Why Self-Checkout Is and Has Always Been the Worst(gizmodo.com)
gizmodo.com
Why Self-Checkout Is and Has Always Been the Worst
https://gizmodo.com/why-self-checkout-is-and-has-always-been-the-worst-1833106695
43 comments
Same! I love self-checkout. It's easy for me to breeze through when I just want to pick up a few items.
If I need to buy something that requires a human employee (like alcohol), I just use regular checkout.
If I need to buy something that requires a human employee (like alcohol), I just use regular checkout.
Yeah, it sounds like it. I loathe self-checkout and do my best to avoid it, but when I had to use it, I've never had a problem completing the process.
I disagree with you.
I've used self-checkout 4 times in 4 different stores in the last week and had a problem 2 out of 4 times. 50% success is not success.
Every store is different:
- Do they weigh stuff in the bagging area?
- Do they scan produce bar codes?
- Does it take cash, or card only?
- Is there annoying lag? (Frequently, yes!)
- Is it going to scan something twice because I hovered, because it lagged?
Also, let me ask:
- Why isn't there space for my cart?
- Why am I juggling stuff in a tiny bagging area?
- Why do the bagging area hooks suck?
- Why is there only one attendant in the stores that have really sucky systems?
- Why are half the self-checkout kiosks closed?
Self-checkout is not made for shoppers. I prefer self-checkout, but I wish good systems were more common.
I've used self-checkout 4 times in 4 different stores in the last week and had a problem 2 out of 4 times. 50% success is not success.
Every store is different:
- Do they weigh stuff in the bagging area?
- Do they scan produce bar codes?
- Does it take cash, or card only?
- Is there annoying lag? (Frequently, yes!)
- Is it going to scan something twice because I hovered, because it lagged?
Also, let me ask:
- Why isn't there space for my cart?
- Why am I juggling stuff in a tiny bagging area?
- Why do the bagging area hooks suck?
- Why is there only one attendant in the stores that have really sucky systems?
- Why are half the self-checkout kiosks closed?
Self-checkout is not made for shoppers. I prefer self-checkout, but I wish good systems were more common.
That you've managed to have problems does not negate the fact I have as many bad experiences per year as you've had total experiences this year (this yer alone, I've used self-checkout at least 80 times ... probably a lot more)
Dislike self-checkout you want, but still sounds like a "you" problem, and not a "self-checkout" problem
Neat fact! You don't have to self-checkout at any store I've been to in the last 5 years (unless it's super weird hours ... and even then - you're probably there by yourself, so the attendant's likely to come over to "help" just to have something to do)
Dislike self-checkout you want, but still sounds like a "you" problem, and not a "self-checkout" problem
Neat fact! You don't have to self-checkout at any store I've been to in the last 5 years (unless it's super weird hours ... and even then - you're probably there by yourself, so the attendant's likely to come over to "help" just to have something to do)
1st problem: Scan gun for home center materials did not work as the system was momentarily down.
2nd problem: 2 barcodes on the product.
Not sure which one of these is a "me" problem. You also misread my comment.
Sounds like you just want to throw around low-effort personal insults instead of addressing anything I said. This is HN, you can do better.
2nd problem: 2 barcodes on the product.
Not sure which one of these is a "me" problem. You also misread my comment.
Sounds like you just want to throw around low-effort personal insults instead of addressing anything I said. This is HN, you can do better.
>Sounds like you just want to throw around low-effort personal insults instead of addressing anything I said. This is HN, you can do better.
You're insulting my success (and, quite frankly, the overwhelming majority of people I've observed over the last close to decade) with self-checkout by saying you have had 2 bad experiences?
You can do better
Or maybe you can't?
You're insulting my success (and, quite frankly, the overwhelming majority of people I've observed over the last close to decade) with self-checkout by saying you have had 2 bad experiences?
You can do better
Or maybe you can't?
Self checkout in combination with a regular cashier is great. Not because I want to go through the person but because people will form unreasonably long lines to avoid self checkout. This means I can normally have a minimal wait as the self checkout is less congested.
