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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

You should need a licence to use self checkouts

158 replies

Oysterbabe · 30/10/2022 11:55

Hear me out.

Supermarket very busy this morning. Queued with my basket for the self checkout, as usual. I prefer them and enjoy the lack of social interaction required. 3 of them were out of order so only 2 working. There was a couple using one and I think it was their first day on the planet. They were just staring, puzzled at the screen. Occasionally scanning something. Eventually complete their transaction then realise they need to buy bags. 5 people completed their transactions on the other checkout while they were doing theirs.

Blowing my own trumpet, but I'm a self service ninja. I think you should have a certain competency level, like with driving, before being allowed to use one. You should be given a basket of items, including some loose fruit and veg and bakery items, and a set time to complete the transaction in order to earn a licence.

OP posts:
DoubleBuggyDriver · 30/10/2022 14:50

I can’t fucking STAND people staring at the self checkout machines all cluelessly. Even if it’s your first time using it, it’s very explanatory. Place your basket down, scan an item, place it in the bagging area. It really isn’t rocket science.

The worse people are the ones who don’t even listen to the help given by a sales assistant. I can’t even put a number on the amount of times I’ve seen staff giving up on trying to help people

midsomermurderess · 30/10/2022 14:51

Is being good at using self-checkouts a think to boast about? It’s not a huge life achievement, all things considered.

girlmom21 · 30/10/2022 14:52

midsomermurderess · 30/10/2022 14:51

Is being good at using self-checkouts a think to boast about? It’s not a huge life achievement, all things considered.

It's a bigger achievement than not being able to use them.

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 30/10/2022 14:53

Hang on what did chickenpeppers say?? The post is deleted 🙄

girlmom21 · 30/10/2022 14:54

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 30/10/2022 14:53

Hang on what did chickenpeppers say?? The post is deleted 🙄

pugdogmom quoted it at 12.10 Smile

Rockbird · 30/10/2022 15:00

I love a self checkout. The M&S one is best because you don't even have to go to a till. Apple Pay in the app and you're gone. Supermarkets take note!

pigsDOfly · 30/10/2022 15:02

ThreeblackCats · 30/10/2022 13:56

I’d ban self service checkouts.

I’m still surprised there has not been a “Falling Down” moment. I know I’ve wanted to smash the shit out of the damned machines with a baseball bat, on way too many occasions.

sick of some uppity, uneducated assistant who needs to “check” my purchases. Who then needs me to remind her, several times to hit the ‘clearly over 25’ button because I’ve bought a bottle of wine or whisky, who then me to remind same assistant to remove security tag, then has to wait whilst assistant wanders off to whatever realm she currently inhabits… before I get my whisky back.

so op, what makes your view more important, more correct than mine?

ban self service checkouts. I’ve not used them since 2020. Never will. Scourge of today’s supermarkets.

sick of some uppity, uneducated assistant who needs to "check" my purcheses.

So because they're working in a shop they're uneducated and 'uppity' because they have to do their job properly. How lovely you sounds.

I've had a number of conversations with people on checkouts at my local Tesco who are working there during the holidays while they're at university.

One young woman I remember a while ago was waiting to take up her place at Cambridge to do some sort of science based degree. Obviously, uneducated by your standards though.

Perhaps if your attitude was less unpleasant to the people who have to deal with you you might find you get a better response from them.

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 30/10/2022 15:04

Rockbird · 30/10/2022 15:00

I love a self checkout. The M&S one is best because you don't even have to go to a till. Apple Pay in the app and you're gone. Supermarkets take note!

I love this too but I’m always paranoid I’ll be stopped and accused of shoplifting so do a cringey “I paid on the app” dance to the security guard 🤣

lanthanum · 30/10/2022 15:07

The problem here was the non-working checkouts, not the people being slow. If all five had been working, it wouldn't have mattered one jot how long it took them.

gamerchick · 30/10/2022 15:08

I've written them off after many infuriating attempts, and now they've made it harder to 'miss' scanning certain items, really, what is the point??

Wut, like... Stealing?

Cuck00soup · 30/10/2022 15:35

Self checkouts are not quite so self explanatory to people with disabilities, including the one in five adults who have low literacy.

To most of us self-scan are an irritant. To some people they are a barrier.

midsomermurderess · 30/10/2022 15:40

girlmom21 · 30/10/2022 14:52

It's a bigger achievement than not being able to use them.

Show quote history

High bar that.

Georgeskitchen · 30/10/2022 15:55

Scan and shop is king.
Except when it flags up that the assistant is required to scan 10 random items 😬😬

TheOrigRights · 30/10/2022 16:01

Decathlon have it sorted. Throw all your stuff into a pit and it magically tells you how much you owe.

TheOrigRights · 30/10/2022 16:01

Georgeskitchen · 30/10/2022 15:55

Scan and shop is king.
Except when it flags up that the assistant is required to scan 10 random items 😬😬

Or you leave the scanner on a shelf around the shop somewhere.....

Pugdogmom · 30/10/2022 16:06

pugdogmom quoted it at 12.10

Sorry I got deleted 🤣. My first ever deleted post.

girlmom21 · 30/10/2022 16:08

Pugdogmom · 30/10/2022 16:06

pugdogmom quoted it at 12.10

Sorry I got deleted 🤣. My first ever deleted post.

Ahh I knew some knob would report it eventually 🤣

autienotnaughty · 30/10/2022 16:10

I'm ok with the coop one as I have learnt to use it. But a random one I might struggle with. My brain fuzzes and it's like I can't see for looking. I have asd.

NumberTheory · 30/10/2022 16:12

Quittingthyme · 30/10/2022 12:01

Self service check-outs are for mugs!

I've written them off after many infuriating attempts, and now they've made it harder to 'miss' scanning certain items, really, what is the point??

On a serious note, give them a swerve, talk to a human, make the case that supermarket checkout roles are important and stop inflating the profits of the supermarkets by doing their jobs for then

Supermarket checkout roles really aren’t that important and lots of people dislike using them.

HarlanPepper · 30/10/2022 16:14

Georgeskitchen · 30/10/2022 15:55

Scan and shop is king.
Except when it flags up that the assistant is required to scan 10 random items 😬😬

This always brings me out in a cold sweat, even if I'm absolutely certain I've scanned everything.

Quittingthyme · 30/10/2022 16:18

Two separate statements @FourForYouGlenCocoYouGoGlenCoco

Quittingthyme · 30/10/2022 16:24

Rolls eyes at the thought of using a self service being an achievement 😂

Our nearest Asda now has cameras which only add to the horror, I do not want to see my harassed face while I am wrangling with your wanky self checkout!!

Quittingthyme · 30/10/2022 16:28

Tell that to all of the students/part time workers/anyone at all really who has held that role over the years.

'Lots of people don't like using them' - What nonsense, I have never met anyone who has expressed relief at having to interact with a human at the checkout.

I'm guessing lots of people = you

🙄

CuriousCatfish · 30/10/2022 16:35

The cameras are awful I look up and think who is that fat middle aged woman. Oh its me. 😀

Original poster
Oysterbabe · 30/10/2022 16:35

I mean I haven't put it on my CV, but it's useful.

When I am Queen of the world and introduce licences, there will be no requirement to be a ninja at it, just reasonably competent. There will be lessons available to help people work towards their licence.

Maybe it was their first time using one. If so they could have chosen a better time. Shop was heaving, half of them were broken and there were a few manned checkouts.

OP posts: