Self Service Checkouts Yay or Nay!

I hate them. The tills that were for small baskets are now gone. They've forced us into self service.

Dislike them, too.

Where is one's handbag supposed to go? Not on the 'shopping' side, not on the 'shopped' side and there is rarely room on the top. Really annoying and designed for men, or at least, men without handbags!

I can rarely use one without assistance.

I really object to them. These are people’s jobs.

Only for a few items or I get really flustered.
Don’t really agree with them as they are there to get rid of jobs

Strongly dislike and can't use them properly as I'm sight impaired. There's never enough room for the amount of shopping we do either.

I use self service checkouts all the time.
I prefer it and on the whole find it quicker.
Having said that I do understand a lot of people prefer to be served by someone.

I try to use them and mostly use the scan as you go app. I don't pack as I go as I like to count my items when I get to the checkout to make sure I haven't missed anything. I also hated them rummaging in my bags when the till said I needed a re-scan! I do find it quicker and I mostly do relatively frequent small shops. It might be different if I had a big trolley load.

I use the self scan smart shop in Sainsbury's. Love it, so quick!

Maxine16

I use the self scan smart shop in Sainsbury's. Love it, so quick!

Ditto!

I find it annoying when there are no bags at the self service though I usually try and bring my own

Yay! (Even though I had to have a random re-scan today).

Delila

Yay! (Even though I had to have a random re-scan today).

I had one last week in Tesco. I suspect it was the amount of alcohol I had purchased. It wasn't for me, but for a friend.

I prefer them. I use self scanning machines for a few items and the self scan smart shop in Sainsbury’s for a big shop. I’ve used them since covid .it’s quicker as I pack as I go , it’s a pointless exercise loading your trolley only to have to unload it on the conveyor belt and then pack your stuff. and it’s only me touching my shopping. As for taking away jobs. The technology creates jobs. Plus online shopping creates jobs . Sometimes my local supermarket has more staff picking items than shoppers .

The experience varies tremendously. At our local Asda they spot a hitch almost before you do yourself and sort it in seconds. Sainsburys? First try to attract the attention of the assistants chatting away there. Asda produce much superior as well.

Jackiest

I avoid them. I prefer to interact with humans.

This. If I have to use them I usually need help anyway. At least that means someone has a job, so I don’t care!

I don’t mind it for a small shop but for a big shop it can be a nightmare. The queues build up & things are always bleeping or going wrong and then you have to stand around and wait for an assistant to come with their magic key, they often seem flustered.
Last Christmas my youngest daughter went into her local Morrisons with her partner and they did a massive Christmas family food shop, the trolley was piled high. When they got to the checkout there was no one on there and they were directed by a manager to self service which was absolutely ridiculous with the amount of stuff they had. I told my daughter I would have walked out and left it all but as she pointed out she was working over the next few days so was unable & didn’t want to have do the whole darn shop again. After complaining and getting nowhere they reluctantly put it through. Really bad customer service not opening a till in that situation.
On the whole I prefer shop n scan in Sainsburys or better still, for a large shop a home delivery, Ocado are usually very good.
All very different to when I used to go to the local Coop as a child with a list for my mum, there would always be some old dears sat there on the chairs provided putting the world to rights while the assistants ran round and got all the items and packed it all. It was more of a social event for folk in those days. Not many people would have time for that nowadays though.

I absolutely hate them and refuse to use them.

Artols, that’s why I support the idea that there should be both available, and in most supermarkets that’s still true.

I hate them but have used them when the one and only manned checkout has a very long queue of very heavily laden trolleys! The frustrating thing I find is you have to place each item on the “out” section individually for it to register and then, when you have piled all your items there, you have to repack them into your shopping bag! If you place your bag there first and place the items in the bag from the trolley, that really confuses the poor old machine and it stalls all the time!

Can’t use them. Local Morrisons close their ordinary check outs around 9pm and customers are expected to use those vile things until the shop closes at 11 pm.
There are more staff helping customers than would be used if checkouts were open Staff dislike them too and one young man told me there were in his experience. an average of 2 customers per evening who say Nope and leave whatever they were going to buy, behind. Helps there being a 24 hour Tesco within a short driving distance!

I hate them. They stress me out. I always ask an assistant to stay and guide me through in case I make a mistake. I am probably their worst nightmare.

HeavenLeigh, I doubt you are in a minority!

Reasons against - reduction in staff; no face to face contact;
aged fingers; aged eyes; no where to place walking stick and they have a life of their own! and the check out person might be the only human I talk to in a week - I could go on.

As has been said, it is not just us old dears that dislike the machines. To be avoided. At all costs.

I love self service -.it means I pack myself and I don't have to interact with people.

I love the smart scan in Tesco too

They are OK for a few items but invariably there is some problem. Also, there is very little person-to-person contact, which I think is a shame. I know some people don't like conveyor belt chat but I think it makes for a more friendly atmosphere.

Our Sainsbury's has got rid of nearly all the cash desks and most transactions have to go through the self service points.

I'm with @Rosie51 all the way

Give me 'scan and go' any day!
I hate standing in queues