Automated Checkout Machines

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I love em, don't gotta wait in line usually, don't gotta deal with anyone, I can go to Kroger's and never talk to a single person.

There's self-checkouts at the WalMart here & I HATE those things. Lots of customers can not figure out how to use those machines including me. I keep needing assistance from a cashier & it sux because WalMart is paying someone to stand around watching others checkout when things would probably be faster is that person checked people out instead.

One bad thing about them is they've got me so used to a humanless transaction that when a human is required, I freak out and can't make my purchase.

I hate when this happens, if you work really slowly they usually stop doing this, but that should not be necessary. I think they are just programmed for people who move slowly, I wish they had an advanced user option.

Overall though I love these machines. With the normal conveyor belt I have a compulsion to stack similar items, line up items, organise by shape and size, etc. Even if the machine fails and I have to interact with someone, at least they have not just witnessed me do this.

I like Raley's. They unload the cart for you.

Oh my god, self checkout machines are one of my favorite inventions of all time... I'm not even kidding lol.

1) They save me the awkward interactions with a person. It's not even that I don't know what to do, I can fake normalcy perfectly well, I just hate it. I hate it hate it hate it. I can't really describe what it feels like, but it just makes me so anxious. I feel like something bad will happen.

2) SCANNING MY OWN ITEMS IS SO FUN! I love it. I'd love to be a grocery store cashier... Minus the customer interaction, of course, so that's not really possible hahaha.

The machine usually just keeps shouting at me, so I try to avoid them.

Whenever I've used them, they keep ranting on about "unauthorised item on the platform" or some rubbish...then someone has to come over to "help" me anyway, only for them to helpfully reveal the thing's just broken for everyone!

But admittedly, I've only ever tried them in one store...the experience put me off, so maybe I'll try one somewhere else after reading your opinions!

In my local Asda [Wal-mart] there are 12 machines all supervised by 1 person. If I get any hassle or rejects I just abandon the transaction and either leave the store empty handed and go elswhere or join the queue for a human checkout operator if the queue isn`t too bad. Another problem is the machine only reads and accepts English banknotes so the supervisor has to walk half a mile to the service desk to exchange your Scottish note for an English one.

In Tesco they have a conveyor belt that places your scanned items in the bagging area. It goes back and forth with any suspect item. REMOVE ITEM ? BAG ITEM ? to me, to you, to me, to you, to me etc.
My milk ends up as double cream when I get home with all the shaking it gets.

It was almost thrilling to see this topic Unfortunately, it takes more shinies to thrill me. However, I do eagerly make use of automated checkout machines whenever possible. I get really embarrassed when I have to deal with the "cashier/customer" exchange. It seems like everyone else knows how to do everything already, while I have to stumble awkwardly through purchases. I can never remember whether I need to present the money first and then recieve the items or wait until it is time to exchange the items for the money. I can only pay in cash, so to minimize the weirdness I prepare exact change (with tax!) by checking prices online... Or ask my sister or someone else take care of the process. I would hate to be a cashier. I don't even like cashiers. It's the same reason I wouldn't want to be a teacher or a security guard. (The latter is also not an option because I'm a wimp.) Sorry, I got sidetracked.

heh yeah that's super annoying when it happens but I've gotten my plan down pat if it does. Hit the "help" button ASAP to stop the irritating recorded voice.

I actually really like the automated check-outs. I use them whenever a store has them available. Grocery stores set off my over-stimulation and irritate me with the lighting and noise. I just want to get out as soon as I possibly can. Usually the automated checkout is fastest. I was a cashier before and I'm really quick and I like doing it myself also. Another thing that bothers me going through a cashier checkout is that often now they don't have baggers and the cashiers have no clue how to properly divide the groceries and bag them and that drives me nuts. I have to stop them and do it myself anyway.

Generally, I prefer to shop at small independent shops, but for budget purposes, I can't not shop for some things at the big stores, because it's more economical. If I had my way, though, I'd never have to step foot in one ever again.

Yes and I always use it. I can't say i'm really bothered by the
checkout workers around here though. I just find the automated
ones very convenient. I live in the 12th largest metropolitian area
in the country and even checkout workers in the big city aren't
very friendly.

Friendliness is seen as a very good thing to many people and
lack thereof is viewed as one the great evils of the big city.

It's a very bad thing for me.....I would wither and die in a small
town where everybody knows one another and people aren't
as standoffish. I spent some time in Key West and that was bad
enough. I'd see the same people walking their dogs everyday
and they'd always try to talk to me. I'd usually disappear when
I saw them coming or act like I was on the phone or something.


People around here don't even try to make eye contact with strangers.

I don't want to be bullied, I don't want people to try to be all buddy-buddy
with me....I just want to be left in peace.

Once you've mentally reverse-engineered the machine, you can usually make it work pretty well.

I don't like dealing with store workers who are my own age and younger since I feel weird around them, but if there's a 70-something lady, I'd rather let her do the sale than the automated one. Also, despite the fact that I'm tech-skilled, I always have something go wrong with the automated machine that requires the manager to come over and put a code in, or something. That's more unwanted spotlighting than being sized up by a teenage clerk.

Charles

I can't stand automated checkout counters. It never fails. Every time I try it, something goes wrong and I have to fetch the manager help me get through.

ruveyn

I used these many times, though not as much lately. I've been taking advantage of sites that allow you to make purchases through their website and prepare the order for you. By picking up the order schedules, I only have to spend a minimal amount of time in the store itself -- around 6 minutes. If you have the habit of planning out your day, I recommend looking at this.

[This detailed tracking also allows me to analyze and optimize my purchasing habits. I now can do a load of laundry for only 39 cents, significantly less expensively than before. I recommend it for this also.]

They're mo trouble than they're worth. My mum and I were at Home Depot this morning and used an automatic checkout lane becuase all the others were taken. My mum rung up her bottled water and I guess you have to put things in the bag so it knows they are in there. I said, "Just humor it and put your water in there." They're more trouble than they are worth. I can just see the robot cashiers jaming up all the time.