I'm using self checkout almost daily, in different stores with different systems. I almost never have any issues. The last time I had to call for help due to an unscannable bar code was at least 6 months ago. Staff is also available to approve purchases that has a minimum age requirement.
I don't recognize the situation that you describe, and I have been using these several times a week for a decade.
You mention paying by cash, which tells me you are probably an American (I pay by card or an app). It could be that your systems are worse, but there's nothing wrong with self checkout in general
I don't recognize the situation that you describe, and I have been using these several times a week for a decade.
You mention paying by cash, which tells me you are probably an American (I pay by card or an app). It could be that your systems are worse, but there's nothing wrong with self checkout in general
fwiw - I've only done self checkout in the US
cash or card, have a couple issues per year total (across hundreds upon hundreds of transactions)
cash or card, have a couple issues per year total (across hundreds upon hundreds of transactions)
Do you ever buy alcohol?
I have alcohol delivered to my house because it is the year 2023.
People who have trouble with self-checkouts remind me of drivers who never get an oil change and then complain about how crappy their car is when it breaks down, or people who take more than 25 seconds to complete an ATM transaction.
People who have trouble with self-checkouts remind me of drivers who never get an oil change and then complain about how crappy their car is when it breaks down, or people who take more than 25 seconds to complete an ATM transaction.
Tesco do the age verification step remotely so at their tills there's no interruption if you buy alcohol.
yes - and I either use the drive-thru at the local liquor store, or I go in and browse
no self-checkout options at either
no self-checkout options at either
The self checkout at Costco is almost flawless and convenient.
The one flaw I've found is, don't scan the twelve pack of 1 litre apple juice bricks (assuming you can even lift it) and then try to heft it onto the tray (like every thing else). Because, just as you do that it then tells you "Don't but the apple juice in the tray, like everything else.". A real back breaker.
Pro tip, ask an attendant to scan your apple juice and leave it in the cart.
The one flaw I've found is, don't scan the twelve pack of 1 litre apple juice bricks (assuming you can even lift it) and then try to heft it onto the tray (like every thing else). Because, just as you do that it then tells you "Don't but the apple juice in the tray, like everything else.". A real back breaker.
Pro tip, ask an attendant to scan your apple juice and leave it in the cart.
Don't understand the according-to-this-article common dislike of self-checkout. I love self-checkout, especially when just buying a few things.
Walmart's implementation used to be superpicky about bagging, but even there's has become relatively pain-free in my experience and almost always better than waiting in line. I wish there were more self-checkout lines at walmart.
Walmart's implementation used to be superpicky about bagging, but even there's has become relatively pain-free in my experience and almost always better than waiting in line. I wish there were more self-checkout lines at walmart.
Why would someone admit their obvious lack of rudimentary skills? The only time I ever have an issue is with grocery stores and produce - but most everywhere else and as others pointed out, at costco, self checkout is a godsend.
In one of the supermarket chains in Norway, we have self-service in that you get a scanner that goes along with the cart. You put bags in the cart when you enter the store, and then scan the groceries as you pick them from the shelf and put them in the bags. When you get to the checkout, you put the scanner in a dock and then pay. Done. Hardly ever fails. It's just so unbelievably much quicker that I dread going in a store without.
As an added bonus, since you're bagging as you put things in the cart, you can now also sort the items in different bags according to where in the house you're going to put the items when you get home, so you'll save time unpacking, too.
And lamenting the loss of store greeters... makes me think that perhaps the real issue here is the same as why some people actually want to tip at restaurants: It's not about getting the job done, but rather the feeling of having other people working for you.
As an added bonus, since you're bagging as you put things in the cart, you can now also sort the items in different bags according to where in the house you're going to put the items when you get home, so you'll save time unpacking, too.
And lamenting the loss of store greeters... makes me think that perhaps the real issue here is the same as why some people actually want to tip at restaurants: It's not about getting the job done, but rather the feeling of having other people working for you.
