Self service tills.
What's your experience? 
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I will now stop shopping in Tesco.
Self service tills are bad for my blood pressure, if you have any alcohol you have to wait for one of the helpers who stand around ignoring the flashing lights, if you put your own bag in the check out area you have to wait for one of the helpers who has just wandered off somewhere else.
I refuse to use them!
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I checked with my wife. Neither of us has ever used them and judgng by the bag of crisps left behind by your guy on the spot - left behind as an unknown item - and subsequent kerfuffle - we will not be rushing to utilise the service.
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Isn't this a bit You and Yours Eddie? Is PM being dumbed down?
You see those potatoes? They're foreign potatoes they are.
There's more scope for admiring the fairer sex and a bit of banter in the queues for the normal tills.
Self Service tills don't do much for social cohesion do they?
Self Service tills? They're not made in the Country are they?
If you use a manned checkout you can do Cashback. One way of getting your money without having to risk an ATM till having a card scanner placed on it.
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Well... since this is a bit later than the item, I've posted (at some length) in the Glass Box. But you asked, so:
1.I'm glad I didn't have any idea you'd be doing a piece on self-serving supermarkets. Er, I mean the ones that have a do-it-yourself machine instead of a human.
Nightmare. They take twice as long, frequently fail, and if you re-use your bags, as I do, seize up completely. There are very few staff to help by keying in codes to make the flaming things work again. All I can do is stand there, hoping to catch the eye of a staff member and curse quietly as it tells me I haven't put something in the 'bagging area' when I have... or have when I haven't... or bullies me to pay while I'm packing my rejected bags... and then simpers: "Thank you for using S[well-known supermarket)y's self-checkout."
Thanks for nothing.
Stressful and time-wasting.
I don't suppose the staff whose jobs have been rationalised away are that pleased, either.
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I bought a scart lead in Tesco yesterday. I paid for it at the self-service till. I scanned it, then pressed 'Finish & Pay'. I couldn't do anything else, until a Tesco employee came along, snatched the lead from my hand and threw it on the 'bagging area'. I wasn't all that impressed.
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Frances, I'm with you one hundred per cent. Oh, and they don't recognise newspaper subscription coupons, either, or validate your parking, or any of the other useful facilities that I get from a REAL human being!
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2. On PM, the supermarket spokesman said that if something goes wrong "someone comes instantly and helps you."
Utter tommyrot! I had to wait 5 minutes today for the invisible person to materialise.
I gave up in the end, left the machine squawking and queued up at the tobacconist stall instead. Two items, and neither of them baccy, but at least something happened.
I loathe them and they waste time and frazzle my nerves.
(Phew.)
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Awful. I like to get my Saturday shopping done early, and often my local Tesco has no human-run tills open, so I'm forced to go to a robo-till.
If I put my (reused) carrier bag on the receiving platform before I start scanning, it screams at me. If a barcode is damaged or smudged, I have to call someone over. If I have any security tagged items I have to call someone over. By the time the tag's been removed, the machine's forgotten where it is and complains when I put the detagged item in the bag.
Plus, Tesco's machines don't eat 90% of £20 notes. I have to make sure I have enough tenners to cover the shopping.
I'd much rather wait in a queue, have a professional scan my shopping for me, and still get out quicker than using the robo-tills.
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I've not had a problem with self-service tills myself (they're great for anything up to about seven items when there's a very long queue at the 'basket only' checkout); but an entirely self-service store would seem to be a shoplifters' paradise!!!
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I use a self-checkout service in Lampeter, Ceredigion. From time to time it is possible to hear harassed shoppers swearing at the machine and that middle class bossy female english voice talking down to us.
No equality here... So lets have a demonstration of bi-lingual policy and force both Sainsbury and Tesco, and any one else, to give us a language choice on the opening screen, of either english or Welsh. Apart from the language discrimination I also object to the arrogant (living I think) staff who think because I am 4 thousand years old that I am incapable of understanding the screen instructions.
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I think should I get to the checkout and there's nobody there, I may have to make a snap judgement about how much I want what's in the basket or how much I want to leave it there in protest and go somewhere else.
