Self-service checkouts and "use your own bag"

[JagLover]

OldGermanHeaps said:

The number of people who would be inclined to go from checkout work over to doing an hnc and svqs to then wipe peoples arse and lift them into the bath on an unappealing shift pattern for minimum wage would be extremely small.

Maybe so, but there a large numbers of service sector employers often looking for staff and is serving on the tills all that different to working in general retail?, or in a coffee shop?, or as a receptionist?.

[Forester1965]

OldGermanHeaps said:

The number of people who would be inclined...

Exactly. They might not be inclined and instead choose to man a checkout. When the checkout job disappears, they have to seek other unskilled work and can fill gaps in the workforce elsewhere. And there are gaps.

[Evanivitch]

fizzwheel said:

rodericb said:

Maybe part of the drivers of self-checkout is a lack of people who want to be checkout operators.....?

For the company I work for this in some countries we have stores in this is definitely the case, its very hard to recruit people to work the manned tills.

Even in UK, being on checkouts is a PITA. Most shop floor staff would rather stay stocking shelves, so when the call came to work on checkouts you'd usually hide unless your name was called (an "all hands" call would usually go first)

But then sometimes on checkouts you can have a good chat with customers. Always depends if it's a "big shop" time of day, old folk needing some human chat, or the post
-work dash

[Cotty]

Slow.Patrol said:

pocketspring said:

Also, if you get "randomly" picked for a full scan (this is nonsense, you've been picked up by security on cctv for looking a bit dodgy) then you will be pulled again and again until they're satisfied you're ok.

We worked out that we were guaranteed a check if we scanned something and then decided to put it back and removed it from the scanned items.

Just been to Sainsburys, scanned something then decided against it, removed it from the scanner and put it back on the shelf. Guess what I got my first rescan in ages.

Smart shop tills were closed for some reason. Tried to used the normal self scan till and I could not get the scanner to read the QR code on the screen and needed assistance. After the rescan (they only needed to scan 5 of the 11 items I had) clicked contactless to pay .... nothing. Assistant hit the cash option then the contactless and it worked miraculously, but why doesn't it work the first time

[clockworks]

I tried the "put your bags on the scales with a heavy item" thing and it worked!
First time in ages that I've got through the checkout without needing staff intervention.

[RC1807]

Forester1965 said:

Eric Mc said:

I detest the move to having customers doing all their own work - in ALL walks of life - not just supermarkets.

In many respects I agree, however I use the Sainsbury's self-scan system in the store and it works really well. Just bag up as you go along and pay at the end.

As for part time jobs for people- there are some sectors with shortages (e.g. care). No problem if technology displaces some people from one sector to others with shortages.

Understand what you mean, Eric... but everyone wants the cheapest shopping in their trolleys, and that's part of it, cutting staff costs.
If farmers were paid what it really costs to produce the food everyone buys, supermarkets would struggle to get customers in the door.


I much prefer self scan. The supermarkets we use, Auchan and Delhaize, are very good with them. My wife does most of the shopping, but I go to Delhaize to select my preferred vino collapso, self scanning and not needing to mess about at the checkout unloading / loading it all again.
It's quick and convenient.

[Red Devil]

Cotty said:

Road2Ruin said:

'Scan as you shop' is where the future is. So easy. I never scan at the till anymore.

I used to do this when I did my weekly shop, changed to delivery as got fed up of car park dings.

At least a year ago I went to Sainsburys and tried to pick up a scanner. Swipe card and nothing happened, asked for assistance and they said the card reader does not work, touch the screen on the scanner pick up the gun and scan the barcode on your card. I suggested putting a note up saying that the card reader doesn't work. In yesterday and a lady is trying to swipe her card and nothing, I showed her how to get a gun. But one year later still not fixed and no note to tell you how to get the gun

I've been using Sainsbury's hand held scanners since they were first introduced.in my local store.
Why do you need a note when the home screen displays a clearly visible message telling you to tap to release from the holder?

[r3g]

Red Devil said:

I've been using Sainsbury's hand held scanners since they were first introduced.in my local store.
Why do you need a note when the home screen displays a clearly visible message telling you to tap to release from the holder?

Reading is hard, man .

[jdw100]

I prefer trolley or basket: go to till.

Have person scan it and bag it for me.

Someone standing ready to dash off to check a price, replace a damaged item or grab a box or ice if needed etc.

Wheel trolley to car, declining offer of assistance from security/parking guy. Leave trolley for security/parking to return.

If I had to do my own check out activities I’d want some wages.

[lancslad58]

jdw100 said:

I prefer trolley or basket: go to till.

