Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Self checkout tills are killing the shopping experience

225 replies

Stopsnowing · 03/08/2023 05:46

My first two jobs )as a Saturday girl) was on the tills. I learned to chat with customers and fold their clothes neatly and handle money responsibly. Sometimes they had queries or complaints or would ask me questions when they couldn’t find anyone on the floor.
I am not a massively chatty person and I have a busy full time job. I am not someone whose only social contact is via shopping but dear God how soul destroying is shopping in places with all or mainly self service tills.
it is deathly quiet and there is no interaction with a human except for one harried person trying to whizz around fixing the scanning issues.
marks and Spencer is fully self service now and if you want to be served by a human you have to join the single long refunds queue. Waitrose had two tills open the other day and when the queues built up and a lady asked them to open another till she was directed to the empty self check outs and was told they didn’t have the staff for another till. When I shop in Aldi or Sainsburys they have one or no staffed till. So anyone who is elderly or who needs help has ti stand and wait and that is not easy.
I am now scanning a whole trolley shop. It takes longer than being served and involves a lot mor e reaching down which some people won’t be able to manage.
the Waitrose lady told me “can’t stop progress”. I said” whir about your job?” She said her job wasn’t affected as they were only not replacing leavers as opposed to sacking people so she would be ok. She seemed to miss the point that if she left her job she wouldn’t be able to find another similar one. My children won’t be able to have a Saturday job where they will get their first lessons in customer service. A huge chunk of jobs has gone forever. Another element of customer service is gone (because these till Roles have not been replaced with staff walking the floors (good luck with that). Social interaction reduced. Another step towards the death of the high street.

This piece rang true for me

https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2023/aug/02/want-a-glimpse-of-dystopia-visit-the-self-service-checkouts

Want a glimpse of dystopia? Visit the self-service checkouts | Adrian Chiles

Automated tills now take up much more space than those staffed by humans. We must resist, writes Adrian Chiles

https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2023/aug/02/want-a-glimpse-of-dystopia-visit-the-self-service-checkouts

OP posts:
Kazzyhoward · 03/08/2023 07:45

No, it was grumpy staff, ignoring customers, talking to eachother instead of serving, checking their phones, refusing to honour customer legal rights, etc., that "killed" the shopping experience!

Niftythrifter · 03/08/2023 07:46

The thing with manned checkouts for some people who live on their own is that this could be the only interaction they have with someone in the day in terms of chatting about the weather or what have you with the sales assistant. Which is sad but could ultimately be true.

Shurleyknot · 03/08/2023 07:50

EvenlyDetermined · 03/08/2023 07:12

I've gone back to using the manned tills in Sainsburys for my main weekly shop and found to my surprise that it's quicker than scan as you shop or self scan even though I'm a tech-confident person and don't have difficulties with either. You save so much time as you go round if you just put everything in your trolley instead of having to scan it and then put it in your bag. Then you can sort your things onto the conveyor belt and pack your bags much more efficiently than doing it as you go round or self-scanning. Plus you get a bit of human interaction. The self scan tills are much quieter now so I think others are voting with their feet too, especially since they introduced the thing of having to scan your receipt to get out of the exit barriers, makes you feel very untrusted.

I am a bit confused by this. How is it quicker to pack your trolley, unload it again onto the belt and then pack it away? I leave my bags open in the trolley, pack them 'correctly' as I scan and then it is a case of tapping my card at the till. It is so much quicker and I can keep track of what I am spending at the same time.

BarbieWorld · 03/08/2023 07:51

I miss the days when checkout operators would offer to pack the bags for me. It helped hugely when I was doing a big shop and juggling babies and a toddler, as the first items had moved along and been packed while I was still filling up the belt, rather than having to fill it up with every item first or with it moving along and then me having a big pile up to deal with when I finish loading and get to the end!

I used to use Sainsbury’s over somewhere like Aldi or Lidl, for that reason. The whole experience was easier. Now my shopping is thrown at me wherever I go so it doesn’t make much difference.

Re: using self service tools, often they don’t have enough room. I was in M & S recently and at the self service area had to pile up big bags on top of each other to fit it all on, then one hung over the edge slightly which the machine didn’t like so it had to to call someone… it’s all such a faff.

lightinthebox · 03/08/2023 07:52

I work in a local version of the larger stores and I’m fed up of explaining to people that, no, it isn’t going to make me lose my job.

