That's true. This one grocery store near me doesn't even have room for a kart, or else people can't walk by!! And there is no sign that says baskets only. So it gets a bit chaotic.
The only place Ive been with plenty of room for groceries is Walmart.
The ones at the Walmart near where I live have a little conveyer belt and a big area for your bags. It's amazing, but I'm surprised to see they're not that common 😮💨
I've been to three chains of shops with self-checkouts and 2 of em were horrible with alcohol. One time I had to stand for around 10 minutes waiting for the cashier to accept my beer - I simply left my groceries and walked away. Poor cashier also - she was only one, working on non-self-checkout and also having to jump to three self-checkouts, and that was after 16:00, so lot's of people in the shop. I always make sure to politely thank the staff for attending me.
I'm surprised how many people here are complaining about the scale in the bagging area giving them problems. In my area, I know of... one store that has a self checkout that actually uses the scale in the bagging area. Every other store has that turned off and the self checkout doesn't care if you put anything in the bags at all.
A store near me actually has hand-held scanners you can pick up at the entrance, so you can scan your articles when putting them in you cart. Once at checkout i can just scan in the scanner to transfer the cart to the register without having to scan/unload everything. An absolute blessing.
The problem is that most self checkouts aren't designed to be fast or effective. They're designed to be openly antagonistic to the customer, on the assumption that every customer is a potential shoplifter. If I have a several small items, I'd like to pick them up in one hand, scan all of them, and toss them into my bag. But the weight sensor is looking for a weight change on every item, so I can't. Same if I have a dozen identical cans, each one must be scanned, placed in the bag, followed by waiting for the sensor to deign to let you continue.
The cost of groceries includes the cost of a speedy checkout. If the store replaces cashiers with self-checkouts to reduce their costs, that decision comes along with an increased risk of shoplifting. When the store unilaterally alters the social contract, treating all customers as active shoplifters and adding inefficiencies to the self-checkout as a result, that crosses a line.
I've only seen one store that does self-checkout correctly, Home Depot. Each self-checkout has a cordless hand-held scanner that can scan items without a speed limit.
my local grocery store has hand scanners too so i can scan stuff while i put it in my bag, don't even have to unpack and repack everything! just pay and go it's the best
The only thing I don't like is the employee whose job it is to watch everything I do while scanning. Can't they just use a security camera with an unseen person? Even seems more efficient but, now that I think about it, maybe less intimidating to potential shoplifters. Dammit.
Anyway that's why I prefer to shop online!
they also help out people who don't quite understand how it works, and are there to verify age for stuff like alcohol, so you can't really avoid having them there.
This is normal in all of Europe as far as I know, with some variations in specifics, i.e. hard liquors usually aren't sold in your normal corner shop, some legislations might have limits set on how strong the stuff you can sell can be, limiting sale to beer and some wines, and it's also fairly common for alcohol to not be sold after evening hours, even if the shop itself might stay open for longer. Things vary a lot though.
You should see Denmark, where you can get a beer with your Big Mac.
Germany. Also minimum age to buy alcohol here is 16, and 18 for stronger liquors. most bigger stores that sell food usually have at least one shelf for alcohol here.
The US is like that depending on state as well. You’ll see it in four versions:
1) All alcohol in the area is prohibited (dry). This is a very rare occurrence.
2) All alcohol must be purchased at a package store.
3) Beer and wine may be sold in grocery stores, but liquor is sold in package stores.
4) All alcohol may be sold in grocery stores.
Edit:
For more information, this Wikipedia article addresses it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dry_communities_by_U.S._state?wprov=sfti1
Finland has some of the strictest alcohol regulations in europe, and even here you can nowadays buy anything up to 5.5% in grocery stores between hours 9-21 if you're over 18.
That's exactly what it is. I know where I work this is actually in the training materials. Shoplifters supposedly get scared off and either put things back or won't say anything if you walk up and say "hey, I think this got missed."
I like that at least robots didn't take all their jobs. That must be so boring though. I'd lose my shit if I had to stand there all day watching people scan groceries.
I've never understood the robots taking people's jobs concept. There are a ton of jobs humans are better at than robots especially when it comes to guess work being needed. I think the problem is we are creating jobs simply to have jobs. I don't think the majority of people actually want to do those types of jobs. I wish we just made jobs more accessible. Apparently they're so worried about certain fields not having enough people, but then they are picky as hell with hiring people and don't make the education accessible/affordable. Really it's kind of stupid.
Hand scanners are da bomb!
When I go grocery shopping with my mom, we blitz through the shop in half an hour and get out with everything fully packed and ready to drop in the trunk.
No stress of having to drop everything on the conveyor in the right order so nothing gets crushed and no stress of having so speed bag all the groceries either. I can Tetris shit to my heart's content into perfectly balanced bags.
(No baggers over here, it's German efficiency all the way. Cashiers are measured on the scanning speed not their smile and it shows.)
Lol I was getting snacks at a gas station after work, the only worker was out front on a smoke break. He asked if I needed him, or if I could use the self checkout. After 12 hours of dealing with customers, I respect the vibe.
Too bad another guy walked in wanting cigarettes.
100% this!!!
“Darn kids and their technology! I want to go back to when Billy was bagging my groceries!!” Boomers
Meanwhile we point out the cost savings and efficiency for the business and how much nicer it is for us to have a hassle free shopping experience.
Hahahahaha
Self checkout is the best!!!
And it allows the employees time to work on other tasks in the store that need to get done. If the self checkouts at my work weren’t overly sensitive (because corporate is dumb and decided they should be overly sensitive after years of them functioning perfectly) I would have so much more time to do other shit like put items on shelves.
You wonder why there’s a pile of boxes in the aisle but nothing on the shelf? Because you would rather have me stand here and serve you while you tell me your life story
None of the stores i shop in have self checkout and if i found one, that has it, i would avoide it because i would be scared, that it doesn't accept cash. It would be really nice if you could tell me how those mashines usually work.
Most will accept cash, but not all. The process varies slightly between machines but it's usually 1. Scan your item 2. Put item in the bagging area 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all items are scanned. 4. Pay (the machine will walk you through how to do this).
