Supermarket Self-Checkout Nightmare!

@gudheart (12659)
October 10, 2015 1:39am CST
In my previous post I mentioned how I went late night shopping for some clothes at our 24 hour supermarket. The experience was peaceful and enjoyable, however there was on aspect that I found to be a nightmare, and that is the self checkout service! I have used it before in the past without much trouble, but that night the checkout kept saying 'Please ask for assistance'. I only had 6 items to scan but the process of checking out took more than 15 minutes because of the stupid checkout glitch. It was so annoying! Has this happened to you before? Do you enjoy using self checkout service machines?
27 people like this
32 responses
Marlina
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
10 Oct 15
I hate those self check out machines, they are a pain in the neck and I avoid them like the pest.
7 people like this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
I think I will avoid them in the future.
1 person likes this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
@Susan2015 I have never tried using coupons on them before.
Anna
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
10 Oct 15
I use the self-checkout machines all the time and I like this system. For the moment I never encountered problems or glitches.
6 people like this
marcyaz
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 Oct 15
You are one lucky person Anna not having encountered problems or glitches at the check out lane.
3 people like this
Anna
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
10 Oct 15
@Marcyaz Never at self-checkout, they are faster that those with a cashier.
2 people like this
marcyaz
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 Oct 15
@LadyDuck Yes they usually are but not if you have a problem then it seems to take forever.
2 people like this
Sharon
@simone10 (54189)
• Louisville, Kentucky
10 Oct 15
I haven't used the self checkout much but my brother uses it all the time if he doesn't have to buy much.
4 people like this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
I only had 6 items yet it took ages to checkout.
Boingboing
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
10 Oct 15
"Unexpected item in the bagging area". These are words guaranteed to have me swearing at the machine.
3 people like this
pgn
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
10 Oct 15
I think the attendant in the self-checkout part of Sainsbury's is the busiest in the shop! And there are only six tills in this area. Tesco have this "take a barcode scanner with you" scheme, which I have yet to investigate.
John Welford
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
10 Oct 15
The unsexpected area may turn out to be the bag that you are putting your shopping in!
3 people like this
Michael Liriano
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14351)
• West Haven, Connecticut
10 Oct 15
I hate those things, I always get error that says to remove th item from the bag and wait for assistants!! Just complicates a simple process of scan and pay
3 people like this
marcyaz
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 Oct 15
Yep I have had that happen to me also and it makes for a bad experience.
2 people like this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
I know, it should be a simple stress free process.
1 person likes this
rahul pillai
@rahulvsmokiee (3110)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
10 Oct 15
lol! dont even think shopping in India. Its the dangerous place you ever seen. even at 10 pm womens are being raped in india as the delhi rape case stands still infront of society
4 people like this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
10 Oct 15
That is awful to hear :( Why are people so evil.
2 people like this
tita417
@Tita417 (1228)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
10 Oct 15
Yes its such a horrible thing. So youre saying that its not safe to go to your country
3 people like this
rahul pillai
@rahulvsmokiee (3110)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
10 Oct 15
@Tita417 Its not safe for women to travel in night
3 people like this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Oct 15
As a rule I totally avoid these machines because if there is a problem then you cannot complain to them. On occasions I have used them due to necessity, but really hate the whole concept.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Oct 15
@Susan2015 I feel exactly the same way with the new passport control machines in Europe. My passport has a scannable feature which can be used at many European airports to scan at the passport control instead of queueing and having them manually processed. This is a 3 part process that often has issues and can delay me longer than queueing.
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Oct 15
@Susan2015 That simply keeps the costs down and keeps the prices down as well, but I would rather pay a fraction more and deal with a human.
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Oct 15
@Susan2015 The problem is that if it flashes red instead of green then I cannot ask it why.
Rosekitty
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
10 Oct 15
No i prefer always a real person in everything..whether its in person or over the phone.
3 people like this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
I prefer self service but if it is up to standard lol
1 person likes this
celticeagle
@celticeagle (159105)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Oct 15
It is only as good as the system they are using. I think a lot of systems are maintained late at night and this causes problems for the folks who happen to use those systems at those times of the day. I am a night person and some of the sites I frequent can be a real nightmare to navigate during that time.
1 person likes this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
I did not think of that. Could be right.
Sky
@skysnap (20154)
•
10 Oct 15
I had some such experience. I try to go on counters where there is less line. And that works out just fine most of the time. That being said supermarkets can be really pain some times when there is more rush.
2 people like this
kataomoi
@kataomoi (708)
• Japan
10 Oct 15
I love self-checkout machines. It's where I dump all my loose coins in. It does suck when it "requires assistance", but that hasn't happened to me that often. There was just this one time when I put in $100 and it didn't have enough change to give me. I almost had a heart-attack then because I thought I'd lose $100. Fortunately, the shop clerk helped me and everything turned out ok.
3 people like this
marcyaz
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 Oct 15
Good that there was a shop clerk nearby to help you and it didn't take to long.
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (48476)
• Canada
10 Oct 15
I prefer the self checkouts at the grocery store, I never seem to have a problem and it goes thru quickly.
3 people like this
Cahaya
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
10 Oct 15
I do, sometimes. I usually use it when there are too many people at the normal counters. Most of the time they're faster.
2 people like this
Cahaya
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
11 Oct 15
@gudheart I think there should always be a few tech personnel on stand by in case technical problems like that occur.
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
11 Oct 15
I have used it in the past and it was okay, but not this time.
1 person likes this
Tessa Stevens
@tessastv (273)
• Inverness, Scotland
12 Oct 15
Oh, I can totally relate. I can't stand self checkout machines. They're never working quite well. So annoying, indeed..
1 person likes this
Gudheart
@gudheart (12659)
•
12 Oct 15
They can be so annoying, especially when we are in a rush!
marcyaz
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 Oct 15
I have had the same thing happen to me and by the time you can find someone who can help you could have gone through the regular checkout line. I avoid them as much as possible now.
1 person likes this
topffer
@topffer (42156)
• France
10 Oct 15
I prefer to deal with a real human than with a machine. If there is a problem (by example not the same price than in the shelves), I have somebody to complain. More the time goes and more we see machines replacing men. If at first it looks good, at the end the result is often worst : ATM and online banking have replaced bank employees, but sometimes you need to talk to a bank employee. I would not like to see self-checkout machines replacing cashiers everywhere...
1 person likes this
lady Di
@lady1993 (27225)
• Philippines
22 Oct 15
nope, i have never used automated/self checkout service machines... we don't have that here i think. although that does sound annoying.. couldn't you have just gone to another one?
Carmela
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
26 Oct 15
I absolutely HATE self-checkout, it is nothing but an inconvenience to me because it always messes up, taking sometimes up to 4 times longer than if I went through with a cashier.
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
11 Oct 15
usually it's worthwhile and saves time, I use the local walmarts often, but now and then I have issues.
Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
11 Oct 15
I do not like the self check out as it takes me an age to do what a cashier can do in minutes.