Beware - Self-Scan idiots

[Pollywog]

I may be the only one who has these feelings, but shopping in general pisses me off.

I am a single guy who buys frequently in small amounts when it comes to almost everything, whether it be food, clothing, etc. Naturally, the "12/10 items or less" tills are a prime choice for a quick transaction and to be on my way. However I'm finding a blisteringly popular trend is for people to completely ignore the dedicated convenience purposes of these registers and pull overloaded carts to these tills to save time themselves. It usually seems that they are too self-absorbed and just don't give a shit that they are making the 4 people with only two or three things behind them wait endlessly for a quick "in-and-out" purchase.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c59/handsomebassman/0907281731000.jpg

So on the last few shopping adventures I have been on, I have decided to use the other convenience-oriented registers called a "self-scan checkout". These tills are quite popular and despite commonly having a lineup, it usually subsides quite quickly. However, coincidentally every cashier wanna-be in Calgary all of a sudden either want to do all of the work themselves or think they can do it faster. So you get these soccer moms pulling up with assloads of groceries and taking twenty minutes to scan them. In the process, oranges and apples are rolling out of the bags they have to place on the ground, and they take a long fucking time. The part that pisses me off the most is how even though there are four or more of these tills at most stores, there are usually 4 or more bitches having a scanning competition with hundreds of items.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c59/handsomebassman/0909121612000.jpg

It's just like everything in life, especially driving. If you are courteous to others and try to follow most of the rules, it makes it easier on everyone.

/rant

[Billy_Billions]

I avoid the self-scan completely.
I've never had a shopping where those things worked 100% if the time.

+1 shopping sucks.

[98type_r]

i've had idiots like in your second picture where the woman working at superstore asked her to use a regular checkout next time and pointed at the sign indicating MAX 20 items.

[TimG]

that second pic it at the Millrise Sobeys, right?

They had some big anniversary sale on wednesday last week and they had 2 or 3 cashiers there at prime time and assclowns like the one in the pic at all of the self serve checkouts.

[Redlyne_mr2]

I've been meaning to start a thread about his. It's so frustrating sometimes watching people fumble through self scan. It's gotten to the point where I can't stand going to grocery store and I just have them delivered to my house.

[Marsh]

Hahah the first picture is awesome. What a complete retard, captures my feelings towards those people perfectly

[Pollywog]

Originally posted by TimG
that second pic it at the Millrise Sobeys, right?
Midnapore/Shawnessy


Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
It's gotten to the point where I can't stand going to grocery store...
:werd:

[TKRIS]

Like so many other facets of society, we need some mechanism to properly shame these people. I suggest that the machines should be programmed to tell them, in a very loud and condescending voice, that "Next time, please show some courtesy and limit the use of these machines to 20 items or less, like the sign right in front of you states."
I'm convinced that it's not a problem of people intentionally being assholes, it's just that common courtesy has been lost for a growing segment of society. These people don't think "Fuck everybody else", they just never even consider anybody else.

______________________________
I'm torn on the self-serve checkout.
On one hand: I don't work at Home Depot, so why the fuck am I working at Home Depot?
On the other hand, it means even less human interaction that was previously possible, which, as you may have guessed, is extremely appealing to me.

Usually, the hermit in me wins out.

[snoop101]

I find Co-op's to be one of the better ones for this. Maybe its just the people that shop there or I just been damn lucky. I wont even go into superstore, I just sit in the car if the fiance needs something from the asian section.

[mr2mike]

Self scan's blow and always fuck up or the number you give it doesn't get accepted.
If I wanted a job of scanning groceries, I'd go apply for it.

[jonnycat]

I also fucking hate shopping if doesn't include a motor or electronics. The self scan checkouts are designed to be for only a few items as you can't fit everything on the bag rack with the weight sensors.

The worst place by far is Costco. 800 fucking checkout lines, 3 of them are open, express checkouts don't exist and 90% of the people have bought enough shit to last through a nuclear winter. The cashier's helpers either throw everything in the cart with no boxes or they put all of the heavy shit into the flimsiest box they can find, so you have to pull all the shit out anyway when unloading your cart.

Their checkout lines were designed by retards. They make it so I have to take my kid out of my cart and carry him between the narrowest fucking corridor between registers where peoples' receipts, and the vac tubes and the actual registers are well within reach of my kid, who thinks its great he can touch all these new things.

The registers are usually armed by these tough lesbian looking bitches, who have their jeans from 1985 hiked up past their bellybutton, their she mullets are all hairsprayed and looking great, they got their stupid fucking neon colored spring coil key holders around their forearm like they are keys to a max security prison. Their attitude just shows that they think they are gods gift to checkouts, and making $14-18 / hour is the higest paid job in town.

Everytime we go there it seems some dickwad takes our Costsco card somewhere and come back simply to tell us we are able to sign up for a different card that would cost more per year to own. I mean we shop there a few times per year and I want to pay more fucking money for the priviledge? Then we have to wait for him to come back and explain the "Good" news.

[zieg]

Is that first poc oakridge coop? Heh I used to work there back in highschool. When I was on an express till and some retard shows up with a cartful of stuff, I politely told them to gtfo my line. They always acted like they didnt notice.

[Mibz]

Listen, I understand that some people have trouble with self-scan checkouts their first couples times out, but if you can't figure out how they work after that then don't blame the technology, blame yourself. At least at Safeway and Superstore. I can't comment on Sobeys, Coop or other self-checkouts.

