Do You Use The U-scan Checkouts?

[inlovewithanimals]

me and my parents do not use them because that is taking someones job for no reason can you imagin if everything was done by computer and technolegy? what would you do for money?????



Justin,

[mruffruff]

I use them as often as I can when I go to Wal-Mart. I can stand in line for over 35 minutes to get to a cashier, or do it myself in 10. I fumble a little when it gets to produce, but I try not to get rattled. I always pay with a debit card, but I'm always six messages ahead of the dumb machine. In and out, total shopping trip in less than an hour!

[Lady's Human]

Again, to those worried about taking someone's job by using the self-scanners....

Someone has to maintain the beasties, which pays more than being a cashier, and someone still has to monitor them.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I *love* the concept, but I have done something wrong and had to let the cashier rescue me so many times that I avoid the U-Scan ....the reader refuses my barscan.....the voice tells me "put the item in the bag" after I already have....it seems like I always have the cashier coming to help me

That happened to me the one and only time I've used the self checkout, and it turned me off to it.

We must be behind here, I've only seen a couple stores with the self checkout- I think both our Home Depot and Lowes have them. I've never seen one in a grocery store.

[sparks19]

I LOVE the one at Weis Markets....

YOu scan the item and put it on the belt and it goes to the bagging section. very few times have I ever had an item returned to me saying "Please wait for an attendant" YOu scan it and put it on the belt. We buy a weeks worth of groceries and check ourselves out in a matter of minutes.

The ones at walmart where you have to bag it and wait ten seconds before you can move the bag or scan the next item drive me crazy. I just want to scan the item and toss it on the belt and move on to the next item lol.

Lady's Human, you are totally right. Everyone says it takes away jobs but they always have people on staff to do the bagging at the self checkouts (at least at the stores around here) then they have an attendant or two to run around and help with the "Please see attendant" messages and THEN you need people to maintain them, change the paper, take out money, put in money for change, etc etc. Not to mention the increase in business it gives the company that actually FIXES the machines.... with more machines they need to hire MORE people. Plus, I find that 80% of the time... the cashier doesn't want to do their job anyway and winds up angering the customers and then they don't want to shop there anymore... THAT takes away jobs

[lizbud]

Our grocery, Kroger, doesn't have a converyer belt at the u-scans.
You scan, then bag (yourself), then scan again,etc. there really is no space
there to store items after bagging. That's why I only use the u-scan when
I need to get a few things.

[cassiesmom]

I use the one at the Jewel because, most of the time, I just have a few items so I can do it quickly. But the last time I was at Meijer I tried it, and the glass plate was all sticky (soap? shampoo? laundry liquid?). Yecch. At Meijer I go through the "person-line". But, I generally have a bigger order there anyway.

[sparks19]

Our grocery, Kroger, doesn't have a converyer belt at the u-scans.
You scan, then bag (yourself), then scan again,etc. there really is no space
there to store items after bagging. That's why I only use the u-scan when
I need to get a few things.

That's what I really hate about the Walmart ones. Its such a pain in the rump.

[sandragonfly]

yeah I do .. because it's fun!!

sometimes I don't when there are lines at scanners or I am lazy with tons of stuff. rarely do so often do.

[luvofallhorses]

I have only used one once but I suppose they help if you're in a hurry.

[Ginger's Mom]

Again, to those worried about taking someone's job by using the self-scanners....

Someone has to maintain the beasties, which pays more than being a cashier, and someone still has to monitor them.

Yes and no. It is not the same high school or college kids who would be running the registers who are maintaining the equipment. And even if they did have live cashiers they would still need someone to maintain the equipment those live cashiers are running instead of the equipment that the public run themselves. So it really is cutting out jobs.

Having said that, if I only have a few items (5 or less) I will use the self serve registers in the supermarket. When I do my bi-monthly shopping I want a cashier to check me out and help bag my items. If I am spending that much money in their store the least they can do is provide someone to help with the check out and bagging.

[Lady's Human]

It's more equipment to maintain. One maintenance person can only do so much. The more equipment there is to maintain, the more personnel needed to do the work, therefore they have to hire (or contract for) additional maintenance personnel. Those maintenance personnel are frequently paid far more than a cashier, and not much technical education is required to do the job. It's not uncommon to find college tech students doing on call maintenance or tech support service, as their hours allow them more of a flexible schedule.

So, where are the savings?

The Wal Mart in Norman, OK took out two regular registers, and put in 6 self serve scanning stations. They cut back to one express checkout lane. They still have 2 cashiers monitoring those self serve aisles, but they can serve many more customers. Fewer lines, more sales, happier customers.

[Ginger's Mom]

Hmm...good point. They usually do put in more self serve aisles than full service aisles that they remove. I didn't think about that. However, I still maintain that it does take away some jobs from high school, college students, and some part time moms or seniors who are looking for some extra cash.

[jackmilliesmom]

We have both those facilities here in Ireland in Tesco its U Scan in Superquinn its Scan and go and in Dunnes Stores its U scan I love them all and use them whenever possible. If I have things like apples, pastries etc which would not have bar codes on them each store has an alphabet on the UScan and I just use that - so I love them for that too so simple.

Saves time but everyone is now using them and its getting harder to get in and out of these places without them clogging up the lines...

[anna_66]

I like them and use them whenever I can.