Grocery store etiquette at self check out lines

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless the sign says that checkout lane is only for 10 items, 15 items, etc. I certainly do.

But I also find that I scan faster than most of the checkers because I am not paid for the time I spend weighing and swiping so I am motivated to move groceries as fast as possible, not chat.

I thought the cashier weighs things and then types in a code. Does self checkout work differently in that respect?

I only use self checkout with 10 items or less. In addition, I use paper coupons, and it is usually quicker to have a cashier scan it in case something goes wrong.

As someone said earlier, it sounds like the OP was Giant. Safeway's self checkouts do not look like Giant's at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But I also find that I scan faster than most of the checkers because I am not paid for the time I spend weighing and swiping so I am motivated to move groceries as fast as possible, not chat.

Are you fucking kidding me? Just what we need, another DCUM princess who hasn't worked a day of customer service in her life. You have no idea. You know what motivates cashiers to be quick? Ringing through and getting rid of customers like you as fast as possible.

[Anonymous]

Most people are quite slow in self-checkout lines, especially the ones in Giant where it needs to be sent down a conveyor belt before bagging. If the line is long, I will start immediately and bag each item as I go until the previous person is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've found that if you have a lot of items, self checkout is significantly slower than just going through a regular line. I think that they should limit self checkout to 10 or 15 items or less OR have two separate self checkout lines - one for express and one for people with full carts. I really think people with full carts going through self checkout defeats the purpose of having it there. I only use it if I have a few items and the line isn't long.

There's always some lady with her 3 kids taking FOREVER on a month's worth of food and she has no idea how to bag it (and there's not enough room for her to bag all that food).

HT and Giant used to be two of my biggest clients, and both of them told me that their "research" showed the self check out lanes are on average slower to use than waiting in line in a regular aisle with a clerk. Sure, there is always the random slow scanner or bagger, whether it is in self check out or a regular check out, which throws off the average, but the grocery chains have done tons of research on it to determine how many lanes they need of each in stores. The reason they have self check outs is because they only require one employee to monitor a group, and because the customer has the false sense of security that they themselves are quicker and feel more in control. But the research shows otherwise.

I totally believe this. If I have more than 5 items, I will pick the regular check out lanes without fail.

Me, too. I only self-check when I have a dozen items or less with no or hardly any produce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But I also find that I scan faster than most of the checkers because I am not paid for the time I spend weighing and swiping so I am motivated to move groceries as fast as possible, not chat.

Are you fucking kidding me? Just what we need, another DCUM princess who hasn't worked a day of customer service in her life. You have no idea. You know what motivates cashiers to be quick? Ringing through and getting rid of customers like you as fast as possible.

FYI: I grew up seriously poor in West Baltimore and worked many retail and customer service jobs, including those in which I had to ring up items by scanning them. I also grocery shop off hours at a store where the checkers are all older ladies who like to talk to me and my child. Nice, but not what I am looking for when I am exhausted from work. I have two advanced degrees, but a physically demanding job and health issues. So, yes, I do scan faster. Both from experience and from motivation. I also remember most of the produce codes because I buy the same stuff every week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never start scanning until the person in front of me has completely finished and walked away.

Same here.

Same here.

+4 I personally find it pretty freaking rude to start scanning and sending your things down the chute when the person in front of you hasn't finished. As someone else noted, you were aware of the volume of their purchases when you selected the line.

+1

[Anonymous]

If the person in front of me is still bagging, I take the time to enter my bonus card number and organize my groceries so I can scan them faster when it is my turn. It is not my turn until the person finishes bagging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But I also find that I scan faster than most of the checkers because I am not paid for the time I spend weighing and swiping so I am motivated to move groceries as fast as possible, not chat.

Are you fucking kidding me? Just what we need, another DCUM princess who hasn't worked a day of customer service in her life. You have no idea. You know what motivates cashiers to be quick? Ringing through and getting rid of customers like you as fast as possible.

FYI: I grew up seriously poor in West Baltimore and worked many retail and customer service jobs, including those in which I had to ring up items by scanning them. I also grocery shop off hours at a store where the checkers are all older ladies who like to talk to me and my child. Nice, but not what I am looking for when I am exhausted from work. I have two advanced degrees, but a physically demanding job and health issues. So, yes, I do scan faster. Both from experience and from motivation. I also remember most of the produce codes because I buy the same stuff every week.

BOOM

[Anonymous]

I think you were being an A-hole and you know it.

[Anonymous]

As an aside, can i just say that self-checkout was the dumbest thing grocery stores ever did?

[Anonymous]

Hmm, I usually scan before the person finishes. It absolutely never bothers me when someone does it to me. I will reconsider, though. I'll try to wait. I will say that it does seem like some people go slowly when they're bagging. Sometimes they even let kids bag, even while others are waiting to start.

Once, I had some hot-head soccer mom get super irritated when I started scanning before she finished. She yelled out. Man, it made me chuckle. IMO, it's nothing to get irritated about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ask because I had an experience at the store this morning. I was behind a man who had a big pile of groceries. It took forever for him to bag the groceries. There were lines everywhere and a big one behind us. I waited until he was almost done bagging but not quite. So, my tinfoil bumped into his groceries left to be bagged. He was so mad and threw the tin foil back at me. Which of course, upset the sensors.

I try not to do self check out when I have a lot of groceries myself so perhaps I was being passive aggressive by starting when he wasn't done. I can admit that but he was taking soooo long!. So, my questions: do you do self check out with a bunch of grcoeries? Are you annoyed when people do? Do you get mad if people start to do theirs before you are done bagging? Does it make a difference if it takes a long time? Just curious about non important stuff on a cold Saturday night!

You were wrong. Next time practice patience and unless it is life or death you aren't in that much of a hurry that you need to be rude and inconsiderate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you were being an A-hole and you know it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ask because I had an experience at the store this morning. I was behind a man who had a big pile of groceries. It took forever for him to bag the groceries. There were lines everywhere and a big one behind us. I waited until he was almost done bagging but not quite. So, my tinfoil bumped into his groceries left to be bagged. He was so mad and threw the tin foil back at me. Which of course, upset the sensors.

I try not to do self check out when I have a lot of groceries myself so perhaps I was being passive aggressive by starting when he wasn't done. I can admit that but he was taking soooo long!. So, my questions: do you do self check out with a bunch of grcoeries? Are you annoyed when people do? Do you get mad if people start to do theirs before you are done bagging? Does it make a difference if it takes a long time? Just curious about non important stuff on a cold Saturday night!

OP, welcome to the south - no rush here!

And if someone thinks you are in a rush, they will do everything to try to put a stop to it, which in itself is comical!

Be cool, and keep laughing, because it is funny.

[Anonymous]

I hate self check out. If you want me to do the work give me a discount. I no longer go to Giant for this reason. Harris Teeter is so much better with having cashiers.