Booths is getting rid of their self service checkouts.

Just been to a "refurbished" Waitrose near a friend.
Most of the self-serve tills have gone and loads of staff at the other checkouts.

In M&S in town, things are about evenly spread, between the self serve and the serviced tills, though the serviced tills always have the longer queues. We don’t have cell service for clothing yet.

Aveline

I'm just back from a large M&S foodhall. I should have taken a photo. There was absolutely nobody at the self service points but the manned checkouts were doing a roaring trade. A message for management there.

It’s usually the opposite where I live. There is often a queue for the self scanning tills in both ASDA and Morrisons. I rarely use Tesco as it’s the other side of town but I suspect it’s the same there. Waitrose and Aldi have only recently installed them but they always look busy.

I recently shopped in an M&S that was self-service only in the non-food dept. It felt very odd putting clothing through the till and then there was an issue with my bank card so I had to go to one of two orders/returns checkouts to sort that out, where they were dealing with those duties, people like me who had an issue with payment (meaning the self service check out I’d used was also temporarily out of action), people who wanted exchanges and others who were trying to get something in a different colour/size.

I don’t think two people trying to do all that is a recipe for customer satisfaction.

Rosie51 as far as I know all the standard tills have been replaced, but there are staff on hand to help if you need it.
The returns desk is staffed, but unfortunately this sometimes means they also get called away by people who need help and we have to wait longer than we should to do a return 😕
It's early days though so hopefully they'll find a balance.

I'm just back from a large M&S foodhall. I should have taken a photo. There was absolutely nobody at the self service points but the manned checkouts were doing a roaring trade. A message for management there.

V3ra

^I read M&S were going to have self serve for clothing and household items too.^

Our M&S has self-serve for everything.

Does it only have self serve tills? If so I think that's a bit short sighted, there will always be people who need, as well as those that want, to be served by an assistant.

Mollygo

A compromise is good. Those speeding through the self checkout will mean less waiting for those who prefer manned tills.

(I believe the men who used to lost their job of carrying a red flag in front of a horseless carriage, from 14/11/1896 also complained about progress.)

I remember DH's Grandmother telling me she remembered those men carrying flags in front of cars!

Compromise oh, if only there was more compromise, the world would be a better place!

A compromise is good. Those speeding through the self checkout will mean less waiting for those who prefer manned tills.

Exactly!

I always head for self check out if my shopping is unlikely to fill more than one carrier bag. I prefer a manned till if I’m doing a big shop as there is more room for bags and I can transfer them back into the trolley one at a time.

There’s nothing worse than an overfilled shopping bag toppling over in the bagging area. 🫢

I read M&S were going to have self serve for clothing and household items too.

Our M&S has self-serve for everything.

A compromise is good. Those speeding through the self checkout will mean less waiting for those who prefer manned tills.

(I believe the men who used to lost their job of carrying a red flag in front of a horseless carriage, from 14/11/1896 also complained about progress.)

I read M&S were going to have self serve for clothing and household items too. I don't expect them to go wholly self serve though, I'd think their customer base would raise too many objections.
The foodhall of my nearest M&S replaced two of the normal checkouts with 8 self serve ones years ago, but retained 6 manned ones. A good compromise in my opinion.

Fleurpepper

ah, the gang back together - hurrah.

Funny.

Do all those who do not agree with another poster constitute a “gang” ?
How convenient to dismiss debate this way.

Noticed in M&S yesterday that they had increased the self service machines and only left a couple of normal check outs.

Fleurpepper

No I didn't. And it was not a strop- others turned it into one. thanks.

Someone who goes into a shop with very limited time because of an imminent train departure, who selects items, then refuses to use a self checkout despite the manned tills are all down (your scurrilous accusation of 'pretending' they were down not withstanding), and despite a helpful assistant saying she will aid a quick checkout, then dumps the basket of items on said assistant to replace on the shelves, can accurately be described as throwing a strop. Even though you maintain you were polite to the assistant (whom you described as 'condescending') your actions were rude and dismissive. Didn't you state she was well paid to return the items you no longer wished to purchase to the correct places on the shelves?

Aveline

I don't understand. Why would your things get 'crushed and smashed' at manned checkouts?

Perhaps they do things differently in the USA?

Glad you are looking forwards to this. Will make sure I give you a private warning and invitation before I do

Final word- choice is great. And it seems I am not the only one who believes that we want to keep the choice of wo/manned tills (and keep those jobs safe too).

Fleurpepper

No I didn't. And it was not a strop- others turned it into one. thanks.

Crumbs! Do post if you have a real strop. It will have the makings of a very entertaining thread! 🥳

ah, the gang back together - hurrah.

Funny.

Indeed. The original story speaks for itself.

Fleurpepper

RosiesMaw

Aveline

What is a Just walk out supermarket?

The sort FP patronises !!

How patronising is that ;)

Went to Supermarket today- nice lady at the till, efficient service, thanks and smiles.

I have never walked out apart from that day, when I had to rush for my train, and only a few items. As I am retired, I always go at the quietest times- much more pleasant and no queues. Great.

I take several bags that fit the shopping trolley, and they are all ready when stuff arrives.

Not patronising at all. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

No I didn't. And it was not a strop- others turned it into one. thanks.

Yes but FP you made such a big thing of your strop that you shouldn’t blame people for commenting.

RosiesMaw

Aveline

What is a Just walk out supermarket?

The sort FP patronises !!

How patronising is that ;)

Went to Supermarket today- nice lady at the till, efficient service, thanks and smiles.

I have never walked out apart from that day, when I had to rush for my train, and only a few items. As I am retired, I always go at the quietest times- much more pleasant and no queues. Great.

I take several bags that fit the shopping trolley, and they are all ready when stuff arrives.

Ah. You're in America. We pack our own bags here unless there's a charity bag pack going on. Even then I give a donation but insist on packing my own.
We bring our own bags too.