Supermarket Self Service Checkouts

11-09-2020 9:43pm

I think tesco changed theirs - the whole screen is just whitespace everywhere and it's harder to read. I have no idea who thought up that one.

Was in supervalu before paying by tapping. grand. i took the phone away too quickly or something and i swear an air raid siren went off. embarrassing. IM NOT TRYING TO ROB ANYTHING MAKE IT STOP

iamstop · 11-09-2020 9:50pm

I mostly avoid them. If I've 5 items or less I may use them but they irritate me mostly because I almost always bring my own backpack.
The inevitable "Please remove the unidentified item from the bagging area" does my feckin head in.

IAMAMORON · 11-09-2020 10:14pm

Smiles35 wrote: »

It's all fair trade food. So people from poor economies actually rely on nobody stealing. Amazon employees run for election, then they apoint judges to mind the shops.

I doubt where the product is sourced is going to effect how Amazon are liable to its' theft? Does not make any sense.

As liberating and pure your cognitive dissonance appears after you purchase a "fair trade" product, don't confuse this feeling with the fact that Amazon is a commercial enterprise which gives 2 hoots about where they are sourcing product or who they are selling it to. The fair trade icon is merely a form of marketing, don't forget that.

No matter how they "promote" their staff, it would not be too difficult to see through such employment procedures, election or no election someone is going to do the job, but Amazon will be deciding how many are doing it, very very woke of them all the same.

MadDog76 · 11-09-2020 10:14pm

What about all the people who are employed to manufacture, ship, deliver, install, service & maintain these machines ......... you want all those people to lose their jobs just to ensure that Mary on the till gets to keep hers??

IAMAMORON · 11-09-2020 10:20pm

MadDog76 wrote: »

What about all the people who are employed to manufacture, ship, deliver, install, service & maintain these machines ......... you want all those people to lose their jobs just to ensure that Mary on the till gets to keep hers??

Do the math, there is probably a lot less people involved in the supply chain of the machine as opposed to the amount of jobs which evaporate after their installation.

A machine probably makes the machine anyway. Agreed on the tertiary industries surrounding the machine, but as a job versus job argument, less people are getting employed as a result.

I get why people choose to shrug their shoulders, but at what point do you think people should draw the line on automation?

Marcusm · 11-09-2020 11:11pm

IAMAMORON wrote: »

They really get up my wick. I am not a technophobe and know how to swipe items through a barcode.

But it annoys me that Supermarkets are basically asking customers to do their own job and service. The reality is that by installing these machines they get to employ less staff. Is this the future of retail? When you use these self service checkouts you are indirectly supporting supermarkets who are hoping to employ less people, is this a positive direction for employment growth? I refuse to use them for that reason alone.

All the main street retail providers crying about lack of business, how culpable are they with their own plight? Has the influence of self service creeped into the rag trade also?

You’re about 50 years too late; whatever about forcing you to ring up the till, the force you to take the items off the shelf which should be their job!

dxhound2005 · 11-09-2020 11:18pm

The jobs which were done away with have been replaced with pickers and drivers doing online orders and deliveries. Another new model is Argos which keeps all their stock hidden, but gives an old style counter service.

GT89 · 12-09-2020 12:55am

Not really sure how many people have been directly made redundant as a direct result of self service checkouts. Having worked in supermarkets myself it is obivous that supermarkets have a high turnover of staff. Retailers typically cut staff numbers by not hiring new staff when staff quit.

Lifelong supermarket workers are on favourable contracts which are not offered anymore. Once they retire or leave they are replaced by temporary staff drafted in for the Christmas period or on 3 or 6 month contracts typically where I worked anyway.

Atlantic Dawn · 12-09-2020 1:26am

I love them but if they were in my shop I'd...

Ban any trolley going through them.
Allow no more than one person per self service checkout, any extras feck off outside, it's not an arcade machine.
Have mobile phone use completely banned once within the checkout zone, anyone using a phone would be fecked out on their ear with a kick in the hole.
Have a trainer self service checkout at the back of the shop for anyone wanting to get used to it.
Put the person looking after the bank of checkouts on a bonus for how quick they deal with problems at each checkout, potential to double their wage per hour.

murpho999 · 12-09-2020 1:41am

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It just looks like free food to me, I cannot see it working in Ireland for a while. The reality is that this concept will require security guards to police it.

