Supermarket Self Service Tills

[EssexGonzo]

Exactly. My own preference in this order is self scan, self checkout then manned tills. For me, this preference is probably based on a combination of speed and queuing system. The Sainsbury’s smartphone scanning app is brilliant. 100% reliable.

I absolutely hate picking the “wrong” queue to join - i.e. every other till queue seems to move more quickly. Automated tills tend to have a single queue with the front of the queue picking off the next available self service checkout. Much more efficient and fair. A better experience for the paying customer.

And I don’t get the (claimed) altruistic benefit of choosing manned tills because its better for staff employment. If that’s your preference, do you absolutely never shop online, the ultimate kick in the teeth for the manned high street store?

 

[Bald Rick]

And I don’t get the (claimed) altruistic benefit of choosing manned tills because its better for staff employment.

Well quite. Life and the economy has moved on. I could travel everywhere by horse to keep blacksmiths in employment, and use coal for heating to keep miners and chimney sweeps in a job.

 

[Journeyman]

Well quite. Life and the economy has moved on. I could travel everywhere by horse to keep blacksmiths in employment, and use coal for heating to keep miners and chimney sweeps in a job.

I don't think you need to hold people to being 100% consistent with this, because it's nigh-on impossible, but I do use manned checkouts where possible, and also pay bills with cheques in the post, visit the bank and post office in person, buy paper train tickets, and try to avoid online shopping if what I want is available in a shop. I think this significantly improves the chances of these options remaining available in the future.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Exactly. My own preference in this order is self scan, self checkout then manned tills. For me, this preference is probably based on a combination of speed and queuing system. The Sainsbury’s smartphone scanning app is brilliant. 100% reliable.

I absolutely hate picking the “wrong” queue to join - i.e. every other till queue seems to move more quickly. Automated tills tend to have a single queue with the front of the queue picking off the next available self service checkout. Much more efficient and fair. A better experience for the paying customer.

And I don’t get the (claimed) altruistic benefit of choosing manned tills because its better for staff employment. If that’s your preference, do you absolutely never shop online, the ultimate kick in the teeth for the manned high street store?

I have never bought anything online nor do I intend to. Online shopping has been the bane of life for Britain's high street shops and employees employed therein as a visit to any town centre will so reveal. Mind you, I will also have nothing to do with online banking which has meant closures of bank branches that have left some settlements without a bank branch. At the age of 76, I still manage to live a normal life, so I cannot be totally wrong in regards to my views.

Fortunately, the John Lewis large store at Cheadle Royal is but a few miles from where we relocated to last year and I actually enjoy shopping there where I can see and examine goods prior to purchase. Department stores unfortunately are becoming something of a rarity and Stockport, another town not far from us, has lost its two flagship department stores of Marks & Spencer and Debenhams.

 

[Wuffle]

Usually just one person to oversee an entire section of tills. All fine until two or three people have simultaneous till problems.

The recommendation is 1 worker to 6 tills although many stores ignore this, some also insist that staff clear errors at the till instead of from the remote station

 

[trainophile]

The recommendation is 1 worker to 6 tills although many stores ignore this, some also insist that staff clear errors at the till instead of from the remote station

Sometimes the reason for the "error" is that something has gone through without being scanned, e.g. my tomatoes the other day, so there's not much point doing it remotely as they can't check what the problem was.

 

[DelW]

I don't think you need to hold people to being 100% consistent with this, because it's nigh-on impossible, but I do use manned checkouts where possible, and also pay bills with cheques in the post, visit the bank and post office in person, buy paper train tickets, and try to avoid online shopping if what I want is available in a shop. I think this significantly improves the chances of these options remaining available in the future.

I agree with all of those.

Unfortunately businesses are removing those options from us. My car insurance renewal notice has just arrived (by post), with the only payment options being by card over the phone, or online. And my milk delivery company has just forced me into an online account, telling me that they would no longer operate my previous payment method (monthly direct debit, which replaced the previous system of leaving cash on my doorstep with the empties every Friday ).

At least public pressure forced banks into retaining cheques, and milkmen into retaining glass bottles (mine was intending to switch to plastic bottles a few years ago). So the refuseniks have managed some victories at least.

 

[gswindale]

Personally I prefer the self service checkouts as when I used to commute by train, our local supermarket (right next to the station) only opened at 8 and with the train at 8:17, it was quicker doing it myself than using a staffed checkout - especially as it was often closer to 5 past that customers were allowed in.

On the subject of cheques, I haven't written one in years and from a business perspective we really don't like them. I'm not involved day to day at the moment, but it used to be an hour out of the day traipsing into town to deposit them (I believe we post them to the bank now!). We also have to check the date on the cheque and that it is signed and the words/numbers match - it is surprising the number of times there is a reason for not processing one, although a few years back we did bank one that was post dated by a couple of months which only got spotted when returned to the payers bank (should have been spotted by 3 people in the office and 1 at the bank!). As far as I am concerned, cheques are a hassle and the sooner they are gone, the better.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

On the subject of cheques, I haven't written one in years and from a business perspective we really don't like them. I'm not involved day to day at the moment, but it used to be an hour out of the day traipsing into town to deposit them (I believe we post them to the bank now!). We also have to check the date on the cheque and that it is signed and the words/numbers match - it is surprising the number of times there is a reason for not processing one, although a few years back we did bank one that was post dated by a couple of months which only got spotted when returned to the payers bank (should have been spotted by 3 people in the office and 1 at the bank!). As far as I am concerned, cheques are a hassle and the sooner they are gone, the better.

Like many people who had a certain private pension plan with Norwich Union, now Aviva, recently I was sent a letter by them saying that in one year long ago, the company had exceeded their charges they had promised, so a refund was due to all those policyholders.

A few weeks later, another letter came from Aviva enclosing the recompense.....in the form of a cheque.

 

[Dai Corner]

Like many people who had a certain private pension plan with Norwich Union, now Aviva, recently I was sent a letter by them saying that in one year long ago, the company had exceeded their charges they had promised, so a refund was due to all those policyholders.

A few weeks later, another letter came from Aviva enclosing the recompense.....in the form of a cheque.

Possibly administratively simpler than asking the payees to provide bank account details for BACS payments?


The only cheques I can recall receiving in the last decade are for a (small) Premium Bond prize and from my octogenarian mother. I've since trained her to go into the bank and request a transfer to my account. She won't do telephone or internet banking but has taken to contactless payments.

 

[Wuffle]

My mother-in-law writes cheques for the family at Christmas, we scan then in on the app

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We are members of a friendly society and our annual subscriptions are always paid by cheque at their request, as the financial secretary changes every two years.

 

[Dai Corner]

We are members of a friendly society and our annual subscriptions are always paid by cheque at their request, as the financial secretary changes every two years.

I'm a member of a charity and they much prefer standing orders as it's less work for the membership secretary than sending out reminders and passing cheques to the treasurer to pay in.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'm a member of a charity and they much prefer standing orders as it's less work for the membership secretary than sending out reminders and passing cheques to the treasurer to pay in.

Just goes to show how each of those organisations that both you and I have mentioned can have totally differing ideas. Incidentally, have the banking industry ever tried to impose financial rulings on charities or friendly societies?

 

[Gloster]

In a few minutes I am off to the local town where I will cash a cheque in the bank for a wodge of tenners. I will then go into the supermarket and do today’s shopping. (Well, after I have nosed around the bookshops. It is noticeable how my spending plummeted during lockdown as the bookshops were closed.) I know exactly how much money I have and can’t spend any I haven’t got.

 

[Dai Corner]

In a few minutes I am off to the local town where I will cash a cheque in the bank for a wodge of tenners. I will then go into the supermarket and do today’s shopping. (Well, after I have nosed around the bookshops. It is noticeable how my spending plummeted during lockdown as the bookshops were closed.) I know exactly how much money I have and can’t spend any I haven’t got.

And later on somebody will have to count the takings in the supermarket and bookshops and take the cash to the bank for recycling.

I'll check my balance online later and know exactly how much I have, seeing that my pension has gone in and taking account of the monthly bill payments about to hit my account on Tuesday shown as 'pending'.

If I go into a few shops and/or pubs I'll get an itemised list of what I spent where alongside my current balance.

 

[DavidGrain]

I used to use the self-service tills when they had long belts as I usually shopped for a full trolly load. It seems that they have changed the self- service now to basket only so I have had to go to manned tills now for my shopping. I used to find the self-service tills very useful for getting rid of loads and loads of change. My cousin had the argument why should he pay for someone to do the work and then do it all himself until I mentioned the point about change and he had not thought of that as he had been using the change machine in the shop and paying a commission for doing so. Personally I have not used cash in the form notes or coins for anything since the lockdown started.

 

[simonw]

In a few minutes I am off to the local town where I will cash a cheque in the bank for a wodge of tenners. I will then go into the supermarket and do today’s shopping. (Well, after I have nosed around the bookshops. It is noticeable how my spending plummeted during lockdown as the bookshops were closed.) I know exactly how much money I have and can’t spend any I haven’t got.

I assume you have time on your hands if you can make an additional journey to the bank. If you go on line, you will know exactly what you have in your account, won't have to carry lo is a change, not risk looking some or all of that 'wad'. Like others on here, I find it hard to remember the last time I used cash, I think it was in Yorkshire, last summet, but then we did have to turn our watches back 30 years in order to holiday there.

 

[Cowley]

We seem to have strayed somewhat away from self service checkouts with all this cheque talk. Could we check what we’re posting before posting more stuff about cheques please.
Thanks!

 

[Hadders]

I used to use the self-service tills when they had long belts as I usually shopped for a full trolly load. It seems that they have changed the self- service now to basket only so I have had to go to manned tills now for my shopping. I used to find the self-service tills very useful for getting rid of loads and loads of change. My cousin had the argument why should he pay for someone to do the work and then do it all himself until I mentioned the point about change and he had not thought of that as he had been using the change machine in the shop and paying a commission for doing so. Personally I have not used cash in the form notes or coins for anything since the lockdown started.

