Spill the beans...on your self-service checkout tips (beep)

Uplink

Bags tip: Moist your thumb and index finger on your tongue before you try to separate the "super glued" plastic bags. Then rub your moist fingers on opposite sides of the bag (or bags, if you can't get hold of a single one - then repeat until you only have one standing alone). This also works for opening any pristine plastic bag (bin bags for example). It even works if you're doing it at the wrong end, since you find out sooner rather than later that you're trying that and swap ends. Works for counting paper money too.

The machines always tell me to take my items. And I'm always quick - this is how I get my exercise: pick item, scan, bag, repeat - feets solid on the ground, use just the torso - It happened that I was already half way out of the store before the machine told me this (I hadn't forgotten any items), but it did it anyway, so I guess that if you're getting annoyed by it, you're doing it wrong.

Plenty of times when I get an undeserved "unexpected item in bagging area" alert I just lie and press the "I'm using my own bag" button that appears on the screen. Only one time the machine didn't believe me and wanted a staff member to confirm it. At one point even a staff member silenced the machine pressing that button, rather than log in, see what's wrong, see nothing wrong, then logout and let the machine continue.

One time, a reduced price item scanned full price somehow. I'm still unsure how that happened, as the original price barcode was covered by the reduced price one. So either the scanner managed to read the covered code, or someone was doing something funny in the background, to the tune of "hey, maybe he won't notice the difference between 0.15 and 2.00".

Personally, I like to get the machines to spit as many errors at me as they can, so I can understand what triggers the errors and what passes as OK. I'm really sorry for the shop assistant who has to come to help me over and over and over, but if no one triggers the bugs in the machines, no one reports them either, thus no one will fix them. By doing this, I also find if the assistants have the proper training. One day the till didn't print a receipt properly, so I asked for a copy. The assistant, instead, managed to reflash the card reader, so I had to wait 5 minutes for that to finish - twice in a row I haven't had a till crash in the middle of my shopping yet though. At least in Tesco, the tills are running Windows and the software seems to be written by monkeys. When you see the "till closed" sign, it's usually because the software froze and they can't reboot it.

LittleVoice

Uplink wrote: »

Bags tip: Moist your thumb and index finger on your tongue before you try to separate the "super glued" plastic bags. Then rub your moist fingers on opposite sides of the bag (or bags, if you can't get hold of a single one - then repeat until you only have one standing alone). This also works for opening any pristine plastic bag (bin bags for example). It even works if you're doing it at the wrong end, since you find out sooner rather than later that you're trying that and swap ends. Works for counting paper money too.

Please don't do that.

If I'm the next person, I don't want your spittle on my bag.

stewartgraham1

I live next to a Tesco Extra, so am in all the time, as it's easier to to small trips over a few days rather than one big trip. Having worked at a Safeway whilst at Uni, and now work in IT I'm used to them, and the queues (if there are any) are generally shorter than the real ones.With background noise in general, I've tuned out being abe to ignore the occasional "unexpeted item in bagging area". Albiet the fact you don't always see the multibuy offers, the fact that I see prices as I go is a good idea, and have had the prices corrected at the time when I've noticed when they're wrong (I've been caought on that afterwards on a physical checkout before when I've checked the receipt afterwards!). The SS desnt care, when I get rid of 10p of coppers, a 50p coupon, 98p left on a £10 gift card, then pay the rest on a credit card (and that's after getting 3 bag clubcard points even when I haven't reused bags- 4 or more requires approval). I've even been 3rd in the queue with one item, there's been a till set to "card only", and I can scan, enter my card and PIN, and be out in seconds (cummon - I'm surpriesed there haven't been more comments that these take then spit out notes continuously!). In terms of getting rid of some small change in your pocket, they are brilliant. They don't care if you pay 20p or £4 in change, then accept notes or card for the rest - try that with a person and cause one poor harrased casheer and a long queue!

nellykim

Thought you might like this that I scribbled down..


I dump my basket and stare at the screen
Those on screen instructions - what do they mean ?
I think I'll press 'START' and go from there
And I scan my first item without a care
The scanner goes ' beep!' and I'm getting bolder
I'll get the hang before I'm much older
'Place the item in the bag'
(I have done just now, you silly old hag )
Didnt notice the item fell on the floor
So I return it to scan it just once more
Somethings wrong - the light's flashing red
( You get nothing in this game for two in a bed )
Here comes the attendant a smile -a frown
She picks up my bag and rummages round
and waves her card of authorisation
while I quietly curse this modernisation
I'm seething now,but I keep on scanning
Why didn't I stay in the queue I was planning ?
Theres a queue behind me and they're having a smile
but they'll be struggling themselves in just a short while
Well Im nearly there and its finish and pay
Can someone kindly show me the way ?
Notes in here and coins in there
Did you use your own bags ? What the hell do I care
Thankyou for shopping please take your receipt
Change is dispensed and shopping's complete
What a great idea a real time saver (?)
And I didn't even get paid for my labour !

Uplink

LittleVoice wrote: »

Please don't do that.

If I'm the next person, I don't want your spittle on my bag.

In my case, you won't feel a trace of me I don't drool on my fingers. I just tap my tongue. Whatever is left of me on the bags evaporates before I start scanning.

Oh, and sometimes it just works to breathe out on my fingers, because breath is moist and all.

The idea is to overcome the electrostatic or vacuum force or whatever it is that keeps the bag tight.

csambrook

The big advantage of SS tills is that I can check the money saving offers (2 for 1 or reductions etc) have actually been applied before I pay. Do this by pressing the button to "finish and pay" at any stage, check the discount or offer then back out to carry on scanning.
I've occasionally had assistants ask me what I'm doing and I simply tell them that Tescos have tried to cheat me out of offers many times before so now I check. That always shuts them up although they may well remember the fuss(es) I've made in the past when I've been caught out by shelf front offers which aren't applied at the till.

bundance

I never had too many problems except for the usual, but recently, it went wrong, virtually every item I passed through it.
It put me off somewhat, and maybe, if I have a lot of items (not a trolley load, but a good basketful) I will just go through the checkout.

The bagging area is not big enough.
Less than a trolley full is reason to go self service, but if you have more than a good bagfull, or two small bag fulls of shopping, depending on queues at checkouts, it may be worth going to the checkout, as these self service machines can go wrong any time, with no rhyme or reason.

smala01

mann-banks wrote: »

I work for the the largest supermarket chain and have to come out quite frequently to deal with problems on self service. I would suggest anyone who hates them complains to which ever supermarket they use head office. Management need to be aware of peoples feeling about this issue. I would also say if your red light goes on and no one helps, if you look around your no doubt see a gaggle of managers yacking march up to them and ask for them to help. They are paid to work not talk.

We need MORE not less... If we had a bank of 16 then there would be much reduced queues.

They are fantastically efficient for small to medium shops - and we dont have to stand behind the housewife on her 6month shop!

dalore

I seem to be one of the few who actually prefers the self checkout. I can keep my headphones on and not have to talk/interact with the staff. I bring my own bag. Wait for each item to register, put it in my bag, wait for the screen to update (less than a second) and then do the next item. Then scan my tesco card at the end, grab myself a green point for brining my own bag. Then use my CC at the end to pay. I rarely have any trouble.

Sorry but I don't see what the fuss is all about really

waltsalt

Hmmmmm, based on these posts it would seem the average age of MSE posters is about 103!

I love the self-service checkouts. Anything that saves queueing is a good thing. And they really aren't difficult to use.

The only thing I hate about them is when some fool tries to put a full trolley through the ones designed for baskets. Nightmare!