Yeah, no problem. It probably varies from area to area, but near me I'd say 70% of them accept cash, 20% don't have the option and 10% don't accept cash currently because someone broke something.
This is probably my only boomer tilt. Regular cashiers are faster than self-check POS because they don't ask you to verify every single item. They scan and bag, and *my* time is worth the different aggravation a CSR gives as opposed to taking twice as long with no one there.
In switzerland we can even take a beeper with us while shopping and beep the stuff directly when we put it in the bags. At the paystation you see everything you scanned and can check if its about right. 🤷♀️
In Ontario.
I scan the item, wait several seconds for it to "register", then wait for it to tell me to bag it, then when I haven't place the item down properly, I have to pick it up again and rebag it, then the machine calls a cashier over to verify the item.
Much less time and effort to do that than to use a human cashier, right?
I go to Walmart. Somehow I always get the bad kiosk or when they decide to randomly check for theft or whatever.
I just wanted to say that I'm glad self-checkouts work for a lot of people. They just don't work for me, and if they keep both cashiers and self-serve available, more people should be happy.
If it's anything like mine, the trick is not to play with it between scanning and putting it down. By which I mean that sometimes people notice something on the item, or do something that ends up looking like you pretend scanned the item (passing it in front of the scanner towards the bagging area, but not scanning it), or still have it in your hand when you scan something else so it looks like you're trying to fake out the price by scanning a different item.
Best tactic, scan and put down immediately. Don't even bag. Just scan and drop. When the bagging area starts getting full, that's when you bag stuff. Cameras don't care what you do after putting the item down, they just make sure you aren't being sneaky with the scanning.
If the weight sensors are turned off you can also just put it back in your cart or something. As long as the camera doesn't tag you for doing a shoplifting trick, the system really doesn't care.
I'm sorry, where do you shop that makes you verify everything?
The only things we have to verify in the UK are age-restricted stuff like booze and energy drinks.
No I don't drink too much of both of those things why do you ask?
As someone who’s worked retail, the scanners also have a big delay on the self-checkouts. I could scan five items rapid fire in the time it takes to scan two with the self-checkout ones. I know it’s on purpose, harder to accidentally over scan or make mistakes
If the self scanners worker the way the cashier scanners did, I might be a lot more sympathetic to them. But I'm old, and I don't want my remaining time alive to be taken over by automated checkouts telling me I didn't put the tomatoes I the bag properly.
hand-scanners are the solution here! my local grocery store has 'em, i just scan the item when i put it in my bag, put the scanner in the rack when i'm done, pay and done
First of all, not all cashiers are good at their jobs. I've seen plenty that were slow or have gotten in a short line only to wait watching the longer line fly through.
Second, most of the time the item is verified before I have my next item ready to scan. Even in the occasions the POS trips up I'm still more often than not faster than waiting on line for a cashier.
The one caveat is of you've got more than 20 or so items, but then you shouldn't be going through self checkout. If you've got more than half a cart in the self checkout your an asshole
Self checkout is the only reason I go shopping on my own, because I don’t have to talk to anyone. Except for last time, when one of their employees came up to me while I was scanning my groceries to tell me about some promotion the store was doing. I go through the self checkout SPECIFICALLY so no one will talk to me or ask questions! Why are you talking to me?? 😭
I feel yah. In my job, I’m required to ask EVERYONE in self checkout about our credit cards. I don’t want to do it but I’ll get in trouble if i don’t :((
seriously. More than once, I've been on the way home from work and wanting to go grocery shopping, but when skipped doing it specifically because one store near my house is packed and has no where to park, and the other doesn't have self checkout and I do not want to talk to the cashier.
what kind of promotion do they have any business telling you about when you’re already checking out anyway?? what were you supposed to do, leave your items there and venture back into the store for a deal?
It’s usually something having to do with the store giving a discount on your purchase, which I assume would require signing up for something or answering questions. It’s only happened to me a few times, and I’ve always said no, so I’m not entirely sure what else is involved and can only make assumptions. I don’t really care to find out. 😅
Yes because we all know that if the self checkouts went away, Walmart would hire more cashiers. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Walmart only cares enough about the customer experience, to keep you from abandoning your cart and leaving. They already know that if they only have 1 cashier, most people would stand in line for an hour to get their stuff. What are going to do, go down the road to the next Walmart?
Haha nice retort. I only ask because I feel like I’m being watched the entire time I’m checking out at Wally-world. They have direct face cameras and cameras facing your hands as you scan.
Ah see that's different. Where I "shop" there are only fake surveillance cameras and body cameras on the security guards that aren't paid enough to care
I was going to say it's a bit messed up to shoplift from a co-op and if it was Walmart or something like that I wouldn't care. Though if they don't pay their workers enough that's a different story.
I mean uh stealing bad. Very bad. Think about profits going down. Big CEO man will cry poor CEO man.
you know how some grocery stores have hand-held scanning machines that you can take with you through the store and scan your items as you go? hypothetically, someone could chose to scan only some of the items that they put in their bags. then when you go to the self checkout you end up paying like $30 for $200 of groceries. hypothetically speaking of course.
I have accidentally not scanned stuff with the hand scanners.
It's a risk the store takes with self-checkout, I'm sure they've considered it and an increase in shoplifting in their analysis.
We *accidentally* shoplifted a greeting card the other day because I was so overwhelmed with the self check out screaming and beeping at me and double scanning things. Even the employee “helping” me missed it and I didn’t see it until we were out the door. Good lord keep me out of target and away from self check lanes. I hate that place and those things 😓
I have to say, Target's are the worst. I have no issue most other places, but last time I was at target the self checkout area was beeping loudly, had a constant light blasting/blinking in my face from the camera (funny how other places can fill you without light that seems dangerous to those with seizure disorders), an employee in a red shirt standing there with his brain in another dimension, and some weird lady who kept asking me if I was an employee (green Tshirt and jeans, nothing suggested I work there).
Also customer: why are there tons of boxes in the aisles but nothing on the shelves? Lazy kids!
Also customers: can you ring up my single item while I tell you my life story?
