This week I went to IKEA to purchase a few things and found that most of the checkout stands were self-service. As soon as I saw the self-service setup I groaned and knew that it would take twice as long since most people are not accustomed to using this type of equipment. AAARGH!!!
At that moment I realized how wonderful it is to be checked out by a real live English speaking human–even if they are 16 and have pimples on their face. It’s not that I’m opposed to technology, I’m just opposed to waiting in line and watching people struggle with these %$&*^@! machines.
I’m sure that in time, people will get better at this. For now it’s a challenge since each store has a different system and it takes time to figure it out. So far I’ve seen them at Target, Walmart, Ralphs, and now IKEA. Looks like the trend is increasing.
I’m sure that retail stores are trying to be more efficient–kind of like the way that ATMs changed banking in the late 70′s but it’s still annoying, particularily when you don’t have a choice. What do you think of this?
Filed under: Shopping Tagged: | IKEA, self-checkout, target, walmart
I make it a point to avoid self checkout. I think it’s just a way to cut down on staff. I’ll actually stand in line to have a person check me out.
I avoid these things like the plague that they are. Why am I paying retail prices to receive this level of piss poor service? These machines are not very quick or efficient, and if I want self service with a long wait I’ll buy things over the internet.
Makes ya wonder when >> they take time to train cashiers<< , why don’t they have someone assist people learning how to use the machines or have a training vid you can watch or some way to learn /instead of/ fumbling and making idiotic mistakes because no one showed you how?
If a training system were implemented, it could be more effective and useful, just my opinion!
I work at IKEA and people have to realize that times are changing and that it is no longer 1932. Since implementing self checkouts at my store, no employees have been fired because of them. Unfortunately, most of the customers who come into the checkout area don’t even want to have an open mind of the self checkouts and demand help right away. This is before even following the onscreen instructions and the computer voice. Oh and by the way, when people come into IKEA for now on, please realize that the entire US store population of IKEA is bagless. We are an environmental company and no longer give away those hurtful disposable plastic bags. Bring your own bag or buy the reusable blue bag for 59 cents.
I love self check outs.
The problem with self check out’s is that gone are the days of people
following instructions. Most of these machines have a video and audio instructions on how to use them, while your using them. Especially in grocery stores. They scan an item and either put it in a bag and take if off the rack or put the item back in the basket, then an alarm goes off and the system freezes. As they are doing this, there is a 13 inch video playing showing someone placing the item in the bag and leaving it there, this video repeats three times and there is also audio saying “place item in bag and continue scanning”. It doesn’t say, “place item in bag and remove”. Most have an option to “skip bagging” if you want to just put it in your basket. Thankfully people try them once, mess up and stay away from them. So when I go shopping, I walk to the empty Self Check Out and laugh at everyone in the long line’s waiting for the overly cheerful or rude check out person.
I love self checkouts.
Some of our local stores have it, including Martin’s, Kroger and Walmart. It depends on the operating interface. The interface Wallyworld uses, NCR, at least the version of the OS, is not very customer friendly. But at Martin’s Food Market (owned by Giant Foods) and Kroger, they use the more customer-friendly Fujitsu self-checkout, which is more modern and reliable than the walmart ones. At Martin’s, they even have something called easyshop, a hand-held scanner that you use to scan-and-bag while you’re shopping. If you’re used to it, it saves time and lets you keep track of your total and the price of each item. I think that if more stores implement self-checkout systems, customers would get a bit more used to them and wouldn’t get nearly as frustated. I believe that Walmart needs to find a better self-checkout system.
I love self checkout because it is a very fast way to checkout. There are never any lines for it because everyone is afraid of it. They use the IBM system with a belt at Pathmark, which I like because there is no scale to give me a problem about my environmentally friendly canvas bags. The other Pathmark has older Fujitsu U-Scans with bagging scales which I enjoy using only when I don’t have my canvas bags. If I need to use them with canvas bags, I simply place the items on the scale after scanning and after I pay I take them off the scale into my bags. Also, Home Depot has installed NCR fast lanes and they are great unless you are buying heavy items or mouldings. For these purchases, I use a regular staffed register with handheld scanners.