From a staff perspective they’re great. We are always short staffed and over worked, we have other jobs that need doing to keep the store running. Serving fewer customers helps us with that. I read the Adrian Chiles article and you can tell he has no idea how stores are run.

We enjoy customer interaction and helping people, our store regularly gets positive feedback complimenting our friendliness. But if people use self service for their card payment of 1 pint of milk then that’s great.

CheeseCakeSunflowers · 03/08/2023 07:53

I work in a supermarket and I find the "what about your job" argument funny. We currently have a huge shortage of people wanting employment, jobs go online and often no-one applies, they don't bother turning up for the interview or they turn down an offer after interview. Those of us who do work in supermarkets are constantly being asked to work extra hours which we reluctantly do to support our colleagues. Yes it would be lovely to have time to chat to customers at the till or on the shop floor but there is simply not time for that. Like it or not I can't see things going back to all manned tills.

maximist · 03/08/2023 07:54

I'm not mad on self scan checkouts, but I love scan and go (where you scan as you shop). I can pack stuff as I pick it, then just pay for it and leave - no messing about taking it all out of the trolley and packing it in a rush.

I mostly shop at Asda, who have a phone app, which makes it even easier.

Puffthemagicdragongoestobed · 03/08/2023 07:54

A new Aldi recently opened in Greenwich which has neither manned nor self-checkout tils. Instead, you get a QR code via an app before entering via turnstile gates, then you pick your items and leave via turnstile gates. Meanwhile the app has tracked what you bought and automatically takes payment.

Whilst very practical it feels totally eerie!

AnkleWidget · 03/08/2023 07:55

God no, I love them.

FrozenGhost · 03/08/2023 07:57

Supermarkets are a business though, not a charity or a place to have an "experience".

Jujubes5 · 03/08/2023 07:59

Niftythrifter · 03/08/2023 07:46

The thing with manned checkouts for some people who live on their own is that this could be the only interaction they have with someone in the day in terms of chatting about the weather or what have you with the sales assistant. Which is sad but could ultimately be true.

I used to think oh boo-hoo at these comments but now I so seldom chat at check outs that I realise too late that a bit of a moan about the weather or that the checkout person was going on nice hols next week did cheer your day.
im also wondering if this is why everyone wants a dog - thers less human contact nowadays.
also people can be so impolite when you do mix eg noise in the cinema, loud phones on public transport.
it’s a sad world

TweetyMcTweetFace · 03/08/2023 07:59

I love a self service till. Hardly ever use a manned till now although my local waitrose had loads, always open.

I don't think I buy into the idea that we are missing meaningful interaction in a supermarket by not chatting at a till.

So many people seem to like online shopping now, resources have to be diverted.

Things evolve, I'd rather keep an open mind than immediately assume it's for the worst.

DappledThings · 03/08/2023 08:00

Never had an issue with a till requiring me to have a bag or not accepting my bag. All the supermarkets I go to have have a mixture of manned and un-manned and I will pick un-manned every time. I don't recognise much of the experiences in this thread.

My little Tesco Local used to have 2 manned tills and 2 un-manned but one queue. I always used to let people go in front of me if a manned one came free first so I could wait for the un-manned one.

Jujubes5 · 03/08/2023 08:01

But after reading about kid gangs raiding coop supermarkets that the shops should go back to shop counters and stock behind them.
would be slow but, hopefully, friendly.
Fork handles anyone?

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 03/08/2023 08:02

Niftythrifter · 03/08/2023 07:46

The thing with manned checkouts for some people who live on their own is that this could be the only interaction they have with someone in the day in terms of chatting about the weather or what have you with the sales assistant. Which is sad but could ultimately be true.

This was me during the pandemic. Live alone, WFH, not allowed to have anyone visit, cashiers could be the only people I talked to F2F. Unfortunately my local Waitrose has just ripped out another couple of manned tills to expand the self service. Hate the self service at M&S and beig treated as if I'm another resource for a company to use for free.

ohtowinthelottery · 03/08/2023 08:03

My local Lidl, where I do most of my shopping, doesn't have any self service tills. On the rare occasion that I venture into Tesco or Sainsburys for a few items it is very rare not to have an interaction with a staff member. Self service tills (for me) always seem to need input from the supervisor. The till doesn't like my heavy shopping bag, I've bought alcohol or other age restricted products, clothing with tags or an item of fruit/veg with no barcode which could be one of two items on their picture choice - need I go on?
I also live in an area where towns have lots of independent shops (both food and clothing) so most people don't get their 'interaction' from supermarkets.

