quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I'm sure the ability to self-scan items with your phone is convenient, but don't unscrupulous people cheat?

Regarding the self-scan machines, I invariably have problems using them. I refuse to do so now.

flashguy

I'm sure there are people who cheat and don't ring everything up, but Sam's club at least has a person at the door who spot checks a couple of items, nothing more.

At the Walmart I've used self checkout at, there's one Walmart employee watching over around 10 or so self checkout machines, so people could cheat.

I've had problems years ago with the self scan machines but the last few years they seem to hav ironed the problems out as I haven't had problems for a long time. Probably the best and fastest scanners are the handheld ones at Sam's Club.

costco has folks checking, as you walk out!!

quote:

Originally posted by airbubba:

costco has folks checking, as you walk out!!

I haven't been to Costco in at least 6 months, didn't even know they had self checkout.

I got some sliced meat at the deli counter at Walmart. The dude weighed it and printed a label with bar code, applied it to the package.

I went through the self-checkout lane, but the bar code had not printed cleanly. It was blurred and the scanner could not read it. I called one of the roving employees over and asked her to enter the price with a manual over-ride. She just verified that the scanner would not read it, then tossed the package into my cart with a smile, said "Merry Christmas," and went about her business. Roast beef for sandwiches, around ten bucks / pound, at no charge.

Walmart had over 20 manned checkout open yesterday, Christmas Eve. Still a 5 minute wait. And the the way out was manned with 4 or 5 checking receipts of random shoppers.

I bet they had every employee they had on mandatory work that day.

Self-checkout is the BEST thing that ever happened. I NEVER go to a checkout line and stand there like a fool if I can help it.

I wish they would do something about the Subway metallic meatball smell.

I usually only go for boat and car maintenance items. We tend to stick with Meijer for groceries.

I am all about self checkout unless I am buying alcohol. Then it always seems like as soon as I scan it the checker that is suppose to be there is no where to be seen. So I wait ten minutes with the light flashing and people behind me gnashing their teeth hoping someone comes to check my ID for a sixer.

Not buying alcohol? Self-checkout all day every day.

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
I am all about self checkout unless I am buying alcohol. Then it always seems like as soon as I scan it the checker that is suppose to be there is no where to be seen. So I wait ten minutes with the light flashing and people behind me gnashing their teeth hoping someone comes to check my ID for a sixer.

Not buying alcohol? Self-checkout all day every day.

Yeah that would be annoying. Around here there is always someone monitoring the self checkout areas and usually more than one person.

Another reason I prefer the self checkouts is that the people that run the registers often guess about what a fresh produce item is. Much of the time fresh produce is tagged with the PLU but not always. When in the manned checkout lane I almost always had mistakes when they had to guess. Romaine is sometimes half the price of leaf lettuce but the checkers would always ring it up as leaf lettuce.

Nother good reason,
I paid at the self check out with $11.64 worth of last months pocket change.

Tip:
The slot hole lifts up so you can dump half a hand full at a time.

The Walmart in my area recently eliminated almost all their traditional checkouts and now has about 30 self checkouts in banks of 6 with an employee monitor at each open bank. Every checkout has a camera.

^ Saw similar being put in place when we were in Hot Springs AR last month. Massive banks of self-check lanes.
Hasn't started taking place around here, N Houston, that I've seen yet.

Self checkouts are fine if you have 6 items

How does this work when you have 100 items, ie you just went food shopping? The tiny area they give you to place your bagged items is big enough for 2 bags, not 12

None of this has been thought through.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Self checkouts are fine if you have 6 items

How does this work when you have 100 items, ie you just went food shopping? The tiny area they give you to place your bagged items is big enough for 2 bags, not 12

None of this has been thought through.

Our Wal-mart neighborhood market has two self checkout areas, one is the smaller area machines, usually more machines, quicker purchases, you do see people with a cart full from time to time.

They also have self check out lanes with the traditional belts and rotating bagging carousels for people with full carts.

Or you can go full service...

I use self check out if I have ten or twelve items and if the clerks all have lines. Then, it is a convenience.

If I have a large order, or they aren't busy, I use the clerks.

When I was a kid you walked to the grocery store with your own grocery cart on wheels. You handed your list to the grocer and he got what was on the list. He put the charges on your account and you paid the bill at the end of the month. Often the grocer did not speak English as I grew up in an ethnic neighborhood.

Yes, those days are long gone. We had Louie Corbinos grocery store. Old world Sicilian. RIP Louie!

"How does this work when you have 100 items?"

When I buy 24 gallons of water or whatever
I just ask the gal for assistance and she does it for me,
It all stays in the cart.

Or if I have more than the table will accommodate,
I pay and bag/cart it and start over.

I can check pricing on everything if I do it.
And catch the over charges.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
When I was a kid you walked to the grocery store with your own grocery cart on wheels. You handed your list to the grocer and he got what was on the list. He put the charges on your account and you paid the bill at the end of the month. Often the grocer did not speak English as I grew up in an ethnic neighborhood.

You forgot, uphill, both ways, in the snow...

I do miss the ethnicity. I was looking online to order some Sausage from a Polish deli in Chicago. (No I am not Polish}. There was an online comment obviously from a Polish immigrant stating he did not like those American kids behind the counter who did not know what they were doing. When I was a kid we called those recent immigrants DPs.