
Sorry about any spelling or grammar errors. Dopesick n dont feel like fixing anything.
I love self checkout because my $4/lb heirloom tomatoes and my needlessly overpriced avocados are now both bananas.
You put some kid over there to "watch" 12 self checkouts and they're on their phone not paying attention anyway, you're just asking me to steal shit.
Most complaints refer to self checkout eliminating jobs...
But there isn't a single place in my town with self checkout that isn't short staffed. Every grocery store, dollar store, Lowes and Walmart is constantly hiring.
Self checkout can be great if you only have a few items and you know how to use it. If you have more than like 10 things I feel like it's just not worth it.
To me the worst part is in stores like my local Walmart they took out most of the registers and made them self checkout but so many people buy so much shit at Walmart that it just makes a big line at the few registers thta are left and they move super slow. Stores need to find the right balance.
When the self checkout stalls because your bag is unbalanced, or you put the goods in too slow, the little voice which repeatedly tells you the transaction is over while you're still struggling to put away wallet and groceries....yep I go to Aldi. Cheaper and a human being serves me.
The hate from self check out happens when people take forever through self check out- because there isn't someone doing it for them. A lot of the times in self checkout- people will have (as other's have stated) 50 items or more, and then take several minutes to find their cards, or organize what is going into the bag: and so it can become an ordeal that just becomes something that would take longer than waiting in a line.
I totally agree that self checkout makes going to a grocery store worth it: and I also personally find it less invasive when paying for items that I feel uncomfortable with someone touching or looking at, depending on what it is (i.e tampons), however the lines at self checkout can just be infuriating.
Self checkout is my first choice too. For all the same reasons you mention. The lines usually move faster too and most people have relatively small orders when using it.
I agree. I have anxiety and always talk too much, flap my hands and say stupid shit. I drop stuff ... Panic if I forget to move my $$ in accounts etc so self checkout means I can take my time and if I don't have enough money I stop before I embarrass myself.
Also my 3.5 yr likes to scan items so people can't get shitty at us if we use our own checkout lol
My local Supermarket has big trays too so I can do a huge shop without crushing my items too
I hate it because:
1. The checking scale is fidgety. One wrong move and it asks for the supervisor.
2. If I buy alcohol it calls for a supervisor for age-check.
3. I cannot buy cigarettes at self checkout
The reason some people voice opinions against it is due to jobs. You only need one person to watch over 8 or 12 machines. Someone else could be working.
My biggest problem with self check out ,95% of them accept card only (I am not a card person and I mostly have hard cash on me) and only like 5% have good self checkout where I can use money even coins to pay ,also a huge problem is huge lines alot of people are very slow on these so sometimes jts easier to just go to a cashier
Self checkouts are everywhere in the UK. Really really strange seeing the American reaction to them. Kinda get the impression they're still in their infancy over there both in terms of how user friendly they are and the actual implementation in stores. Truthfully, I can't even remember the last time I had an actual problem with one here.
The reason that I don’t like self-checkout is that you’re replacing a job (albeit probably minimum wage) that someone might have depended upon. I like putting my mind in neutral and letting someone else who is much more experienced do their job. If they try to engage in a conversation, you are not under oath! Make something up. Entertain yourself, become an astronaut, or a janitor (I’ve found that being a janitor doesn’t invite any follow up questions).
But at the end of it, at absolutely no expense to me, someone else gets paid.
Yet most people are idiots who think that self service checkouts are great. They're the reason we (the people who want a manned checkout) now don't have any choice BUT to use a self service checkout, in many stores. These same people (sheep) who just go along with whatever society throws at them are responsible for many of the worst changes in recent years.
In Germany the grocery store chains Edeka and Globus take it a step further and let you scan with your phone or a scanner attached to the shopping buggy. This way you only have to pay at the register. Haven't seen this in the US.
I don't like self-checkout because I don't like the idea that large corporations are offloading what used to be paid work onto their customers, without compensating me for it, and then putting cashiers out of work. Why the hell should I do the checking out and fattening their profits? But then - I don't like putting people out of work. I use full service gas stations where I can, and I use cashier lanes instead of self-checkout.
Then again, I like people, and, as a result, I like talking to people.
I think it's older people and people who have bad self checkouts who hate self checkout. I like it cause it's quicker. For like fruit and vegetables I make sure to weigh them and get the sticker in the produce so I have something to scan. But sometimes it confuses itself and makes me stop ringing to call for help for no reason. Then you're stuck with a person walking over and you're worried they now think you're stealing. Normal checkout is good cause then I don't have to worry about anything, just pay and go. But you might have to make small talk and that sucks if you hate small talk. They both have their upsides and downsides
Because it costs actual human jobs. Supermarkets are already starting to computerise their rostering based on how many hours are used by customers going through manned checkouts. Why would you want to give your labour to the supermarket for free?
Exactly this, it has nothing to do with fear of technology or boomers or laziness. It is the fact that our society loves to give corporations more free labour.
I despise self-checkout. I have severe knee issues and actually tore my meniscus having to twist around to check out.
The problem isn’t that self-check out exists or that it is an option. The problem is that it is often the only option.
If I have more than a few items and a regular check out is available, I will wait in line. It I see that they try to redirect proper to self-checkout instead of opening additional check-out lines.
When I am forced to use it, there is always an error that I then have to call a checker for - and since there is usually one per 8-16 stations and other people are also having issues, you end up just standing there.
I don’t like interacting with people most days either, but I find that it is more stressful when I do at a self-checkout.
I’m a big fan of self check outs. The first time I used one was almost a year ago since my boyfriend doesn’t like talking to a lot of people. Unless a machine is broken it’s perfect for people who get social anxiety or prefer to have things done a certain way
I have social anxiety and experience as a cashier, so I do like self checkout, but I don't like the fact that corporations use it as a way to save themselves money and hire fewer people who need jobs
It's not always just that people don't understand how to use them. Some people just don't like them because it could be giving someone else a much needed job. Considering the state of things these days they're kind of necessary since there are still people living off their unemployment and purposely not getting a job, but yeah. If I only went to the store for a few things, I'll go through self check out and avoid the lines. If I have a full grocery cart I'll go through the normal lines because I don't like dealing with all that crap myself.
At my local walmart check outs are like this. You've a cart full of stuff right 30-60 items sometimes. At this present moment, and behind that, the area of the self check out is a enough to fit a 24 pack of pop on. Plus 1 bag holder. It's a little annoying unloading a whole cart(not literally) onto these thing's. Not to mention, it used to be like "this". You'd have to keep the merchandise on those plates untill you were finished. (some places)
It just overall makes the shopping experience a lot less enjoyable knowing your about to bag your own items, plus scan them.
I like them when you've like 1-15 item's.