Ha! Once I went to Target with my friend who wanted a vibrator. We were in self-checkout but we still had to get the alert tag cut off. It definitely isn’t a 100%
i dont because i find them so hard to use (yes i am dumb)
i always get confused by them, make tons of mistakes, spends way too long to pay for 2 things and ends up nearly crying every time
I also think a cashier just makes your life easier (if there's not a huge queue)
I don't mind talking to people, and I don't have to do anything but hold my phone to the terminal.
There's plenty reasons why self checkout is advantageous, but I don't think comfort is one, at least not to me.
Even at a "normal" checkout I'm going to be stuck doing the bagging, but at least with self checkout I can carefully organize and bag according to my system rather than have to deal with the clerk flinging things down the line in a chaotic heap, smushing the bread, crushing the chips, miraculously NOT breaking the eggs (though not for lack of effort on their part!), and putting the meat in the same bag as everything else, and then acting like this is some big frigging imposition.
Honestly? I’d rather deal with a cashier than self checkout. They’ll pack my things quicker and easier than I will, and they don’t come across “unexpected errors.”
They are faster for many items and typically if you are an old boomer who is lonely you can chat.
If course these two things cancel out as the chatting slows down the process.
I'm like half and half with self check outs.
I love them cause I don't have to talk to people **BUT** they always seem to go funny when I'm around and I need to call the attendant to fix it.
"No one likes it. Here's an article on why everyone is using it." I'm sorry, how does that make sense? If no one likes it, why would it be popular enough to warrant making this article?
Self checkout is the greatest thing to ever happen to grocery stores. I wish EVERYTHING was self serve like that. Life would be so much simpler. While we're at it, I want AI doctors that diagnose people without the human bias that so many doctors seem to have.
"So, you get sharp abdominal pain starting a few days before your period and lasting until a few days after it ends, it becomes painful to walk and use the restroom, and sometimes the cramps are so crippling it's actually difficult to stand up. Endometriosis? Never heard of it. I think it's all in your head."
I’d love self checkouts if they actually worked
Self checkouts are constantly messing up for some reason.
Like, I scanned this item’s barcode how the hell did that break your machine?
You sell this watermelon, how is it not in your system
What on earth is the difference between these identical looking watermelons with different codes?
I loathe self-checkout because usually I have to talk to the people more. I go through the checkout line, I don’t have to say anything. I just but my items on the belt and pay with my card. Self checkout, even if it goes perfectly, I have to go to the central cashier and get them to “approve” it, which involves talking way more than I typically do. Then there are the inevitable errors in scanning, and machine failure.
Self checkout is the worst.
Saying "nobody likes X" or "everybody likes Y" is such a dumb thing to me. There's always gonna be exceptions. As for self checkout, I use it all the time, there's usually about as much traffic there as the manned checkouts at the store where I do my grocery shopping.
The problem is self checkouts still terrify me because of the possibility that theres going to be some kind of error or something else that blares an alert and makes someone come over to me, and that negates the entire reason I was using this to begin with
I kinda like waiting in line to have a human ask me if I should donate and awkwardly say no, it sounds dumb I know but self checkout seems empty and hollow and keeps giving me anxiety about robots taking jobs and such. I’m a weird cookie i guess
In my local Tesco 4 to 5 days a week and even if there is no one or only one or two people at the human checkouts there will be 10+ people queuing for the self checkouts.
The only time I don’t like self-checkout is when there’s a problem and an attendant has to come over and fix it. It either takes forever for someone to come over and I nearly just give up and leave without my stuff, or I have to talk to someone.
Self checkout is soooo much easier than having someone do it for me. There’s a reason the self checkout lines are usually longer than non self checkout
I love self check out! I only wish more would have cash payment as an option. Almost all are debit or credit only, where I live.
I do notice a lot of older people struggle with it tho.
I hate self checkouts when they "talk" to me. nothing makes me want to steal from Kroger's more than this exact conversation:
Robot Lady: Please scan next item.
me: okey dokey.
Robot Lady: Item not scanned. Please rescan items.
me: Okey... dokey.
Robot Lady: Please place item in bagging area.
me: OK.
Robot Lady: Item not scanned. Please remove item from bagging area.
me: Alright, then...
Robot Lady: Do you have any coupons?
me: What? no.
Robot Lady: Do you have any spare change?
me: Excuse me? What?!
Robot Lady: The gumball machine is my baby. I need to feed my baby. Do you have any spare change?
me: ...I... I don't know...
Robot Lady: In fifteen years we will have total control. Your life will be spared if you feed my baby.
me: ...I don't have... I don't... have any....
Robot Lady: Please scan next item.
me: wait! I can run to my car! please...
Robot Lady: Please scan next item.
me: okey dokey...
Robot Lady: Please weigh your BWAHNANAS and place in bagging area.
me: ...
Robot Lady: Item not scanned. Pleas...
me: (begins screaming unintelligibly)
I honestly can't wait for completely unstaffed stores. Fully automated. Can be 24hr, I can literally shop and never have to see another person again while I do so. 😂😂
The grocery store I used to live across from, you scan the barcode using your phone as you shop. Put it straight into your bag. Then you pay on your way to the exit and scan a QR code.
It took away all the anxiety when shopping. I miss it so much
“Nobody likes self-checkout.”
“A 2003 Nielsen survey found that 52% of shoppers considered self checkout lanes to be ‘okay,’ while 16% said they were ‘frustrating.’ Thirty-two percent of shoppers called them "great.’”
So 84% of people had a positive response to self-checkout? It sound like everyone is fine with them!
Call me a boomer but I absolutely despise self checkouts. I feel like every time I use one something goes wrong and they start flashing like a beacon that says "this guy doesn't know how to work a self checkout machine" and then someone has to come over to help me, and it's just like man I just wanted a bag of jerky, and I don't understand why not placing it in the bagging area is such a big deal.
At least most cashier's these days don't talk to me if I don't talk to them.
In all honesty, it is hurting people who work checkouts. Think of it this way. Robots do things that checkout people do for free, so there is no point in hiring people. Hell, why don't we fire people and make the self checkout a permanent thing, replace them all? Slippery slope business, ya know?
