[muteprint]

Just got a few bits from Morrison, and used the self service checkouts, paying cash. I'd put 3 quid in and noticed the balance hadn't gone down to show me how much I had left to pay, so got the supervisor, who took the machine apart to see if it had got stuck, but it hadn't. So she called for her supervisor, who took ages, and I was looking like a complete div just standing there. Anyway, all she said, was that there was nothing they could do about, just take my details, and see what happened when they balanced the tills at the end of the day. I asked what would happen if the tills balanced correctly, or there were no discrepencies, would I not get my money back? And she just shrugged her shoulders and said sometimes machines do these things.

It has really wound me up. I know its trivial and not the greatest amount of money in the world, but it is when I don't have a job.

Has anyone had any similar experiances, and what would the likelihood of getting my money back??

[Danger Close]

You should stop using these things. They're putting people out of work. My local ASDA has about 20 of these things as well as 20-25 checkouts (unless it's Christmas only about half of these are staffed). They're put in to make an extra few hundred quid a week.

[R.Vecchio]

I doubt you will if you leave it. Contact the head office/customer service department, dont leave it down to the monkeys in the store.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by Danger Close

You should stop using these things. They're putting people out of work. My local ASDA has about 20 of these things as well as 20-25 checkouts (unless it's Christmas only about half of these are staffed). They're put in to make an extra few hundred quid a week.

you don't have a choice in out tesco after 10pm, its self service only including petrol station.

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by Danger Close

You should stop using these things. They're putting people out of work. My local ASDA has about 20 of these things as well as 20-25 checkouts (unless it's Christmas only about half of these are staffed). They're put in to make an extra few hundred quid a week.

I take it you never buy the cheapest items then? Buying the more expensive ones would help keep people in work.

[fickrick]

I am not keen on the morissons ones as they are laid out awkwardly (imho) but the one i was using also refused to weigh my pick and mix so I got them for nothing (kerching!!!)

[grumpyscot]

Originally Posted by c4rv

you don't have a choice in out tesco after 10pm, its self service only including petrol station.

Another reason not to shop at Tesco. Ever worked out how long it would take to self serve a full trolley load? And just how you could do it when you can't remove the bag to make room for the next one?

At least Asda self service have the advice "suitable for up to 20 items", and still have a checkout operator available.

[davidmcn]

Originally Posted by bobcar

I take it you never buy the cheapest items then? Buying the more expensive ones would help keep people in work.

The very concept of self-service shops puts people out of work - what's wrong with asking assistants to fetch you things from shelves behind a counter, eh?

[chenks]

Originally Posted by grumpyscot

Another reason not to shop at Tesco. Ever worked out how long it would take to self serve a full trolley load? And just how you could do it when you can't remove the bag to make room for the next one?.

the self service section is not for people with trolleys.
that's pretty obvious and only idiots would take a trolley to them.

[podgicus]

Originally Posted by grumpyscot

Another reason not to shop at Tesco. Ever worked out how long it would take to self serve a full trolley load? And just how you could do it when you can't remove the bag to make room for the next one?

At least Asda self service have the advice "suitable for up to 20 items", and still have a checkout operator available.

Our local Asda has large scales to put your shopping on on some of the self-service checkouts, so you could easily do a large trolley load on the selfscan.

OP - if you're really bothered about it, write to the store manager / head office. Be polite about it, but be firm.

[chenks]

Originally Posted by davidmcn

The very concept of self-service shops puts people out of work

it's probably off-set by the people who maintain and supply them, so any change in job numbers will be negligible.

plus, we end up with more skilled worked as opposed to un-skilled cashiers.

[ianx]

Originally Posted by grumpyscot

And just how you could do it when you can't remove the bag to make room for the next one?

You can. The machines handle that just fine.

[santa fe]

For what it's worth, the way to get Supermarkets to toe the line is to mention a little organisation called Trading Standards. You can hear their cheeks bang together !!

[Spot]

I like the self-service checkouts, and would be very upset indeed if they disappeared.

To the OP - if you don't hear anything, write to the store manager and you will almost certainly get your money back. If this doesn't work, write to Head Office.

I expect that you'll probably get a bit more back than you lost as compensation.

[Treble]

Hi there,

I would suggest that you don't just leave the situation -
contact head office!

If it were me I'd also be clear about the fact that the store assistant was uninterested, unhelpful and shrugged her shoulders of the situation.

Did you manage to buy the shopping in the end? If not, I'd mention that you left their shop empty handed and £3 down too...

Let us know how it goes!

P.S... This happened to me in Sainsburys - i had put in a £5 note and the machine had took it but it didn't register, I told the assistant and she was very apologetic and opened the machine to find that in this case it did just get stuck. I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't been stuck, but they were very apologetic and certainly didn't shrug their shoulders!