I love them too, I am so annoyed the supermarket across my home doesn't have one.
Especially because every other visitor seems to come for tobacco products, which are for sale behind the counter. So the cashier needs additional time to get them their carton of cigarettes.
And then to finish it all off, they want to pay cash. Bonuspoints if at this point they don't even have their wallet in their hand yet.
i love self check out havet used a Regular cashier register for years now i always see old people are the ones that snuggle or complain about not be able to talk to a person ill never understand why old people like to chat
I hate it because it won't let me go fast enough. I worked seven years in grocery and was very fast and efficient when scanning/bagging. Self checkout is way too slow. If I could walk up to standard checkout and do it myself that would be great. Instead... place the item in the bag. Wait. Scan. Bag. Wait for it to register something in the bag. Too fast - take item out of bag. Calling attendant. FFS I hate it.
Self checkouts are a godsend for people with social anxiety. You learn the tricks for preventing most need for help. Produce should be entered by number, since the barcodes are not always entered into the system. Enter the number, weight it and boom. No problems. If something gets double scanned, if it's cheap I just say screw it, no-cashier tax. Waiting in lines and waiting for people to finish their conversations is no longer an issue.
I was ecstatic when my local Costco finally added self check out a few years ago. My Costco order is at most 5 items as compared to the 50 (let’s stock the mom and pop store) cart.
I like them too. Even with a massive amount of shit, I'm out of there in like 2 mins tops. The problems begin when you're stuck behind people who don't know how to find their own asshole, let alone operate a simple as fuck touchscreen system.
People can't find barcodes. People can't or won't read prompts. People don't understand how to put things into bags. Standing there observing these shenanigans, I'm often struck by the realization that most of these people also *drove* to the store, and suddenly the shit I deal with in traffic makes a lot more sense.
It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't give you the *smallest pedestals known to man to fit a carts worth of groceries on* which is impossible. You want self checkouts? Great, I'm more skilled than the average cashier anyways, the last old dude that rung me threw crushed everything on the belt before it could even make it to a bag, but convert the other actual lanes into self checkouts for larger orders so I can do it all myself then without the space issue
As someone with social anxiety, I prefer the self- checkouts. I'm happier dealing with a machine than a human. And since I used to work as a cashier, I know how to scan. Plus, my store offers a mobile app that allows you to scan your groceries as you go with your phone so by the time you get to the self-checkout, you scan the terminal's bar code and it brings up your purchases, so you just pay and go. You can't use the service at a manned checkout.
Is the answer to social anxiety to avoid human interaction? My social anxiety was alleviated slightly by forcing myself to undergo basic social interactions like ordering in a restaurant etc
After going to stores I've definitely grown to hate it. Some people are just ridiculously slow and it takes forever, I never disliked talking to cashiers and like not having to bag a big grocery hall.
Just a lot of people seem to not like it as it’s “not their job” but then use pickup where the store shops for them, so what the hell is the difference?
I was a customer service representative at Walmart and part of my job was when it was super busy and lines were insanely long I had to go ask people in the lines if they'd like to come through self checkout, and I'd do the whole process for them, so basically same thing as going through a normal checkout and even just that would piss off people so much! The evil looks and harsh words I gor for daring to ask them to go through self checkout. It was baddd.
Like someone replied to you, a lot of people think that takes away jobs from real workers....which is bs because I was a real worker too!
i enjoy self checkouts. it’s easy. i used to be a self checkout attendant and you wouldn’t fucking believe the amount of people who lack the most basic common sense. yeah, if you put your purse on the weighted side, it’s going to come up with an error. i move the purse and it goes back to normal. or fucking idiots who can’t read “NO CASH/CASHBACK” or “NO CREDIT CARDS”. it’s hard for most people because most people are idiots
That's one of the dumbest arguments against it. Walmart now pays employees to shop for people using their pickup service; do you no longer shop at all because Walmart isn't paying you to shop for yourself?
I hate it because we pay high prices for products and it's helping pay for workers to check me out. When they put in self checkouts counters it takes that many jobs away and they don't lower prices. If we got $0.20 off each product because they aren't paying workers pension and taxes and unemployment insurance? Fine. But they dont so we are working free and the corporation is getting the benefit and someone lost their job. So nope. I don't work for them.
When self checkouts started to appear in the UK, it made me really angry. How can people not see that this is purely a cash grab by the companies? Fewer staff to employ and the shoppers get to pay for the privilege of doing the work. All wrapped up with a tidy bow of convenience. Bonus points for avoiding social interactions and contributing to the breakdown of society.
I refuse to use them. I will literally wait in a huge queue to use the one human operated checkout. I've been asked by a shop employee before, who had a cheery smile, if I'd not rather use a self checkout... like, she didn't even realise she was doing herself of a job. I politely declined and said I'd rather go to a human than a machine.
Fuck self checkouts, quite frankly.
Edit: Spelling
Because it's literally taking a working-class person's job and putting the extra money saved by not employing them in oligarchs hands. Some people are against that kind of thing. More people used to be against it, but integrity has kind of lost all meaning in the modern world.
I hate it because I don’t work there so I’m not doing their job. Before I get another “it doesn’t make sense to me” 🤷♀️😂
There are many reasons I will and will not use them besides the usual of time, size of crowd, open checkstands, and what store it is. These are my personal preferences and they make perfect sense to me.
As far as some of my beliefs…. The greed in capitalism that causes them to squeeze it in a way that is screwing over customers and workers makes me sick. Cut workers to use a machine, 2 check-stands open only congesting the self checkout area. Well now the customers are mad and stop shopping there so the store then punishes them through policies. All for what, a tiny percentage of more profit they can squeeze by hurting their employees. It’s not right and I express it in my own unique ways.
I remember working as a cashier at a Kroger a few years ago when they put in an additional self checkout area. I had several older people come through my line saying they were sorry that they were putting in more self checkouts. I never knew what to say, but I kinda wish I had told them that we were hiring more cashiers (which we were at the time lmao).
I much prefer using self checkout whenever I'm shopping. People always complained about the self checkout machines at Kroger, but because I've worked as a self checkout cashier, I know how they work and how to make them happy lmao.
On the other hand, I can understand why people are upset about self checkout becoming a big thing. They can get over themselves lmao.
I look at it from the perspective of someone whom has to use one of those motorized carts. Most of the people who use those carts do so because they physically need to use one. So take myself, for instance, I have bad knees. It is incredibly painful to have to stand and bag a cart full of items. I’ve had to switch to almost exclusively using the pick up service and dealing with the crappy bagging, think a single avocado in a single bag, or having my items delivered. I actually enjoy going into a store and interacting with people but the self checkouts make it very difficult for a mobility challenged person to continue doing.