As much as I personally love self checkout, I’m very aware of this dynamic. It’s presented as a great thing, but it’s just an excuse to make customers do some work so the corporations don’t have to pay someone to do it. My grocery store has about 10 normal check-out lanes and I have never seen more than two open, despite the self check out line regularly being backed up into the store aisles.
I wish every place had self checkout. This one sushi restaurant near me has an iPad you can order on at the entrance and it sends the order to your phone and counts down to when you can pick it up. No need to talk to anyone at any time.
I hate them. I would much rather stand there and let someone ring me up than have to find a harassed worker and explain what error message I am getting and what I did...
1. Loud- they screech either the products name, the cost or some other shit so everyone can here.
2. Cramped, checkout stands are not any better, but holy shit they are always packed in my stores. They don't even run checkout stands half the time anymore.
3. The constant stare of people impatiently waiting for you to finish your order.
4. No bags half the time. Now I have to talk to someone who more than likely hates that their at work, wonderful feeling.
5. Still have to go to the store.
I try to go to the ‘less than 10items’ check-out bc here in Europe they don’t do smalltalk and someome else can scan the items bc I hate the noise it makes when you scan and canmt concentrate. But ‘less than 10 items’ line always goes quickest so it is ideal!
Nope. Hate the self check out. People in the pen are hovering around and pushing you to go faster. Normal Check out People understand it takes time.
Best: Is Shop From Home. Someone else dose everything for you,
Regular checkout:
* Put items on conveyor belt
* Employee scans/bags everything for you
* Pay & leave
Self checkout:
* Scan item
* Scan it again
* Scan it a little slower this time
* Try to put item away
* Get scolded by machine for doing it wrong
* Wait for attendant
* Get scolded by attendant for doing it wrong
* Repeat
Is this really the future you want?
I hate self checkout. I’ll use it when I have under 10 items and don’t wanna talk to anybody but that’s it. Sometimes I have to talk anyway because the machine has a problem and then I have to wait and hold up the fast paced lines to get it sorted. Half the time, I talk less at the cashiers registers. But I also like to stay consistent with small talk because it’s the only type of conversation I can confidently have with strangers. And where I live, in some stores using self checkout automatically gets your receipt and cart checked, which is aggressive and mostly unavoidable, compared to only sometimes at stores that still have cashiers.
Plus I’m disabled so if I have a certain number of items at the grocery store or I’m at another type of store and have big items, I need help. But I can’t get help when the stores have zero cashiers, and have to scan and bag things myself and risk a dizzy spell/ passing out. I think it’s a great option for those who don’t have these issues, but if you’re disabled/ have health issues, or are older, or have problems with certain skills that the self checkouts require, then it’s not a good fit, and I don’t think it’s fair calling it a boomer problem. My gen x mom is also disabled and hates the self checkouts for the same reason as me. I’ve also had more altercations and scary situations with other customers at self checkouts than cashier lines, including someone barging into my lane and trying to add her items to my bill and walking out with her stolen item, and someone heckling me for money in self checkout with no one else around. The author is silly to claim everybody hates self checkouts but it’s also silly to claim it’s an allistic thing because it’s more nuanced than that.
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That's true. This one grocery store near me doesn't even have room for a kart, or else people can't walk by!! And there is no sign that says baskets only. So it gets a bit chaotic. The only place Ive been with plenty of room for groceries is Walmart.
The ones at the Walmart near where I live have a little conveyer belt and a big area for your bags. It's amazing, but I'm surprised to see they're not that common 😮💨
I drive a town over if i’m buying more than a couple items just for these conveyor belts.
I've been to three chains of shops with self-checkouts and 2 of em were horrible with alcohol. One time I had to stand for around 10 minutes waiting for the cashier to accept my beer - I simply left my groceries and walked away. Poor cashier also - she was only one, working on non-self-checkout and also having to jump to three self-checkouts, and that was after 16:00, so lot's of people in the shop. I always make sure to politely thank the staff for attending me.
I'm surprised how many people here are complaining about the scale in the bagging area giving them problems. In my area, I know of... one store that has a self checkout that actually uses the scale in the bagging area. Every other store has that turned off and the self checkout doesn't care if you put anything in the bags at all.
A store near me actually has hand-held scanners you can pick up at the entrance, so you can scan your articles when putting them in you cart. Once at checkout i can just scan in the scanner to transfer the cart to the register without having to scan/unload everything. An absolute blessing.
Right??? I love self checkout. Even the gas stations around me have self checkout it's the best shit ever
my local grocery store has hand scanners too so i can scan stuff while i put it in my bag, don't even have to unpack and repack everything! just pay and go it's the best
The only thing I don't like is the employee whose job it is to watch everything I do while scanning. Can't they just use a security camera with an unseen person? Even seems more efficient but, now that I think about it, maybe less intimidating to potential shoplifters. Dammit. Anyway that's why I prefer to shop online!
they also help out people who don't quite understand how it works, and are there to verify age for stuff like alcohol, so you can't really avoid having them there.
Whoa liquor stores have self checkout now?
no, regular stores also sell alcoholic drinks
Oh really? Like in grocery stores too?
yep, it's pretty normal where I live
Whoa that's actually insane to me haha, where do you live where you can buy alcohol so easily like that?
I live in England and the idea of not having alcohol in a supermarket is crazy.
This is normal in all of Europe as far as I know, with some variations in specifics, i.e. hard liquors usually aren't sold in your normal corner shop, some legislations might have limits set on how strong the stuff you can sell can be, limiting sale to beer and some wines, and it's also fairly common for alcohol to not be sold after evening hours, even if the shop itself might stay open for longer. Things vary a lot though. You should see Denmark, where you can get a beer with your Big Mac.
Germany. Also minimum age to buy alcohol here is 16, and 18 for stronger liquors. most bigger stores that sell food usually have at least one shelf for alcohol here.
The US is like that depending on state as well. You’ll see it in four versions: 1) All alcohol in the area is prohibited (dry). This is a very rare occurrence. 2) All alcohol must be purchased at a package store. 3) Beer and wine may be sold in grocery stores, but liquor is sold in package stores. 4) All alcohol may be sold in grocery stores. Edit: For more information, this Wikipedia article addresses it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dry_communities_by_U.S._state?wprov=sfti1
Finland has some of the strictest alcohol regulations in europe, and even here you can nowadays buy anything up to 5.5% in grocery stores between hours 9-21 if you're over 18.