Isn't this against some BBC rule? Isn't this advertising? It's making me tempted to go to the local Tesco and see if that woman that was queueing behind me at the Customer Service desk (young lad covering the checkout didn't realise he was supposed to scan the vouchers - the reason I'd gone that day) that smiled at me by the automatic door before something in her trolley set off the alarm.
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Love 'em!
And I can "do" coupons, get cashback and validate my parking. All without the long line. The only problem in my eyes are customers who insist on using them when they have no idea what they're doing.
Of course I love most things about supermarkets seeing as 80% of my year is spent in the middle of a rainforest. Even the music...
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They're as easy as pie unless the barcode sticker on fruit is messed up.
Scan - drop - scan - drop - pay - win.
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Little Red, the S*bys checkouts don't do subscription coupons - and that's official!
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Do they do Cashback? Do the Tesco ones do Cashback?
It's just like House Party. Shouldn't I have a sprinkling of flour?
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12 Little Red
The last line of your post is very funny :oD
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Late night Tescos have had only SS tills for some time and like the reporter tonight I find they try to be too clever and fail.
Robots telling me what to do infuriate me. (Douglas Adams RIP)
And yes a checkout assistant may be the only person I speak to in the day but they are programmed too.
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So, to sum up, some of them work OK and some don't?
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Yeah, but it HAS given us the phrase
UNEXPECTED ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA
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Supermarkets are the foot soldiers of the High Altar of wanton consumerism, do they not realise the harm they do by denying their staff the opportunity to deal with a person of my standing and looks?
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I love them. My nearest supermarket is close enough to double as my corner shop, and they've only just introduced self-service tills. I asked to be shown how to use them, and since then I've found them to be ideal when I've just popped in for one or two items.
I can use my own bag - I just have to slide the shop carriers out of the way first, and I can buy loose fruit and veg, which don't have barcodes. My only hitch so far was when I failed to put my single item in the bagging area.....but now I know about it, I'll remember to put it in the right place, even though it's not put in a bag.
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How do they benefit me as a customer? The benefit to me is?
I get not to deal with a person that may be spreading swine flu?
Like those stupid automated phone menus, they help the organisation rather than the person trying to give them money.
If they don't want to deal with me, then perhaps I should deal with a retailer that does?
I could swing if another retailer takes my Tesco points and gives me the same membership to the AA/RAC/Green Flag.
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My experiences have all been with A certain four letter company - their tills did everything.
But for now I'm back to grow your own (though the ele's seem to have snaffled my tomatoes). Shall have to head into the village at the weekend to see what's on offer at the market. No self service tills there. No staffed tills either. Just a lady with wodges of cash stuffed surreptitiously about her personage.
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Will this mean that yet more staff are released from the tills in order to coax and sometimes to bully me towards the shortest queue?
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We have them in the US. One of the odd differences in the US supermarket experience is people generally do not pack their own shopping bags. No idea why not it just drags on the checkout time. Therefore I think the self service checkouts are much quicker. I also do not miss the small talk with the check out person.
I have had the "UNEXPECTED ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA" area issue a few times but usually it just goes away if I keep scanning.
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I don't get it. When Tesco, Royal Mail et al have replaced all their employees with machines and everyone is on the dole, who is going to be able to afford to buy the stuff they sell?
I could never understand why, every time I went into my local bank, the staff would eagerly inform me of the benefits of internet banking. Thanks to their enthusiasm and that of their colleagues, use of internet banking has increased hugely. And my local bank is now a wine bar.
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Dave (25) me too! I get the 'unexpected item...' message a LOT
Maybe it's my handbag.
I had one bad experience where some bloke was hanging around behind me as I scanned my otems then walked straight to the bags, put a 'curry for two' in a bag and ran off. Apart from that, I quite like self-service.
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Eddie:
Don't like them...
~Dennis Junior~
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Unexpected Item in Bagging Area
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I HATE them. For all the same complaints as listed above. Most of all I hate the way it shouts at me when it decides I've done something wrong. I no longer go to our Trescoe unless I can possibly help it, as they have more and more of these devil's devices - not to mention the fact that they have fewer and fewer of the items I wish to buy.
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If there were a human there to sort it out when it starts nagging me, it wouldn't be so bad. Which usually happens at least twice. Cos I recycle my bags, you see, silly old me.