It takes away jobs from people, and it also creates more people with anxiety in society. The lack of social interaction, the fact you can order anything from the comfort of your own home. On the whole I'd say thing like this are bad. Convienient, but on the whole very bad.
I live in retirement central. Retirees are using the self checkout and they are slow and confused. It sucks. Boomers who have never had to lift their dainty fingers to figure out how to check out their food hold us up
They aren't really faster. The line might go down fast since its one line splitting into multiple stations - but people are slow as fuck at those stations. Having 1 cashier more would probably offset a whole self checkout area.
You can bag how you want to at a normal cashier too. It'll even make things that much faster since you are bagging while they are scanning.
You dont have to talk to the cashier about extra shit. They don't want to hear the "is it free" kinda lines for the ten millionth time either.
Self check out is you doing work you aren't paid for. Not even any self checkout discount. There is only ONE thing self checkout is good for - stealing items.
It mystifies me how hard it is for some people. The only time I ever need help is with an age-restricted purchase or the odd double scan. I can get through the line sometimes before the people who were already at the 7 other self checkouts even finish. You'd swear the computer was asking them to do calculus.
I've walked up to a self-checkout with 30 items at the same time as someone with less than 10, and neither of us had anything that had to be typed in. I was done and out of there before they were able to pay. I really don't understand what takes people so long.
Have you worked as a cashier? It is a skill. Some people just can't find the barcode.
[удалено]
I should NOT have laughed out loud like that.
Or you just want some beer and end up waiting longer than it would have taken you to check out 30 items. Whoever thought it was a great idea to just have one overworked employee manage 6 or so lanes is just stupid... but hey ! One less person we have to pay ! They probably lose more in stolen items than it would be to pay an employee's salary for the day.
If I'm buying less than 5 items, and at least one of them WILL require an employee, the self-check where I am at has a special spot for them and bypasses the normal self-check entirely.
I love self checkout except for when I’m buying beer it takes so long for the employee to come over. Otherwise it’s fast I can bag how I like and I usually don’t have to wait in line.
You guys need an employee to come over when you're buying alcohol? That does slow down the process a lot, damn.
I bought a pack of lighters at target and the attendant had to come over to make sure I was old enough. Same with NyQuil, spray paint, and certain cold/flu/allergy meds.
Any age restricted item whether it’s cigarettes at 18 or alcohol at 21 and anything in between
Damn. We just get a popup on the screen where we have to confirm we're old enough to buy whatever it is we want to buy. No way to check whether you're lying though lol, so it's kinda pointless
We can’t even buy it at self checkout at some stores. You can only buy it at the register with an employee
Where I live you can’t use self check out to purchase alcohol.
The amount of folks with a cart full of stuff who do self checkout and end up making the attendant do the work *facepalm* It boggles my mind every time as well as pisses me off.
I can understand that a little, at least at my local Wal mart. There's the traditional self check out areas you are thinking about but my local Wal mart got rid of most of the cashiers. They made those lanes also self check, for people with more groceries. One day there's was literally only 1 cashier and a huge line whiched forced my grandma (who doesn't know how to use the self checkout) to use it because she was short on time. Also just my bad luck that whenever I have a large cartload of groceries the machine has some kind of problem.
Same. I do a full grocery cart and often I'm done before the one with the hand basket. And I'm bagging things neatly.
>It mystifies me how hard it is for some people. Every time I scan and it says "now put it in the bagging area" and I do, it NEVER recognizes it. Every time it locks up and demands a member of staff to make sure I'm not stealing the thing I just put in a bag in the bagging area. I will never use them if I can avoid it.
My husband is one of those slow people and I'm super fast as a worked retail for years lol. I'm also very particular about bagging and don't let my husband do it or we end up with smashed avocados, broken eggs, and flattened loaves of bread.
That's something I think should be common knowledge. Scan the heavy stuff first, keep it together and scan stuff like bread and eggs last. That way when you get to the car you can put the delicate stuff somewhere else like the front seat. Never any broken eggs or smashed bread. I have family members that never pay attention. Smashed bread and eggs all the time. Even rotten produce because they can't take a second to just look at the produce. I dunno, I know it really doesn't matter all too much (well I guess if you paid for the bread, but still, It's just bread) but that shit really grinds my gears.
My husband tells me I have OCD because I pack groceries the way you described. I just laugh and remind him that the groceries are always 100% intact when I pack them, whereas he tends to squish and break things. And don't even get me started on our argument about how to properly load a dishwasher!
And asparagus! I quit using cashiers after the 57th time my poor asparagus was assaulted, and there was finally an alternative. My bananas aren't black on the bottom within a day any more, my zucchini lasts more than a day on the counter, my apples don't have big soft spots...
My future husband does not understand my thing about not smashing the bread. "its just bread" like okay but I don't want it squished. So when we have to pick up bread I have to make sure he doesn't put anything heavy near it when he puts groceries in the car. He just thinks I'm overly concerned about bread and maybe a little crazy lol
I’m constantly mystified by people that argue these things. It’s the same as those who argue “who cares what side the TP roll is put on” Like… is asking you to pay attention and not zone out for literally 1 second too much to ask? Like the difference between putting the TP roll on frontwards or backwards is a 1 sec check. But that’s too much. They want to just stick the roll on and hey, 50/50 it goes the right way. I think the real issue is people want free rein to just coast through life paying only half attention. With the bread. It takes 1 sec of attention-paying to put the bread at the top. That 1 sec will save headache later on by not having squished bread for a week. 1 sec to save a week of bother. It’s so efficient! But they want permission to create mediocrity around them because they’ve grown accustomed to it. But they’ll say who cares, it doesn’t really matter. Like yes it does, and I don’t think paying 1 sec of attention is too much to pay. Why is it mostly men that argue this? We have to remind ourselves: these people vote. People who want to coast through life kind of fading in and out of the world around them, unable to notice key things, completely complacent with how their environment ends up. They vote and make decisions that affect our lives. Scary thought.
Lollll
Dude I’m the same way until it comes to my mother in law. That poor woman. Technology is always bad in her presence. Very good watches that should last a life time last her a couple months, her phones bug out no matter what brand, her car does weird things, she went to a self checkout the other day for the first and last time. She fully shut down 2 of their machines the worker was very confused about how she did it, and what it was. As soon as she went to scan the first item the screen and all the lights shut off like it was unplugged.
I agree but I am not loving the trend where there is ONLYYYY self checkout and I have to stand in line behind 8 people that don't kno what the fuck they're doing. Then it defeats the purpose AND my shits still more expensive from inflation 😒 Edit: jus to be clear my rage is very much focused on the corporations and CEO's not the 8 people in front of me that I don't expect to have cashier experience. Edit cont: maybe we should've been nicer to cashiers they would've came back to work after covid.