Self-checkout used to be a pain but recently the machines are very streamlined (plus us customers have got used to it and probably adjusted our behaviours too). For me it's usually as fast or faster than one of the staffed tills.
Self checkout is fine, but wow do I detest the garbled insanity of a half dozen machines loudly reporting every little change.
There's a huge section of the store that is now cursed by these absurd idiotic monster's incessant bleetings.
There's a huge section of the store that is now cursed by these absurd idiotic monster's incessant bleetings.
> I detest the garbled insanity of a half dozen machines loudly reporting every little change.
That's one of the things that makes me hate self-checkout. I wish those things would just shut up. At least human cashiers don't loudly announce the price (and sometimes the product) of every thing I'm buying.
That's one of the things that makes me hate self-checkout. I wish those things would just shut up. At least human cashiers don't loudly announce the price (and sometimes the product) of every thing I'm buying.
If someone from the past arrived here I think this is one of the key areas they might be rightly downright horrified. Most of this world is at least somewhat orderly, blemished maybe but at least has some real point, facilitates things along. This is just a jarring & immediate bad zone, a notable sincere unpleasantness, that simply has no real reason to be so chaotic.
Um, what is this about ? Sounds nuts.
Here in Finland, there's some babbling at the start/end of each stage, but as for scanning each individual item, it just BEEPs when a barcode registers successfully.
Here in Finland, there's some babbling at the start/end of each stage, but as for scanning each individual item, it just BEEPs when a barcode registers successfully.
Such a stupid article in my opinion. I hate this automatic idea that its all about reducing profits as well, there is also upside to using self serve checkouts for customers.
Did people simply forget when a cashier had to jump on the intercom and call for service because an item wouldn't scan?
It feels awkward to me that I need to unload my groceries onto a belt, so that someone else can pick them up, scan them and bag them, when I can do all of that myself. I completely understand if you're elderly or if you have a lot of groceries, but apart from that, it's better for me as a customer.
Did people simply forget when a cashier had to jump on the intercom and call for service because an item wouldn't scan?
It feels awkward to me that I need to unload my groceries onto a belt, so that someone else can pick them up, scan them and bag them, when I can do all of that myself. I completely understand if you're elderly or if you have a lot of groceries, but apart from that, it's better for me as a customer.
>I have literally never, as in not one single time, successfully completed a checkout at a self-service station in a grocery store without having to call a human employee over.
Skill issue. It's not like I've never had a checker have to call for a price check or have someone do a bad job bagging my groceries. Especially if I just have one or two things, it's nice. Sometimes I just don't want to talk to anyone.
Skill issue. It's not like I've never had a checker have to call for a price check or have someone do a bad job bagging my groceries. Especially if I just have one or two things, it's nice. Sometimes I just don't want to talk to anyone.
My biggest problem with self checkouts is people who are bringing way too many things through them. There's no room for huge shopping carts for these and people are slow at scanning and bagging so those people take forever. Take your cart to a cashier!
But also some people just plain don't know what they are doing. I don't mind them as much but they should still go to the cashiers.
But also some people just plain don't know what they are doing. I don't mind them as much but they should still go to the cashiers.
Asda (owned by Walmart) solved this one - you can pull a shopping trolley up to the larger self-checkout and there's plenty of space.
It is usually not a problem with the space, it's the speed.
People emptying a whole cart and scanning and bagging take forever.
It is much more efficient for them to go to a cashier for their larger orders.
The comment I made about space was just that the lack of space should be an indicator that they should not be using the self checkout with their large order.
People emptying a whole cart and scanning and bagging take forever.
It is much more efficient for them to go to a cashier for their larger orders.
The comment I made about space was just that the lack of space should be an indicator that they should not be using the self checkout with their large order.
For some reason the self checkouts I’ve used in California seem much worse than the ones I used in the UK before I moved 10 years ago. There’s also the silly rule that you can’t put beer through the self checkout (in the UK you just had a cashier authorise you) and have to go to the really long non self checkout line instead.