Also this concept has other hidden costs- the environmental one for starters, all that plastic packaging, another crank of mine.

If we had more staff in supermarkets we could do away with more plastic packaging, this would help the environment. I do hate to stoop to " environment shaming" but depending on what you believe about plastic usage, it is another problem.

Did you actually watch the video?
You need to scan your phone to enter.

I'd say they'll be harder to shoplift than a conventional store.
Also, wouldn't it have normal security like any supermarket does? Checkouts don't really prevent shoplifting.

Finally, why single out Ireland as if it's a hotbed of theft or shoplifting is more prevalent here than in other countries?

murpho999 · 12-09-2020 1:46am

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Never use them. End of.

Just hate the thought of the checkout people losing their jobs, but I'm an oul softie.

I suppose it is the way of the future, but for now will stick to the person on the tills.

Why do you think it means people lose jobs?

Do you not think they actually think they create jobs?

As in they attract more people the shop as they know they can get out quickly?
So busier shop requires more staff?

Also checkout staff are freed up to do other tasks.

My biggest frustration is people not putting own bag on scales first and pack as they scan and just walk out after paying.

Also, people then slow with scanning, looking for barcodes, then paying etc.

Some people should just go to normal checkouts.

Spleodar · 12-09-2020 2:22am

bluewolf wrote: »

Was in supervalu before paying by tapping. grand. i took the phone away too quickly or something and i swear an air raid siren went off. embarrassing. IM NOT TRYING TO ROB ANYTHING MAKE IT STOP

Agreed. That is extremely embarrassing and they need to sort it out. I was using it and there was absolutely nothing wrong with the transaction at all. Some glitch on the card reader set off alarms.

hynesie08 · 12-09-2020 3:22am

Let's see, 1 manned till with a cashier or use the same space for 4 self serves and the cashier is still there. Seems like a no brainer to me.

12-09-2020 3:57am

I do chuckle to myself when I read that some posters complain about capitalism.

What exactly would you prefer?

12-09-2020 4:02am

IAMAMORON wrote: »

Do the math, there is probably a lot less people involved in the supply chain of the machine as opposed to the amount of jobs which evaporate after their installation.

A machine probably makes the machine anyway. Agreed on the tertiary industries surrounding the machine, but as a job versus job argument, less people are getting employed as a result.

I get why people choose to shrug their shoulders, but at what point do you think people should draw the line on automation?

Where do you draw the line? Honestly. If surgery was demonstrably quicker and more accurate when done by computers, would you insist on a human to ensure jobs weren't taken away?

If there are better and more reliable and accurate ways of conducting business or activities via computerised systems, what is your exact cut-off point where you think automation is too much and people should be employed?

knucklehead6 · 12-09-2020 4:27am

Padre_Pio wrote: »

Used to be two people, one scanned and the second bagged your shopping.
Now there's one person overseeing eight checkouts.

Ultimately it's cheaper for you, your money pays these people. Less people and things SHOULD get cheaper. Not saying they do.

Society is heading away from zero skill, minimum wage jobs, which is a good thing in that people are forced into better, skilled work.

The days of someone starting at the bottom rung and working their way up are gone.

How long ago are you talking with your used to be a bag packer at each till. I only see them when it’s a charity thing

dotsman · 12-09-2020 2:35pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Have mobile phone use completely banned once within the checkout zone, anyone using a phone would be fecked out on their ear with a kick in the hole.

What about people paying via mobile?

beggars_bush · 12-09-2020 2:38pm

people with one or two full baskets using the self service tills annoy me so much

Atlantic Dawn · 12-09-2020 3:01pm

dotsman wrote: »

What about people paying via mobile?

Yes that's grand :pac:. Chatting to a mate they havn't seen in 4 hours or Instagramming their purchase of a tin peas is not.