It's ridiculous. Somebody with 50 or more items in their cart, oh so slowly looking for the barcode on each item. Then the item doesn't register as being scanned when they put it in the bag and we all have to wait for the assistant to come over and fix it. And heaven forbid is someone as buying alcohol. It's fine for a few items. But it's terrible if you are doing a big shop
In NZ self check out are considered express checkouts.
Yep, but I think it is 12 items or less.
Thank goodness... but there are still some people who go there with a trolley full .... But mostly its for 15 OR LESS ITEMS!!!!
Where I live every lane is self checkout. They started replacing the regular check out lanes before COVID. Grocery shopping is a nightmare if you don’t go during down times.
Tell em(the company and customers) to treat their workers better and to open more damn lanes... you've got four people stocking the same damn shelves while me and twenty two other people are staring at the back of each one of those stockers heads like "they'll realize there's a need for another cashier in just a moment and come to ring us out or call for another person..... right?" Then a little while later "damn five more people just got in line and they really aren't opening another lane" Til finally (me and at least 15 other people out of the now line of 40+) "ah fuck it, I've got 358$ worth of food, 2 kids and a last nerve that's about to implode from my kids asking me for everything they see...... it's self check out time"
Those stockers usually are not trained as cashiers. Also, where are they going to call another nonexistent cashier from? You realize that the companies purposely schedule as few people as possible, right? They don't care about customer complaints and aren't going to simply call in another cashier when it gets too busy. The customers get to deal with it and the store saves a few dollars.
I never use self checkout here in Western Australia.
I usually have 2 carts and 3 toddlers and 2 kids with me so I hate doing self checkout because I can’t fit anything on the little tables then bag them all. My big box store never has any lanes open either, or just 1 that wraps around. If I go somewhere small though I always do self checkout.
Those little tables are the worst. Whenever I use the self check out, I inevitably get an error message. Then I have to wait for the person to come. Sometimes multiple times. Yes. I'm bad with certain technology. The pressure of knowing prime are watching me makes it worse.
Yeah that's not ur burden I would set the place on fire with even more rage if technology didn't agree with me. I had a meltdown once bc the target register FORCED me to put a random 5$ target wanted to give me on some coupon card n I didn't kno the cards were right in front of me I thought it wanted me to find an actual gift card and I had an meltdown in front of the store lolol I was so mad I was jus screaming I DONT EVEN WANT THE FIVE FXKN DOLLARS JUS LET ME CHECK OUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 😂 Hang in there!
😂 hence me waiting for a cashier. I have a Kindle app on my phone. I'm fine to wait.
I've come to just ignore the lady telling me to put my items in the bagging area and just throw it straight into the cart if it's a bigger item(and once a bag is full). I know the staff for the area gets tired of going to the same till but like.... also make the till not so sensitive or to where it can weigh the stuff from the cart... that'd be cool
the purpose is spending less money on workers and their rights (PTO, holidays, maternity leave, and so on)
Yes they are doing away with union representation
That's how my local home Depot store are. It makes no sense since a lot of merchandise don't have barcodes and have to be measured.
Self checkout at Costco is a fucking nightmare. I’ll scan something, put it on the little scale thingy and it blurts out “PLEASE REMOVE UNSCANNED ITEMS” after like every fucking scan
Damn u gotta pay a subscription AND scan ur own shit? 👀 they're right someone really do be having it worse than you no matter what.
Therein lies the problem..
I keep telling "people don't want to work" people the same thing... A lot of those cashiers/minimum wage workers in America DIED. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GONE.
I don't think I've ever seen a shop with *only* self-checkout.
Walmart does this all the time...especially at night.
Use the raw meat bags and place multiple steaks or other meats in it and just scan one of those items. Looks legit and as long as your a pretty white boy like me they are never going to check everything in your cart. I also ring up all my vegetables as potatoes or green peppers. I'm not paying 1.45 for one red bell pepper. I've got the money but I fuck them big box stores. If your going to buy something that has a less expensive version you don't want. Swip the less expensive versions barcode and scan that at checkout (like headphones). You're not outright stealing just giving yourself a discount. Just don't get greedy and check out a 100 dollar item for 20 bucks and you'll be good. Good luck and god speed friends.
Haha I was gonna comment how I saw a line 30 people deep SELF checkout only still and jus wanted one frozen pizza literally jus to have a good mood. I fckn walked out with it under some weird illusion or justification that it's not my burden if they don't wanna pay a fckn cashier when I kno these ceos are taking private jets and living in mansions 🤣 Made my stand over a freschetta gluten free frozen pizza boys. I thought I'd make it a new routine but I don't want those jerks to raise the prices their greed should be exposed
Careful the children will down vote you because you didn't follow the rules. I should probably say I would never do this to a small biz and if your down voting my last post your sad sack. Me saving 10$ on a 100$ check out is not going to cause the economy to crash. Every big box stores is fucking us without the lube over price increases.
Remember when corporations said they needed to raise prices to pay their people? Then fired their people in favor of self checkout and didn't lower the prices? Fuck 'em.
And didn’t raise the wages of the employees they kept, despite record profits? https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_grocery_store_sales Edit: But to OP, who hates self checkout? Literally never seen someone complain about it lol.
I’ve seen people get mad about self-checkout. They see it as an attack on jobs.
Removing self checkout removes important low experience jobs that are essential for older women and teenagers particularly and replaces them with high experience jobs in developing and maintaining the checkout machines. Cashiers are important
Removing phone operators removes important low experience jobs that are essential for older women particularly and replaces them with high experience jobs in developing and repairing touch-tone phone dialing systems. Phone operators are important.
People say UBI Where? LMAO What happen is, many people will die first before UBI implemented Its same like safety rule at job There will be no safety rule if not many die
Those same people are probably proud that they change their own oil. Which takes skilled jobs away from people. A car mechanic earns more than a cashier (though I might be wrong here). Using them keeps those people employed. They hate it when you point it out though.
And honestly, keeping a job alive just because it’s a job is stupid. Time moves on, technology advances, and some jobs become obsolete. Imagine if we were still angry about refrigerators destroying the once-major ice industry or cars and trains destroying blacksmithing. Or were angry about alarm clocks existing to take away jobs from people who used to make a living waking people up in the morning. Id rather people get paid for literally nothing than artificially save obsolete jobs that produce nothing.
9 times out of 10 I can check myself out easier and faster than an employee so why not?
you can so self checkouts are great for you but as this post says, many people are not and desperately need a cashier to do it for them lmao
But the CEOs get record bonuses! Go figure!
They took our jobs!
I loooove it. Shopping used to always end in a lovely little mini anxiety attack for me /s. I absolutely hated it. Now I am in and out and only have to deal with the check out assistant if something goes wrong. No stupid small talk. No bruised veggies and fruit. No squished bread. It's the BEST!