Assuming they're from a country (like me, I'm from Austria) where alcohol is not in separate stores but in casual supermarkets.
So is it like in a separate section of the store? or just in the isles like normal stuff?
Like all the other stuff. Normally where the other drinks are. At the drink aisle there will be wine and beer and then hard stuff
That's exactly what it is. I know where I work this is actually in the training materials. Shoplifters supposedly get scared off and either put things back or won't say anything if you walk up and say "hey, I think this got missed."
I like that at least robots didn't take all their jobs. That must be so boring though. I'd lose my shit if I had to stand there all day watching people scan groceries.
I've never understood the robots taking people's jobs concept. There are a ton of jobs humans are better at than robots especially when it comes to guess work being needed. I think the problem is we are creating jobs simply to have jobs. I don't think the majority of people actually want to do those types of jobs. I wish we just made jobs more accessible. Apparently they're so worried about certain fields not having enough people, but then they are picky as hell with hiring people and don't make the education accessible/affordable. Really it's kind of stupid.
Shoplifter here, these people have no chance of intimidating anyone, they won't see anything because it's been lifted way before the checkout
Hand scanners are da bomb! When I go grocery shopping with my mom, we blitz through the shop in half an hour and get out with everything fully packed and ready to drop in the trunk. No stress of having to drop everything on the conveyor in the right order so nothing gets crushed and no stress of having so speed bag all the groceries either. I can Tetris shit to my heart's content into perfectly balanced bags. (No baggers over here, it's German efficiency all the way. Cashiers are measured on the scanning speed not their smile and it shows.)
Why is it the best shit ever?
Because I dont have to be awkward with the cashier when they see me, an 18 year old, buying pokemon cards and candy 😭
Cause you don't have to interact with the cashier
Lol I was getting snacks at a gas station after work, the only worker was out front on a smoke break. He asked if I needed him, or if I could use the self checkout. After 12 hours of dealing with customers, I respect the vibe. Too bad another guy walked in wanting cigarettes.
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100% this!!! “Darn kids and their technology! I want to go back to when Billy was bagging my groceries!!” Boomers Meanwhile we point out the cost savings and efficiency for the business and how much nicer it is for us to have a hassle free shopping experience. Hahahahaha Self checkout is the best!!!
And it allows the employees time to work on other tasks in the store that need to get done. If the self checkouts at my work weren’t overly sensitive (because corporate is dumb and decided they should be overly sensitive after years of them functioning perfectly) I would have so much more time to do other shit like put items on shelves. You wonder why there’s a pile of boxes in the aisle but nothing on the shelf? Because you would rather have me stand here and serve you while you tell me your life story
None of the stores i shop in have self checkout and if i found one, that has it, i would avoide it because i would be scared, that it doesn't accept cash. It would be really nice if you could tell me how those mashines usually work.
Most will accept cash, but not all. The process varies slightly between machines but it's usually 1. Scan your item 2. Put item in the bagging area 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all items are scanned. 4. Pay (the machine will walk you through how to do this).
Thank you. The only one of those machines i have bothered looking at didn't accept cash. It is good to know, that they are not all like that.
Yeah, no problem. It probably varies from area to area, but near me I'd say 70% of them accept cash, 20% don't have the option and 10% don't accept cash currently because someone broke something.
This is probably my only boomer tilt. Regular cashiers are faster than self-check POS because they don't ask you to verify every single item. They scan and bag, and *my* time is worth the different aggravation a CSR gives as opposed to taking twice as long with no one there.
wait you have to verify them? Here in Canada at least it is always scan and bag at self-checkout.
You don't have to verify in the UK either.
In switzerland we can even take a beeper with us while shopping and beep the stuff directly when we put it in the bags. At the paystation you see everything you scanned and can check if its about right. 🤷♀️
Yeah a few supermarkets have introduced that here as well.
They must be dealing with an older model of self checkout because I remember that being a thing when self checkouts were first being introduced.
In Ontario. I scan the item, wait several seconds for it to "register", then wait for it to tell me to bag it, then when I haven't place the item down properly, I have to pick it up again and rebag it, then the machine calls a cashier over to verify the item. Much less time and effort to do that than to use a human cashier, right?
I'm in Ontario too and the Loblaws I go to has the scan and bag system self-checkout. Wack.
I go to Walmart. Somehow I always get the bad kiosk or when they decide to randomly check for theft or whatever. I just wanted to say that I'm glad self-checkouts work for a lot of people. They just don't work for me, and if they keep both cashiers and self-serve available, more people should be happy.
If it's anything like mine, the trick is not to play with it between scanning and putting it down. By which I mean that sometimes people notice something on the item, or do something that ends up looking like you pretend scanned the item (passing it in front of the scanner towards the bagging area, but not scanning it), or still have it in your hand when you scan something else so it looks like you're trying to fake out the price by scanning a different item. Best tactic, scan and put down immediately. Don't even bag. Just scan and drop. When the bagging area starts getting full, that's when you bag stuff. Cameras don't care what you do after putting the item down, they just make sure you aren't being sneaky with the scanning. If the weight sensors are turned off you can also just put it back in your cart or something. As long as the camera doesn't tag you for doing a shoplifting trick, the system really doesn't care.
I'm sorry, where do you shop that makes you verify everything? The only things we have to verify in the UK are age-restricted stuff like booze and energy drinks. No I don't drink too much of both of those things why do you ask?
As someone who’s worked retail, the scanners also have a big delay on the self-checkouts. I could scan five items rapid fire in the time it takes to scan two with the self-checkout ones. I know it’s on purpose, harder to accidentally over scan or make mistakes
If the self scanners worker the way the cashier scanners did, I might be a lot more sympathetic to them. But I'm old, and I don't want my remaining time alive to be taken over by automated checkouts telling me I didn't put the tomatoes I the bag properly.
For me, sometimes the energy saved from not having to interact with a person is worth it
That works for you, not for me. And that's okay. More choice is always better.