[snoop101]

Originally posted by Mibz
Listen, I understand that some people have trouble with self-scan checkouts their first couples times out, but if you can't figure out how they work after that then don't blame the technology, blame yourself. At least at Safeway and Superstore. I can't comment on Sobeys, Coop or other self-checkouts.

I do agree. I actually did all the upgrades to the Home depot ones in southern Alberta and I have to say there very very easy to use. Just some people have issues now a days reading things and following simple directions.

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by Mibz
Listen, I understand that some people have trouble with self-scan checkouts their first couples times out, but if you can't figure out how they work after that then don't blame the technology, blame yourself. At least at Safeway and Superstore. I can't comment on Sobeys, Coop or other self-checkouts.

this^, the fken retarded soccer moms who dont understand that the system weighs what was scanned and when you take your gdamned groceries and start putting them into your cart early, the system will create an error or perhaps its a failsafe for unscanned/stolen items where the weight indifference causes the alarm and then the attendant has to come over, then they stand there with that dumb look cursing at the machine as if it is at fault. I find that problem to be the most common one when theres a fk up

with a cart packed full of items, why would you do it yourself if you can't even , thats what the clerks are for and they do it fast and efficiently.

[mr2mike]

I'm saying I have one item. Home Depot to be exact (16th Ave location). Baseboard. It needs to be measured, I couldn't just enter the size in and be done. Had to wait for the numb skull to try and figure out how long it was. While he's too busy doing god knows what with the fat cashier chick he's trying to bed.

Maybe it's the incessant beeping from those tills that throw me over the edge. Lets make them louder because I don't know how touch screens work. :thumbsdow

They work good for the younger gens but when grandma wants to go try out her computer skills on a Saturday afternoon, I'm not having it.

[TKRIS]

Some of them are way too fucking fast.
I am not, despite popular opinion, a complete fucking moron. I am capable of scanning an item, and placing it in the bag. But the fucking Canadian Tire checkouts here don't give you any fucking time. Once you scan something, you have about .5 seconds to put it in the bag before it starts screaming "PLEASE PLACE ITEM IN THE BAGGAGE AREA", then you have about 1/3 of a second to scan your next item before it starts yelling "PLEASE SCAN YOUR NEXT ITEM"!

I tested it. I had one item in each hand, and I still couldn't do it fast enough to bypass the prompting.

Yeah. Thanks tips. How about you give me a give me a goddamned beat to do something before you start prompting me?

Also, the checkouts at Wal-Mart are incredibly loud when the store is mostly empty.

[adam c]

walmart is the worst for u-scans... everyone there thinks they're a pro
i don't know how many times i've had more items than the people in front of me but i have left before them cause they can't figure out anything on the damn machine

[rage2]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I've been meaning to start a thread about his. It's so frustrating sometimes watching people fumble through self scan. It's gotten to the point where I can't stand going to grocery store and I just have them delivered to my house.
Which service do you use?

I only buy junk food at the grocery store, and I just discovered www.snakatak.ca this weekend. What a great service.

[almerick]

Wow, second picture is epic fail. I don't mind shopping at Co-op actually, seems like everyone who live in my area shop at superstore anyways so Co-op is always dead.:nut:

[Tik-Tok]

The biggest problem is that the cashiers don't enforce the item limit.

All you have to do is say, sorry M'am, you obviously have more than 12 items, please go to a regular line.

[calgarygts]

hahaha, I'm so glad someone made a thread about this! I can't tell you how many times I want to completely lose my mind and double leg drop kick someone for being too stupid to use the self scan machines, or better yet bring a cart brimming over the top with groceries. I'm talking the kind of frustration that even though using both legs to drop kick would hurt me as I would fall it wouldn't matter as long as it hurt them more.
I'm like the OP, only buying in small quantities so would like to get in and out quickly. It's tough to when there's three people who can't for the life of them figure out how to use their debit card without instruction from a person, and one jack off buying 200 bucks worth of stuff at the self scan.

Edit - that first picture is awesome and it's super funny that you took one to begin with. Maybe I'll start taking cell phone pics when I see this and tell the person I"m going to put them on the net for being a dick.

[masoncgy]

I gave up on the self check-out lines long ago... the only time I will utilize one is if I can walk right up to it without waiting, but if there's any sort of line up, I will simply hit a cashier's line instead.

People are too fucking stupid for their own good... and use no common sense.

- Old people... if you can't use a computer (or even a calculator in some cases), why the hell are you trying it out at the grocery store?

"Oh Harold... it says... umm... enter the "plu"?! ... the "plu"? I don't think we grabbed anything like that? Is that a new type of fruit..? Remember that one bin we passed, was that it? I don't think we took any though..." the old woman says as she's scratching her head.

- Full cart folk... come on... how in the hell do you expect to properly manage checking out that entire cart of goods... it's impossible!

- Stupid people in general... ugh. I seriously pray for our world to get a little smarter every day, and I'm not even a religious man!

Let's make life more complicated, by making things simpler and more convenient. It seems the technological gurus of this planet give the masses too much credit. ;)

[Pollywog]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
The biggest problem is that the cashiers don't enforce the item limit.

All you have to do is say, sorry M'am, you obviously have more than 12 items, please go to a regular line.

Originally posted by calgarygts

Edit - that first picture is awesome and it's super funny that you took one to begin with. Maybe I'll start taking cell phone pics when I see this and tell the person I"m going to put them on the net for being a dick.