B.A._Baracus · 12-09-2020 3:08pm

Nobody cares if people lose their job, op.
I worked in retail and a large portion of the population doesn't even like to say hello to a cashier. So the idea of self sevice is amazing to them.

People don't care if these machines take people's jobs. But the same sort would moan like crazy if a certain item wasn't on a shelf due to lack of staff (people do this)

Sure take this guy...

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Technological solutions which reduce the need for labour should be considered a good thing. It's a prime example of just how badly capitalism has managed to f*ck society up that somehow, innovations and inventions which reduce the need for people to do extraordinarily tedious and boring physical work are heralded as the end of civilisation and an all around disaster.

He doesn't work in retail. He doesn't care. The machines suit him. That's all that matters.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! · 12-09-2020 3:48pm

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Technological solutions which reduce the need for labour should be considered a good thing. It's a prime example of just how badly capitalism has managed to f*ck society up that somehow, innovations and inventions which reduce the need for people to do extraordinarily tedious and boring physical work are heralded as the end of civilisation and an all around disaster.

There is a flip side to this however.

Some of the innovations that have helped to make our lives easier, have also inadvertently created a culture of laziness.

Take morbidly obese people for example. You literally need to sit on your ass, barely move and eat everything in sight in order to get that size. The only reason this is even possible, is because of the clever inventions that mean we can still do things while hardly moving during the day. And our clever innovations have also created cheap calorie dense "food" that is mass produced by the tonne.

Our own technology might actually be killing us all off slowly tbh.

IAMAMORON · 12-09-2020 4:02pm

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! wrote: »

There is a flip side to this however.

Some of the innovations that have helped to make our lives easier, have also inadvertently created a culture of laziness.

Take morbidly obese people for example. You literally need to sit on your ass, barely move and eat everything in sight in order to get that size. The only reason this is even possible, is because of the clever inventions that mean we can still do things while hardly moving during the day. And our clever innovations have also created cheap calorie dense "food" that is mass produced by the tonne.

Our own technology might actually be killing us all off slowly tbh.

A great point.

We are only 3-4 generations into the technological age and everything is now at our finger tips. There simply has to be health ramifications at hand here. At the turn of the last century everyone got around on horseback, there were no cars, computers, televisons etc etc etc.

In saying all that the global population has grown 6 times within the same timespan? Go figure, technological advances are currently not responsible for physical demise, although I would watch that space, 100 years is not a long time and we may not see any negative consequences within our own lifetime.

eleventh · 12-09-2020 4:30pm

People may be living a few years longer but quality of life is lower and getting lower all the time (especially with current changes that are underway).

ExMachina1000 · 12-09-2020 5:08pm

Installation and maintenance of the machines has created jobs that are of a higher skill set than the previously created jobs who were people scanning groceries for customers

Montage of Feck · 12-09-2020 7:22pm

The machines will come to rule us, the only question is how soon.

<<ominous terminator music plays>>

Pauliedragon · 12-09-2020 7:28pm

biko wrote: »

If there is a human available I will use them solely for the purpose to help them keep their job.

You do know thats a myth.

Muahahaha · 12-09-2020 8:01pm

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

My local SuperValu introduced them recently haven’t used them yet though.

My Supervalue suffers from women having a gossip at the checkouts so I find the automated ones great, it gives you the option of avoiding waiting in a queue for people to finish their conversations

astrofool · 12-09-2020 8:33pm

Kylta wrote: »

So were did the lamp lighters go?

They're dead (from old age).

CIE had a number on the books for years, even though there was no lamps to light, or extinguish.

riclad · 13-09-2020 7:43pm

I go to aldi and use the self checkout, its faster than waiting in a queue,
i dont like waiting for some old wan who pays for 10 euros worth of grocerys with a credit card.
you still have the option of using an old style checkout.
Technology always advances ,
look at all the empty offices now , with most people working from home .
Maybe in 10 years time most people will be paying for everything with their phone,
its hard to buy anything in china with cash.
even the beggars are using wepay apps .