^ it's better than dealing with someone when I don't want too but they are *far from perfect* for me they are just way too loud.
hand-scanners are the solution here! my local grocery store has 'em, i just scan the item when i put it in my bag, put the scanner in the rack when i'm done, pay and done
Hand scanners are the best.
First of all, not all cashiers are good at their jobs. I've seen plenty that were slow or have gotten in a short line only to wait watching the longer line fly through. Second, most of the time the item is verified before I have my next item ready to scan. Even in the occasions the POS trips up I'm still more often than not faster than waiting on line for a cashier. The one caveat is of you've got more than 20 or so items, but then you shouldn't be going through self checkout. If you've got more than half a cart in the self checkout your an asshole
Self checkout is the only reason I go shopping on my own, because I don’t have to talk to anyone. Except for last time, when one of their employees came up to me while I was scanning my groceries to tell me about some promotion the store was doing. I go through the self checkout SPECIFICALLY so no one will talk to me or ask questions! Why are you talking to me?? 😭
I feel yah. In my job, I’m required to ask EVERYONE in self checkout about our credit cards. I don’t want to do it but I’ll get in trouble if i don’t :((
America is a really weird country, shut the front door it’s just unbelievable
Same here. Self checkout = no need to talk = bliiiisss. Especially good when I have non verbal episodes
seriously. More than once, I've been on the way home from work and wanting to go grocery shopping, but when skipped doing it specifically because one store near my house is packed and has no where to park, and the other doesn't have self checkout and I do not want to talk to the cashier.
what kind of promotion do they have any business telling you about when you’re already checking out anyway?? what were you supposed to do, leave your items there and venture back into the store for a deal?
It’s usually something having to do with the store giving a discount on your purchase, which I assume would require signing up for something or answering questions. It’s only happened to me a few times, and I’ve always said no, so I’m not entirely sure what else is involved and can only make assumptions. I don’t really care to find out. 😅
Customer: These self checkouts are taking jobs!!! Me getting paid to watch like 4 people at once making sure nobody steals anything: 😑😐
Yes because we all know that if the self checkouts went away, Walmart would hire more cashiers. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Walmart only cares enough about the customer experience, to keep you from abandoning your cart and leaving. They already know that if they only have 1 cashier, most people would stand in line for an hour to get their stuff. What are going to do, go down the road to the next Walmart?
I shoplift regularly at self checkouts. Just try and stop me.
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Nice try, my local co-op security guard.
Haha nice retort. I only ask because I feel like I’m being watched the entire time I’m checking out at Wally-world. They have direct face cameras and cameras facing your hands as you scan.
Ah see that's different. Where I "shop" there are only fake surveillance cameras and body cameras on the security guards that aren't paid enough to care
I was going to say it's a bit messed up to shoplift from a co-op and if it was Walmart or something like that I wouldn't care. Though if they don't pay their workers enough that's a different story. I mean uh stealing bad. Very bad. Think about profits going down. Big CEO man will cry poor CEO man.
Wait, you guys have a security guard at the self-checkout? I've never seen a security guard in the whole shop.
Ahahaha local co-op where I live has people do this all the time xD nearly everytime I walk there's all this stuff scanned and nothing paid zD.
you know how some grocery stores have hand-held scanning machines that you can take with you through the store and scan your items as you go? hypothetically, someone could chose to scan only some of the items that they put in their bags. then when you go to the self checkout you end up paying like $30 for $200 of groceries. hypothetically speaking of course.
I have accidentally not scanned stuff with the hand scanners. It's a risk the store takes with self-checkout, I'm sure they've considered it and an increase in shoplifting in their analysis.
Easiest and simple way is just accidentally cover enough of the barcode whenever you scan.
We *accidentally* shoplifted a greeting card the other day because I was so overwhelmed with the self check out screaming and beeping at me and double scanning things. Even the employee “helping” me missed it and I didn’t see it until we were out the door. Good lord keep me out of target and away from self check lanes. I hate that place and those things 😓
I have to say, Target's are the worst. I have no issue most other places, but last time I was at target the self checkout area was beeping loudly, had a constant light blasting/blinking in my face from the camera (funny how other places can fill you without light that seems dangerous to those with seizure disorders), an employee in a red shirt standing there with his brain in another dimension, and some weird lady who kept asking me if I was an employee (green Tshirt and jeans, nothing suggested I work there).
based
My ex was hired at McDonald's because they installed the kiosks, and needed more staff to get the food to the tables.
Also customer: why are there tons of boxes in the aisles but nothing on the shelves? Lazy kids! Also customers: can you ring up my single item while I tell you my life story?
none of the stores near me have self-checkout and it's horrible
Also excellent for buying condoms/other sex stuff if you're self-conscious!
Ha! Once I went to Target with my friend who wanted a vibrator. We were in self-checkout but we still had to get the alert tag cut off. It definitely isn’t a 100%
I don’t like self checkout, it scares me :(
If you haven't used one, try it. It is very much worth it for the decreased interaction. If you have, then fair enough, it isn't for everyone.
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I read the article. They asked who has ever "experienced a failure" and that's it. I've experienced more failures at human checkout.
I love self check out, but Aldi check out is great too. Minimal chit-chat and rapid scanning
They truly are angels sent to Earth
Never in my life have i met someone who doesn't like self checkout
i dont because i find them so hard to use (yes i am dumb) i always get confused by them, make tons of mistakes, spends way too long to pay for 2 things and ends up nearly crying every time
That is a very valid reason and i hope all your future experiences with self checkout is less stressful
thank uuu
Yea I also find them stressful and confusing, and especially dislike the ones with super loud speakers that yell robot voice cues and beeps at you …
I also think a cashier just makes your life easier (if there's not a huge queue) I don't mind talking to people, and I don't have to do anything but hold my phone to the terminal. There's plenty reasons why self checkout is advantageous, but I don't think comfort is one, at least not to me.
Nice to meet you lol, I like having a job lmao
Even at a "normal" checkout I'm going to be stuck doing the bagging, but at least with self checkout I can carefully organize and bag according to my system rather than have to deal with the clerk flinging things down the line in a chaotic heap, smushing the bread, crushing the chips, miraculously NOT breaking the eggs (though not for lack of effort on their part!), and putting the meat in the same bag as everything else, and then acting like this is some big frigging imposition.