Both people in the photos were told by myself that they are rediculous.

[JRSC00LUDE]

I refuse to use self-checkout. If I want to work there I'll apply for a job FFS. :thumbsdow

[scat19]

I, too, have been meaning to make one of these threads.

How hard is a self checkout? I said to myself, perhaps I can do it because I've been a cashier a couple of times when I was younger. Then I realised, if that's the best excuse I can come up for other people - it's because they're just retarded.

[Tezzating]

Originally posted by Pollywog



Both people in the photos were told by myself that they are rediculous.

Years ago I had a friend who owned a pet donkey when he was young (lived on a farm), but they "shot it because it was ridiculous". I asked him to explain how a donkey could be ridiculous, his answer was "I cant explain it, it was just ridiculous so we shot it".

I believe that perhaps this is your solution for ridiculous people at the checkouts.



(On a serious note, yes I hate those people too.. try going shopping before 10AM if you can, less idiots).

[Zero102]

I think they should have one of those drive-through timers over top of each self scan checkout. They could use this to possibly enforce penalties, such as a "you made several of our other customers leave due to excessive delays" tax.

I only use self-checkouts when i am in time trial mode. 10 items or less, 30 seconds or less, GO!

[clem24]

Originally posted by rage2

Which service do you use?

I only buy junk food at the grocery store, and I just discovered www.snakatak.ca this weekend. What a great service.

HOLY CRAP $$$$

[codetrap]

Originally posted by jonnycat
The worst place by far is Costco. 800 fucking checkout lines, 3 of them are open, express checkouts don't exist and 90% of the people have bought enough shit to last through a nuclear winter.

Man I love beyond some days.. it's funny because it's true!

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by clem24


HOLY CRAP $$$$


Baller stoners don't care about $, :rofl:

[TorqueDog]

Originally posted by rage2
I only buy junk food at the grocery store, and I just discovered www.snakatak.ca this weekend. What a great service. I award you +1 internets. What an awesome find.

Edit: Just comparing some of the prices, fark is that expensive!

[Quizzes]

...or when the same people decide to pay with all the loose change they have in their purse.
:banghead:

[Kartelli]

Originally posted by jonnycat
I also fucking hate shopping if doesn't include a motor or electronics. The self scan checkouts are designed to be for only a few items as you can't fit everything on the bag rack with the weight sensors.

The worst place by far is Costco. 800 fucking checkout lines, 3 of them are open, express checkouts don't exist and 90% of the people have bought enough shit to last through a nuclear winter. The cashier's helpers either throw everything in the cart with no boxes or they put all of the heavy shit into the flimsiest box they can find, so you have to pull all the shit out anyway when unloading your cart.

Their checkout lines were designed by retards. They make it so I have to take my kid out of my cart and carry him between the narrowest fucking corridor between registers where peoples' receipts, and the vac tubes and the actual registers are well within reach of my kid, who thinks its great he can touch all these new things.

The registers are usually armed by these tough lesbian looking bitches, who have their jeans from 1985 hiked up past their bellybutton, their she mullets are all hairsprayed and looking great, they got their stupid fucking neon colored spring coil key holders around their forearm like they are keys to a max security prison. Their attitude just shows that they think they are gods gift to checkouts, and making $14-18 / hour is the higest paid job in town.

Everytime we go there it seems some dickwad takes our Costsco card somewhere and come back simply to tell us we are able to sign up for a different card that would cost more per year to own. I mean we shop there a few times per year and I want to pay more fucking money for the priviledge? Then we have to wait for him to come back and explain the "Good" news.

Well written!!!! Agree on everything

[88CRX]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
I refuse to use self-checkout. If I want to work there I'll apply for a job FFS. :thumbsdow

:werd:

Used them once and fucked it up by removing an item to close a lid put it back and then the system went all ape-shit.

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by rage2

discovered www.snakatak.ca this weekend.

Funny how they sell http://www.snakatak.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=844&categoryID=72

If they sold Trojans and could gurantee quick delivery they could double their business.

Boom... hire me as marketing director/VP of Operations.

I've got more this ain't no one trick pony... pre rolled joints with the purchase of $50+ of junk food. This would equal larger purchases plus guarantee they'd be buying more junk food in a matter of hours.

[ExtraSlow]

They totally do sell condoms.
snak atak - condoms (http://www.snakatak.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=283&categoryID=53)

[rage2]

Originally posted by TorqueDog
Edit: Just comparing some of the prices, fark is that expensive!
For $10/20 extra and not having to deal with idiots, it's well worth it.

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by jonnycat
The worst place by far is Costco. 800 fucking checkout lines, 3 of them are open, express checkouts don't exist and 90% of the people have bought enough shit to last through a nuclear winter. The cashier's helpers either throw everything in the cart with no boxes or they put all of the heavy shit into the flimsiest box they can find, so you have to pull all the shit out anyway when unloading your cart.

Their checkout lines were designed by retards. They make it so I have to take my kid out of my cart and carry him between the narrowest fucking corridor between registers where peoples' receipts, and the vac tubes and the actual registers are well within reach of my kid, who thinks its great he can touch all these new things.

The registers are usually armed by these tough lesbian looking bitches, who have their jeans from 1985 hiked up past their bellybutton, their she mullets are all hairsprayed and looking great, they got their stupid fucking neon colored spring coil key holders around their forearm like they are keys to a max security prison. Their attitude just shows that they think they are gods gift to checkouts, and making $14-18 / hour is the higest paid job in town.

