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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to hate self service tills

178 replies

thewooster · 26/09/2017 12:05

I know they have their uses and sometimes I have used them when desperate but I'm so clumsy and useless with the damn things.

Today I went to Poundland and they have removed the manned tills apart from one and replaced with self service. One grumpy assistant (and I dont blame her for being grumpy) was sorting out the same old problem with customers and I pondered whether to wait in the massive queue at the manned till or go self service.

I opted for self service because I needed to get the bus quickly and oh my god I messed it up by scanning my item twice and then I put my quids in and it wouldn't accept one. Grumpy assistant had to come over twice to help me.

I got really stressed out and it's happened to me in Sainsburys too where I keep putting unexplained items in the bagging area - is it me?

I know self service is the future but can't they keep a few more manned tills for people like me? I suppose it saves money but I actually put some items back on the shelf in WH Smith because of their self service till.

OP posts:

Cheesymonster · 26/09/2017 21:59

How do you turn the voice off?

DappledThings · 26/09/2017 22:45

On the screen there's a volume icon. Keep tapping that and once it's gone past the loudest setting it goes to mute.

Lenl · 26/09/2017 22:50

If it says 'unexpected item in bagging area' just take out the last item you put down and put it to one side. It should go back to the normal screen. Usually you will see you either didn't scan it in which case re-scan, bag and continue as usual; or it scanned but glitched in which case leave the item to one side and continue shopping, putting the 'unexpected item' in your bag at the end once you've paid. You'll have you receipt showing you scanned if staff ask about it. You don't usually need to stand impotently.

5foot5 · 26/09/2017 23:00

The Post Office self service is the work of the devil

Couldn't disagree more!!!
When we had a proper Post Office it got one of these self service machines and it was GREAT. Hardly anyone used it so you could go in, weigh and measure the stuff, buy the stamps and post your parcel or whatever in no time. Meanwhile queuing up to use a counter could take most of a lunch break.

The Post Office has now been moved in to WH Smith and the other one I use is in Bargain Booze. I just hate going. You can lose the will to live. There is often only one person serving and the queue stretches the length of the shop.

I so wish they would install another self service machine.

Wincher · 26/09/2017 23:02

I like them for one or two items (other than when you are choosing what type of fruit or veg you want to weigh and it says "Choose your favourites, or have a browse!". I son't want to browse now, I have already browsed and chosen! Inane). But I can't be doing with them for a big shop.

I had a bad experience in a Co op recently with them - there was a queue for 4 self service tills and a longer one for one staffed till, so I waited for the self service. I was buying bread, milk and some reduced cake bars I picked up on a whim. One of them wasn't in use, and when I got close enough I saw it was because one item had been scanned and it didn't automatically cancel and there was no way to cancel. So we all waited for the other three - which one by one needed an assistant to help and there was no one around to help. They simply didn't clear and reset after a certain amount of time so everyone just had to stand there like lemons waiting for help which never came. At last things got sorted somehow and it was my turn. I scanned a reduced item I had picked up but by accident scanned the normal barcode instead of the reduced sticker. I didn't want to buy it at the full price so waited for help but none came, and there was no way to clear it off or restart. So in the end I joined the (by now very long) queue for the staffed till. Eventually I got near the front, after some time. Then a small child came up and put stuff on the counter ahead of me (though her mum went behind me) and the man saw this but decided to scan her stuff first. I had been waiting for about 15 minutes by this time and just totally lost it, yelled "I won't fucking bother then", slammed the stuff down and walked out. Not my finest hour, especially as I then had to stop elsewhere to buy the bread and milk... The self service checkouts were by that time all hung up and there was still no one around to help.

EvilDoctorBallerinaDuckKeidis · 26/09/2017 23:03

Lenl what if the unexpected item's your bag? You know, when you tap, I'm using my own bags.

Ukelou · 26/09/2017 23:36

I love the way that however many times people who actually work in shops and know whether people have lost their jobs since self serve tills arrived (they haven't ) people still say i wont use them im on the staffs side. No your not we want you to use the self serve it frees us up to do other jobs,

melj1213 · 26/09/2017 23:51

Evil I work in Asda and the reason it says "Unexpected item" if you put your bag down is either a) because you pressing the "use own bags" button in the beginning hasn't registered or you're adding extra bags after pressing "done" b) because you're adding extra bags during the transaction without pressing the "add extra bags" button, so it doesn't know to weigh them or c) the bag(s) weigh over a certain amount which requires a colleague to visually verify that it is shopping bags that just happen to be heavy that are on the scale, not half your shopping (and yes it does happen)

Bumbledumb · 26/09/2017 23:54

I have become extremely proficient at using the self-service machine at our local Tesco Express.
So much so in fact, that once a woman queuing behind me remarked as I was leaving: "Oh, you're good at that. You should work here."

RunningOutOfCharge · 27/09/2017 00:07

ukelou I’ve said the same on this thread.....pointless. They don’t really understand....it’s mumsnet.

ferrier · 27/09/2017 00:10

Waitrose scan as you shop is pretty foolproof and loads quicker than using the manned tills. I go through the checkout in about 1-2 minutes usually. If I've got problem stuff (booze, security tags) I call the staff right at the beginning and their usually pretty quick so only adds another couple of minutes.
Tescos is not quite so good but still a lot quicker than manned.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 27/09/2017 00:12

RunningOutOfCharge Yup, I said the same thing too

melj1213 · 27/09/2017 00:16

At the entry point to self service there should be a simple test to eliminate those who cannot decipher simple instructions so can be siphoned to keep checkout staff in jobs.