Self-checkout works well as the “express lane”.
It’s far faster with an experienced cashier, once you have more than a few items.
It’s far faster with an experienced cashier, once you have more than a few items.
Here you can scan what you buy with your phone and when you exit the store pay with app.
I can pack the things straight in my bike bag and just walk out of the store. So much more convenient than everything else.
What's next? Making me unload the truck and stock the shelves? All while I pay the same or even more than now.
Used to be that you went to the store, stopped at the counter, and asked the clerk to fetch items for you, some still work this way (like bakeries).
Yet nobody complains about the shift to having to walk around to fetch and carry their own groceries.
It’s just a cultural shift.
Yet nobody complains about the shift to having to walk around to fetch and carry their own groceries.
It’s just a cultural shift.
Is this the difference between the titles 'cashier' and 'clerk'?
That shift happened a long time ago. Probably people did complain at the time?
It's not a cultural shift. This is externally imposed. Shoppers are not installing self checkout machines in stores, the companies are doing so to increase profits.
I'm expected to pay the same price for less service and be okay with that.
I'm expected to pay the same price for less service and be okay with that.
I like self checkout because the lines are shorter. So I see it as trading some effort for time back. Also, I feel like a jerk just standing there watching someone bag my bags - I would rather scan and bag my food than just stand there flipping through my phone or making small talk with people who are working.
Just my perspective - seems like as long as there are both options, everyone can pick what they prefer.
Just my perspective - seems like as long as there are both options, everyone can pick what they prefer.
I don't understand what you are saying. Externally imposed?
The shop owners are deciding to install self check out just, as shop owner Clarence Saunders decided to do away with clerks in 1916 in order to increase profits.
He also expected customers to pay the same price for less service and be okay with that.
The shop owners are deciding to install self check out just, as shop owner Clarence Saunders decided to do away with clerks in 1916 in order to increase profits.
He also expected customers to pay the same price for less service and be okay with that.
I used to prefer going to a regular cashier. But early in the pandemic, when all the health advice was about contact-spreading and hand washing, we switched to self-checkout with a cart and doing the bagging back at our car, where we left our own bags.
Now, it's become a habit and I realize we prefer not to have the distracted or rushed staff smashing all our groceries into bags in the worst order possible. It's also become almost a towers of hanoi game for me to carefully unload our full cart onto that little weighing platform and then back into the cart. I will defer buying alcohol since it requires regular cashier service here.
Early on, I fought the systems and swore at terrible UX, until I found how to pace myself for the machine. It's also a team sport. While I amuse myself with the object packing problem, my wife likes to audit the pricing system. Almost all our calls for support have to do with her principled refusal to accept their errors, which are almost always in the store's favor. It borders on fraud how often the scanned prices do not match what was published in weekly ads or posted on the shelf.
Now, it's become a habit and I realize we prefer not to have the distracted or rushed staff smashing all our groceries into bags in the worst order possible. It's also become almost a towers of hanoi game for me to carefully unload our full cart onto that little weighing platform and then back into the cart. I will defer buying alcohol since it requires regular cashier service here.
Early on, I fought the systems and swore at terrible UX, until I found how to pace myself for the machine. It's also a team sport. While I amuse myself with the object packing problem, my wife likes to audit the pricing system. Almost all our calls for support have to do with her principled refusal to accept their errors, which are almost always in the store's favor. It borders on fraud how often the scanned prices do not match what was published in weekly ads or posted on the shelf.
Every change that has ever been undertaken in any industry has been externally imposed on the customer by industry including the shift from the merchant fetching goods to the customer doing so. You are expected to gripe about it and keep paying. So long as every major player is doing the same thing it matters little if you gripe about it because your decision is going to be self check at A or self check at B. You could also self check at the company website and have it delivered if you prefer.
I’d much rather go to a store with self checkout than one that doesn’t have it.
Sounds like a "you" problem, mate
I average maybe 3 or 4 calls/year (and I self checkout substantially more frequently than not (and across multiple stores that offer the option))