Everytime we go there it seems some dickwad takes our Costsco card somewhere and come back simply to tell us we are able to sign up for a different card that would cost more per year to own. I mean we shop there a few times per year and I want to pay more fucking money for the priviledge? Then we have to wait for him to come back and explain the "Good" news. :werd: Agree 100%. The headaches I get from being in that store more than cancel out the money saved.

Originally posted by almerick
Wow, second picture is epic fail. I don't mind shopping at Co-op actually, seems like everyone who live in my area shop at superstore anyways so Co-op is always dead.:nut: You happen to live in the Hamptons/Edgemont area?

I love the Hamptons Co-op, it's never busy when I'm there and when I just grab a couple items, the self checkouts are never in use so I can get out quick (I guess it's because trophy wives are above self-scanning :rofl: )

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
The biggest problem is that the cashiers don't enforce the item limit.

All you have to do is say, sorry M'am, you obviously have more than 12 items, please go to a regular line. While I agree to a point, I can imagine that most cashiers aren't going to fight someone over it, it's not worth them putting up with someone bitching at them if they try and kick them out of line.

As for the self-scans themselves, I love them. Every store should have them. The less I have to deal with people the better.

[Pollywog]

Originally posted by rage2

For $10/20 extra and not having to deal with idiots, it's well worth it.

Ever had sarah or katy come to the door? ;)

http://www.snakatak.ca/images/DSC03485.JPGhttp://www.snakatak.ca/images/Katy%202.jpg


Or just Alice? :(
http://www.snakatak.ca/images/Alice.jpg

[Mar]

Originally posted by n1zm0
this^, the fken retarded soccer moms who dont understand that the system weighs what was scanned and when you take your gdamned groceries and start putting them into your cart early, the system will create an error or perhaps its a failsafe for unscanned/stolen items where the weight indifference causes the alarm and then the attendant has to come over, then they stand there with that dumb look cursing at the machine as if it is at fault. I find that problem to be the most common one when theres a fk up
I don't blame the people in this situation, I blame the developers. I'm a software developer by profession and if I want to scan an item, then put it in my pocket, then there should be a button on the screen for Skip Bagging. This is often what happens to me at Home Depot because they seem to be the only self checkout that doesn't have this option, I buy 1 item, scan it, hold it in my hand and use the other hand to get my money out. The machine throws a fit because I didn't weigh it.......I don't care. Just let me pay. The first time this happened to me the guy asked me to weigh it and I said no. The second time I left to go to a cashier and the girl actually chased me down to tell me she couldn't cancel the order, I had to go back and continue.

If I paid someone a million dollars to design and develop that service for me and this is what they delivered, I'd fire them and hire another developer.

As for the people going to the self checkout with full carts, is this just frowned upon or is there actually a sign with an item limit? I've never seen the signs any time I've looked.

And lastly, has anyone been to the new efficient checkout at Wal-Mart in Marlborough? Basically there's 4 express cashiers and 1 single lineup, and there's an automated voice telling the next person which cashier to proceed to. I was there last night and they had 1 cashier open, 3 closed and there were over 40 people in the ilneup. How efficient.

[FivE.SeveN]

I dunno... the inability for people to grasp a simple if-then statement just boggles me.

Scan the barcode
Put it in the bag.

Do you have another item?
Yes: Do the above again.
No: Swipe your visa and gtfo.

As much as I love the deer-in-headlights look, ffs if you aren't half competent pressing huge buttons and listening to instructions coming from a monitor, then maybe the self-scan just isn't for you.

Like honestly, they couldn't have made it any easier, but working at my job all day has made me realize that people are fucking stupid. They'll panic/start pushing buttons randomly as soon as something happens that they didn't expect. The extra "do you want to bag this?" step would just confuse them even worse.

[Mar]

Originally posted by FivE.SeveN
The extra "do you want to bag this?" step would just confuse them even worse.
Safeway has it right though. It tells you to put your item in the bag but at the same time the screen shows a button that says SKIP. I push this button all the time, it's great. I usually go to the store for such few items that I rarely use a bag at all. Whoever developed the Home Depot system is just retarded.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
The biggest problem is that the cashiers don't enforce the item limit.

All you have to do is say, sorry M'am, you obviously have more than 12 items, please go to a regular line.


Originally posted by Zero102
I think they should have one of those drive-through timers over top of each self scan checkout. They could use this to possibly enforce penalties, such as a "you made several of our other customers leave due to excessive delays" tax.


For each item over the posted limit in the express checkout, add a 2% surcharge on the grand total. Five items over, you're paying 10% more.

[lilmira]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish




For each item over the posted limit in the express checkout, add a 2% surcharge on the grand total. Five items over, you're paying 10% more.

Now if the surcharge goes to credit for the next customer in line, that would be perfect.

[scat19]

Originally posted by lilmira


Now if the surcharge goes to credit for the next customer in line, that would be perfect.

How do you know the next customer is not as retarded as the first? :rofl:

[lilmira]

Good point, it should rollover to the next eligible customer.

"More retards, more saving!"