The bane of my life is customers who go to a self scan which is on "cards/cash only" .... they all have a sign above the screen saying "Card only" ... the start button on the screen says "This terminal only takes debit/credit transactions. Proceed?" instead of the usual "start" ... if you press it or if you just scan something it will then give you a pop up with the long spiel about it being card only, and is this OK where you have to press "yes" or "no" before it will let you start the transaction.

A typical exchange at the card only machine where a customer has scanned their shopping and is now brandishing a £20 note ...

Customer: Excuse me!
Me: Everything ok there, sir?
Customer: No! It won't let me pay with cash, only card!
Me: Oh, I'm sorry sir, this till is card only at the moment.
Customer: Well I didn't know that! It didn't say anything! There should be a sign or something!
Me: There is the sign above the screen

Customer: I didn't see that! And anyway it should tell me on the machine before I start!
Me: It does tell you sir, see the message here on the start button and then the confirmation message that pops up ...

Customer: Oh I didn't pay attention to any of that, I didn't think it was anything important! Can we hurry this up, I haven't got all day!
Me: then you are an idiot and shouldn't fucking complain when the only issue is you can't read or follow simple instructions Ah well, at least you know what to look out for next time if a machine is card only! I'll just get this transaction suspended off this machine and we can pop over to the customer service desk where they can complete the transaction for you.

brownfang · 27/09/2017 06:16

ha! I can't figure out Waitrose Scan as you shop. I guess I need to read instrux online for an hour. I can't even remove the scanner thing from the storage panel to examine it. I need a Guide for Dummies.

SeaWitchly · 27/09/2017 07:29

I also hate them with a passion.
Went to my local M&S [which has shit service at the best of times anyway but that's another story] and ended up with a basket load of stuff. My choice at that point was wait in the queue behind people with troley loads at the two manned checkouts or go to self service, I chose self service.... and quickly regretted it. I really had too much stuff to fit on the tiny shelf/scales at the side so was precariously balancing all my items and as I was faffing about the machine was carrying on about 'unexpected items in bagging area' requiring the one grumpy assistant to attend and reset the machine for me. Then numerous items wouldn't scan properly or scanned the wrong price [reduced items].
Meanwhile the self service queue was growing ever longer as grumpy assistant was running from one self service machine to another as it beeped and malfunctioned... I was aware of the 'dead eyed' look mentioned by a previous poster of those waiting with their one carton of milk or loaf of bread and just knew they wished me to just fucking hurry up and go .
I never go in the self service queue if I can help it as numerous times it has proved to be much more hassle and stress than it is worth... That said, I have used Sainsburys self service a couple of times and that seems to be better... more space, larger scales/shelf, friendlier assistant to help out if something goes tits up.

LakieLady · 27/09/2017 08:05

I hate the damn things too, and they hate me. DP is very proficient with them, but if I'm with him they don't work for him, either.

I also don't like the way that in a Sainsburys Local I sometimes use, the staff try and bully you into using them if there's more than 2 people in the queue.

They did give several shoppers in Asda a good laugh once, though. A man had bought a multi-pack of underpants, and every time he tried to scan them, Robotwoman said, loud and clear, "Please place your produce on the scales". He left without his pants in the end.

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 27/09/2017 08:05

I hate them

I hate the Marks and spencer one

'Have you scanned your sparks card'

YOU KNOW I BLOODY HAVENT!!!

I do have a habit of yelling that....the thought just doesn't stay in my head

I also hate the delay between scanning and it coming up on the till...ive already put the item on the scale...and yes i know there is an unexpected item on the scale, i just put it there

Some of them aren't sensitive enough either...try buying a flump

Many more winges!!!

But i would agree that on a good self service til (more likely to be a supermarket) they can work well if yiu just want one or two items

Still hate them though

Bluntness100 · 27/09/2017 08:11

I hate them too, I always screw it up. And end up with someone having to help me multiple times. My daughter can’t actually believe how useless at using them I am and watches in awe. I seem to get some form of panic on and a brain fog descends accompanied by “mum what are you doing, ffs don’t put it there”

rslsys · 27/09/2017 09:23

If supermarkets really wanted to push traffic through self-service tills, how about offering a 5% discount on all transactions conducted through them?

It is unfortunately the way the future will be. After all, you all put your own fuel in your vehicles these days, don't you!

brendani9 · 27/09/2017 10:07

If they’re a cost saving measure, why isn’t this reflected in reduced prices of items?
They irk me for this reason: supermarket chains getting you, the customer, to do thei work for them, whilst not cutting prices commensurately.

Lenl · 27/09/2017 11:25

brendani maybe the reduced costs stop food prices rising more. Perhaps we'd be paying more without them.

I doubt it but you never know.

I'm sure savings aren't immediate anyway as installing them won't be cheap

Sequence · 27/09/2017 11:39

I like not having to make small talk with the cashier. I like the machines but not the voice. I'm often tempted to mute it or change it to a language I don't understand, but not brave enough to actually do so!

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 27/09/2017 11:40

I don't like them either, will never use them BUT I do always choose the 'pay at the pump' for fuel, love those.

It's just different somehow.

Tigresswoods · 27/09/2017 11:46

YABU. I love the self service things for speed.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 27/09/2017 12:05

I also don't like the way that in a Sainsburys Local I sometimes use, the staff try and bully you into using them if there's more than 2 people in the queue.

Well of course they do. Their managers don't want there to be one massive queue while there are self service tills free to be used, so it only makes sense they would try and skim the queue.

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