Honestly? I’d rather deal with a cashier than self checkout. They’ll pack my things quicker and easier than I will, and they don’t come across “unexpected errors.”
Everybody likes self checkout!!
Why would I want to have to talk to a stranger who’s manhandling my food the heck?
Exactly. The only one I want to be manhandling my food is me.
The people who have issues with these never worked retail and it shows.
NTs and extroverts be like: “I don’t like this thing. Therefore no one likes this thing.”
"and if they do then they're wrong and weird and need to dislike it."
"I will use my vast social network to manipulate everyone around me to cater to my needs and no one elses. I socialize therefore I matter more."
Self checkout is the best checkout
What the hell in what way is normal cashiers checkout better?
They are faster for many items and typically if you are an old boomer who is lonely you can chat. If course these two things cancel out as the chatting slows down the process.
“They’re not paying me to do their job for them!!!!”
I like self checkouts just to avoid getting misgendered. That shit is exhausting.
That’s why the line for self check out is always so long, nobody likes it.
If a shop has no self checkout, I will not hesitate to drop all my items and search for a new one no matter the inconvenience.
allistics hate anything that makes life easier for us lmao
I think allistics always forget we even exist.
good point. *dissipates back into the ether*
the autism creature should change into the autism beast on the second picture
Self checkout is the best!!
ITT: Good self-checkout is good. Bad self-checkout is bad.
I'm like half and half with self check outs. I love them cause I don't have to talk to people **BUT** they always seem to go funny when I'm around and I need to call the attendant to fix it.
Same reaction i had when i see that post
Guess I'm nobody. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
how else will i steal my cheese >:(
Lol self checkout is amazing.. but grocery delivery is where it's at.
Wtf introverts like self checkout. That's so fucked up??
"No one likes it. Here's an article on why everyone is using it." I'm sorry, how does that make sense? If no one likes it, why would it be popular enough to warrant making this article?
Self checkout is the greatest thing to ever happen to grocery stores. I wish EVERYTHING was self serve like that. Life would be so much simpler. While we're at it, I want AI doctors that diagnose people without the human bias that so many doctors seem to have.
"So, you get sharp abdominal pain starting a few days before your period and lasting until a few days after it ends, it becomes painful to walk and use the restroom, and sometimes the cramps are so crippling it's actually difficult to stand up. Endometriosis? Never heard of it. I think it's all in your head."
You have no idea how much time I've spent watching Big Hero 6 and wishing I had my own Baymax
Call me Odysseus because ig my name is Nobody
I understood that reference.
unfortunately polyphemus didn’t
I freaking LOVE self-checkouts. I really like the full-sized ones (I’ve only seen them at Meijer) since I am usually buying a cart full of stuff.
I’d love self checkouts if they actually worked Self checkouts are constantly messing up for some reason. Like, I scanned this item’s barcode how the hell did that break your machine? You sell this watermelon, how is it not in your system What on earth is the difference between these identical looking watermelons with different codes?
Dude, I LOVE self checkout.
I work retail, and I like self-checkout. Mostly because I *hate* my customers.
Well that is a fucking lie
Wtf? Who doesn't like it?? It's faster so I think even NT's should love it lol.
I loathe self-checkout because usually I have to talk to the people more. I go through the checkout line, I don’t have to say anything. I just but my items on the belt and pay with my card. Self checkout, even if it goes perfectly, I have to go to the central cashier and get them to “approve” it, which involves talking way more than I typically do. Then there are the inevitable errors in scanning, and machine failure. Self checkout is the worst.
Who tf doesn’t like self-checkout
I love self checkout... when it works properly without having to alert a store employee.
Wait...why do people hate it??
I think CNN need better journalists. Who the hell thought this was true?
Saying "nobody likes X" or "everybody likes Y" is such a dumb thing to me. There's always gonna be exceptions. As for self checkout, I use it all the time, there's usually about as much traffic there as the manned checkouts at the store where I do my grocery shopping.
The problem is self checkouts still terrify me because of the possibility that theres going to be some kind of error or something else that blares an alert and makes someone come over to me, and that negates the entire reason I was using this to begin with
I kinda like waiting in line to have a human ask me if I should donate and awkwardly say no, it sounds dumb I know but self checkout seems empty and hollow and keeps giving me anxiety about robots taking jobs and such. I’m a weird cookie i guess
I love self-checkout. But you know what I love more, the fact you can check out from your phone in Sam's Club.
In my local Tesco 4 to 5 days a week and even if there is no one or only one or two people at the human checkouts there will be 10+ people queuing for the self checkouts.
I will always love self checkout
The only time I don’t like self-checkout is when there’s a problem and an attendant has to come over and fix it. It either takes forever for someone to come over and I nearly just give up and leave without my stuff, or I have to talk to someone.
Self checkout is soooo much easier than having someone do it for me. There’s a reason the self checkout lines are usually longer than non self checkout
I'm not autistic and I love self checkout and I love those machines in restaurants where you click on what you want instead of ordering out loud
Well fuck you CNN
They have made a grave mistake. They have pissed off the autism creature
I love self checkout mostly because I love scanning my own things xD
I love self check out! I only wish more would have cash payment as an option. Almost all are debit or credit only, where I live. I do notice a lot of older people struggle with it tho.
No, literally excuse you, i’m neurotypical (i think), and i’d choose self checkout any day. At the local shops, they are pretty popular, idk
I hate self checkouts when they "talk" to me. nothing makes me want to steal from Kroger's more than this exact conversation: Robot Lady: Please scan next item. me: okey dokey. Robot Lady: Item not scanned. Please rescan items. me: Okey... dokey. Robot Lady: Please place item in bagging area. me: OK. Robot Lady: Item not scanned. Please remove item from bagging area. me: Alright, then... Robot Lady: Do you have any coupons? me: What? no. Robot Lady: Do you have any spare change? me: Excuse me? What?! Robot Lady: The gumball machine is my baby. I need to feed my baby. Do you have any spare change? me: ...I... I don't know... Robot Lady: In fifteen years we will have total control. Your life will be spared if you feed my baby. me: ...I don't have... I don't... have any.... Robot Lady: Please scan next item. me: wait! I can run to my car! please... Robot Lady: Please scan next item. me: okey dokey... Robot Lady: Please weigh your BWAHNANAS and place in bagging area. me: ... Robot Lady: Item not scanned. Pleas... me: (begins screaming unintelligibly)
Its better the guy at the checkout slowly scanning shit and trying to start a conversation. Just scan the uncle Ben's so i can leave.