[Dumbass17]

oh god
i hear you man
they were ok when they first came out cause old people were scared of them

i just get frustrated that i insert an item in the bag and when the bag is full i have to move it to start a new bag. but nooooo, you have to leave the items on the scale so they can be weighed properly and ensure you're not stealing anything. then it says please wait for a fat bitch to assist you..then you wait and she scans her card on the monitor and you try to continue..but nope, no dice. the scale can't register the onion soup mix you've just put in the bag because it's too effin light. so you apply a bit of pressure to the scale and this sets off THE DEMONS OF CHECKOUT HELL:devil:

[narou]

Sure it might be a bit frustrating if you rush to an express lane and someone is ahead of you with more than the maximum item limit. But if that cashier is just waiting for someone to come anybody should go there until more quickies come. Part of the problem is cashiers in grocery stores are pretty slow and good at it IMO. Also half of the people that come with one item make it the most complex process or ask stupid questions. They may even expect you to hold the line so they can run to grab something.

For ex
Customer: Could I have an adult bus pass and a bottle of spring water?
Cashier: (THINKING: WTF GO TO FUCKING CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU STUPID ASSHAT!) But the employee actually has to say something like this. "No problem I will help you with that right away."

Oh and whats with people ignoring an employees discussion when they shop somewhere then getting pissed off when a mistake happens or its taking longer than it needs to? Some places require there employees to follow quite a few planned out steps during a transaction....

WTF /end rant!


PS: About USCANS you guys are right to many people use them even thought they cant figure them out. Self scan is not very imbred friendly! I have seen people go past empty check outs to use a self scan only to take 10 time longer!

[88CRX]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
you wait and she scans her card on the monitor and you try to continue..but nope, no dice. the scale can't register the onion soup mix you've just put in the bag because it's too effin light. so you apply a bit of pressure to the scale and this sets off THE DEMONS OF CHECKOUT HELL:devil:

:rofl: :rofl:

sooooo true.... exactly what happens lol

[AndyL]

Oh... Home depot's one is good for that weight thing- never take a roll of teflon tape to the self check-out... turns into a hellish experience...

[black13]

seriously, these soccor moms/old people just kill the line.

And I don't know why not all the stores put up 12 items or less on self checkout lines. If you have more items, just go to the cashiers, it'll be much faster.

[nonlinear]

Originally posted by Mar

And lastly, has anyone been to the new efficient checkout at Wal-Mart in Marlborough? Basically there's 4 express cashiers and 1 single lineup, and there's an automated voice telling the next person which cashier to proceed to. I was there last night and they had 1 cashier open, 3 closed and there were over 40 people in the ilneup. How efficient.

having several cashiers and a single lineup is far more efficient than having a separate line at each cashier. (look into queuing theory).

and if you go to the states, you'll see that all of the new big box stores are using the single-line concept. of course, it's going to take 20 years to catch on in western canada.

[FiveFreshFish]

^^^ Yes, it's the fairest way to do lineups. Banks have done this for decades.

[kylejw]

Originally posted by nonlinear


having several cashiers and a single lineup is far more efficient than having a separate line at each cashier.

Yes. Then Joe fucking whitetrash can't hold you up for 10 minutes because his roll of tape is twenty cents less on the shelf than the till.

I don't think I've ever been to princess auto and NOT had at least one of these guys in front of me. Sometimes they get mad at their wives for it too, like it's their fault somehow??

[kylejw]

Double Post

[wintonyk]

back in hali... self checkout at the superstore was golden. i would walk up no line, scan my weekly groceries and be out faster then the 4 people buying a bag of chips and pop from their pizza faced 12 items or less cashier.

In Calgary however, I seem to have the worst experience. Superstore its about choosing the lesser of 2 evils. And I usually end up in the normal line when i have a couple items and someone that is nice will let me step ahead because they know I will take a few seconds.

I love food and its unfortunate how the process is tainted but such chodey soccer moms.

[Kardon]

The two stores OP posted are the two I frequent. Even worked at one :p

I can't stand idiots who go to those Self-Scans, you can point them out at Co-op because they approach the machine, it asks for there Co-op number, they decide to scan a box of crackers instead of there Member card. Boom uhhhh this thing doesn't seem to work.

[luv2ride_bikes]

I love using the self checkouts, I find them quite easy to use. The thing that pisses me off is the slow people using them ahead of you. The Superstore self checkouts are the worst. People are in slow motion when they scan items. they slowly pick the item up, slowly run it across the scanner. Hold it in their hands for a few seconds looking at the screen, then put it in their bag. Then it comes for them to pay, it takes just about as long to pay as it took them to scan their 10 to 20 items. I hate these fucking morons. It is not just old people that are slow. the younger people are just as slow.

I find the best place for cashiers is the Beacon Heights Costco. they usually have tons of checkouts open, and when it is really busy, they have people going through the lines pre-scanning your cart. So when you get up to the cashier, you just pay and leave. They are really quick getting you out the door.

[TorqueDog]

As much as I prefer using the self-checkout, they're too buggy as certain stores. Scan the item, put it in the bag, go to scan the next item and the thing locks and asks that you wait for an attendant.

[Mar]

I was at the Canadian Tire ones once and there was a woman next to me trying to pay for her items:

machine in loud blaring voice: PLEASE SWIPE YOUR CARD ON THE SIDE OF THIS MONITOR!

....she tries swiping it in the Interac machine off to the side....

machine: PLEASE SWIPE YOUR CARD ON THE SIDE OF THIS MONITOR!

....she tries swiping it in the Interac machine again......meanwhile there's a video demonstration on the screen of someone swiping their card down the side of the monitor itself......she tries swiping it in the Interac machine again.....and again......

machine: PLEASE SWIPE YOUR CARD ON THE SIDE OF THIS MONITOR!

