Ask Lemmy

I refuse to use self checkout even if an employee is doing it for me. I will not contribute to companies killing jobs off.

If there are long lines at the cashiers or I only have a few items, I'm using self-checkout.

There have been reports that some chains like target and Meijer are monitoring self-checkout errors like theft, and waiting until it adds up to become a criminal issue. All of the individual pieces are there and confirmed, it just becomes a question of how long until it becomes common.

IOW, if a cashier makes mistakes, I might get something for free. If I self-checkout and make mistakes, I might get arrested.

I usually have a full cart and value someone else keeping track of what's been scanned already

Unless I've got a lot of produce, I use self checkout. I don't like the human interaction.

I wish more places were like Uniqlo where you can toss everything into a bin and it reads the RFID tags instead of having to scan individual items.

Self-checkout reduces cost for the store, but they don't reduce the price of the products. So I'm gonna keep using cashiers since I'm paying for it

I always prefer self checkout where I live because the machines are reliable and they have someone hanging out to help if there are any issues. It is faster and I get to pack stuff the way I want for unloading at home.

On travel I tend to use a cashier because of bad experiences with self checkout outside where I live.

Cashier virtually every time. Self-checkout when I only have few items which is almost never.

I make errors. I look like someone who might shoplift. I rather stay safe at the cashier.

Self checkout takes at least twice the time as going past the cashier. I have to do both our jobs but don't magically have more hands. I only use it if I have 5 items tops or there is a very long line.

I don't go to stores without self-checkout. I have no interest in talking with anyone.

Almost always unless it’s an outlier situation. Stop and shop self-checkouts have a special place in hell.

If there's a cashier who has no line, 100% cashier. After that I make a judgment call on which will take longer.

If I bought a lot of stuff or I bought something age restricted like alcohol. The person who watches the self checkouts is always really busy so if I need to wait for them to come look at my ID I'm going to be there a minute.

When they were new I would use them on occasion. But now I can't justify it even if I'm only getting like 4 things. With all their cameras , you just know you are being used as training data for something.

Always. The times I went to a self check out there was still a cashier looking over shoulders, fuck that.
Around here most store chains have tried them, few remain.

Cashier whenever it's available AND I answer the post shopping surveys and whine about the stupid self checkout.

I would use the cashier almost exclusively, but I'm usually checking out with something else who cares a lot more about just getting out the door sooner. Thing is that I think many people at this point just assume that the self checkout will be faster so they simply default to waiting in the self checkout queue when I've seen cashier lanes completely empty.

Mostly, yes. I'll be standing in line while others are whipping through the self-checkouts. I'll still be waiting in line while customers unload semi trailers and stock the shelves before they can self-checkout, as that's where it seems to be heading.

I always use cashiers. After I've been through the store doing the chore of picking out my items I don't feel like scanning and bagging them. Baggers are a luxury IMO.

And I don't mind talking to cashiers, they usually seem less interested in talking than me so it's not a long conversation just "Hey how's it going?" "Getting by!" and "Thank you" as I leave.

Just walk out the door.

Depends on the store. For big chains, the best discounts are always at the self checkout.

Depends. Generally I prefer self checkout but it depends on the store and what self checkout options are available. It's sometimes quicker and often easier on my social anxiety.

Some self checkouts have scales in the bagging area though that means you have to wait over a second between scanning an item and placing it in a bag and scanning the next. It doesn't sound like a lot but it adds up and becomes infuriating, I spend maybe a quarter to a third of the time in those self checkouts just waiting for it to register so I can scan the next item.

Then there's those ones with the cameras that use AI to detect whether you have tried to steal something, usually I shop at 2-3 different stores in the shopping center so I can get everything at the lowest price so I always have stuff from other stores that triggers those systems, so I need a worker to come over anyway to enter their code and say I didn't steal anything which defeats both the time saving and the social interaction saving of the self checkout.

Generally I make a judgement about if I think I can get through the self checkout without it complaining about other items in my cart, or if I have to wait for the scale to detect that I've put a can of beans in the bag before scanning the next can of beans. If I don't think I can get through the self checkout with either of those things happening, it's usually far easier to just go to the cashier. Plus the cashiers are usually far nicer than the one person they have running between all of the self-checkouts to deal with the inevitable issues everyone faces. Often it's quicker too as sometimes it can take a while for a staff member to come punch in the code to clear the warnings.

I like Aldi's system where they scan and you bag, no bullshit just there to scan your items. It annoys me though that my local Aldi rarely has someone on the checkouts anymore so I have to use their annoying self checkout (they're one of the ones that weighs your bags and won't let you scan a couple things at a time before bagging).

I use the Self-Checkout, cos it's usually way faster, since there are a lot less people standing in line there. I don't mind having to do the scanning myself if it means I can leave the store more quickly. Y'all be basically wasting your free time standing in line lol.

I do when I have alcohol or an item with a security tag.

Whreeti live, a lot of stores hire cashiers with disabilities (there are tax benefits etc.) So I always go to the cashiers to support those programs.

1. handheld scanners
2. self service
3. human checkout

The best way to get me to sign up for your data gathering 'loyalty card' is to get handheld scanners.

Whenever an employee offers me to use the self checkout, I reply "Thanks, but I don't work here"

Really depends on how good the self checkout is. Usually local chains have great self checkout and the foreign chains I've tried were terrible and annoying. If I use a shopping cart I always use the cashier as you're supposed to. In convenience stores I prefer the cashier but I use the self checkout when there's already someone else at the cashier (usually everyone else avoids the self checkout in convenience stores in my experience, so it's always free immediately even when there's long queues at the cashier).

I haven't really encountered self checkout in other stores than grocery and a single convenience store chain though, so can't comment on other types of stores.

I always use the self checkout. I prefer to do it all myself in my own time, in my own way, without needing to interact with someone. I hate being rushed to shove stuff into my bags (looking at you Lidl).

I appreciate the argument that it might allow stores to reduce staff but I does create jobs for mechanics to fix these things and for people to design and manufacture them. Maybe it does work out to the same number added as removed but it does offset that somewhat. Until they can get robots to stack the shelves there will always be people working in supermarkets

No. I caved. Self-checkout is much faster, even than before there were any self-checkouts. The reason is that they're all always open, whereas the cashiers were always throttled to match the number of customers, ensuring the line was at least three deep. Also, because they want you to go to the self-checkout, I think they purposely don't require the cashiers to be fast or efficient anymore. The one time last year when I went through the cashier line, it was fucking ridiculous. The cashier was chatting up the customers, and taking their sweet time, way worse than they used to.

I do my grocery shopping early in the morning and there is never a line, I just roll right up to the machine and start.

At Lowe's, I use the self-checkout for small things, but when I'm also getting sheets of plywood, etc. I go to the cashier in the "pro" section. I think that's pretty typical.

yeah, it's often faster

Only for alcohol