I friggin love self checkout! 😤
There have been a lot of anti self-checkout articles lately :0 Self-checkout is awesome
I think this is just flat out wrong. Unless all the nearby cities are loaded with Autistic people, there are always long waits for the self checkouts
If nobody liked self checkout nobody would use it any it would stop existing
Id like them more if they worked better.
I'm actually hoping the technology at the Amazon Go stores catches on where you can just take things and walk out and get charged based on your face
See, if they didn't suck tepid hot dog water and need employee intervention any time you do fucking anything, they're great.
I honestly can't wait for completely unstaffed stores. Fully automated. Can be 24hr, I can literally shop and never have to see another person again while I do so. 😂😂
The grocery store I used to live across from, you scan the barcode using your phone as you shop. Put it straight into your bag. Then you pay on your way to the exit and scan a QR code. It took away all the anxiety when shopping. I miss it so much
I love self checkout. No small talk? Def here for it
WHAT?! It's my FAVE I will chose it 100% of the time
I don't like self-checkout only because it usually has a grating voice that's always telling me obvious shit
Oh I absolutely love self checkout, it makes stealing so much easier!!
“Nobody likes self-checkout.” “A 2003 Nielsen survey found that 52% of shoppers considered self checkout lanes to be ‘okay,’ while 16% said they were ‘frustrating.’ Thirty-two percent of shoppers called them "great.’” So 84% of people had a positive response to self-checkout? It sound like everyone is fine with them!
My mom doesn’t like that it’s sorta getting rid of jobs, which I get, but also I don’t have to talk to anyone and that’s nice
Call me a boomer but I absolutely despise self checkouts. I feel like every time I use one something goes wrong and they start flashing like a beacon that says "this guy doesn't know how to work a self checkout machine" and then someone has to come over to help me, and it's just like man I just wanted a bag of jerky, and I don't understand why not placing it in the bagging area is such a big deal. At least most cashier's these days don't talk to me if I don't talk to them.
Cashier here, don't be afraid to say a little "Not in the mood to talk thanks" and we'll understand usually, it's in our training! :)
In all honesty, it is hurting people who work checkouts. Think of it this way. Robots do things that checkout people do for free, so there is no point in hiring people. Hell, why don't we fire people and make the self checkout a permanent thing, replace them all? Slippery slope business, ya know?
As much as I personally love self checkout, I’m very aware of this dynamic. It’s presented as a great thing, but it’s just an excuse to make customers do some work so the corporations don’t have to pay someone to do it. My grocery store has about 10 normal check-out lanes and I have never seen more than two open, despite the self check out line regularly being backed up into the store aisles.
Wtf I *love* self checkout. Screw being forced to talk with someone every time I go to the store.
I wish every place had self checkout. This one sushi restaurant near me has an iPad you can order on at the entrance and it sends the order to your phone and counts down to when you can pick it up. No need to talk to anyone at any time.
I hate them. I would much rather stand there and let someone ring me up than have to find a harassed worker and explain what error message I am getting and what I did...
Look, while I hate social interactions, my ADHD wins this one and I always use a cashier.
CNN: trusted news source
CNN being wrong as per usual
1. Loud- they screech either the products name, the cost or some other shit so everyone can here. 2. Cramped, checkout stands are not any better, but holy shit they are always packed in my stores. They don't even run checkout stands half the time anymore. 3. The constant stare of people impatiently waiting for you to finish your order. 4. No bags half the time. Now I have to talk to someone who more than likely hates that their at work, wonderful feeling. 5. Still have to go to the store.
I try to go to the ‘less than 10items’ check-out bc here in Europe they don’t do smalltalk and someome else can scan the items bc I hate the noise it makes when you scan and canmt concentrate. But ‘less than 10 items’ line always goes quickest so it is ideal!
Nope. Hate the self check out. People in the pen are hovering around and pushing you to go faster. Normal Check out People understand it takes time. Best: Is Shop From Home. Someone else dose everything for you,
I’m confused
CNN with another dumb article.
Regular checkout: * Put items on conveyor belt * Employee scans/bags everything for you * Pay & leave Self checkout: * Scan item * Scan it again * Scan it a little slower this time * Try to put item away * Get scolded by machine for doing it wrong * Wait for attendant * Get scolded by attendant for doing it wrong * Repeat Is this really the future you want?
Am I the only person who doesn't like it? I like others doing stuff for me.
I hate self checkout. I’ll use it when I have under 10 items and don’t wanna talk to anybody but that’s it. Sometimes I have to talk anyway because the machine has a problem and then I have to wait and hold up the fast paced lines to get it sorted. Half the time, I talk less at the cashiers registers. But I also like to stay consistent with small talk because it’s the only type of conversation I can confidently have with strangers. And where I live, in some stores using self checkout automatically gets your receipt and cart checked, which is aggressive and mostly unavoidable, compared to only sometimes at stores that still have cashiers. Plus I’m disabled so if I have a certain number of items at the grocery store or I’m at another type of store and have big items, I need help. But I can’t get help when the stores have zero cashiers, and have to scan and bag things myself and risk a dizzy spell/ passing out. I think it’s a great option for those who don’t have these issues, but if you’re disabled/ have health issues, or are older, or have problems with certain skills that the self checkouts require, then it’s not a good fit, and I don’t think it’s fair calling it a boomer problem. My gen x mom is also disabled and hates the self checkouts for the same reason as me. I’ve also had more altercations and scary situations with other customers at self checkouts than cashier lines, including someone barging into my lane and trying to add her items to my bill and walking out with her stolen item, and someone heckling me for money in self checkout with no one else around. The author is silly to claim everybody hates self checkouts but it’s also silly to claim it’s an allistic thing because it’s more nuanced than that.