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

mancub764

I would like to reiterate how useful these machines are for taking loose change. Just next to the check outs in my local mega tesco is a proper change machine where you tip in change and it gives you a credit note - but deducts 8% I believe. That is 80p for every £10 ! As you are in Tesco anyway - buy some shopping and pay with the loose change- you dont have to feed it as it goes into a tray. You have just saved 8% on your shopping compared to having a credit note.
And finally- although I am retired I do a lot of walking- newspaper deliveries, magazines and leaflets. I always come across money on the drive, on the pavement, in flower beds etc. A lot is not in good condition and doubt whether a shop assistant would accept. However these machines dont discriminate- chewed up and rusty- they take the all!

mad990diver

I like the self service checkouts. The waiting time is shorter and they are great for a small purchases. I've used them in Tesco, B&Q, Waitrose etc and rarely had a problem.

If an item won't scan make sure the barcode is not torn or creased. Bread is a classic example where the poly bag is never flat and the barcode won't scan, all you need to do is pull gently either side of the barcode to flatten it and the scanner will do its stuff. On cold and frozen items wipe off the condensation as many scanners can't see through water either.

Avoid items that are too light for the weigh scales (e.g. cards) as these flag for attention.

Quantities more than 1 annoy me as most machines do not allow you to enter a quantity and then scan only once.

I've never had a machine stop and have a chat with a colleague or other customer while I've been waiting and this seems to happen a lot when I'm at the normal checkout. Sorry, I'm there to shop, not chat!

Of course the best answer is home delivery (if only they wouldn't dump the old produce and out of stock "alternatives" in my order).

metropolis

I love SS machines and always use them ... they've even got them at B&Q and Ikea now.
What most people dont know is that SS machines and also ATM's have a person inside, so you have to be polite to get good service. Always say hello and thank you. The lazer beam is actually someones granny waving a torch around inside to see the price list.
And just to annoy the staff, have several bottles of wine, a knife set and a pile of DVD's ready!

paperboyuk

If the SS till has two scanners, always use the vertical one. Its more powerful and doesn't get dirty/scratched from items being dragged over it.

Most of the vertical scanners will also have 3 or 4 LEDs on them. Green means I'm ready to scan, red means I'm still weighing the item. As someone has posted earlier its all about the correct tempo. If the lights are red you can wave that product as much as you like it still won't register.

Stores do have the facility to turn off the bagging area weighing function. If when you've scanned something the LEDs go instantly green for the next item you know you can speed up and whizz through the shopping.

miss_independent

I think they are good if you are in a rush, but I am concerned that they are taking jobs away from people. I had pretty annoying situation in a Tesco Express the other day; I was on a timescale to quickly grab some lunch and eat it before I had a commitment and I went into a small Tesco I hadn't visited before and picked up a salad, a drink and some fruit - when I got to the till there was a large queue and only one person serving. Another member of staff was just walking about. A man had caused a hold up at the till (thats right 1 man = 11 people standing in the queue) and the sales assistant was REALLY taking her time, completely unphased by all the people who were left standing for at least 15 minutes.

There were two self service machines but one was out of order and this is what really gets my goat - there was a woman with a trolley putting her ENTIRE weekly shop through (she started doing this before the man who was causing the hold up). She was putting meat, veg, drinks, sweets, bread, milk, LOADS through and obviously she was having trouble keeping everything in the bagging area. She was having to stack everything up high, her family sized chicken kept falling off as did the bags of sweets. To make matters worse, after she had done all this and paid, she then proceeded to stay in the bagging area and pack all of her (many) bags. I feel rude saying this but I was stood there with my three items and most of us in the queue had only one or two things and I just kept looking at her and thinking "how stupid and moronic can you get? Who puts an entire, family sized weekly shop through the self-scan?". All of us in the queue could have whizzed our items through in no time, but no, she thought it perfectly acceptable to hold up a shop full of people (people on their lunch). By the time I left she was still there, so must have took 20mins plus putting her shopping through!

Yummymummy69

I love self-service tills! If there's a mistake, off I trot to the customer services desk and get a refund, the product and a gift card to the value of the mistake (Asda). Also I have accidentally mis-counted my bananas, easily done, totally naughty, but it happens when you get distracted by a 4 year old and then get one free when buying a lot!
I think they are a fab idea and have made me many savings due to store errors since they have been introduced! Enjoy them, they're progress!! :-)

fabbbw

I work on self scan. Most machines work on weight for security. The best way to get through quick is to not try packing as u can. Put the items straight down on the metal bit. Usually your hand in the bag or picking items up and re ajusting them is what usually triggers the sensors. Wait till uve pressed finish and pay then pack ur items and voila no annoying voice. Also dont use ur own bags again pack into them after!

MrsBartolozzi

nellykim wrote: »

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 !

Are you aron in another life?

f1982

Self service seemed an interesting novelty at first. I'm sure supermarkets think they look old fashioned without them.

However they are marketed as a speedy way to shop and as we all know it takes twice as long and is less than half as efficient as having a checkout operator do it all for you at lightning speed while you concentrate on packing.
The reason they want you to use them is because they can employ 1 operator to get flustered trying to help 6 people struggle with a job they used to be good at.

There are two tips here:
If you have any more than 5 items and there isn't a big queue go to a proper checkout. It's easier and quicker in the long run.
If you only have a handful of items take them to the kiosk (where they sell cigarettes/lottery).

People are brainwashed into thinking they are a good thing. There are in fact only disadvantages for the consumer.
We really should be boycotting these as they are a step backwards in every way. We should push for better service, not higher profits for the supermarkets.

Middy

fabbbw wrote: »

I work on self scan. Most machines work on weight for security. The best way to get through quick is to not try packing as u can. Put the items straight down on the metal bit. Usually your hand in the bag or picking items up and re ajusting them is what usually triggers the sensors. Wait till uve pressed finish and pay then pack ur items and voila no annoying voice. Also dont use ur own bags again pack into them after!

When I go to other supermarkets and go through ss and customers notice me I never had the woman shrieking at me with 'unexpected item in bagging area' etc, some ask me how do I do it. I reply with either I work for a supermarket or smile at them and say 'Treat it like a lady and if you don't things right, you get told off':rotfl: