Self-Scan Stupidity

[Dreamstalker]

The SCOs at my local CVS annoy me to no end. The bagging area is only large enough for one bag and has a rack of the store bags already there, and any deviation in what it thinks the bag should weigh causes the machine to lock up (I can't put my own bag on there, I have to put my stuff sans bag on the platform and then quickly re-pack it when I get my receipt). Half the time they can't take coupons, and when they can there is some unknown problem with the scanner causing half of the items to come up as either Not On File or something completely different.

My store has the gift-card racks near the SCO lanes...most gift cards need to be activated by using the card swipe machine and must be done by a cashier. Everyone can probably guess what happens around the holidays....yup, people try to use the selfscans to buy gift cards and throw a royal fit when it doesn't work.

[Geek King]

Just a little trick for using your own bags at SCOs:

Put the bag on the scale before starting any scan. Many of them reset the scale to zero for every customer. If your bags are already there when you activate the scanner, it accounts for the weight, and won't scream about the weight difference. May not work on every scanner.

[Lachrymose]

I actually liked the SCOs at Wal-Mart.

But apparently they didn't do so well, because when they remodeled the local store, they actually took all of them out.

[EricKei]

This is why I like the SCO's at WD -- they are TINY. They have only enough room on the "Scanning" section for a scanner and printer, and only room in the bagging area for two bags -- as a result, it only cares about the weight of the last few things you scanned, rather than the whole basket. Then again, these are set up to handle hand baskets only, going thru them in a full-sized grocery cart would take up two of the machines >_<

[morgana]

I love the ones at my grocery store; I've been known to take two full carts through them.

It will ask you "are you using your own bags?" and adjust itself if you press "yes".

The bagging area is two levels (and huge!), and if you move the filled bags to the upper level, it does NOT trigger the "please put it back" message.

And they never seem to be all that busy.

I guess I'm spoiled?

[Dreamstalker]

Geek King, that trick only works if the bag you plan to use is empty. Even if it is, the machine will start shouting "Unexpected item in bagging area!" and lock up. The drugstore tries to encourage own-bag use by selling a "green bag tag" (put it on your bag and scan it at each transaction, a certain number of scans gets you a dollar-off coupon) but ironically the self checkouts are designed so that does not work--even if I scan the tag it still expects me to bag items 'properly'.

There is an "own bag" button at the grocery store SCOs and those bag areas don't have scales, so all you have to do is make sure the shopping gets to the end of the belt.

[Pagan]

I actually liked the SCOs at Wal-Mart.

But apparently they didn't do so well, because when they remodeled the local store, they actually took all of them out.

We had some at the one I go to, too. I think the reason ours were taken out was because of shoplifting. They put them right directly in front of the big, huge entrance/exit doors. Would have be a smarter idea to put them more towards the middle.

I loved the things. Like some others have said, I could be done and on my way faster than others in line for a person. The only problem I had was I would go too fast for the computer. But I have a tendency to do that anywhere.

[mattm04]

I used to love the self checkout, then I would get stuck behind morons who needed their hands held to check out, so I went back to regular lines, stuck behind those morons.

When sizing up which lane to use, it is sometimes, though not always possible to gauge which SCO users are competent and can play nice with the machine.

A small pile of product set aside near the scanner area usually means they have done something dumb and will require several attempts/arguments with the attendant.

[dragon_wings]

Roomie and I always use the SCO at the local grocery store (unless it's late enough that they've closed them). We have almost no problems at all with them. Except once an item didn't go far enough down the belt and it popped up an 'see attendant' message. Boy did I feel dumb and I apologized.
Though the grocery store near our house (there's one by my job and one about 8 blocks from our house... Great exercise) is more in the ghetto and between certain times if you get cash change or cash back you have to go to the service center. Guess they had issues with theft (?).
Oh and we always have a reusable bag. Bonus is they have a button you press that takes $.05 off your total for using it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I actually liked the SCOs at Wal-Mart.

I <3 the SCOs at the local Inbred Carnival Supercenter, just because they prevent me from having to interact with one of their "cashiers."

If you saw them you'd understand. :shudder:

[Geek King]

Geek King, that trick only works if the bag you plan to use is empty. Even if it is, the machine will start shouting "Unexpected item in bagging area!" and lock up.

I did say most. I cannot account for bad software, or poor mechanism when making a generalization.

[dalesys]

...making a generalization.

You could be privatized.

[ShinyGreenApple]

I used to love the SCO's at work (Voldemart). They were great to go through when you just had a few items and wanted to zip out for break/lunch/going home without getting stuck in a long line. However we were one of many stores that ripped them out in our last remodel due to the loss rates being so high. We were literally losing hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly through the SCO's.

They were a pain in the ass as far as how picky they were, but since I spent many an 8 hour shift 'babysitting' them, as I called it, I knew exactly what they wanted from me

[PizzaDrone]

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of self-scanners. Whether its a quality issue and the machines need reworking or whatever I don't think I've made it through one transaction without it locking up or having to wait for someone to come over. As a result, I avoid them wherever possible and in the event of having to, I certainly wouldn't strop about it. As is the case with SC's arguing with machines is a pointless exercise.

[downforit2008]

I don't like some of those self-serving checkouts. I've always preferred a human cashier after being told too many times by a computer that "my things have not been bagged" even after I HAD bagged them ten seconds ago. With a real cashier, you don't get that!!!