I was too upset to tell her the difference, I figured people this dumb didn't deserve nourishment.

[Manhattan]

Originally posted by narou
I have seen people go past empty check outs to use a self scan only to take 10 time longer!

QFT :banghead:

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by nonlinear

and if you go to the states, you'll see that all of the new big box stores are using the single-line concept. of course, it's going to take 20 years to catch on in western canada.

Americans have to be the stupidest fucking people I've ever seen in a crowd. Stores have tried this idea in theory, but people in the U.S. are too fucking stupid to figure it out and try to force their way behind a specific cashier anyways.

The worst is when they try and herd their way behind a particular self-checkout till. I've never seen that in Calgary. Most people in Calgary stop at the beginning of the self-checkout line and go to the next available till.

[Manhattan]

Originally posted by nonlinear


having several cashiers and a single lineup is far more efficient than having a separate line at each cashier. (look into queuing theory).

and if you go to the states, you'll see that all of the new big box stores are using the single-line concept. of course, it's going to take 20 years to catch on in western canada.

Most chain grocery and convenience stores were already doing this in England when I was there last summer. It feels odd at first to have such an "elaborate" check out system but it works quite well.

[almerick]

Originally posted by Eleanor
You happen to live in the Hamptons/Edgemont area?

I love the Hamptons Co-op, it's never busy when I'm there and when I just grab a couple items, the self checkouts are never in use so I can get out quick (I guess it's because trophy wives are above self-scanning )

Yup, it's a pretty decent area to live in :D

[szw]

Originally posted by Weapon_R




The worst is when they try and herd their way behind a particular self-checkout till. I've never seen that in Calgary. Most people in Calgary stop at the beginning of the self-checkout line and go to the next available till.

I've seen it. It just takes one guy to decide to line up behind a particular machine then people in the back of the line get nervous and some will start to line up behind him. I've seen it at Mcdonalds too where there was a large sign that says "do not line up behind individual cashiers", so I guess the problem occurs fairly often.

[szw]

Originally posted by Mar
I was at the Canadian Tire ones once and there was a woman next to me trying to pay for her items:

machine in loud blaring voice: PLEASE SWIPE YOUR CARD ON THE SIDE OF THIS MONITOR!



I think this one is the fault of the design for having two separate places for swiping your card. I am pretty fast at the self checkout but sometimes I end up going for the wrong card swipe which is annoying.

[szw]

Costco lines move pretty fast IMO. They look large but people have large carts with large items that are easy to scan, like huge bundles of toilet paper or paper towels. Looks like a lot but just 1 scan and its done unlike superstore where the same amount of items in a cart are all scanned separately.

[abyss]

Originally posted by szw


I think this one is the fault of the design for having two separate places for swiping your card. I am pretty fast at the self checkout but sometimes I end up going for the wrong card swipe which is annoying.

I agree. I've had this happen too. Sometimes you're just trying to get out of there in a hurry and not paying attention to what the stupid, annoying machine is saying.

[codetrap]

Originally posted by abyss


I agree. I've had this happen too. Sometimes you're just trying to get out of there in a hurry and not paying attention to what the stupid, annoying machine is saying.

Geez! Isn't there a saying about trying to idiot proof something and the universe? Really, who's fault is it? The designer for putting clear instructions out there that nobody pays attention to, or the user for not paying attention?

This isn't directed at you personally abyss, but at everyone in general who fails at using technology because they failed to pay attention.

[clem24]

Originally posted by luv2ride_bikes
I love using the self checkouts, I find them quite easy to use. The thing that pisses me off is the slow people using them ahead of you. The Superstore self checkouts are the worst. People are in slow motion when they scan items. they slowly pick the item up, slowly run it across the scanner. Hold it in their hands for a few seconds looking at the screen, then put it in their bag. Then it comes for them to pay, it takes just about as long to pay as it took them to scan their 10 to 20 items. I hate these fucking morons. It is not just old people that are slow. the younger people are just as slow.

I find the best place for cashiers is the Beacon Heights Costco. they usually have tons of checkouts open, and when it is really busy, they have people going through the lines pre-scanning your cart. So when you get up to the cashier, you just pay and leave. They are really quick getting you out the door.

Haha everything is true. Superstore self check outs are full are clueless retards. But the fact of the matter is, they don't give a shit cause 6 checkouts and with 1 attendant is 5 less wages to pay. Like they give a shit about how long it takes. At least the good news is that they have so many check outs.

As for the Costco, I do actually find they are fairly quick. I also find most people pile up in the big aisle and rarely go to the check outs nearer to the food court, where they are usually much shorter. Also, I wonder when Costco will introduce self check out as well. They have them in the US and it was super quick.

I'd also like to point out that generally, people (i.e. other customers) at Costco are really nice. If they see me holding 1 or 2 items, they'll let me go to the front of the line. This happens quite frequently.

[szw]

Originally posted by codetrap


Geez! Isn't there a saying about trying to idiot proof something and the universe? Really, who's fault is it? The designer for putting clear instructions out there that nobody pays attention to, or the user for not paying attention?

This isn't directed at you personally abyss, but at everyone in general who fails at using technology because they failed to pay attention.

Easily the designer. Its not about idiot-proofing, its about good design. A good design doesn't require any instructions, especially ones that are blaring out of a speaker. When people don't listen to the instructions then the designer has failed twice.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by szw


I think this one is the fault of the design for having two separate places for swiping your card.