Padre_Pio · 13-09-2020 7:46pm

eleventh wrote: »

People may be living a few years longer but quality of life is lower and getting lower all the time (especially with current changes that are underway).

Sorry, how is quality of life lower now than in the past?

Darc19 · 13-09-2020 7:52pm

irish_goat wrote: »

People give out about these machines taking jobs while buying a loaf of bread which has been made in an automated factory with wheat harvested by a combine harvester. Why is it grand to ignore the "jobs lost" by the local bakers and farmhands but its not ok when there's less checkout staff employed?

Exactly.

I think the heinz beans factory employs less than 800 people and it runs around the clock, 7days a week and produces 15m cans a week.

It used to employ 3,500.

The most laborious job now is driving the forklift.

Almost all other positions are technology people.

I love the self service checkouts - means I will pop in for a few items and know that I will be out in a few minutes.

cannotlogin · 13-09-2020 7:52pm

I like them, usually very quick and easy to use.

The only thing that drives me crazy is the people who have 3 or 4 items that need staff approval e.g. alcohol, panadol, razors etc. that don't get the staff member to approve them all at once rather than have staff approve something, then scan 2 more items, need approval again, scan some more and then have the staff member come back a third time for yet another approval. Like wtf? Who's brain works (or doesn't work) like that? They are supposed to be efficient but aren't if you use them like that!!

Galwayguy35 · 13-09-2020 9:13pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

My Supervalue suffers from women having a gossip at the checkouts so I find the automated ones great, it gives you the option of avoiding waiting in a queue for people to finish their conversations

Ha was just coming on to say the same thing, this used to drive me made in SV but now with the self service its a godsend not having to wait behind the mammy brigade.

Gentlemanne · 14-09-2020 10:21am

This weekend I saw a massive borg of handheld scanners at Tesco - "Scan As you Shop"

https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/scan-as-you-shop

Didn't get a chance to try it, but seems like it could be handy. Not looking forward to being the only c*nt in the shop with the new toy though.

punisher5112 · 14-09-2020 10:25am

Gentlemanne wrote: »

This weekend I saw a massive borg of handheld scanners at Tesco - "Scan As you Shop"

https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/scan-as-you-shop

Didn't get a chance to try it, but seems like it could be handy. Not looking forward to being the only c*nt in the shop with the new toy though.

It ain't new, around years just Tesco is slow to the party....
Superquinn had it sure and many after take over SuperValu.

It will catch on as it's much quicker as you pack as you shop, obviously slow if it needs checking.

is_that_so · 14-09-2020 10:26am

Gentlemanne wrote: »

This weekend I saw a massive borg of handheld scanners at Tesco - "Scan As you Shop"

https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/scan-as-you-shop

Didn't get a chance to try it, but seems like it could be handy. Not looking forward to being the only c*nt in the shop with the new toy though.

I've used them, they are great plus usually an exclusive checkout. In pre-COVID days they used to spot check but I don't know if that still applies. Otherwise very fast and you don't have to worry about being behind a queue of top heavy trolleys.

Potential-Monke · 15-09-2020 1:17am

Seems a bit daft to go to the expense of creating/purchasing all these 'Scan as you shop' devices which, no doubt, an App could do it. Everyone has a smartphone, just log into your Tesco App, select you local store and it loads up that stores stock (maybe have some checker at the door to scan on the way in so it loads that stores stock/details instead of it always being available).

Anyway, yeah, love the self service. I don't like humans, especially those who seem to think I want to talk to them so they can do their job that bit slower. A self service machine won't stop scanning to read an item you're purchasing, or commenting on the weather or some other social tripe I have no interest in (hairdressers are the worst for this though, just cut my hair and let me be gone, I don't know you or want to know you).

Also, do people actually bring trolleys into these things? Any I've used, to get into them you wouldn't be able to bring a trolley. Always thought they were meant for baskets/hand carried only. And it's been a very long time since I got the 'unexpected item' error, so not sure why people are still getting that. Scan, make sure it scanned (it's on the screen), place in bag/on packing area, next. Are the people still getting these errors, are the machines ye are using old? I'd imagine some places may not upgrade their machines, and the earlier models were prone to this error, but as I said, it's been a very long time since that's happened to me.

