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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask about self-service checkout etiquette?

30 replies

BeKindToYourKnees · 20/04/2013 16:48

If you leave your basket to one side (where no one is going to notice it) surely you can't expect to go to the front of the queue when you return?

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 20/04/2013 16:52

I'd agree. You can't use a basket to save your place. If you've forgotten something you and your basket go and finish shopping together.

SPsYoniTheOneAndOnly · 20/04/2013 16:55

You take basket with you and then go to a normal til with a human as those machines are fucking useless and annoying! Electrical demons!

Tee2072 · 20/04/2013 16:56

Baskets cannot hold your place, I agree.

KatoPotato · 20/04/2013 17:00

Nope, nice try pal! Get to the back of the line!

TidyDancer · 20/04/2013 17:02

I can't stand those self service checkouts. Unfortunately when I stop at Sainsburys to buy lunch in the mornings, there is no one on any check out.

And the OP is NBU.

quornqueen · 20/04/2013 17:07

I hate those machines. I feel I'm doing someone out of a job. And I always feel really sorry for the person manning the area because they are doing the work of about 4 people by running around to fix the things, when they could just employ actual people who don't shout 'ITEM REMOVED FROM THE BAGGING AREA' at you over and over again.

And breathe....

quornqueen · 20/04/2013 17:08

Anyway, YANBU

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 20/04/2013 17:09

Her excuse was that her daughter ran off, not that she had forgotten something. Does that make it ok?

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 20/04/2013 17:18

If her daughter was v young then yes, I think that might make it OK.

lljkk · 20/04/2013 17:26

meh, British and their queuing obsessions. Life intervened, mother of the absconding tot should take it on the chin.

MsJupiterJones · 20/04/2013 17:27

I love self service machines.

And yanbu.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 20/04/2013 17:30

ItsAllGoingToBeFine I don't see what age has to do with it? I used to take my Mum (who has Alzheimers) shopping and would never have barged to the front of the queue because she had wandered off

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 20/04/2013 17:32

I love them as well, MsJupiterJones. But I hate people.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 20/04/2013 17:38

Tee2072 Grin

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 20/04/2013 17:41

Put your cursor over my name. You'll see. Grin

GilmoursPillow · 20/04/2013 17:42

I had similar recently, but not self-service.
I approached a checkout where there was a basket with a few items in it near the conveyor.
Without knowing if someone was ever coming back for it I started loading my shopping on the conveyor. Within 10 seconds a man came up and said "Excuse me, I was next" so I replied "No you weren't."
He said, "But I was, my basket was here." so I said "Your basket was, but YOU weren't."
He obviously thought he could mark his place in the queue while he finished his shopping. Not so.

HorryIsUpduffed · 20/04/2013 17:43

If she was at the very front and her little (age three max, if no SN obviously) child suddenly ran off ... and she got back within maybe thirty seconds and had been usurped then that would be pretty rude, particularly if no till had actually come free.

Otherwise, no way.

SoupDragon · 20/04/2013 17:44

I don't think you can rely on your place being held by the basket but, if you've had to run after a child, the other people wold have to be incredibly mean not to let you re join the queue at that point.

Startail · 20/04/2013 17:47

YANBU
And I agree with quarnqueen I don't want to do the staff out of their jobs.

Our local Tesco isn't the best stocked shop on the planet, but the staff are really nice and pack for you in a neat non Scout fashion.

Anyway, I break automatic tills.

mrsjay · 20/04/2013 17:50

dd had to break up a fight lthe other week at her work somebody pushed in front they had left their basket in the queue and thought they could waltz back in costumer services manager had to help her break up the arguement between two women who were bawling and shouting I avoid them they obviously give people the rage Grin

GilmoursPillow · 20/04/2013 17:52

I live in a country that doesn't have self-service tills so I'm a real novice.

My only experience with them is in WH Smith in Heathrow Terminal 3. Every time, I know I should go to the human cashier, every time I think I'll have it cracked and every time I fuck it up and cause a bottleneck while I wait for someone to sort my mess out Blush

overmydeadbody · 20/04/2013 17:53

YANBU

But I do love those machines. They work just fine for me, every time, and I much prefer not to have any human contact while I am shopping.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 20/04/2013 17:59

I was the only one in the queue. There was no evidence that there was anyone in front of me. The till became free so I stepped forward with my solitary loaf of bread at which point this woman appeared from the side barged in front of me with her full basket saying she was next. My mum has SN, but that's not an excuse to queue-jump or be rude

OP posts:
sue52 · 20/04/2013 18:27

Under the circumstances you have just described, the other customer was very rude and should have waited toddler or no toddler.

HorryIsUpduffed · 20/04/2013 18:44

My SN comment was allowing for an older child running off, not that the mother would have SN.

If you briefly looked to check she wasn't coming back, and would otherwise have been staring at an unused till, YWNBU.

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