To think self checkouts in clothes shops is a step too far

[Comedycook]

Went shopping to get my dd some new clothes today. Noticed H and M had self service checkouts... tills were open too though. Then I went to M&S and tills were only for returns or exchanges and to pay you had to use self service. I tolerate self checkouts in supermarkets but when I am buying clothes, I expect some sort of service. What struck me is that in my local M and S they sell Jaeger...a blouse was £125. I assume their coats would be at least a couple of hundred quid. It really irks me and no way would I spend hundreds of pounds on an item of clothing and have to ring it up a the checkout myself. I think it's really crappy to be honest... anyone else agree?

It’s not AT ALL about superiority. What an odd attitude. It’s lots of factors, including complications like having a voucher/gift card and not wanting to contribute to staff redundancies - they won’t actually keep the staff on to do tidying etc. I don’t believe anyone really thinks that. They’ll just reduce staffing.

Yes I agree. I'm amazed so many people seem to hate these fleeting, daily interactions. It's so depressing. I've worked in customer service before...I actually enjoyed passing the time of day with people. It's a very odd world we're creating. And stop thinking shops are doing this to save you money. They are doing it to maximise profits for shareholders at the expense of ordinary people's jobs.

What do you want them to do with the online purchases?! Have an m&s staff member personally deliver them??

Of course. Because without shareholders getting return they won't invest and so there will be no shop from where we can buy our knickers. It's a business not a public service.

If I'm buying online, I'm well aware that the item will be delivered to me and I won't have human contact beyond the delivery driver

Wow. Frank turner is so right. Thatcher fucked the kids. No such thing as society, eh?

I agree .I hate the whole No bag thing with clothes too. Surely a recyclable or paper bag would suffice for clothes? I use shoppers but I don't like putting clothing into a bag that is not 100% clean/new.

Well when AI completely takes over, shareholders can get even richer and we'll all be unemployed. That will be brilliant for society and even better we won't ever have to speak to each other

Boots does it now too. There’s no reduction in price though is there, considering you get no service!

Working on a checkout/ till can feel like a form of torture for the staff.
l work in a big store and nobody likes working on the checkouts or self service. We all much prefer working on the online side, and that is all the managers care about, because that's where we take more money.

Well now it's the same with the shop

Why? Surely you wash your clothes anyway? All the chemicals from the manufactuing process. So wasteful.

And I'll vote with my feet. We should not be so accepting of this. It's really bad for society.

You talk about shareholders as if they are evil but loads of people are share holders of m&s. They used to send you a voucher for coffee and cake.

Yup, this happened to me it was bizarre. I'm 50/50 about self - scan but I wholeheartedly object when it's a shit set up. I don't shop in Matalan anymore.

Do you think anyone cares? Do you think any shop will be at all affected? Because they won’t 😂

I love it when people do the whole “well I’m not shopping here again!” Er, good?! 🤣

They're not evil...it's capitalism. But AI and automation is a real concern. Think how many teens had Saturday jobs working in shops. Y It won't be long until that's a thing of the past. You cannot simply wipe out jobs without a second thought for the implications.

It's not really wiping out jobs as such. Since covid and Brexit retail has had massive staff shortages. They can't get enough people to do the jobs.

The purpose of shops isn't only to make profit. It's also to provide an exchange, money for goods, which is a service. And as humans living in a society, we build in social elements to this exchange which contribute to the fabric of our society.
Automation of shops ultimately weakens society.
And as others have pointed out, reduces the number of human-facing jobs.

I'm planning a trip to Uniqlo now

I also feel like it's just very graceless. I don't want someone to serve me because I want to feel superior or have someone skivvying after me like some pp said...but I feel like if I have chosen to give my custom to a shop, there should be an element of appreciation and gratitude from that shop, I don't mean the individual sales staff but the shop as a whole. Not having anyone available to serve me is basically saying your custom is not worth it.

To each their own really but I'd happily pay not to have awkward small talk or stand behind people quibbling with cashier's over things that are often largely out of their control, like the price of things.

I don't think having someone ring up the cost of things constitutes customer service, to me that's the help in the shop you get when you either ask for it, or are otherwise noticed as needing assistance.

No they can’t get enough staff to work at the shit wages they pay-
a gain capitalism

Wonder if one day there will be a self service Louis Vutton…..

Imagine...then sticking it in your asda bag for life!

still at least you wouldn't have had to, heaven forbid, speak to another human being.