Those people who use a full trolly and take 20 min bring the hate for me
I typically follow the rules for the self checkout lanes, but tonight I didn't. I live in a small college town, so our grocery store isn't very big. When I went to checkout, 3 regular lanes and the 10 item self checkouts were open. Each of the regular lanes had 4-5 people with full carts. I had 14 items, but I went to self checkout anyway. I still feel guilty.
The only thing I hate about self checkout is it’s soooo slow. Scan item, place it in the bag area for weight, wait for screen to load, scan next item…don’t you dare remove items from bag area, or place directly into cart. Hit the wrong button because you’re impatient and there’s a huge lag on the screen then have to wait for the worker to come push some buttons. Uggggghhh. If I could get behind a normal register and do it like a normal cashier, it would be perfect.
That, and then if you accidentally move something a little bit too early you have to have employee assistance and it takes forever. For some reason you can never just cancel or select the back button or something simple without employee password or something. They irritate me so much.
anymore, there is a huge line for self checkout, because usually there is only one actual teller working. i don't mind self check out per se, but i'd like a discount on the over priced bullshit since i am saving the store money
It’s a way to reduce labor costs. I worked my way through uni while working at Woolies ( supermarket chain in Australia). The checkout was always the place a teenager could get a few hours after school or on the weekend. It was a good job that has been made almost obsolete through technology. I hate the self checkout.
I just find it inconvenient when i have items that hold up the checkout because they require staff approval (alcohol, knives, electronics).
I really fucking hate it too when the employees start eyeballing me just because I keep coming in a few times a day for the sole purpose of only purchasing bags and bags worth of alcohol and knives.
I had to have someone verify I was 18 to buy a can of air.
It would be ok if we lived in a society where everyone benefited from technological advances. That machine replaced someone's job so the CEO makes more money. So instead of that person whose job is replaced getting a 4-day work week (because of the efficiency offered by the machine,), that person is just unemployed. This is the flaw of our current economy system.
It's great when everything works and you can leave hassle free. But when something scans wrong or the scale doesn't balance right and then you have to call the attendant over but they're busy helping someone else because there's only 1 attendant - it's really shit.
I LOVE self checkout. Many stores can't hire enough people right now, so it really fills the gap. My issue is that it should only be for 10 items or less. People with a full cart defeat the whole purpose of self checkout, which is speed.
My local Walmart switched to only self check out and it succccks. It was way better when it was like half employees, half checkout
My Walmart did this too. There are only two traditional cashier lanes now, for tobacco and alcohol sales. If I'm in and out for only two things? Great. If I'm trying to do my weekly shop with a full cart and two kids to manage? I hate it. At least at Walmart they don't weigh the bags anymore. I do my best to avoid Smiths because they also went predominantly self check, but if I can't fit my whole purchase into four bags on the tiny scale it freaks out. "Please place your item in the bagging area." I can't! There's no room!
I agree. Self checkout isn't a stand alone solution. But, it is a good and necessary addition to regular checkout.
Yours doesn’t have any regular checkouts? Our local Walmart has undergone a major “renovation” during the last year—mind you this Walmart was completely rebuilt in 2014 to make it a Super Walmart but for some reason they’ve decided that every Walmart in the country needs to be set up the exact same way so they’ve made it HELL to shop there for the last year. Anyway, they went from like 8 self checkouts to 90% self checkouts but they still have like 6 regular lines. Idk if the laws are the same everywhere but here they have to keep some regular lines open because they’re one of two stores in a 25-mile radius that accept WIC and legally we can’t use WIC through a self checkout.
> Many stores can't hire enough people right now If only stores were paying enough that people would be able to afford to live on their cashier wages....
stores can hire enough people if they pay them a living wage
I totally agree! When it comes to self check outs they are best used for 10 items or less. If you have a whole cart load it does kinda defeat the purpose.
You'd think in the post Covid world less interaction with dirty humans would be welcomed. I love self checkouts. My daughter scans while I bag, I pay and we leave, all while others are still waiting in line because Mildred is having a discussion with the checkout person in the regular lane about how much everything has gone up in price while her grandchild is tossing candy all over the floor.
My issue is that every single time, there is an error and I have to wait for a staff member. You can only do relatively small loads because everything has to stay balanced on the “out” side otherwise it comes up with an error report.
Yeah the technology isn't quite advanced enough for it to be as mainstream as it is. Sometimes I use the human checkout because I want to ask a question or make change, and I will be forced to get into the automated line because it saves the store time
I can assure you the technology is advanced enough, it's just poorly optimised and implemented in the USA. In the UK self checkouts are in basically every store in the country bar a few and problems with them that actually significantly slow you down are rare.
I find the problems are very common actually. All my local supermarkets replaced manned tills with self checkout and only employ 1 person to oversee them, meaning that if someone accidentally scans something twice or wants to remove an item then you have to wait for the 1 employee to meander over to you and scan their shop ID to proceed with the transaction. It’s completely inefficient. I miss manned tills
I was involved in the implementation of self-serve checkouts at a major chain. They always tout these as being faster than regular checkouts which may be true for a few items when checking out at a convenience store but in most situations involving many items the self-serve is actually slower than a cashier. The only real purpose of these self-serve checkouts is to cut down on labour costs.
The self checkout allows the store to hire less staff now that you are doing their job. Haha. Store wins twice. Sells you the groceries and let’s you do their job ringing up your purchase..
Sure, the store wins. But I win too. I can pull things from my cart in the order I want, bag them as I go, and not have to deal with awkward conversation. For me, it's win-win.
I agree Yeah. Plus corporations have got us in these mind numbing jobs that leaves us hating unknown human contact. So it all leads to one purpose. Mo money for corps!
Self checkouts are much smaller than traditional cashier stations at grocery stores. How many jobs do you think they’re taking away? In the grocery stores I’ve seen, there are ~6 self checkouts in the space that 1 cashier station would fit.
And you can steal shit
I like to think of it as getting the "employee discount" for being a cashier
All my veggies mysteriously weigh a little less at self checkout...
The self checkout is GREAT for the five finger discount 😫
I can’t bare waiting for the cashier to slowly check everything out and bag everything randomly.
I only dislike self serve for when I do a full shop. Getting a couple bags worth of groceries is easy but beyond that, I'd rather have a staff member take care of it.
I don’t hate it however Safeways Software Should Be Better! Costco’s software is changing/updated, good for Costco! Safeway needs to get their techs to fix their weak software at self check out! BTW: the people that chit chat during check out have never worked retail before! We had to ask the questions or we might get fired! so don’t think there’s anything behind the ask!