But the remaining member of staff who has to sort out 20 or so machines is never to be seen.
So I walk away, leaving it squawking, and queue up at the ciggy stall behind all the lottery ticket buyers.
Sigh.
Oh, enough moaning already.
Hey, I wonder why my no 4 has been modded?
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They take twice as long, frequently fail, and if you re-use your bags, as I do, seize up completely. There are very few staff to help by keying in codes to make the flaming things work again. All I can do is stand there, hoping to catch the eye of a staff member and curse quietly as it tells me I haven't put something in the 'bagging area' when I have... or have when I haven't... or bullies me to pay while I'm packing my rejected bags... and then simpers: "Thank you for using [well-known supermarket's) self-checkout."
Thanks for nothing.
Stressful and time-wasting.
I don't suppose the staff whose jobs have been rationalised away are that pleased, either.
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What did it say?
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Gosh Frances, whatever did you say @4? I surmise your post @32 reiterated your comment but *bleeped* the supermarket name? Might I suggest bringing an old fashioned basket or string bag instead of your recycled plastic?
Little Red - your lifestyle always sounds so romantic!
Like a couple of other bloggers, I'm copying what I wrote on the PM Glass Box thread last night. PM Team: forgive me but you are dazzling us with such a variety of places to post comments, I get in a tangle. If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
As copied from the Glass Box: When my son was living in Prague last year, I got into the habit of going into one of the local villages (closest is five miles away, I'm very isolated) every day to shop. The conversation with the checkout girl was usually the only opportunity I got to talk to another 'real' person.
One of the interviewees commented on the 'social element' of shopping and I do think it is very important to have human interaction. Also support GiulioN@26 and others who have mentioned the 'robo till' replacing much needed jobs in the current climate. I suppose it is cheaper for the supermarkets.
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I regularly use the four-letter word ones and find them fun (as long as they're not blocked by ditherers who don't understand...SO DON'T USE IT!).
Usually goes like this:
ME: I scan, plonk the goods down (touching 'start' isn't necessary)
TILL please scan your first item
ME Hmmmm? Beg pardon
TILL please place the goods in the bagging area
ME done that! So I pick payment method, insert card
TILL please select payment method
ME I've done that!
TILL please insert card into the reader!
ME getting frustrated with the delays by now
ME enters pin
TILL please follow the instructions on the card reader
ME GRRR, tapping foot in frustration, takes card out
TILL please remove card from the reader
ME GRRRRRRRR!!!! Picking up goods and grapping receipt, leaving. BYE
TILL Please take your goods
ME near the door by now ...what?
TILL Thank you for using the fast lane
missed that, I'm in the car park.
Afterthought....if we have to do all the work ourselves, why are the self-service prices not lower?
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I like them. I'm one of those people who can shop at any time (pensioner) so I go when I know the supermarket will be empty of all except other pensioners. For some reason I seem to be the only pensioner who likes them so I don't have to queue and don't feel I have to rush. The only thing I don't like is the bagging issue. They need to sort that out. It's no good encouraging us to use our own bags and then being told not
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I like them most of the time. There's some in the large s-market near work that I occasionally use for a quick stockup, and they work fine. I agree re the issue about alcohol, where you need to wait for someone to verify your age before it lets you pay, though. Oh, and I noticed something this morning when I was buying some lemsip* at my local small store that also has SS checkouts. On certain things, you have to acknowledtge that you can buy a maximum of two of said items, even though you've only scanned one. Seemed a little strange to me.
*other cold/flu remedies are available.
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I've never tried them, so I don't like them.
I gave up using self-scan in Safeway because every single time I was directed to another till for re-scanning, and I only ever bought bread, butter, cheese and peanut butter.
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As 34:
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only you would bring back the 'Recent Comments' section.
If only ...
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Way to go Vyle!
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Capitalism and Automation
==========================
Listening to your feature on automating Checkout counters, got me pondering about how the unfettered greed engendered by Capitalism and it's logical conclusion in efficiencies of total Automation, may actually lead to the self-destruction of Capitalism as we know it!
If you look at it Capitalism (and I am a supporter)is at its very basic a balance between the two great Economic forces underpinning it. These are the Supply and Demand of Goods and Services. I.e. Goods and Services are supplied to satisfy demand for them.
