Adult Children by Stephen Beals for April 01, 2024

A store opened up near me a few years ago. It’s a branch of the same chain where I do most of my shopping, and it’s in a much more convenient location than where I usually shop. I went there to check it out, and they only have self checkout. When I saw that, I left without buying anything, and I’ve never gone back. I never use self checkout. I tried it when it first came, but the things were out of order more often than not – Remove the item from the bag area… Put the item on the bag area… Remove the item from the bag area… Please wait for assistance.

I use it on occasion depending on mood, circumstances, etc. OTOH I’m not above finding long checkout lines, leaving my cart and going to a different store or coming back in a day or two.

The Walmart I shop at has an employee standing in the self checkout area so they’re right there if any help is needed. As I think about it, most stores do have an attendent at the self checkout areas. I have no problems with self checkout unless I a full shopping cart.

Been using self-checkout forever. I like handling my own bagging so I know everything is right-side up and nothings on top of the bread or chips to crush them, plus I don’t have to wait in long lines for a cashier. I know lots of people can’t figure out on-screen menus so self-checkout is not for them – but that’s cool because l find more open stations to check myself out if others are using the cashiers.

Tabby has an answer for everything.

Our local WalMart took the inside benches out years ago and the one’s outside the store seem to always have employees taking a smoke break.

Ah yes, self checkout registers. Staffed by slow, inexperienced amateurs who can’t run the screen or find the UPC codes. It’s hilarious…if you’re not in the self checkout line.

Such hardships!

The local T store has 99% self checkout, two exits, and the only staff working are stockers, one store manager (who is never at the customer service area, but hiding in the back) and a single security guard watching both doors. Funny, they have to keep most items locked up because of theft issues…

The self-checkout phenomenon appears to be dying back. Customers prefer a few seconds of human contact to fumbling with obscure prompts. Also, many, many, many ways to “game” the self-checkout machine for fraud are circulating on the Internet.

I use it when I only have a few things.

These stores do not pay me enough to do their work for them. I am not an employee!

I talk to the machine…I question it when it tells me to move an item and thank it when I leave for doing a good job. “Welcome my son…welcome to the Machine.”xD

I like self-checkout, though I do think we deserve a discount for doing part of the store’s work. But for groceries, what I really like about it is that I can double-bag. Those miserably thin paper grocery bags that most stores seem to use are the pits!

Just skip the checking out part and bag’em and leave.