One place to swipe would be ideal. If they must have two, they should have a flashing light beside the one you need to swipe.

Look at how bank machines are designed. They have lights that flash at whichever slot that needs your attention. Banks do a lot of things well, especially with the lineups which I mentioned before. It's no wonder they make billions.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by szw
A good design doesn't require any instructions No. You're going to tell me that there is no concept that cannot be explained without instructions?

Tell me how you design a self check-out to inform people of how it works without explicitly telling them. You'll make millions.

[dragonone]

i don't understand how this would speed things up. the cashiers are trained and have way more experience than an average customer. when buying produce you even have to dig through menus of categories

[OH-EIGHT]

Originally posted by dragonone
i don't understand how this would speed things up. the cashiers are trained and have way more experience than an average customer. when buying produce you even have to dig through menus of categories

i think it saves money more than it speeds things up

[VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
The biggest problem is that the cashiers don't enforce the item limit.

All you have to do is say, sorry M'am, you obviously have more than 12 items, please go to a regular line.


All right, I want you to be the cashier and say that to the moron in the line.
Yes, the cashiers are retarded (most of the time), but there is nothing they can do if the people don't heed the sign.
If a cashier were to say that to any arrogant mother/prick/drunk/white trash ass hole that comes through the line that they need to go somewhere else 9/10 the customer is gonna throw a fit. Not even worth it. Hell, most of the cashiers are lucky to make it through a day without getting yelled at by some retard over something insignificant. I have seen these people reduced to tears by customers... smart, nice, attractive people all kinds. It just comes down to not provoking the customers, they are almost all animals.
I supervise at one of the Costcos... this is the same shit we see all day, people that get pissed when someone else inconvieniences (sp?) them, but when they are doing it to someone else it is o.k.
I have just assumed that this is the grocerie industry. People are spending money on things they don't want to, no matter what, nothing will make them happy. I am just glad that none of the Costcos in Calgary have self-checkout yet, and take solace knowing that by the time it gets to my warehouse I will be looooong gone. :clap:


EDIT: Quoted wrong person

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN


I am just glad that none of the Costcos in Calgary have self-checkout yet, and take solace knowing that by the time it gets to my warehouse I will be looooong gone. :clap:




Their entire cart should be a self contained scanning machine (you have to deposit your credit card to release the cart)... then once you're ready to leave, you put your finger print on the biometric thingy in the "checkout" area in the front, and then you just keep on walking outta the store.

[VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN]

Have you seen the tills at Costco? Same kind that they used when the place was called price club.

You should see the system for looking up memberships and item numbers, it's an effing joke.
Costco will just be getting LCD screens when Superstore and Co-oP are getting self scanning buggies.

[smd479]

Originally posted by jonnycat
I also fucking hate shopping if doesn't include a motor or electronics. The self scan checkouts are designed to be for only a few items as you can't fit everything on the bag rack with the weight sensors.

The worst place by far is Costco. 800 fucking checkout lines, 3 of them are open, express checkouts don't exist and 90% of the people have bought enough shit to last through a nuclear winter. The cashier's helpers either throw everything in the cart with no boxes or they put all of the heavy shit into the flimsiest box they can find, so you have to pull all the shit out anyway when unloading your cart.

Their checkout lines were designed by retards. They make it so I have to take my kid out of my cart and carry him between the narrowest fucking corridor between registers where peoples' receipts, and the vac tubes and the actual registers are well within reach of my kid, who thinks its great he can touch all these new things.

The registers are usually armed by these tough lesbian looking bitches, who have their jeans from 1985 hiked up past their bellybutton, their she mullets are all hairsprayed and looking great, they got their stupid fucking neon colored spring coil key holders around their forearm like they are keys to a max security prison. Their attitude just shows that they think they are gods gift to checkouts, and making $14-18 / hour is the higest paid job in town.

Everytime we go there it seems some dickwad takes our Costsco card somewhere and come back simply to tell us we are able to sign up for a different card that would cost more per year to own. I mean we shop there a few times per year and I want to pay more fucking money for the priviledge? Then we have to wait for him to come back and explain the "Good" news.

Oh My God, I spent the last two summers working here and yes, it is probably the worst place ever to shop and I don't recommend it. But don't be a giant asshole about the crappy service. We are known for our speed because we know how much customers want to get in and out as quick as possible.
Yes we don't have express lines but that is because our cashiers work at an exceptionally fast rate. And when the front end gets busy, more tills do open it's just you retards are to stupid to realize that the middle tills are open. You would rather stand at the first till you see, no matter what the length of the line is.
And boxes, usually when you don't get one, it means that there are none left. So either find them around the store before you get to the front, or bring bags. Oh and what makes me so mad, is when you people make us walk half way around the building looking for boxes when you could have done it yourself. Or when you repack our stuff two feet away from our tills. Do you honestly have to do that? Not only are you making us mad because we just packed your damn groceries, but you are in everyone elses way.
And the Executive card, just say no when they ask you if you would like to see if it would benefit you. There are a lot of people that hate asking people, so they don't bother.
So you know what, your there for what, half an hour? Suck it up

[Kobe]

Oh when I was younger and working as a cashier at Superstore at the "express lanes" you would get idiots non stop coming in with like 100 items saying "come on there is no line up here" and bs.. for the first little while i let them go since I was already afraid of getting in trouble. But after a year or so I started telling people I will not let them go passed the express lanes.