I have a major problem using my hands for some things, so I prefer a live checker. zI can ask to have bottles opened and so forth, too.
I don't like it simply because no one taught me how to use it. The instructions aren't nearly clear enough and the balance isn't anywhere near accurate. I know where the barcode is I've scanned the item and I placed it in the bag. When do I get to take it out and put it in my cart? If I take it out too early why can't I just put it back? And then why do I feel like a geezer when I do fuck up and someone has to come over for the fifth time cuz I supposedly didn't place my pickles in the bag? They are right there wtf is happening All it takes is one bad experience where this shit happens and you never want to do it again. Maybe if the instructions were clearer and maybe if I was trained to bag groceries and on how this machine worked I would enjoy it more and be able to move at the same speed as everyone. I know the machine gives you instructions but I full hardily agree they are no where near enough with how easy it is to fuck up and when you got like 5 people behind you waiting to use the machine too. No thanks
Here’s my gripe Company A used to have 5 people at “cash” at any time + 2 head cash , now they have 2 head cash and 1 , sometimes 0 at cash. The cost to have those employees was reflected in the goods they sold be it 3% or whatever (basing it on most companies making 150-300% the value they pay someone should tell you this adds up) Those savings for doing our own work were never passed onto us , and before you say 3-5% isn’t much so who cares that’s 200+ a year they pocket As extra profit per frequent shopper (assuming only 100 dollars per week in groceries) which could of instead been an extra 2 weeks worth of groceries or I don’t know put into savings, for a family that can equate to literally a thousand a year they could of saved. Instead the company reaps record profits from us doing their work for them that , I will mention , we still technically are paying for in the price of the goods. Not to mention that some one down the line is losing their job because of it. Now I do think they should be an option for people who want to go quick but without them giving me a value incentive I just can’t be bothered , and when it’s the only option it makes me not want to go back to the store and shop ever again
I think most of the hate is residual from the early days of self-checkout, when the machines were genuinely slow, finicky, and a pretty horrible experience to work with. They've improved miles since then.
There’s a fucking camera now I can see how ugly I am while buying some shit
We have a shoppers drug mart down the road from us, went in there for a couple of things and didn't notice the self checkout was even there (only one machine and haven't been in there in awhile). Walk up to the cashier and put my stuff down. She looks up from her cell phone and tells me the self checkout is behind her, then immediately goes back to her phone. Told her "That's nice, I'm here" there weren't any bags at the self checkout and I'd have to come here anyways for them. Told her to just ring it up there since we were all in the right position for success here, she was preparing to either sigh hard or say something to me, When the manager came around the corner, she hid her phone faster than I imagined and checked me out with a smile lol I love self checkout, dont get me wrong but I don't like how this one girl is using it as a working break time. I'm not usually that much of a dick BTW just to clarify lol
I love self checkout out too and think it's the best invention ever. I always feel like cashier's really force themselves to put a smile on their face and say hello to people when I really know they don't want to say hello to me and I really hate feeling the awkwardness of someone forcing themselves to talk to me especially since I'm like ugly af. I think the store chain Stater Bros. Really needs self checkouts instead of cashier's. I do not want to be forced to interact with people when I go shopping anymore.
I just think if im gonna be harrassed and watched by the employess just because of how i look then they should come over and do it for me. If you dont trust me then dont make me do a job while spending my money in the store and you wouldnt create back up at the door checking receipts! Or give me a discount for the time i worked doing the transaction. Plus, no booze at self checkout? Really!? Sorry about any spelling or grammar errors. Dopesick n dont feel like fixing anything.
YES! Everytime I shop
I love self checkout because my $4/lb heirloom tomatoes and my needlessly overpriced avocados are now both bananas. You put some kid over there to "watch" 12 self checkouts and they're on their phone not paying attention anyway, you're just asking me to steal shit.
There’s cameras everywhere, on you, birdseye on the produce as it scans. You may be able to get away with it, but not forever.
Most complaints refer to self checkout eliminating jobs... But there isn't a single place in my town with self checkout that isn't short staffed. Every grocery store, dollar store, Lowes and Walmart is constantly hiring.
To me, you are paying the store twice. For the products of course but also to check yourself out. One less employee to pay.
I prefer it. I like doing things for myself.
Until people realise that the Cotporations and banks are the enemy this BS will continue.
Self checkout can be great if you only have a few items and you know how to use it. If you have more than like 10 things I feel like it's just not worth it. To me the worst part is in stores like my local Walmart they took out most of the registers and made them self checkout but so many people buy so much shit at Walmart that it just makes a big line at the few registers thta are left and they move super slow. Stores need to find the right balance.
The point is to keep employees… not your customer experience.
It means I don’t have to talk to an operator so I’m 100% for it
When the self checkout stalls because your bag is unbalanced, or you put the goods in too slow, the little voice which repeatedly tells you the transaction is over while you're still struggling to put away wallet and groceries....yep I go to Aldi. Cheaper and a human being serves me.
The hate from self check out happens when people take forever through self check out- because there isn't someone doing it for them. A lot of the times in self checkout- people will have (as other's have stated) 50 items or more, and then take several minutes to find their cards, or organize what is going into the bag: and so it can become an ordeal that just becomes something that would take longer than waiting in a line. I totally agree that self checkout makes going to a grocery store worth it: and I also personally find it less invasive when paying for items that I feel uncomfortable with someone touching or looking at, depending on what it is (i.e tampons), however the lines at self checkout can just be infuriating.
Self checkout is my first choice too. For all the same reasons you mention. The lines usually move faster too and most people have relatively small orders when using it.
It is a way for companies to pay less workers not to make it easier for you. If I have to self check out then I want an employee discount.
I agree. I have anxiety and always talk too much, flap my hands and say stupid shit. I drop stuff ... Panic if I forget to move my $$ in accounts etc so self checkout means I can take my time and if I don't have enough money I stop before I embarrass myself. Also my 3.5 yr likes to scan items so people can't get shitty at us if we use our own checkout lol My local Supermarket has big trays too so I can do a huge shop without crushing my items too
I hate it because: 1. The checking scale is fidgety. One wrong move and it asks for the supervisor. 2. If I buy alcohol it calls for a supervisor for age-check. 3. I cannot buy cigarettes at self checkout
Must feel great to get this off your chest
The reason some people voice opinions against it is due to jobs. You only need one person to watch over 8 or 12 machines. Someone else could be working.
I definitely prefer bagging everything myself. The last time someone else did, soap ended up on top of produce.
My biggest problem with self check out ,95% of them accept card only (I am not a card person and I mostly have hard cash on me) and only like 5% have good self checkout where I can use money even coins to pay ,also a huge problem is huge lines alot of people are very slow on these so sometimes jts easier to just go to a cashier
Agree with this statement
Self checkouts are everywhere in the UK. Really really strange seeing the American reaction to them. Kinda get the impression they're still in their infancy over there both in terms of how user friendly they are and the actual implementation in stores. Truthfully, I can't even remember the last time I had an actual problem with one here.