Have person scan it and bag it for me.

Someone standing ready to dash off to check a price, replace a damaged item or grab a box or ice if needed etc.

Wheel trolley to car, declining offer of assistance from security/parking guy. Leave trolley for security/parking to return.

If I had to do my own check out activities I’d want some wages.

So how do you put petrol in your car ? Years ago all garages employed pump attendants to do the job for you but these days it's assumed people have the skills to do it themselves.

[jdw100]

lancslad58 said:

jdw100 said:

I prefer trolley or basket: go to till.

Have person scan it and bag it for me.

Someone standing ready to dash off to check a price, replace a damaged item or grab a box or ice if needed etc.

Wheel trolley to car, declining offer of assistance from security/parking guy. Leave trolley for security/parking to return.

If I had to do my own check out activities I’d want some wages.

So how do you put petrol in your car ? Years ago all garages employed pump attendants to do the job for you but these days it's assumed people have the skills to do it themselves.

I haven’t put petrol in a car for years.

Same as putting nitrogen in tyres. Once a month I get an attendant at the petrol station to check all four and top up as necessary.

I do have the skills though. Why would I want to get out of car and handle a pump though? I wouldn’t unload groceries from the van if delivered to my house.

[Brainpox]

Re scan as you shop. I shop at Tesco almost every week. I must have built up a ‘good’ profile as I haven’t been checked at all since 2022. Doesn’t seem to matter what I buy or remove from the basket on the way round

[Cotty]

Red Devil said:

I've been using Sainsbury's hand held scanners since they were first introduced.in my local store.
Why do you need a note when the home screen displays a clearly visible message telling you to tap to release from the holder?

When the scanners were first introduced the guns were locked in their holders. The customer had to swipe their nectar card and one holder would unlock and iluminate indicating that that is the gun you are to use. The procedure changed so you now tap a gun and use the gun to scan your nectar card.

But there is nothing to say the prcedure has changed and the instructions and unit to swipe your card is still there. People are still swiping their card as thats what the instructions say to do. Why not update the instructions and take the card swipe unit away.

Maybe when the guns were introduced to your store they were already uing the newer method and wouldn't have the card swipe unit by the guns.

Edited by Cotty on Saturday 13th April 10:57

[markymarkthree]

lancslad58 said:

So how do you put petrol in your car ? Years ago all garages employed pump attendants to do the job for you but these days it's assumed people have the skills to do it themselves.

Judging by the amount missfuels these days, nope.

[Cotty]

lancslad58 said:

So how do you put petrol in your car ? Years ago all garages employed pump attendants to do the job for you but these days it's assumed people have the skills to do it themselves.

Profile says Indonesia
"Gas stations in Indonesia typically don't offer self-service for gasoline due to the availability of a large workforce and a desire to provide employment opportunities. ".

[richhead]

jdw100 said:

I haven’t put petrol in a car for years.

Same as putting nitrogen in tyres. Once a month I get an attendant at the petrol station to check all four and top up as necessary.

I do have the skills though. Why would I want to get out of car and handle a pump though? I wouldn’t unload groceries from the van if delivered to my house.

why put nitrogen in tyres, are you an F1 driver?

[jdw100]

richhead said:

jdw100 said:

I haven’t put petrol in a car for years.

Same as putting nitrogen in tyres. Once a month I get an attendant at the petrol station to check all four and top up as necessary.

I do have the skills though. Why would I want to get out of car and handle a pump though? I wouldn’t unload groceries from the van if delivered to my house.

why put nitrogen in tyres, are you an F1 driver?

It’s what’s used. Don’t think they do just air.

£1 every month or so.

I doubt i see a performance benefit with the traffic here at times!

[richhead]

jdw100 said:

It’s what’s used. Don’t think they do just air.

£1 every month or so.

I doubt i see a performance benefit with the traffic here at times!

if thats whats used where you are, then fair enough.
There is no performance benifit to using nitrogen, its just more predictable as less water vapour, but it only works if the tyre is vaced out after mounting much like an a/c system to remove the water vapour.

[Digger]

Sainsbury's SmartShop is ace going round scanning & popping everything in to your bag.

Get to the SmartShop checkouts avoiding the queues.

Except I still have to wait for a member of staff to wander over & confirm I am still a raging alcoholic

[eldar]

jdw100 said:

I haven’t put petrol in a car for years.

Same as putting nitrogen in tyres. Once a month I get an attendant at the petrol station to check all four and top up as necessary.

I do have the skills though. Why would I want to get out of car and handle a pump though? I wouldn’t unload groceries from the van if delivered to my house.

Does the same apply to masturbation?