Only downside to them is the human in control of them. Most are fine, but some seem to think that they can saunter off and have the lolz with the rest of the staff instead of staying where they're needed and keeping an eye on the lights!

smellyoldboot · 15-09-2020 1:23am

The only thing annoys me about them is they don't bloody work. What's the point in going to the self service checkout if the cucumber doesn't scan, the Johnnie's are too light for the weight sensor to pick up and the bottle of whiskey needs to be verified you're actually over 18, so Sharon has to come over anyway.

Spleodar · 16-09-2020 3:00pm

Gentlemanne wrote: »

This weekend I saw a massive borg of handheld scanners at Tesco - "Scan As you Shop"

https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/scan-as-you-shop

Didn't get a chance to try it, but seems like it could be handy. Not looking forward to being the only c*nt in the shop with the new toy though.

Superquinn (now SuperValu) introduced those almost a quarter of a century ago in 1996. They're nothing new and yeah it could be done by app now but it's a long established system.

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2013/0822/469569-the-future-of-supermarket-shopping-in-1996/

They are in most of the former Superquinn stores for many years and some SuperValu stores have added them like in Ballincollig in Cork and the Garvey's SuperValu stores etc - It's available as a supported system from Musgraves HQ but as they're a symbol group it's up to each store owner to decide what systems they want to adopt.

M&S has begun rolling out an app based system.
The issue with the apps is supporting shoppers who have issues with phones etc but it's less and less of a problem as the standard of cameras in even the most bog standard smartphone can handle it without issue. It wasn't really possible even a few years ago.

Also it's easier for M&S as they've about 95% own brand products, so they can standardise QR codes and so on which are way easier to scan with a phone then a barcode. That's also why you'll probably see the hand held scanners for a while yet. Some phone cameras will struggle with barcodes instead of QR codes.

MetzgerMeister · 16-09-2020 3:54pm

I use them every so often but what irritates me quite a bit is when you're there packing your stuff into bags and the voice keeps saying over and over again "Please take your items"....yeah b!tch I'm doing that, shut your h0le!

Padre_Pio · 16-09-2020 4:14pm

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I use them every so often but what irritates me quite a bit is when you're there packing your stuff into bags and the voice keeps saying over and over again "Please take your items"....yeah b!tch I'm doing that, shut your h0le!

There's a mute button you know.... :rolleyes:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/deals-hunter/2016/07/how-to-mute-self-service-checkouts/

16-09-2020 4:22pm

Spleodar wrote: »

a quarter of a century ago in 1996.

excuse me that was like 4 years ago
okay
thanks

dennyire · 16-09-2020 4:38pm

bluewolf wrote: »

excuse me that was like 4 years ago
okay
thanks

???????????

Padre_Pio · 16-09-2020 4:49pm

dennyire wrote: »

???????????

Don't mind him, he's gone a bit dotey the last few years.

16-09-2020 4:49pm

dennyire wrote: »

???????????

I got a shock that 96 is a quarter of a century ago

punisher5112 · 16-09-2020 6:51pm

bluewolf wrote: »

I got a shock that 96 is a quarter of a century ago

I started secondary school... I feel old

Feisar · 16-09-2020 8:05pm

Padre_Pio wrote: »

Used to be two people, one scanned and the second bagged your shopping.
Now there's one person overseeing eight checkouts.

Ultimately it's cheaper for you, your money pays these people. Less people and things SHOULD get cheaper. Not saying they do.

Society is heading away from zero skill, minimum wage jobs, which is a good thing in that people are forced into better, skilled work.

The days of someone starting at the bottom rung and working their way up are gone.

I agree with you for the most part however if we cut of the bottom three rungs of the ladder the fourth rung becomes the new bottom.

Padre_Pio · 16-09-2020 9:25pm

Feisar wrote: »

I agree with you for the most part however if we cut of the bottom three rungs of the ladder the fourth rung becomes the new bottom.

Sure, but the fourth rung requires a degree or further education.

Supermarket Self Service Checkouts

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