Self Checkout: loathe or like?

[Janet H]

Local markets are increasingly relying on self check lines and I've seen a number of justifications for installing DIY checkouts; cost cutting (employee costs), customers prefer to use them when buying "embarrassing" items, and speed.

Has anyone ever found them to be faster? Do I get a discount for checking and bagging my own stuff?

Do you use or actually like self-check lines?

 

[RobbieB]

For just a few items yes. A full cart, no.

 

[candrew]

Depends. If it's a cart-load of groceries, we prefer regular check out. A few items, we are good with self. We like both for different reasons.

And no, we don't expect a discount for self check-out and self-bagging. We've found during our travels overseas that rarely do grocery stores and markets in other countries offer to bag your groceries. In fact, stores in many other countries expect you to also BYOB having done away with those ubiquitous plastic thingies.

 

[Midpack]

Unless we have a full cart (over 20 items?), I always use self checkout where available, because it’s been faster IME. I’ve been to some stores (e.g. Home Depot) where sometimes there aren’t any cashiers on station, only self checkout. I’m sure they’d make a cashier available, but it seems they’re encouraging self checkout.

Some stores have overly weight sensitive bagging scales (e.g. Target) which makes self checkout a little erratic. If the scale weight goes up or down when the software isn’t expecting it, it locks up. I’ve learned to not touch anything (bagging) until after the transaction is complete, to avoid a freeze up.

I’m all for it, I hope customers don’t ruin it for the rest of us by stealing merchandise.

A local grocery store offered self checkout and removed it after a few months. I asked why and they claimed it was due to pilferage, I suspect the (surly senior) cashiers union did it in. Never liked that store anyway...

 

[24601NoMore]

Always use self-checkout. I really dislike having to go through a check-out where a cashier rings up my purchases..

 

[braumeister]

I rarely have more than about ten items so I love self-checkout. My local supermarket (Kroger) has an employee to watch over six scanner stations, which is an ideal ratio IMO and I hardly ever have to wait more than a minute at most. If there is a problem, the employee is right there to fix it.

 

[CardsFan]

90% of the time I have less than 10 items. Always use self check-out when available. MUCH faster.

It seems like every time I use a cashier check-out, the person in front of me has an issue (price check, card won't work, wants to write a paper check, etc.).

Now, the one place that does not have self check out, but is VERY fast, is Aldi's. There is usually a line, but it moves 3x the speed of a regular grocery store

 

[steelyman]

I like and use self-checkout. I loathe people who use it with crazy-full shopping carts during busy times. There should be enforced item limits like on “express lanes”.

 

[Car-Guy]

A few simple (and well marked items) yes, but a basket full of stuff, no way.

 

[COcheesehead]

Small to medium load of goods, yes.

 

[Aerides]

I always use it if it's available. It's not offered at grocery stores (publix anyway) in S.Fla.

At the home depot today I saw they converted mine from the "scan your item over the glass" to "pick up the scanner gun and use it to scan your things" and that seemed like a process with a far greater chance for user errors.

I've yet to make it out of Costco's self-checkout without someone around me needing help, and every one of these seems to need a lot of babysitting.

 

[badatmath]

Love!!! I am faster then the average disinterested employee and also I don't have to try to make conversation.

 

[braumeister]

At the home depot today I saw they converted mine from the "scan your item over the glass" to "pick up the scanner gun and use it to scan your things" and that seemed like a process with a far greater chance for user errors.

I must disagree. I love the new Home Depot scan stations. It was incredibly awkward to use the old ones with large items, but with the scanner gun you can handle anything quickly.

I've yet to make it out of Costco's self-checkout without someone around me needing help, and every one of these seems to need a lot of babysitting.

I wish our Costco stores had self-checkout.

 

[razztazz]

I like them. A lot. I prefer them to checkout lines and cashiers. And yes, I find them massively faster

 

[mystang52]

I'm a bit of a germophobe so I would avoid using a hand scanner. Otherwise, I prefer self checkout.

 

[mpeirce]

I almost always use Kroger's self checkout and think it's good. Occasionally, I'll hit a manned checkout lane when the employees are loitering about and look like they would like to do something.

I tried Kroger's wander-the-store-with-their-scanner-wand. You scan your items as you pick them up. My problem with that was that I often forgot to scan something. So I'm back to regular self checkout.