However, the greed of Suppliers to make ever greater profits means they look for ever more ingenious ways to squeeze more profit from their transactions, be it through ever more automation to reduce labour costs or ever more clever financial products designed to siphon off wealth from others.
However for this to continue, there must be demand! Unfortunately economic demand is defined as desire for goods and services underpinned by the means (Wealth) to satisfy that desire.
The problem is that if the ever more efficient practices of suppliers to extract every last penny of profit is allowed to continue to its logical conclusion, there will be very few of us left with the wealth to satisfy that demand!
Without Economic demand, there will be nothing for the suppliers to supply which is where the self correcting market mechanism will kick in! These will manifest them self in ever downward spiral of wages, house prices, etc. until a stage is reached where for example the cost human labour will be less than the costs associated with automation.
Unfortunately this will lead to poverty, destitution and a unpalatable quality of life which we in the West thought we had left behind us!
Given that communism was demonstrated again and again to of little value, I believe that the time has arrived in Human affairs for a third which takes the best features of Capitalism, without the ugly features such as great wealth inequity, unbridled greed fed by disregard for well being of other humans, unscrupulous bonuses as rewards for those who use their privileged positions in the Financial industries to manipulate other peoples wealth for their own purposes, Etc.
Also we should not always unreservedly believe those who tell us that the Free Market should not be regulated as this will cause distortions. That is rubbish, because what has been revealed by the current banking crisis is as much a distortion of the free market, expect in this case the distortion is caused by the actions of greedy and often dishonest individuals setting out to manipulate the markets to their own end! Though I an not for a moment advocating that governments micro manage the economy, I do believe that society at large has the right, even the duty to provide and regulate a framework in which the markets should operate freely! Secondly, Individuals should be rewarded, within reasonable limits, for innovation, entrepreneurial initiative and wealth creation.
Regards
Dilip
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Yep, 32 was the old one but bleeped the S before the brackets and the 's after them.
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@gossipmistress
I believe Supermarkets probably factor in the money they loose from the increased risk of shoplifting against the gain of less staff servicing more customers.
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The spokesman for the supermarket was straight out of the Ministry of Truth in 1984, by George Orwell.
Quicker? - not true
Instant assistance? - tell me another!
Preferred by customers? - not in my experience!
He should become a politician.
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Our local overpriced Hangaroundflower supermarket has barcode readers that enable you to scan your shopping as you go, and put shopping straight in your bag. Any scanning issued are either dealt with while you are browsing, or you can decide to abandon the item so it doesn't hold you up at the checkout. You walk straight to the Services desk where there's a VERY short wait, and then you pay and leave. You handle your shopping once as it goes into the bag, and once as you put it away at home. If I could afford the prices, I'd shop there all the time.
Recent experience at Oakham Toss Co's was hilarious. Self-service till kept requiring an overstretched assistant (1 covering 6 tills) to verify that we'd got each of our 3-for-2 offers (seemingly just scanning all 3 codes and going 'minus-one' wasn't enough for it) and eventually the machine jammed. Flustered manager had to take us to the ciggies desk to re-scan the lot!
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Bring back recent comments -
Well, we did orchestrate a demand for this some time back, and Eddie or the Blog Czar (sorry, can't remember which) said they'd passed our concerns on - but nothing came of it. I think there were mutterings that it didn't fit in with the new 'corporate blog image' currently espoused by Auntie Beeb.
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Big Sis and Vyle: Jo the Editrice has left a 'roundup comment' on the PM Glass Box and I have pointed out that more people would see it if they brought back 'Recent Comments'. Perhaps if we launch an on-going, concerted effort and the Blog Czars see that there is some merit in it, they'll reconsider it.
I don't think it would effect the new 'corporate blog image' - how can it? It is something that makes the system work more efficiently for the user. Where are their 'information architects'/'usability experts'?
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They are a pain. There is a higher incidence of un-recognised items.
They don't let you use your own bags (taking items off to put them in a
bag results in being told that you've removed items) unless you use the
larger ones. If you put in that you've used more than 1 of your own
bags, you have to get this OK'd by a member of staff. And finally, it
DOES take longer to use them.
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Sue, We did try a campaign, and we even got a response from Eddie, but sadly it went no further.
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