AlisonDonut · 03/08/2023 08:03

Want a glimpse of dystopia...read the Guardian.

Yusay · 03/08/2023 08:03

YANBU. Totally agree with everything you said. Plus, they’re horrible to use. If I bring my own bags like I’m supposed to, the scales hidden in the packing area will only let me put one bag on the packing side and anymore means it accuses me of theft and stops working. But I can’t put the bag in the trolley and pack into that because then it’ll wail “missing item!” and stop working.

Why does it care if not all the items I’ve scanned and paid for end up in the packing side?! Surely it doesn’t matter to the shop, as long as I pay for them?

Dehumanising and disrespectful to everyone, the staff and shoppers. And for what? I can’t believe the savings are that incredible over a minimum wage employee once they’ve paid for all the machines and maintenance and supervision.

I really don’t enjoy being accused of theft every few seconds by a machine 😐 and I miss the human interaction.

(Tip: if you need to add more of your own bags on the packing side and the scales won’t let you, try putting them down at the same time as a heavy item like a bag of potatoes.)

Original poster
Stopsnowing · 03/08/2023 08:04

Ifailed · 03/08/2023 07:07

I am now scanning a whole trolley shop. It takes longer than being served and involves a lot mor e reaching down which some people won’t be able to manage.

Whichever till you use, you still have to get the stuff out of the trolley.

No- moving the items onto staffed till at the same level and then into bags at eh other end is much better than reaching down to the self service tills in Aldi which are not even big enough for a full trolley load. Believe me.

OP posts:
Coastalcreeksider · 03/08/2023 08:05

The only people I know who are enthusiastic about these tills are those who only nip in for a couple of items. None of them ever seem to put a full trolley of goods through on self scan.

My local Aldi has them now, not sure how many manned tills there will be and how many would actually be open but when I next shop there if they push you toward the self scanner, I'll go back to home delivery with another supermarket.

Ultraviolet85 · 03/08/2023 08:06

I’ll only use them if I have a few items as they never have enough manned checkouts and they usually have v long queues of people with full trolleys! But they never bloody work! Can always guarantee they’ll start flashing red and say need store assistance and they are never to be seen. One poor sod trying to help ten customers all self service tills flashing red. Hate them but can’t see stores going back to how they were unfortunately.

Loulou599 · 03/08/2023 08:10

Putting aside the social aspect, what i resent is companies increasing their prices (inflation!) but passing on costs to the customer.

Airlines are a good example of this. Of course its very handy to do self check in. But I also think: I'm doing some work for the company for free, aren't it?

Same with eg letterbox flowers.
Food shop deliveries where you unpack your bags and hand back your plastic bags.
Petrol (this has been in place for decades now)
Self service checkouts.
Other examples I can't think of right now.

They sell it as an extra convenience to you, and in a way it is: but you are also saving them labour costs and their prices don't reflect that.
When you scan your shopping on the tills, some people may find this better and easier. But they are working for free for the supermarket and I don't like that in principle.

ifonly4 · 03/08/2023 08:11

I prefer the self serve tills in Tescos, overall my shopping time is quicker as I don't have to queue at main tills, and wait I listen to the person in front telling customer assistant some story.

UncertainSmiler · 03/08/2023 08:14

Lol at ‘shopping experience’.
I live Sainsbury’s self-scan.

BoohooWoohoo · 03/08/2023 08:15

I've worked in a supermarket post self-scan tills and there's always plenty to do so I'm not convinced that lots of cashiers are losing their jobs. For example there's always empty boxes to clear and restocking shelves, cleaning up the coffee cups that people leave on shelves (why do people do this?) as well as jobs like getting click and collect orders ready.

I love self scan tills but it annoys me that not all supermarkets offer a shop and scan system so you can self checkout a trolley load. There used to be manned express checkouts with a maximum number of items being purchased but I've not seen self checkouts with that rule. Unless it's a self checkout with a conveyor belt, it does feel somewhat antisocial when someone is doing a trolley load and blocking the way out and taking much longer than the other customers.