Belted self service tills have been superseded by scan and go. Much, much quicker. Scan as you go round the shop and pack your bags as you go.

 

[Busaholic]

Went to Sainsburys this afternoon and managed to get Disabled parking spot nearest to the exit. As I entered the store, which involved pointing my trolley back towards the car, I noticed the security guy and a checkout person had stopped a woman with fully-laden trolley behind my car: I then pretended to be examining special offer Prosecco as the (by now) three staff members wheeled the trolley triumphantly back into the store, minus the woman. I gathered from their conversation that she'd gone through the Scan and Go section having omitted the scanning bit. As Devon and Cornwall Police have pronounced they won't 'get involved' with any shoplifting worth less than £100, I can only surmise that Sainsburys think it a waste of time to attempt to get the wrongdoer brought to book, just to be thankful to cut their losses.

 

[birchesgreen]

I took the next step and went self-scan last night at Waitrose, what tremendous fun that was. I think I probably reverted to a 10 year old holding that scanner and zapping the barcodes.

 

[DavidGrain]

Went to Sainsburys this afternoon and managed to get Disabled parking spot nearest to the exit. As I entered the store, which involved pointing my trolley back towards the car, I noticed the security guy and a checkout person had stopped a woman with fully-laden trolley behind my car: I then pretended to be examining special offer Prosecco as the (by now) three staff members wheeled the trolley triumphantly back into the store, minus the woman. I gathered from their conversation that she'd gone through the Scan and Go section having omitted the scanning bit. As Devon and Cornwall Police have pronounced they won't 'get involved' with any shoplifting worth less than £100, I can only surmise that Sainsburys think it a waste of time to attempt to get the wrongdoer brought to book, just to be thankful to cut their losses.

Saveways are one of the stores who say that they will take civil action against shoplifters. As they recovered the goods, I am not sure that they have a claim in a civil court unles its is a charge for the time staff spent on the case. Of course, if there were frozen goods ionvolved, these might have to be thrown away.

 

[ABB125]

Saveways are one of the stores who say that they will take civil action against shoplifters. As they recovered the goods, I am not sure that they have a claim in a civil court unles its is a charge for the time staff spent on the case. Of course, if there were frozen goods ionvolved, these might have to be thrown away.

Safeways?

 

[peters]

Went to Sainsburys this afternoon and managed to get Disabled parking spot nearest to the exit. As I entered the store, which involved pointing my trolley back towards the car, I noticed the security guy and a checkout person had stopped a woman with fully-laden trolley behind my car: I then pretended to be examining special offer Prosecco as the (by now) three staff members wheeled the trolley triumphantly back into the store, minus the woman. I gathered from their conversation that she'd gone through the Scan and Go section having omitted the scanning bit. As Devon and Cornwall Police have pronounced they won't 'get involved' with any shoplifting worth less than £100, I can only surmise that Sainsburys think it a waste of time to attempt to get the wrongdoer brought to book, just to be thankful to cut their losses.

Sainsburys do use AI in combination with CCTV. There as a BBC News report showing how it worked, a woman loaded her shopping from the trolley (minus a chicken), scanned the items and paid, then put the shopping she had paid for back in the trolley, alongside the chicken she hadn't paid for and their AI picked up that there was an item that hadn't been taken out of the trolley.

 

[DavidGrain]

Safeways?

Sainsbury's. Have corrected. No idea why I typed the name of a store that no longer exists

 

[ta-toget]

Sainsbury's. Have corrected. No idea why I typed the name of a store that no longer exists

Although there is now a brand Safeway that appears to be sold at McColls. I've seen lorries driving about with Safeway written on the side. They have a website.

 

[Gloster]

Safeway was sold to Morrisons in 2004 and the shops either became branches of Morrisons, were sold off or closed (or burnt down in Sunderland). About five years ago Morrisons revived the name for products it produces for other retailers, including McColl’s.

 

[Busaholic]

Saveways are one of the stores who say that they will take civil action against shoplifters. As they recovered the goods, I am not sure that they have a claim in a civil court unles its is a charge for the time staff spent on the case. Of course, if there were frozen goods ionvolved, these might have to be thrown away.

From what I could see, there were many packs of frozen goods, and baby clothes/toilet rolls, but no alcohol!

Possibly administratively simpler than asking the payees to provide bank account details for BACS payments?


The only cheques I can recall receiving in the last decade are for a (small) Premium Bond prize and from my octogenarian mother. I've since trained her to go into the bank and request a transfer to my account. She won't do telephone or internet banking but has taken to contactless payments.

Many companies still send out cheques as dividend payments to shareholders, and this certainly includes financial institutions including major banks like HSBC. It's FAR easier for them to send a cheque to the registered shareholder at the address they've provided: if the recipient doesn't like it, tough, go frame it if you can't be bothered to bank it!

 

[Hadders]

There is an increasing to trend for dividend payments to be made by bank credit. In fact one of the companies I hold shares in (a major FTSE 100 company) only issues dividends by bank credit.