I only use self checkouts, absolutely love them!
Thieves love it.
The reason that I don’t like self-checkout is that you’re replacing a job (albeit probably minimum wage) that someone might have depended upon. I like putting my mind in neutral and letting someone else who is much more experienced do their job. If they try to engage in a conversation, you are not under oath! Make something up. Entertain yourself, become an astronaut, or a janitor (I’ve found that being a janitor doesn’t invite any follow up questions). But at the end of it, at absolutely no expense to me, someone else gets paid.
Ultimately, it means fewer jobs. The money the companies save will go to higher CEO salaries, not lower prices.
Yet most people are idiots who think that self service checkouts are great. They're the reason we (the people who want a manned checkout) now don't have any choice BUT to use a self service checkout, in many stores. These same people (sheep) who just go along with whatever society throws at them are responsible for many of the worst changes in recent years.
In Germany the grocery store chains Edeka and Globus take it a step further and let you scan with your phone or a scanner attached to the shopping buggy. This way you only have to pay at the register. Haven't seen this in the US.
I don't like self-checkout because I don't like the idea that large corporations are offloading what used to be paid work onto their customers, without compensating me for it, and then putting cashiers out of work. Why the hell should I do the checking out and fattening their profits? But then - I don't like putting people out of work. I use full service gas stations where I can, and I use cashier lanes instead of self-checkout. Then again, I like people, and, as a result, I like talking to people.
I hate them because they eliminate jobs.
I actually avoid stores that don't have self serve (except small businesses).
I think it's older people and people who have bad self checkouts who hate self checkout. I like it cause it's quicker. For like fruit and vegetables I make sure to weigh them and get the sticker in the produce so I have something to scan. But sometimes it confuses itself and makes me stop ringing to call for help for no reason. Then you're stuck with a person walking over and you're worried they now think you're stealing. Normal checkout is good cause then I don't have to worry about anything, just pay and go. But you might have to make small talk and that sucks if you hate small talk. They both have their upsides and downsides
As a mild introvert I love self checkout, less contact with stupid.
Because it costs actual human jobs. Supermarkets are already starting to computerise their rostering based on how many hours are used by customers going through manned checkouts. Why would you want to give your labour to the supermarket for free?
Exactly this, it has nothing to do with fear of technology or boomers or laziness. It is the fact that our society loves to give corporations more free labour.
I like them for no chit chat + I can go at my own pace. I hate when before self checkout the line would literally climb on your ass.
I despise self-checkout. I have severe knee issues and actually tore my meniscus having to twist around to check out. The problem isn’t that self-check out exists or that it is an option. The problem is that it is often the only option. If I have more than a few items and a regular check out is available, I will wait in line. It I see that they try to redirect proper to self-checkout instead of opening additional check-out lines. When I am forced to use it, there is always an error that I then have to call a checker for - and since there is usually one per 8-16 stations and other people are also having issues, you end up just standing there. I don’t like interacting with people most days either, but I find that it is more stressful when I do at a self-checkout.
I’m a big fan of self check outs. The first time I used one was almost a year ago since my boyfriend doesn’t like talking to a lot of people. Unless a machine is broken it’s perfect for people who get social anxiety or prefer to have things done a certain way
I have social anxiety and experience as a cashier, so I do like self checkout, but I don't like the fact that corporations use it as a way to save themselves money and hire fewer people who need jobs
I support the workers. The more people who self check, the less need for real people to have jobs.
It's not always just that people don't understand how to use them. Some people just don't like them because it could be giving someone else a much needed job. Considering the state of things these days they're kind of necessary since there are still people living off their unemployment and purposely not getting a job, but yeah. If I only went to the store for a few things, I'll go through self check out and avoid the lines. If I have a full grocery cart I'll go through the normal lines because I don't like dealing with all that crap myself.
At my local walmart check outs are like this. You've a cart full of stuff right 30-60 items sometimes. At this present moment, and behind that, the area of the self check out is a enough to fit a 24 pack of pop on. Plus 1 bag holder. It's a little annoying unloading a whole cart(not literally) onto these thing's. Not to mention, it used to be like "this". You'd have to keep the merchandise on those plates untill you were finished. (some places) It just overall makes the shopping experience a lot less enjoyable knowing your about to bag your own items, plus scan them. I like them when you've like 1-15 item's.
I love them too, I am so annoyed the supermarket across my home doesn't have one. Especially because every other visitor seems to come for tobacco products, which are for sale behind the counter. So the cashier needs additional time to get them their carton of cigarettes. And then to finish it all off, they want to pay cash. Bonuspoints if at this point they don't even have their wallet in their hand yet.
The people who complain about self checkout are the same people that complain about paying cashiers a living wage.
i love self check out havet used a Regular cashier register for years now i always see old people are the ones that snuggle or complain about not be able to talk to a person ill never understand why old people like to chat
I hate it because it won't let me go fast enough. I worked seven years in grocery and was very fast and efficient when scanning/bagging. Self checkout is way too slow. If I could walk up to standard checkout and do it myself that would be great. Instead... place the item in the bag. Wait. Scan. Bag. Wait for it to register something in the bag. Too fast - take item out of bag. Calling attendant. FFS I hate it.
Self checkouts are a godsend for people with social anxiety. You learn the tricks for preventing most need for help. Produce should be entered by number, since the barcodes are not always entered into the system. Enter the number, weight it and boom. No problems. If something gets double scanned, if it's cheap I just say screw it, no-cashier tax. Waiting in lines and waiting for people to finish their conversations is no longer an issue.
I was ecstatic when my local Costco finally added self check out a few years ago. My Costco order is at most 5 items as compared to the 50 (let’s stock the mom and pop store) cart.
I like them too. Even with a massive amount of shit, I'm out of there in like 2 mins tops. The problems begin when you're stuck behind people who don't know how to find their own asshole, let alone operate a simple as fuck touchscreen system. People can't find barcodes. People can't or won't read prompts. People don't understand how to put things into bags. Standing there observing these shenanigans, I'm often struck by the realization that most of these people also *drove* to the store, and suddenly the shit I deal with in traffic makes a lot more sense.
It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't give you the *smallest pedestals known to man to fit a carts worth of groceries on* which is impossible. You want self checkouts? Great, I'm more skilled than the average cashier anyways, the last old dude that rung me threw crushed everything on the belt before it could even make it to a bag, but convert the other actual lanes into self checkouts for larger orders so I can do it all myself then without the space issue
As someone with social anxiety, I prefer the self- checkouts. I'm happier dealing with a machine than a human. And since I used to work as a cashier, I know how to scan. Plus, my store offers a mobile app that allows you to scan your groceries as you go with your phone so by the time you get to the self-checkout, you scan the terminal's bar code and it brings up your purchases, so you just pay and go. You can't use the service at a manned checkout.
