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What is your opinion on self-checkout stores?

post #1 of 7
10/9/10 at 9:20am
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Surely a sign of technology, for some stores you can now shop for your items, and then check it out yourself (i.e. you scan and bag your items). With the touch screen interfaces that they have available now, it's definitely something that you couldn't imagine being available ten years ago. I first saw this at CVS a couple years ago, and just recently again with the new Fresh and Easy grocery stores.

To be honest, I kind of like it. Fresh and Easy is becoming one of my favorite stores now. They aren't the cheapest, but are, rather, on par with other markets on most stuff, but man, when they have specials, you can get some amazing deals - Not on random things, but rather on essentials like vegetables, chicken breast, whole chickens, ground beef, New York steak, etc. I have no problem scanning/bagging my items...In fact, I kind of like it. Reminds me of when I used to work in retail. Also, if I want someone to actually check me out and bag my items, I know where to go.
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post #2 of 7
10/9/10 at 6:24pm
I actually favour them; at least, I like stores that give you the option to do self-checkout or traditional checkout.

Self checkout is good, in that I can bag my groceries in a sensible manner. I cant even begin to count the times I've arrived home oover the years to find my sliced bread crushed by 2 litres of milk, or tomatoes hurled at the bottom of a bag under a watermelon!

Traditional checkout is also nice, pretty much for the days I can't be (and here's the technical term): arsed.
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post #3 of 7
10/9/10 at 6:26pm
Never. I like to make them work for it. Good sales clerks cheer me up. And seriously, life is too short to accept bad service in retail outlets. Self-serve is the epitome of terrible service.
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post #4 of 7
10/9/10 at 9:32pm
I love self checkout when I only have a few light items. Definitely faster.

At warehouse stores though it can be a pain to lug those huge, heavy packages onto the scanner and conveyor belt-- easier to go to a checkout clerk who can scan it while it's still in the cart.

Even our library has the option of self-checkout now. Skipping the line-- I'm all for it.
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post #5 of 7
10/10/10 at 7:25am
  • kbe
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I have had both good and bad experiences. Every other time it seems when I use a self-checkout it malfunctions in some way enough to require store help, which often takes way too much time to appear at my checkout station. Sometimes other customers ahead of me are clueless and have to call for help (long wait again) to find out how to check out or solve their own encounter with a malfunction. Then there is the problem of seeing a thief in action using the self-checkout. Disgusting, especially when the thief is obviously teaching a young child the technique.

I avoid them unless their lines are way shorter than the alternate assisted checkout lines.
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post #6 of 7
10/10/10 at 8:48am
I'd rather do a self checkout in a superstore than wait in a long line, especially if I have only a few items. I don't like checking myself out when I have a large cartful of things...invariably the machine goes wonky on me or I do something wrong and a manager has to come over and straighten it out. I don't like the machines "talking" to me, I find that irritating. I love self checkout and returns at the library (and ours has a drive up window, too), and I love the redbox dvd self-rental kiosks. I think those are brilliant.
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post #7 of 7
10/10/10 at 9:13am
Until the technology improves a bit, I skip the self-checkout line for a flesh-and-blood cashier usually. In trying to use the new self-check aisles, I inevitably have an item that won't scan, is on sale or whatever, causing me to summon 'real' help. I also dislike the talking machines - brave new world!

reine
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › General Discussion › Off topic › What is your opinion on self-checkout stores?