You should of seen how some of the people got pissed off at me. Seriously, you come with 50 fucken items with 5 people behind you and think I will feel bad for you and since u waited 2 minutes in line up you deserve to go by. No fuck that I made those mother fuckers get out of my lane. This was def one of the worst parts of the job..

[masoncgy]

^ Sounds like the best part of the job to me... telling people to go fuck themselves. :)

[rage2]

Originally posted by masoncgy
^ Sounds like the best part of the job to me... telling people to go fuck themselves. :)
I wanna get a part time weekend job at safeway now and work the express lanes exclusively, just so I can yell at people haha.

I'd fucking do that shit for free!

[FivE.SeveN]

Originally posted by Kardon

I can't stand idiots who go to those Self-Scans, you can point them out at Co-op because they approach the machine, it asks for there Co-op number, they decide to scan a box of crackers instead of there Member card. Boom uhhhh this thing doesn't seem to work.

Oh god this :rofl: :rofl:

[szw]

Originally posted by Mibz
No. You're going to tell me that there is no concept that cannot be explained without instructions?

Tell me how you design a self check-out to inform people of how it works without explicitly telling them. You'll make millions.

See the post right above yours. Obviously you can't go completely without instructions but their instructions aren't even effective.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by rage2

I wanna get a part time weekend job at safeway now and work the express lanes exclusively, just so I can yell at people haha.

I'd fucking do that shit for free!

rage's form of stress relief ;)

[Pollywog]

Originally posted by szw


See the post right above yours. Obviously you can't go completely without instructions but their instructions aren't even effective.

Well if middle-aged women have been watching cashiers do it for decades, I don't understand how the concept of Scan->>Bag->>Pay all of a sudden becomes other-worldly. While I agree the "instructions" on the machine are sometimes crippled by either a slow or poorly designed interface, the fact is that a simple glance at the screen as to whether it says "SCAN GROCERY ITEMS" or "Enter Membership Number" denounces input error being due to the machine and not just personal stupidity.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by szw


See the post right above yours. Obviously you can't go completely without instructions but their instructions aren't even effective. I should have specified that I agree having two places to swipe is silly, and I agree that some sort of blinky light would be great for indicating where you need to swipe.

[abyss]

Originally posted by codetrap


Geez! Isn't there a saying about trying to idiot proof something and the universe? Really, who's fault is it? The designer for putting clear instructions out there that nobody pays attention to, or the user for not paying attention?

This isn't directed at you personally abyss, but at everyone in general who fails at using technology because they failed to pay attention.

Both. If they were going to idiot proof it, then they should only have one location to swipe. I don't understand the need for two anyway. Or if you need to have two, then have them both work.

Even when you go to pay with debit at a regular till half the time it's "oh you need to swipe it yourself in the machine." and the other half it's "oh no, you can't swipe it in the machine, I have to do it over here." it's ridiculous. Obviously it's impossible to design all debit/credit machines to work the same.

We are a society of people constantly trying to multitask with well formed daily habits that we're used to. When someone throws a wrench in there (however well designed that wrench may or may not be) it still fucks shit up.

[Canmorite]

I always use the ones at CO-OP. Avoid dinner time rush and there's never usually a line...

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR
Their entire cart should be a self contained scanning machine (you have to deposit your credit card to release the cart)... then once you're ready to leave, you put your finger print on the biometric thingy in the "checkout" area in the front, and then you just keep on walking outta the store.

invent it, i'll definitely invest, take over the WORLD!

on a related note, the superstore in deerfoot meadows on sunday nights, completely dead everytime.

[GQBalla]

the superstore in southport has always been dead every single time ive been

[masoncgy]

Originally posted by GQBalla
the superstore in southport has always been dead every single time ive been

I think the Deerfoot Meadows location steals a ton of traffic from the Southport store, given the fact they are rather close together in location, people on the SE side of Macleod would just head to Deerfoot Meadows instead.

[KrisYYC]

I shop at the Southport Superstore almost exclusively. I avoid it on Saturdays and Sundays and usually go weekday evenings. I'm a single guy like the OP and rarely have more than a few bags worth of stuff so I use the self-scan checkouts all the time. They're way faster and there's rarely a line. Though you do see the odd idiot with $400 worth of shit taking 30 mins. They used to have a 25 item or less rule there, not anymore it seems.

[v2kai]

why is beyond the last safe haven for common sense?

it's always fun waiting at the u-scan looking at each person and you know which idiot is gonna be there for hours. if you worked there i could see it turning into a fun betting game with your co-workers. which idiot takes longer to get their shit scanned and leave.:facepalm:

[Kobe]

Originally posted by masoncgy
^ Sounds like the best part of the job to me... telling people to go fuck themselves. :)
Haha When i was like 17 and I needed that job, I didn't want to get in trouble, even though I was in a union and would have never got fired..


Originally posted by rage2

I wanna get a part time weekend job at safeway now and work the express lanes exclusively, just so I can yell at people haha.

I'd fucking do that shit for free!

Thinking back at it now, I would love to go back to superstore and work the self scan check out and yell at people 2, since I couldn't give 2 shits about my job..:rofl: :rofl:

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by rage2

Which service do you use?

I only buy junk food at the grocery store, and I just discovered www.snakatak.ca this weekend. What a great service.
http://www.pickndrop.ca/ these guys will get you anything you need... and www.spud.ca for the organic stuff.