AIBU to think that self service tills are horrible

[uglyflowers]

In my area there used to be lots of individual shops and a sense of community. Then they built a massive Tesco which put all the little shops out of business. But local jobs were promised instead. Then those staff members’ hours were cut so many were part time and had their living boosted by benefits. And now they are being replaced by machines. Near me they are trialling two completely self service supermarkets. So eventually all the poor bloody ‘key workers’ who risked their health during Covid and who pay income tax etc will be replaced with machines.
And what about shops as community hubs? Can’t be the local library for that since they closed ours down. So those people who are a bit lonely won’t even get their two minutes of chat.
Additionally I don’t WANT to scan my big shops. I like someone doing it. They get paid to do it. I don’t.
I think everyone should boycott them. They won’t use them if we refuse to.

Agree op I hate a self service till! Stress me out so much!

Completely agree with you.

I went to Matalan the other day and if I'd known they had self service tills I wouldn't have bothered buying anything. There was a slot for hangers and another for security tags. It took me twice as long than an experienced cashier. I won't be going back there in a hurry.

I like the self-service tills, particularly the ones where you scan/pack your shopping as you go round the shop and then just pay at the end. Sooo much quicker.

Agree. What I hate is that every time it freezes (eg wrong weight in bagging area or booze or whatever) you have to wave at the poor solitary cashier who walks from till to till pressing the 'it's ok' button. I feel like Lady Muck waving at him or her and the whole thing is just super painful.

They stop functioning at the slightest provocation - bag not on properly, alcohol purchase, items too light to register on scale..........grrr

Sorry, love a self service till, I'm faster than the people on the checkouts and the queues are much shorter.

I agree. Plus the one near me is so overused it’s often dirty. I wish they would employ more staff.

I don't like self scan but I do take a scanner and do scan as you shop. Going through a till or using self scan makes me really anxious and stressed out so scan as you shop is a good compromise. Unfortunately yes, computers are overtaking humans in many areas - this is the future.

I like them for quick purchases but hate them for bigger shops. And some really annoy me - the ones in Boots are so rubbish. But yes, generally I would prefer a human.

Hate them too and will only use them if no alternative. More hassle than they are worth.

One malfunctioned when I tried to use it in Tesco Express. I was peri menopausal, stressed out and exasperated with the damn thing I shouted "for God's sake". The people behind me in the queue took a step back. It wasn't my finest moment.

YABU, I love them and always use them if they are available.

You sound like my MIL, Op. Do you wag a hand in the air and swear in German at the mere suggestion of using self service tills as well? 😂

Jokes aside- I do agree with you to a point. I like the option, but there should be more than one member of staff on a normal till as well. Sick of Matalan staff wandering up to us clearly queuing for the only manned till, to say they only accept cash on that till so I’m forced to self service. I like Matalan but they’re the worst for this and I am removing my custom if it continues. I have a right to be served, even if I’m not returning something. I’m paying for that service.

Much prefer them to using a staffed checkout on the very rare occasion I go to a supermarket. I don’t want to make small talk and I am very quick and scanning and bagging, I want to be in and out in minutes!

In my local Tesco a man on a Self Service till had one assistant swiping and another one packing, such a job creation scheme!

Hate them. They stop working the moment I walk near them.
Personally I think these loyalty card from Tesco will be offering discounts if you use them before long- just as you get a two tier pricing system for those who use their club card and those who don’t.

I hate them and they malfunction all the time, plus they cost people jobs. Two stores near me have just introduced them, very few people are using them. Use the human cashiers or lose them, once they’re gone the shops won’t bring them back.

I love them. What you're saying is the same for any machine. They all take jobs from people.

It's never made sense, because nobody will end up with a job, so nobody will have enough money to spend on the items made by machines and sold by machines. It's all about money but it's a short term plan.

They are perfect for those who prefer to minimise small talk! I will always choose one if I can

Not myself, but I was advised by a few work colleagues that the flowers they purchased every week were not courtesy of Tesco, as a little wage to themselves for having to scan their own shopping l

I dislike them and I hate them even more now that many of them are being turned card only (I pay cash 99% the time). With not a single till open one evening I surrendered recently in Lidl only to find that for my 6 purchases, I had to wait for a staff member to help me on 4 of them!

Some of them are all right if you've only popped in for 1-2 items, but that's the only type of thing I'd willingly use them for.

Having said that, I don't get much of a sense of community from staffed tills either. I talk a little sometimes with the staff at the Polish shop I go to, but not the supermarkets.

Even if you enjoy a self service till, I feel that we will all pay for it in a different way - more unemployed people (often women) and fewer people paying tax and income tax. Plus a negative impact on a sense of community. Surely a few moments’ convenience isn’t worth that?

Unexpected item in bagging area!

After being barked at by checkout staff once too many times during the past 18 months plus the time one spoke to my DM like shit I'll no longer used manned tills... Sorry I know it's their jobs on the line but I don't need the stress or the guilt!