DW on the other hand used to avoid self-checkout at Meijer, but she likes their scan as you shop. At Meijer you use your iPhone as the scanner and that works well for her.

It's interesting to me to see how these stores are trying new approaches to speeding us through their stores.

 

[Scrapr]

There should be enforced item limits like on “express lanes”.

hahaha ...enforced limits....hahaha

as if

I use them.But only for a few items. Like a soup for lunch. Unless I walk by a checker & there is no one in line.

I think I saw a self check out at Costco the other day. Now that could be a sheot show

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I'm a dinosaur. I use the cashier every time. Let them have their $14 an hour.

 

[davebarnes]

Never.
I despise that robot b—-ch’s voice. She won’t let me checkout the way I want to.
I like chatting with the checkers.
I appreciate the baggers.

And, I never return my cart to the corral.

 

[mpeirce]

I'm a bit of a germophobe so I would avoid using a hand scanner. Otherwise, I prefer self checkout.

That was something else that bothered me a bit with using their scanner as I wondered around Kroger. I expect they clean them, but how well?

Meijer doesn't have that issue as you use your own phone.

 

[LOL!]

I like both: self-checkout and a cashier. I choose whichever one I think will be more efficient for me. Even at the self-checkout I get help sometimes from the attendant.

Do you pump your own gas for your car?

And this month for a doctor's appointment I had to fill out everything online ahead of time instead of writing it down on a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard in the waiting room. I felt I was employed as a data entry person for the physician.

The next thing you know, I'll have to fill out my tax return myself.

 

[SecondCor521]

I like and use self-checkout. I loathe people who use it with crazy-full shopping carts during busy times. There should be enforced item limits like on “express lanes”.

At my local Fred Meyer, there are about 12 traditional checkout lanes, one Express self-checkout area that says no more than about 12-15 items, and one no-item-limit self-checkout area. Each of the self-checkout areas has between 4 and 6 stations.

Works perfectly for me. I'll try to use self-checkout if I can, and I'll self-select into the appropriate area. If I have a larger cart full of stuff, I'll go to the regular lines.

The only thing I don't like is the helpful voice starts helping me too quickly and too often and won't quiet down even if I start doing what it wants. For example, I know I need to put my credit card into the slot to pay, but the voice will say "Please insert your card into the credit card reader slot, making sure that the chip is inserted first, with the card face up" or whatever. I've got it in the slot after the first two words, but have to listen to the rest. #firstworldproblems.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Usually, I hate it, especially when I have a lot of produce (which is usually), or alcohol (ahem, often). Bottle deposit refunds are especially annoying, which I have to use for products from a local dairy. Every time I have one the attendant has to call around to all their coworkers to figure out what the procedure is; seems they never remember.

Kroger has gotten a bit better with fine-tuning the scale you have to put your bagged groceries on. It used to complain about nearly every item I put on it and locked up the system each time until the attendant came to reset it, and since there is one person babysitting a dozen checkout lanes that was a PITA. It's also a lot easier if you simply ignore the machine voice walking you through the process. But, if I have a few, mostly packaged goods with bar codes then I'll happily use it.

Some of the patrons have figured out that if they look pitiful enough the attendant will scan everything on the self-checkout machine for them. Which makes everyone with "problems" (see above) stand there and wait.

And don't get me started on the hand-held scanners.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

At my local Fred Meyer, there are about 12 traditional checkout lanes, one Express self-checkout area that says no more than about 12-15 items, and one no-item-limit self-checkout area. Each of the self-checkout areas has between 4 and 6 stations.

Kroger (aka Fred Meyer) in my area has gotten rid of all the traditional express lanes and only has one or two full-service lanes open at any given time. I think they are trying to force people to use the self checkouts or the hand held scanners.

 

[brucethebroker]

I rarely have more than about ten items so I love self-checkout. My local supermarket (Kroger) has an employee to watch over six scanner stations, which is an ideal ratio IMO and I hardly ever have to wait more than a minute at most. If there is a problem, the employee is right there to fix it.

Yes to Kroger's system.
Usually, I find it takes less time to do it myself (again, on small purchases). Many cashiers are slow, and/or wait for a bagger to show up. And lots of folks would rather use the cashiers, so those lines are longer.