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I might actually use these, if I could actually get one to work. As it is, I almost invariably have to call someone over anyway, so I’d rather just go to a real checkout and keep a teenager employed.
Screw these self checkouts.
I once needed help 5 times. Done. I refuse to use them.
My Safeway didn't slash it's prices when it installed 8 self checkout stations. Today there were 3 checkers open and 10 people in front of me when I got in line, the other 2 lines were just as long. Everyone was complaining and I silently vowed to never shop on a Sunday again. As I waited I kept seeing the self service lights flashing, indicating that those people needed help. Eventually they opened another check stand but some of my frozen food was seriously soft by the time I got it home and unpacked it.
I can see having maybe 2 or 3 self checkout spots for people buying just a few things, and I've done that myself, but there is no easy way to use those things if you're doing your weekly shopping. And I literally CAN'T use them if I have any alcohol in my cart.
It's not always possible to park near a cart corral. Store workers increasingly these days do not want to help customers. They would say, that's not part of my job description. And it's true, it's not.
I am one of the few people that will grab a stray cart in the parking lot on the way into the store. I see everyone else park then walk past lots of carts and then take one inside the store. I'm not sure why. I don't find it a burden, in fact it gives me the chance to tell if I've got one with a wild wheel.
Grocery stores have not lowered prices after installing self checkout lanes.
Have grocery stores increased profit margins? We can review the financials of the public corporations like Kroger. It's possible the savings have been passed along, not in the form of lowered prices but in diminished higher prices. Even low inflation rates mean costs eventually increase over time.
I've been behind tons of nincompoops at the self-checkout...
And then, of course, there are those buying beer who need to wait for a worker to clear them, hence defeating the whole purpose of self-checkout...
I love having the self-checkout option but I now avoid it when buying alcohol. Usually the worker gets over there fast and it's a minor delay but sometimes the worker is busy with another customer with an unresolvable problem or the worker got abducted by aliens so now I just don't take the chance.
They are also frustrating when you have to scan each item when you have many multiples. I'd rather scan a can of corn and enter "x 5" or a carton of soda and "x 4".
I don't do the self-checkout if I have lots of items, say 20 or more not that I count. The cashier is way faster than I am and will make short work of a full cart whereas I'd be halfway through it myself and will have run out of space on the bagging scales.
Then there's the occasional scanner lockup where it insists you remove the last item when you know dam well it scanned and beeped and nothing is in the bags that wasn't scanned. Where's that worker?
I love having the self-checkout option but I now avoid it when buying alcohol. Usually the worker gets over there fast and it's a minor delay but sometimes the worker is busy with another customer with an unresolvable problem or the worker got abducted by aliens so now I just don't take the chance.
They are also frustrating when you have to scan each item when you have many multiples. I'd rather scan a can of corn and enter "x 5" or a carton of soda and "x 4".
I don't do the self-checkout if I have lots of items, say 20 or more not that I count. The cashier is way faster than I am and will make short work of a full cart whereas I'd be halfway through it myself and will have run out of space on the bagging scales.
Then there's the occasional scanner lockup where it insists you remove the last item when you know dam well it scanned and beeped and nothing is in the bags that wasn't scanned. Where's that worker?
One thing that I've done in this scenario - I make sure that the item rang up, then I remove it and scan the next item. I put both items down at the same time. It seems to work most of the time (I'm not going to commit to always! :P ). Great when there's no worker around to help me !
I use the self-checker when I have a small batch of groceries. The Safeway I frequent has the helper close by so never had an issue with the occasional beer purchase.
I've learned the hard way to avoid if any produce, that's better left to the professionals.
I've never been tempted to sneak anything past the register.
I love self scanners. I am normally quicker than the checkout clerks, and bag items how i like (all cold items together, cat food separate from dog food (cat food goes to a different place (barn), and can bag things i am picking up for my brother's house separately.
I rarely use regular checkout lanes. I stopped going to Albertsons, because they did away with self checkout, and the lines are longer.
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