I like the self-checker. I haven't had many problems with them, but the Gorcery Overlord at the store I go to is a major pain in the ass. I go through the self-checkout so I can not have to deal with people if I've had a rought day. But there's this creepy guy who won't leave yo alone. If it's self-checkout, why does the guy insist on hovering? Every time I scan a fruit or vegetable he's on my ass, trying to tell me which buttons to push when I was completely capable of figuring it out myself. Plus, this one time he lied and said his check thingee was broken because he was too lazy to run my check through. So in my case, the problem with the machine is the people.

That sounds like a really intelligent idea, Britchick.

Unfortunately, neither the U.S. Corporations, nor our Government, place a really high premium on Intelligence these days.... so our system will continue under the assumption that we're all stupid.

Anyone else know which Congress-person I should write to about this?

HI, We have self scanning here in the UK, but it works differntly to the way you describe, and is really good!

You register with the store the very first time. From then on, you swipe your card, get a hand held scanner, and walk round the store doing your shopping.

You put your empty grocery bags in the trolley ready, then as you pick up an item you want, you scan it and pack it.
(This means you only have to handle everything once, instead of once to put it in your trolley and then again at the chekout to pack it)

When you get to the special checkout you just plug in your scanner, it tells you what you owe, you insert your credit card to pay, and that's it.

It's really really easy, and very very quick.

To prevent fraud they do random spot checks where they ask a customer if they acan rescan all their goods. That takes extra time obviously, but I have been doing my grocery shopping this way (when I don't have it delivered) for about eight years, and I have only been rescanned twice!

Anyway,, just a different perspective from the other side of the pond :)



You scan each item as you place it in your bagfirst of sall

"I know!! We'll give the customer the opportunity to do it THEMSELVES!! They'll love us for it! What a brilliant idea, Bob!"

Sometimes stupidity is a grey line, like the guy who slows down for a yellow light or people who use iTunes. But every now and again, a decision is so clearly stupid, Sueno is RIGHT, these people should be castrated.

We are NOT a culture of people who in any way are interested doing things ourselves. We want someone else to pick what's on TV, we want someone else to hand our food out to us through the WINDOW of a restaurant, and when we do go inside, we want a waiter to bring us our food. Like I don't have enough stuff to worry about in a day. Now I have to train myself to work a Grocery Store Scanner?

I'm all for a better-educated public-- I'll memorize the price of green beans, I'll learn the arcane filing system so I never have to find a random box of cereal in the Paper Towel aisle.

But c'mon, man. Don't fire the checkout people. Cuz if you do, I'm pretty sure I can Take the Grocery Overlord, and then I don't have to pay for my groceries at all.

Hmm, I seem to have argued myself in a circle. Anyway, I agree with Sueno. G'day.

_Qs

Greetings! Remember that your grocery costs pay for someone's salary, so don't give the store a discount by doing the check out work yourself.

self-check lines sometimes work, often don't, but when I heard this argument I completely ceased trying to use them. I am happier now, too!

insight spinner (recent firefly convert)