[podgicus]

Originally Posted by santa fe

For what it's worth, the way to get Supermarkets to toe the line is to mention a little organisation called Trading Standards. You can hear their cheeks bang together !!

Meh, not really. Most supermarkets operate within trading standards guidelines, and certainly within the law. They're too big not to. Occasionally slips happen, but they're rare and it's usually human error.

It's the independant shops and traders who are more likely to be flouting trading standards laws and guidelines.

[CloneClown]

I went to Morrisons today too (rare occurance) and was peeved to see most people having to queue for the self service tills because there were only two checkouts open - ridiculous. They did have a sign saying 15 items or less but there were still people with full blown trolleys using the tills.

[Treble]

Originally Posted by CloneClown

I went to Morrisons today too (rare occurance) and was peeved to see most people having to queue for the self service tills because there were only two checkouts open - ridiculous. They did have a sign saying 15 items or less but there were still people with full blown trolleys using the tills.

It's really annoying when people have their trolley either blocking a self service till (including the ones clearly for baskets) completely or giving you little room
to actually move!

[CloneClown]

Originally Posted by Treble

It's really annoying when people have their trolley either blocking a self service till (including the ones clearly for baskets) completely or giving you little room
to actually move!

Even more annoying when there is someone overseeing the tills and not enforcing the rule!

[susie-4964]

I'm not a fan of self-service tills, but the absolute best thing is Waitrose self-scanners. You register a credit card, then use the card to get a hand scanner each time you come in. Scan all your items as you pick them up, pack your bags as you go, then you can bypass all the checkout queues and just go straight to pay. If you use a Waitrose card, it's all automatic. They run random checks occasionally to make sure your total tallies with theirs, but generally it's very quick, and the scanner reminds you of all the special offers as well. It was brilliant at Christmas, everyone else was waiting in massive lines, and we just picked up our shopping and breezed out!

[Gogfumble]

Originally Posted by susie-4964

I'm not a fan of self-service tills, but the absolute best thing is Waitrose self-scanners. You register a credit card, then use the card to get a hand scanner each time you come in. Scan all your items as you pick them up, pack your bags as you go, then you can bypass all the checkout queues and just go straight to pay. If you use a Waitrose card, it's all automatic. They run random checks occasionally to make sure your total tallies with theirs, but generally it's very quick, and the scanner reminds you of all the special offers as well. It was brilliant at Christmas, everyone else was waiting in massive lines, and we just picked up our shopping and breezed out!

I love this too. Our local Sainsburys and Tesco have them too.

[susie-4964]

Originally Posted by Gogfumble

I love this too. Our local Sainsburys and Tesco have them too.

It's so sweet when I take the OH shopping on Saturdays - he won't let me scan anything, he loves to do it himself!

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by davidmcn

The very concept of self-service shops puts people out of work - what's wrong with asking assistants to fetch you things from shelves behind a counter, eh?

Nothings wrong with that if that's what you want to do.

Whenever you shop for something cheaper you are putting people out of work because the cost savings are usually gained by "increasing productivity" which usually means replacing people with machines.

So my question to you would be why make a point of it in the case of supermarket tills? I would suggest the answer is that you have direct contact with the people involved either as a customer or worker so it is more immediate, however the factory worker will miss their job just as much as the till worker even though you don't notice them.

[Inspiration]

Originally Posted by Danger Close

You should stop using these things. They're putting people out of work. My local ASDA has about 20 of these things as well as 20-25 checkouts (unless it's Christmas only about half of these are staffed). They're put in to make an extra few hundred quid a week.

I don't see this myself. Most supermarkets I ever went into only had around 2 'basket only' check outs and this almost always resulted in a long queue of people who only had a basket of goods. Stood in a line waiting for the people in front of you to hurry up and pack their bag/pay.

Instead of those 2 check outs, they've replaced them with 6 or even 8 self service check outs. What this means is the basket customers are processed much quicker and are on their way.

The self service check outs require constant supervision by at least one member of staff, so that's a job role there for one of the check out staff. And they probably do it in shifts, so that's two jobs.

For me, a customer who only shops with a basket, they are a god send. I can check myself out in a couple of minutes tops and I never have to queue up anymore. So for me I can only see the plus side. Although when they play up it can be annoying. But the benefits outweigh the negatives for me.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by chenks

the self service section is not for people with trolleys.
that's pretty obvious and only idiots would take a trolley to them.

You don't have a choice, there are no tills open and yes I have seen people do there weekly shop and use self service. Once you have used it once or twice its pretty easy. No waiting behind someone who decides to have a 10 minute natter with the checkout person.

I want to checkout, pay and go home not have a social event.