Self-service supermarket tills - love them or loathe them?

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Comments

  • Robert109
    Robert109 Posts: 5 Forumite
    I don't see why I should donate my time to increasing the supermarket's profits and destroying jobs. My response when invited to use a self-service checkout is invariably to ask the store how much they are going to pay me for my time, which I usually charge out at £80-£100 per hour.
  • dark_ranger
    dark_ranger Posts: 1 Newbie
    as the supermarkets are now employing less peaple since the instalation of these wondeful machines and their wage bill is lower, have they passed this savings on to their customers.
    Whatever happened to customer service
  • Brian_Steele
    Brian_Steele Posts: 96 Forumite
    Generally happy to use them, if in my opinion the queue is shorter. In Tesco, however, never use them if I can possibly avoid it, as even if there is no queue for self-service at all, it still takes longer. They always freeze and/or demand I call an assistant and it's just too much of a pain.

    This isn't just for booze etc. At Tesco, they just frustrate me every time, whereas all the other ones are fine.
  • Idiophreak
    Idiophreak Posts: 12,024 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Robert109 wrote: »
    I don't see why I should donate my time to increasing the supermarket's profits and destroying jobs. My response when invited to use a self-service checkout is invariably to ask the store how much they are going to pay me for my time, which I usually charge out at £80-£100 per hour.

    I see, so you'd charge, say, £8 to take 5 minutes to scan your shop - yet you'll stand for 10 minutes in a queue for free. Your choice, I suppose....
  • ScarletBea
    ScarletBea Posts: 2,913 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I don't use them for my weekly shopping, as the trolley's too full, but when I've got just a few items, I love them.
    Quick, no interaction with people, and I never have problems.
    I always cut the sound though, as all the questions get on my nerves hehe
    :)
    Being brave is going after your dreams head on
  • Own_My_Own
    Own_My_Own Posts: 6,098 Forumite
    Xmas Saver!
    They drive me round the twist. The ones in our local shop talk to you. I do wish they would just shut up.

    Saying that, I was thinking of buying some Christmas Chocolates and paying for them with my penny collection. They don't charge like the voucher machines. :o
  • stevemcol
    stevemcol Posts: 1,666 Forumite
    edited 26 September 2012 at 4:12PM
    Great for 'small shops'. Wouldn't bother for 'big shops'.
    Doing people out of a job....well yes but it's natural progress like automatic laundries, self serve car washes etc.

    Just wish they would de-sensitise the scales a bit to silence the "uexpected item in bagging area" woman.
    Apparently I'm 10 years old on MSE. Happy birthday to me...etc
  • snowleopard61
    snowleopard61 Posts: 789 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    I've gone from absolutely detesting them to loving them. It took me ages to grasp that you couldn't pack as you go, which was a particular problem as I pack directly into a rucksack. Now I've finally got the hang of them I use them every time (I don't tend to do 'big shops' as I don't drive). It's even better now I've discovered that you can get rid of your coppers and top up the outstanding balance by card (at least you can in Sainsbury's). No need to count it as you would have to for a bank, and no need to lose 7p in the £ to a Coinstar machine.
    Life is mainly froth and bubble
    Two things stand like stone —
    Kindness in another’s trouble,
    Courage in your own.
    Adam Lindsay Gordon
  • pineapple
    pineapple Posts: 6,931 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    snowleopard61 wrote: »
    It's even better now I've discovered that you can get rid of your coppers and top up the outstanding balance by card (at least you can in Sainsbury's). No need to count it as you would have to for a bank, and no need to lose 7p in the £ to a Coinstar machine.
    Please circulate your description in case we end up in the queue behind you :rotfl:
  • XRAT
    XRAT Posts: 239 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    There's only one thing better than a self service till..., and that's a self scanner.
    Well done Tesco..., at last. You've taken a long time to catch up with Sainsbury's, but now you've overtaken them. (Our Sainsbury's don't allow self scanners to self check-out, but Tesco have just introduced a combined facility)
    Great technology for 'man shopping'..., no waiting for the checkout staff to congratulate the lady in front on their new hair and makeup, no waiting for the 'old dears' to remember how chip and pin works!!!!
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