MSE Forum poll: Self checkout vs human cashier?

SonOfPearl

Human cashier. The machines rarely work properly and end up taking more time. Plus, I'd rather help keep someone in a job. Yes, I know the staff do more than just serve customers, but eventually if we all go to the self checkout there will be less work needed and less staff employed. 

RedLipstick

I'm very much a self checkout person as most of the time I'm doing shopping I'm also on a call, though for few months now I make an active effort to go to human cashier, I prefer they keep their jobs, I hope it helps! 

valbo

Human cashier always. I can pack my bag while they scan the items.  When I've been through self service tills with my husband it's taken longer by the time you do a cashiers job scanning the items and packing your bags - which you can't reorganise or the machine yells at you. I've no patience with self service machines as they often go wrong.

ShinyStarlight1

MSE_JC said:

You're the only customer in the supermarket and have five small-to-medium size items in your basket. For the sake of argument, let's say: a pint of milk, a jar of peanut butter, a box of cereal, a loaf of bread and a tin of baked beans. To paraphrase Louis Armstrong, you have all the time in the world.

On one side, the self checkouts...on the other, human cashiers on tills with conveyor belts. Which one would you go for?

Vote in the poll then tell us your reasons in the thread.

Those machines make life very difficult for those with visual impairments, those who are unconfident with technology, those with learning disabilities, and many elderly people. That’s a lot of people in our society. They are in the interest of the business, not its customers.

SootySweep1

If I use a self checkout so many times something goes wrong eg unexpected item in the bagging area & somebody has to come over so much prefer a human checkout operator 

Newly_retired

Given no queues at human checkout or self-service, I would choose a human checkout. But that situation never happens. 

At human checkouts, if indeed one is actually open, people have full trollies, so it would be quicker to use the self service for a few items. Yes, it usually goes wrong and an assistant has to help, but it is rare to wait for that help. I take two bags with me and load them equally, so I can weight them evenly.

itsthelittlethings

Self checkout but if the cashier looked really bored and I had a bit of chat in me, I might subject them to it.

vacheron

Vote in the poll then tell us your reasons in the thread.

If, as suggested by the article photo, I am incapable of isserting my card the corrct way into a chip and pin machine, then I would probably be incluined to use the staffed checkout! 

In reality though I would probably use the self checkout beause we have been subltly conditioned by the supermarked advertising over the years to use these for the small shops, so it almost makes you feel guilty to use a staffed checkout. 

For that reason I tend to use them only if I have a large shop, so someone can be scanning while I am packing, or if I had lots of loose items without codes. I can't be bothered with all the hassle of finding the items on the self checkouts.