Got forced to use self-service check-out once

Post Reply New Topic

I use self-service check-outs in most supermarkets now, but I used to feel anxious about using them for some reason. And one time I was queuing up at a 10-items-or-less till to pay for my stuff, when a worker came up to me and said I can use the self-service tills nearby. I politely said ''I prefer not to, thank you'', but she kind of forced me to use it and I couldn't think of a way to get out of it. She walked over to them and said ''I'll show you how'', like she thought I was only not using them because I didn't know how, which wasn't the reason. So I said ''no, I'm fine where I am, thanks'', but she then pressed start on one of the self-service machines and told me again she will show me how. I then felt everyone else in the queue staring at me and I felt singled out, so I just gave in and went up to the self-service machine. I couldn't be bothered to tell her that I already knew how to use the self-service machines, so I just let her show me how then I got on with it, feeling a little annoyed.

I know she might have wanted to help shorten the queue but it wasn't that long and she could have seen that I wasn't interested and could have just asked somebody else in the queue if they wanted to use the self-service machines, rather than just forcing one person to do it. I was almost at the front of the queue as well, not the last. What would you do in this situation? Do you like being forced to do something you don't feel comfortable in doing if it is not a necessity?

I hear of this happening to people often in supermarkets in the UK but it has yet to happen to me. I am looking forward to it happening though as I already know how I am going to react. I am going to lift my trolly up in a hulk like rage and chuck my would be shopping all over the isles then calmly walk off never to return. I have a problem with authority as it is but a bloody jumped up little shelf stacker is not dictating how i shop.

I like the help yourself aisle.

I like it too, what I don't like is a shop assistant dictating that I use it.

i like the automated register aisles. especially when it says "BANANAS".

Bill Burr has a funny bit on them(some swearing btw)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxINJzqzn4w&feature=kp[/youtube]

Personally I kind of like self check out so I don't have to deal with cashier and people don't like using them so they're usually open. Nice for when you only have a couple items, some people take way too much in the 10 item or less lane. They can be pretty buggy and annoying to use tho. I am not a thief but if I were it seems like self check out would make it A LOT easier. I live in the city now(as opposed to the suburbs) and I haven't seen any yet, I think they have the same idea about how easy it makes stealing.

Dunno why they'd make the point of showing you how to use it, I would of just played dumb and had them ring up everything. Awww shucks, thanks anyways.

I like to use them, but sometimes have problems.

As for your situation, I would have told her 'thank you' again, and something along the lines of 'I like this clerk and prefer to go through their line.' (If it was a female clerk you could have said you have a crush on her.)

I am a real check-out coward and usually get my partner to do it. But in that situation I think I would have just walked out after giving her A LOOK. I hate bullies.

I worked in retail doing custodial stuff & I notice lots of people have problems with those self-checkouts. It takes a cashier to stand by & assist the customers using them so I don't get how it's saving stores money sense they are still paying someone to stand by the register. It just ticks off lots of customers.

I've never used self-checkout. I don't trust the machines to know what money is. And I just can't deal with putting my stuff through something that goes "beep" at me. I have hearing problems with those things. I don't think I could tell if it was my machine beeping at me, or the one next door.

I don't trust the machines, or my self-composure.

that sounds frustrating. it's definitely annoying when people make assumptions about why you do or don't want to do things and don't listen to your actual words.

she very well could have picked you because it's something they were told to do by management to speed up check out, she felt nervous about asking people and you seemed like a nice, easy person to help. then when you said no, because she was nervous she came up with reasons to still help you.

i might've tried saying something along the lines of, it's been a long day, i have a headache and don't feel up to dealing now, sorry. thanks for asking.

i've found that most people are actually very understanding if you express you aren't feeling so-great as long as you apologize to them for how you're feeling! i guess it's honesty as the best policy as long you don't make them feel blamed. you could probably even say you are feeling unwell, which would be true - because you were feeling pressured!

i accidentally learned this "skill" because i used to get shamed and pressured when i expressed not feeling well enough to do something, so i came to think it was a bad thing to not feel well and i started apologizing. once i did that though people seemed to naturally stop doing as much pressuring! i dunno, have other people noticed this?

i don't like the self checkout with produce if you have to look up all the item codes, i feel super rushed and flustered. the good ones let you turn off the beeping though, so i like them when i have a lot of items with bar codes.

while not the nicest thing, it's funny to imagine making her "show you" how to ring up all your items, accomplishing the same thing as the line she took you out of.