Saturday, April 7 - I'll never use a Self check-out
Well, self check outs at the grocery stores....I can't stand them!!! My sweet husband and I have said for a long time now that we won't use them out of principles. Like, "why should we do the work of checking the food and packing the bags, but not get a discount?" We are saving that store money on not having more cashiers there, less money for the store to pay out, shouldn't we get a discount on our groceries if we are willing to do the work? Also, as I've told our kids, the more people that use the self check outs, then the more self check outs they will get and the less jobs available for cashiers. That just doesn't seem right!
Now I'll admit, every once in a while we would use them if we only had a couple of items, all because the girls would beg us to. They enjoy pretending to be the cashier. But a while ago we announced no more of that.
Today I was at the grocery store w/my middle child. We were very pressed for time as I needed to pick up my oldest in 25 minutes and it is a 15 minute drive from where we were. The store is packed, the lines are long. We get in what seems to be the shortest/quickest at the time line. My daughter suggests we use the self check out since we are in a hurry and it would obviously be quicker. I did slightly ponder the idea, as I didn't want to be late for picking up child #1. She was in an area of another town that I wouldn't want her to have to wait outside too long by herself. But I stood firm and said NO.
After 2 minutes of waiting in line and getting absolutely nowhere, I broke down and went to the self check out!! UUUgggggghhhhhhhhh! I will NEVER EVER use one again! That thing was terrible. I scan an item in, put it in the bag, scan an item in, put it in the bag.
Machine: "Item removed from bag area, replace item."
Me and child #2: "what is it talking about, we didn't remove anything" and we patiently wait for the attendant to come help us. he punches in some code and it works again.
Machine: "Extra item in bag, remove item from baggage area".
Us: "Huh???? We scanned an item and put it in the bag!" Again, wait for attendant.
Machine: "Item removed from bag area, replace item" Attendant helps
Machine: "Item removed from bag area, replace item" Attendant helps
Machine: "Extra item in bag. Remove item from baggage area" Attendant helps
Machine: "Item removed from bag area, replace item"
Us: "UUUUHHHHgggggg, we have to move the bags to fill more bags!!!!!" Frustration is greatly mounting now.
After this repeating numerous times, I finally nicely tell the attendant, "Either you finish this or I'm leaving it all here! I am done with this machine!"
Every time we filled a bag and removed it to our cart, it complained. Every time our knee or leg brushed up against the area where the bags were, it complained.
At least 10 times while I was doing it and he was doing it for me, that awful machine said something was wrong and he needed to punch in or scan his code! It took us 3x longer than it would to have waiting in the line. The nice boy said earlier in this ordeal that a lot of customers complain out these and that even the employees do as well. Well then, GET RID OF THEM!!!
I am officially announcing that I will never use one again!
Comments
Saturday, April 7 - Amen
Posted by mojmommy
Saturday, April 7 - Hi!
Posted by purityseekers
That is so funny about your self-checkout experience. Although I know exactly where you are coming from... it seems like my husband and I are always trying to use them when we are out without the kids. (that is RARE!! hehe) And to be honest... I was always a "checkout girl wanna-be" haha so when I can scan my little barcodes I get this weird high from it! haha BUT I know exactly what you mean!! They can drive you nuts and in so many cases the cashier (that watches you like you are a thief) ends up having to come over because you have bananas to weigh or some other strange issue.
After your post I am going to try to get over my compulsion to want to scan those darn bar codes (haha) and make THEM do what they are getting paid for!! Heck...if I'm out without my kids... who wants to have to do ANY work???
Nice to meet you!! :)
Tuesday, April 10 - Hi Julie!
Posted by PlainJane
I agree with the self check outs. We have tried it only twice - once at a building supply store - that went okay; and once at the grocery store, and had the same message pop up at every item. There was a young gal just standing behind a pulpit-looking thing nearby, monitoring and smiling, but not helping - why couldn't she just as well be checking out. I don't know if I'll ever use it again. Definitely not a time saver if you ask me and I usually have fruit that needs weighing.
