Self checkout machines in Supermarkets.

r2-hinds

Just wondering what sort of problems people encounter with these machines and how people think they can be improved.

DKLS

Some form of technology that recognises I am over 18 and can buy alcohol or paracetamol, without the machine beeping for an assistant.


Also change that sodding "unexpected item in bagging area" message, a Cat would be an unexpected item not a loaf of bread.

stephen77

Stop beeping when it has not recognised the item, if I hear a beep I bag it.
Then it tells me unexpected item in bagging please take out.

alanq

The main problem that I find is when they query weights. If one takes a moment to rearrange the shopping between bags suddenly there is a query. Then having waited for an assistant on all but one occasion the contents of the bags have not been checked. Thus if I had been up to no good I would not have been caught so what was the point?

Understaffing can be an issue with one member of staff covering up to a dozen self-service tills leading to long delays in getting attention - sometimes with the customers who have been waiting longest being seen last.

A gripe with some machines is that multi-buy and other discounts are only shown at the very last moment when paying. With ASDA discounts are shown at the top of the screen as soon as they are registered. I have found that with M&S and Sainsbury this is not the case. On occasions I have abandoned purchases because I was not sure that I would be getting the discount and did not have the time to waste finding out.

alanq

DKLS wrote: »

Some form of technology that recognises I am over 18 and can buy alcohol or paracetamol, without the machine beeping for an assistant.

I was surprised that the self-service machine did not call for an age check when buying paracetamol in ASDA. On checking I learned that "There are no legal age restrictions for buying over-the-counter (OTC) medicines" . (I assume each shop is free to impose its own restrictions if it wishes).
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1009.aspx?CategoryID=62&SubCategoryID=66

I was also surprised to read over the weekend that age checks apply to the sale of "non-alcoholic" wines and beers that are sold from the alcoholic drinks department and contain traces of alcohol. An assistant (rightly?) refused to sell such a drink to a 21-year old because he was accompanied by a teenager. The law is stupid. (The MSE Forum nannybot won't allow me to use the customary expression comparing it to an equine beast!) Misuse of the paracetamol would cause far more damage than a beverage containing traces of alcohol.

lovingtescoforever

alanq wrote: »

The main problem that I find is when they query weights. If one takes a moment to rearrange the shopping between bags suddenly there is a query. Then having waited for an assistant on all but one occasion the contents of the bags have not been checked. Thus if I had been up to no good I would not have been caught so what was the point?

Understaffing can be an issue with one member of staff covering up to a dozen self-service tills leading to long delays in getting attention - sometimes with the customers who have been waiting longest being seen last.

A gripe with some machines is that multi-buy and other discounts are only shown at the very last moment when paying. With ASDA discounts are shown at the top of the screen as soon as they are registered. I have found that with M&S and Sainsbury this is not the case. On occasions I have abandoned purchases because I was not sure that I would be getting the discount and did not have the time to waste finding out.

Theft happens on self checkouts and is known however it is more cost effective to have the machines than pay the labour for staffing. Most of the time I do check the content when "unexpected item blah blah" however sometimes if I'm rushed of my feet then I will indeed trust the shopper.

It's not very hard to select finish and pay. See discounts and go back and carry on scanning... Takes a mater of seconds.

I work on these machines and they really are so easy to use. Frustrating as most of the time it's the customer who causes problems not the machine being funny...

Also if your 40+ years old saying a joke about how you need to be asked for ID or your just over 18 is tiresome. When I've heard it hundreds of time I don't bother to fake laugh anymore.

Also I don't know why people in pairs feel the need to scan, pack and then while one scans the next item the other takes the item out and repacks it... :mad: causing me to explain that their method is the reason. Scan, pack and pay.

It really is easy and I never have issues.

I could go on but I won't.

To answer the OP original question there's a array of things.

For example manually reduce a product which isn't possible on most self checkout machines... For example say a product has a £5 sticker on. Scans at £6. You can't reduce it on the machines. You have to do it on a manned till which is hassle when it really should be possible.

Other issues would be to have a limit to how many machines a staff member should be working on. 6 machine for one person is a perfect number. I have shopped in tesco where there's 10 for one staff member which is what causes delays as that's just ridiculous IMO especially when it's busy and people decide to have a trolley full and kids who decide to sit on the bagging area...

Get rid of all the gaps and holes in the machines (especially on the scanner element) where change and rubbish can get in. When the machines I work at get fixed or changed they will find a lot of awful rubbish including most likely lots of small change.

That's all I can think of ATM.

lovingtescoforever

stephen77 wrote: »

Stop beeping when it has not recognised the item, if I hear a beep I bag it.
Then it tells me unexpected item in bagging please take out.

Are you sure it was your machine beeping
For some reason reduced items sometimes takes two beeps to register the product. I believe that's due to the other barcode slightly showing.


Ah another annoyance.

Typing in barcodes on items and having a 15 digit number and not having a backspace button when you make mistake on the 14 digit:mad::mad: whoever thought of just having a "clear" button should be shot or made to work on the machines 24/7

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

My local Morrison's won't let me scan a coupon for my daily newspaper; always insists on calling the assistant over.

lovingtescoforever

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

My local Morrison's won't let me scan a coupon for my daily newspaper; always insists on calling the assistant over.

Probably due to the fact that the paper may increase or decrease in price in the future. Thus if it was automatically scanned at £2 for example and went up to £2.15 in 4 months lots of angry customers would be wanting their 15p back

maman

I've tried these and given up on them.

Most recently I had paracetamol so an assistant came to authorise. I knew I had another restricted item (more paracetamol?) and tried to stop her flying away but she'd gone! so I had to wait all over again. Plus with so many vouchers and loyalty cards and other bits, it gets complex. And it seems to want me to behave like a machine too and I'm not!!

I know some people like them for buying a few bits without a queue but overall they're just a way of the shop saving money which I suspect cuts back on (much needed) jobs and increases profits.

macsoupdragon

When I put a part filled bag to continue using .... No it doesn't like it - could it just not be a heavy bag! Also never know when to move the bag to start the second bag.