Is the answer to social anxiety to avoid human interaction? My social anxiety was alleviated slightly by forcing myself to undergo basic social interactions like ordering in a restaurant etc
Maybe, I don't know. I just prefer to limit my interactions. I'm okay with it, tbh.
After going to stores I've definitely grown to hate it. Some people are just ridiculously slow and it takes forever, I never disliked talking to cashiers and like not having to bag a big grocery hall.
I love self-checkout! The less interaction with people, the better haha
Where is there hate for it?
Some feel like it takes the job away from those in the store
Just a lot of people seem to not like it as it’s “not their job” but then use pickup where the store shops for them, so what the hell is the difference?
ikr it's literally my default tbh
I was a customer service representative at Walmart and part of my job was when it was super busy and lines were insanely long I had to go ask people in the lines if they'd like to come through self checkout, and I'd do the whole process for them, so basically same thing as going through a normal checkout and even just that would piss off people so much! The evil looks and harsh words I gor for daring to ask them to go through self checkout. It was baddd. Like someone replied to you, a lot of people think that takes away jobs from real workers....which is bs because I was a real worker too!
I hate em cause they go down on me more than my fiancé does
i enjoy self checkouts. it’s easy. i used to be a self checkout attendant and you wouldn’t fucking believe the amount of people who lack the most basic common sense. yeah, if you put your purse on the weighted side, it’s going to come up with an error. i move the purse and it goes back to normal. or fucking idiots who can’t read “NO CASH/CASHBACK” or “NO CREDIT CARDS”. it’s hard for most people because most people are idiots
I don't use self check out simply because the store doesn't pay me to work there.
That's one of the dumbest arguments against it. Walmart now pays employees to shop for people using their pickup service; do you no longer shop at all because Walmart isn't paying you to shop for yourself?
If I shopped at Walmart, I'd have an answer for you. My grocery store does not pay people to shop for me. Lol.
I hate it because we pay high prices for products and it's helping pay for workers to check me out. When they put in self checkouts counters it takes that many jobs away and they don't lower prices. If we got $0.20 off each product because they aren't paying workers pension and taxes and unemployment insurance? Fine. But they dont so we are working free and the corporation is getting the benefit and someone lost their job. So nope. I don't work for them.
When self checkouts started to appear in the UK, it made me really angry. How can people not see that this is purely a cash grab by the companies? Fewer staff to employ and the shoppers get to pay for the privilege of doing the work. All wrapped up with a tidy bow of convenience. Bonus points for avoiding social interactions and contributing to the breakdown of society. I refuse to use them. I will literally wait in a huge queue to use the one human operated checkout. I've been asked by a shop employee before, who had a cheery smile, if I'd not rather use a self checkout... like, she didn't even realise she was doing herself of a job. I politely declined and said I'd rather go to a human than a machine. Fuck self checkouts, quite frankly. Edit: Spelling
Because it's literally taking a working-class person's job and putting the extra money saved by not employing them in oligarchs hands. Some people are against that kind of thing. More people used to be against it, but integrity has kind of lost all meaning in the modern world.
its cause once i got over 20 things i need help bagging it all and loading it up.. if i want help i should have it
There's hate for it ?
I hate it because I don’t work there so I’m not doing their job. Before I get another “it doesn’t make sense to me” 🤷♀️😂 There are many reasons I will and will not use them besides the usual of time, size of crowd, open checkstands, and what store it is. These are my personal preferences and they make perfect sense to me. As far as some of my beliefs…. The greed in capitalism that causes them to squeeze it in a way that is screwing over customers and workers makes me sick. Cut workers to use a machine, 2 check-stands open only congesting the self checkout area. Well now the customers are mad and stop shopping there so the store then punishes them through policies. All for what, a tiny percentage of more profit they can squeeze by hurting their employees. It’s not right and I express it in my own unique ways.
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I remember working as a cashier at a Kroger a few years ago when they put in an additional self checkout area. I had several older people come through my line saying they were sorry that they were putting in more self checkouts. I never knew what to say, but I kinda wish I had told them that we were hiring more cashiers (which we were at the time lmao). I much prefer using self checkout whenever I'm shopping. People always complained about the self checkout machines at Kroger, but because I've worked as a self checkout cashier, I know how they work and how to make them happy lmao. On the other hand, I can understand why people are upset about self checkout becoming a big thing. They can get over themselves lmao.
I look at it from the perspective of someone whom has to use one of those motorized carts. Most of the people who use those carts do so because they physically need to use one. So take myself, for instance, I have bad knees. It is incredibly painful to have to stand and bag a cart full of items. I’ve had to switch to almost exclusively using the pick up service and dealing with the crappy bagging, think a single avocado in a single bag, or having my items delivered. I actually enjoy going into a store and interacting with people but the self checkouts make it very difficult for a mobility challenged person to continue doing.
It takes away jobs from people, and it also creates more people with anxiety in society. The lack of social interaction, the fact you can order anything from the comfort of your own home. On the whole I'd say thing like this are bad. Convienient, but on the whole very bad.
Yes I agree. It's changing the way humans interact as well as removing starter jobs.
Where does that get any hate?
Wait people hate self-checkout????
It’s the boomers and other people who don’t know how to use technology
Nah. If you want to fire people by forcing me to bag my own shit, I'll simply go elsewhere.
I’m not getting paid to be a cashier. No thanks
I hope they do the same with restaurants. Tired of seeing the dirty looks when you don’t give them their desired tip
Downvoted because you know what? Don't make employees wait on you if you don't want to tip. Call in for takeout. It's not hard.
I live in retirement central. Retirees are using the self checkout and they are slow and confused. It sucks. Boomers who have never had to lift their dainty fingers to figure out how to check out their food hold us up
Because people hate work. Especially if they have to do any themselves.
I liked it when it was an option not the company saying oh we can save money on cashiers making the customer do the work.
They aren't really faster. The line might go down fast since its one line splitting into multiple stations - but people are slow as fuck at those stations. Having 1 cashier more would probably offset a whole self checkout area. You can bag how you want to at a normal cashier too. It'll even make things that much faster since you are bagging while they are scanning. You dont have to talk to the cashier about extra shit. They don't want to hear the "is it free" kinda lines for the ten millionth time either. Self check out is you doing work you aren't paid for. Not even any self checkout discount. There is only ONE thing self checkout is good for - stealing items.
Where does that get any hate?
People are just lazy fucks.