I personally have not been through a self checkout line, so I would probably choose that way to get an initial experience. Just based of common knowledge, I would assume checking yourself out has it's perks along with advantages. The main thing is you know exactly how you want your items packed or sacked. The ultimate benefit of self checkout is you don't have to wait as long. The only dis-advantage to me would be, having to do more work.
Although waiting in line can be inconvenient at times I rather stand in line then to do self check out. My experience with self check out isn't so good every time I try to do self check out I have to call over one of the cashiers or associate to help me and by the time I get through self check out I could have gone through the line.
I have also had to call over staff to help me get the machines to work a few times too. Nothing too big though. Most of the times that I have used the self checkout machines, my sister - or someone else who knows what they are doing - have been with me. SO if I have gone wrong they have corrected my step lol. It can be a bit daunting though, especially when there are people behind you waiting to use the machine after you have used it.
I like to go through the u-scan as opposed to the regular check out when I can. But when the machines start acting up then that's when it can get annoying. I don't like having to flag down a checker to help me when the machines freeze or something. But it is handy when you just have a few items.
I'm not a big fan of the self check out. To me, it's a long process. I'd rather a business just pay workers to run the cash registers. It seems like every time I go to a grocery store or retail store they are severely understaffed. The automated check out centers don't really seem to save a lot of time, so they're pointless other than they save businesses money that would be going to pay workers.
Grocery store employment used to be one of the only jobs a person with no work experience could get. Now, we don't have people to help you to your car with groceries. Some stores are doing away with baggers. The self-checkout system considerably lowers the number of employees. I would understand if a smaller business had to make cuts in labor, but the majority of companies using self-checkouts are national chains. They can afford to pay an extra employee or two at entry level.
I think that self-checkout doesn't really work. When you have to get the self-checkout attendant over to your kiosk every 5 minutes because the process has to be 100% perfect, it doesn't work very well. I've waited in a line three people long and I usually finish checking out before the person in the self-checkout that was there for the duration of all three people.
Whatever makes my checking out process easy, is what I will go for. Plus, self-checkout is not available en masse yet and still has many flaws left to improve upon. It also depends on the situation I am experiencing at that moment in time and space, as in, how long are the checkout lines and if I have some other important matters to attend, which I will go for the fastest way to buy what I wish to have and leave ASAP.
Yeah, I've had similar experiences. In a way the self check out seems to be self defeating. Companies generally hire them to save money and speed up the checkout process but it seems to slow things down from my experience. Hopefully these machines will improve over time, or companies will just hire a couple of extra workers so people don't have to stand in line all day, as is often the case at many of the grocery stores I often frequent.
I agree that sometimes self-checkout can slow down the process. What I don't like about it is the fact that I run into a problem when I try to ring up my items. I still like going to them though. When I went to WalMart with my mother recently, it was crowded beyond belief. I went to the self-checkout while she went to the line with a cashier. I was out of there fast while she was in line. We had about the same amount of stuff, but it took her way longer to get out of line. I was very grateful that I went to the self-checkout instead of the other line.
It actually depends upon how much I have to cash out. If I have a few items I may use the self checkout but if I have a basket full I would much rather use a cashier. I do a lot of price matching at a local Walmart, and they don't do the price matching at the self checkout so when I go to Walmart I have to use a cashier. I have found that self checkouts can be faster but if there is no one available to assist you as they may be off somewhere else when you cash out then it does become time consuming as you have to wait until someone is available to assist you.
I will never use a self check out. It is one of the problems in America where corporate greed is eliminating jobs, welching on paying their fair of taxes, and making more money. It is bad enough most of those cashiers only make $8 US and cannot afford health care or day care, but now the companies want to replace them. Too many of US jobs have been replaced by international trade over the past few decades, so why would I help to accelerate it? I buy American when I can, and would love for the US to make these companies pay employees what they should.
I have tried the self check-out on a few occasions. The problem is that there seems to always be someone who wants to "help" standing behind me. They are always in a hurry, so they try to help me along. My advice each and every time is, "I do not need help, go away." So, normally I just wait in line like the other slow pokes. But, that being said, I always wind up in the line with a guy or a gal who has $200 worth of groceries, a check book and no I.D. or someone who has to have a price check, or a clerk who wants to have a major conversation with the friend she is checking out. I have often told friends that if they see me in a line, find another line because I am not very lucky picking the right line to be in. Even the 10 items or less generally has someone with a weeks worth of groceries in it.
Wow. You don't seem to be much of a fan of freedom or freedom or association, or the free market. You want to force companies to pay their workers what you deem appropriate + provide health care? That's a bit control freakish, in my opinion. No one should expect to make a good living by being a cashier. Those are the type of jobs that are meant to be entry level. For young kids and those just entering the work force. If you are trying to raise a family on a cashiers salary, it's your own fault. Not the companies.
The self service checkouts at my local supermarket have been closed for week as they recently got burgled. It really is a hassle going through normal checkouts now. Self service checkouts allow you to get rid of loads of change very easily.
I am an independent person so I would prefer to use the self-checkout method. There is always a line at cashier checkout and with my current lifestyle I need all the time I can get. In the self checkout section it is always clear so no waiting. I think people like the cashier checkout because they can just put their items on the conveyor belt and pay. So they don't have to worry about the hassle of scanning their own items, and the fact that they don't have to bag their items either. I like doing everything myself so that is why I love the ability to self checkout.
So you play with all change, Hedonlogist? Never heard of someone doing that before. I do get rid of spare change often times when I go through the self check out, which is admittedly a rare deal for me. But it is pretty convenient. Around here there are very rarely enough cashiers to handle all of the customers so self checkouts are on the rise in my area of the country. They do malfunction quite a bit which is pretty annoying.
Some days, I would rather go to a self checkout. A lot of items you can not take to the self check out lane though. If they are not busy I will just wait or if it is a boring day then I will wait in line for a cashier. Otherwise, if my son is screaming and everyone is taking their sweet time then I will go to self check out lanes. Sometimes I think people who buy more personal things should go in the self check out because they are embarrassed. I think that has saved a lot of people from getting judged.
I really like using the self checkout at the stores, but my husband don't like them for some unknown reason. When I'm shopping alone, I make sure I use them. To me it's faster, and easy to use. I have never had to wait in line to use them.
In my opinion, there's a place for both. When I've got a small handful of items and/or I'm in a hurry, I prefer to use the self service machines. However; like some have already observed, that can sometimes actually end up delaying you as the machines tend to freeze. OR if you're buying age restricted stuff like alcohol. Then you have to look for an assistant, catch their attention and have them come over to sort it out for you....very frustrating grrr! For a large shopping, I much prefer to to join the queue for the cashier.
