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Author Topic: Foodtown's self checkout  (Read 4096 times)

Offline Beech Court

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Foodtown's self checkout
« on: June 23, 2014, 10:05:34 PM »
With all the controversy across the street, Foodtown picked up alot of extra shoppers. They expanded their hours and something also needed to be done about the long check out lines. So several weeks ago they installed self checkout lanes.

Does it really help? Is it a way of saving on payroll with new increased hours?

I had heard several complaints about them not working properly. I kind of figured some people weren't use to using such things. I had used them in other stores. Then I tried Foodtown's and sure enough the thing jammed up in the middle of my checkout.

The attendant didn't know what to do about my partial change given and called the manager. He didn't seem to know what to do either even though the machine was giving instructions. He borrowed cash change from another live cashier to give to me. I guess they figured it out later.

What do you think of these machines?
 
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I also channel Gladys Gilbert!

Offline Maple

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2014, 11:49:43 PM »
Don't like them. I don't know how many cashiers they displaced or intend to displace. The machines don't understand self-bagging or more than one bag. I find myself swearing at them because they are machines that invariably act irrationally; I don't swear at people (unless there is a vehicle involved). Now I'll just get on line and wait because I find that less frustrating.
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Offline daisy

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2014, 10:05:40 AM »
I don't know.  They've worked fine for me but I'm also very used to the quirks of the machines from using them in other places.   I don't doubt they go down or mess up.  Both times I've needed to void something, it was quickly done - and they were my mistakes.  I prefer having the option there because the lines have been really long otherwise and I also think the extended hours have helped considerably. I think it's good to have both options and then folks can choose what they want to do.
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Offline StevenGrey

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2014, 11:26:27 AM »
I'm not a fan of the self-checkout, but I have used it several times when I've stopped in for just a handful of items.

A few things to consider:
1. Purchasing alcoholic beverages requires an employee to verify your age and swipe their card in the scanner to authorize it;
2. Buying fresh produce requires you to find the item in a menu on screen, which can be time consuming;
3. The machines can be fussy when paying with cash, much to the annoyance of anyone behind you in line.

(I actually don't mind bagging my own groceries, as I don't use nearly as many plastic bags as Foodtown's packers usually do, which has always been a pet peeve of mine.)
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Offline hagsrus

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2014, 05:18:00 PM »
I looked, and wondered.

I suppose it must be set up to recognize and apply the club card discounts, but is there any way it could apply the senior discount?

And can it give cash back?

So far I've wimped out of trying.


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Offline hfm

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2014, 12:42:31 AM »
Quote from: hagsrus on June 25, 2014, 05:18:00 PM
I looked, and wondered.

I suppose it must be set up to recognize and apply the club card discounts, but is there any way it could apply the senior discount?

And can it give cash back?

So far I've wimped out of trying.

I actually like them, especially if I'm buying two bags of items, which is what I usually do since I pass by there every day. It's faster. If you're buying beer there's always a person manning the 4 registers so it's not been an issue for me yet.

1. You can scan the club card first off before you scan your items
2. It will give you up to $20 cash back (two 10s'), same as the regular register.

Shrug. I still go to the normal register at times, but I go to the self-checkout more often than not.
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Offline Susan_14

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2014, 09:48:18 PM »
I've tried Foodtown's self checkout three times and quite honestly, I hate it.  I've used self-checkout in other stores, like Lowe's or Home Depot and not had any trouble, but for some reason, it's a nightmare at Foodtown....and forget about using it if you have produce!
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Offline meyersu

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2014, 01:16:12 PM »
I like them, and for me they worked just fine!  Whenever I've been stumped it's been my own incompetence, and there's always someone on hand to help out.
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Offline divanatrix

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2014, 07:30:36 PM »
I love it, even with produce or rolls.
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Offline dssjh

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2014, 10:48:37 PM »
it's easy enough, but i don't like it because it means putting people out of work.

it'll save money for store management, who will axe workers to generate savings that will never be passed down to customers.
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Offline hfm

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2014, 04:11:13 PM »
It looks like it only replaced one register (max two) that were replaced by a person that is there to look over everything.

I somehow doubt they let anyone go as a consequence of bringing them in, if anything it's getting people with a few items out the door faster.
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Offline dssjh

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2014, 05:26:08 PM »
they took out two human-manned registers and put in four or six self checkouts. to be honest, i'm not sure if they let anyone go or not. i'd imagine they probably did...there'd be no financial incentive to spend the money on the new checkouts and still kept the same number of clerks to handle fewer registers -- at the very least, they had to cut their hours, since there'd be no place to put them....
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Offline theprimetime

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2014, 03:01:47 PM »
Why should I have to scan and bag my items? I'm the customer, not the cashier! They are turning us into employees who work for free! Ridiculous!
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Offline hfm

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2014, 08:21:10 PM »
Quote from: theprimetime on July 07, 2014, 03:01:47 PM
Why should I have to scan and bag my items? I'm the customer, not the cashier! They are turning us into employees who work for free! Ridiculous!

There's still plenty of attended checkout aisles. No one is forcing you into anything there's a choice.
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Offline divanatrix

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Re: Foodtown's self checkout
« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2014, 04:37:13 AM »
Quote from: hfm on July 09, 2014, 08:21:10 PM
Quote from: theprimetime on July 07, 2014, 03:01:47 PM
Why should I have to scan and bag my items? I'm the customer, not the cashier! They are turning us into employees who work for free! Ridiculous!

There's still plenty of attended checkout aisles. No one is forcing you into anything there's a choice.

Exactly. What I despise is CVS forcing EVERYONE to use their self-checkout. Idiotic.
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