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[Tom@Crewe]

Visited B&Q for a few bits and pieces....got to the tills and all closed....only the self serve open (dam things).

Some big items and awkward ones.

Waved towards them I said I preferred not .... then urged to use it so I did.

Two items bleeped and had to call assistant.

Half the time they take longer than normal tills, Half the time they call for assistant
and when its busy you have to wait for assistant because they are at another self serve till sorting out another mistake

DAM things .... rip them out

[justboatonic]

Went to our local B&Q Superstore yesterday to get a shelf and a couple of brackets. Gets to checkouts, 4 people in queue and only one checkout manned. Decided to use the DIY checkout instead.

The thing took ages to recognise each item and proceeded to tell me to 'pass the item over the bar code reader' and then 'place item on the scale(?)' It wouldnt accept the next item until each was placed in the scale.

Took about 5 minutes to DIY the sale! I think B&Q must be deliberately cutting back on the number of manned check outs.

[funtimefrankie]

Our B&Q doesn't have Selfserve checkouts but Tesco's accross the road are crap.

As to putting it on the scales, perhaps it's checking the weight in case you have hidden something extra in the box.. a sort of DIY two for one

There was a story about someone buying something in a large box a lawn mower(?), but adding extra power tools before the check-out

[Colin Bishop]

Yes, those self service checkouts are too clever for their own good. They try to weigh the item, not easy if you are just buying apacket of crisps! I avoid them as I think they are really just a cost saving device. Cut down on checkout staff and make the customer do all the work.

Colin

[Jimmy James]

They are to say the least a bloody nuisance (auto check outs) took me 11 1/2 min. to get through one with two small brass rod's (2.5mm) Our local Co Op has 4 of them and over the last year I have only once got through with out having to call an assistant
Freebooter

[FullLeatherJacket]

First and only time I used one was at Snailsburys. Four-pack of Cobra Zero (guess what the alcohol content is........). Plonked the pack onto the bar-code reader and was told by The All-Knowing Eye "authorisation is required for this item".
I'm 58 years old.
It's alcohol-free beer.
I left it on the checkout.
FLJ

[Timo2]

     Good One   David   

     Timo2

[tobyker]

Ibought a bottle of Beck's blue when we were out - I was driving and it was virtually alcohol-free. The label on the bottle told me to use it responsibly and visit drink-aware.com for more advice. SWMBO said using responsibly meant not throwing the bottle through the restaurant window as we left!

[Liverbudgie2]

Yes, those self service checkouts are too clever for their own good. They try to weigh the item, not easy if you are just buying apacket of crisps! I avoid them as I think they are really just a cost saving device. Cut down on checkout staff and make the customer do all the work.

Colin

Agree with Colin on this. I had a word with the staff at our local Tesco’s, not long before we get a Morrison’s hurray, and they said their four replaced six staff. In any case why blazes should we, the customer, do their job for them? And inflate their already obscene profits. I refuse to use them on principle.

[Colin Bishop]

I left it on the checkout.

Way to go!

Colin

[Colin Bishop]

not long before we get a Morrison’s hurray

My nearest Morrison's is at Bognor, a 1 hour drive, but the reduced prices over Tesco/Sainsburys would probably save the fuel. The place is always packed out. The problem is that, being on the Costa Geriatrica, you have to be patient with elderly customers. Which i am prepared to be as I will probably be one myself before too long. 

Colin

[Wasyl]

Tesco,s... Morrisons.....,Sainsbury,s,.....I can see you have all been well trained,...just like the rest of us,...jump dear,...How high dearest,swmbo,

Wullie

[DARLEK1]

I went to ASDA to get a 4 quid blender for making curry with,  the machine didn't recognise the bar code it took longer waiting for an attendant to come and sort it out if I hadn't waited in the till queue, THIS IS STUPID!

 Watch it guys the Cylons are here!

 Paul...

[Wasyl]

A 4 quid Blender,for curries,...i prefer a wok,....

yes i know.......

Wullie

[Peter Fitness]

Self serve checkouts are becoming more prevalent in Australia, too. Like Colin, I refuse to use them, firstly because if everyone used them staff would be put off, and secondly, the queues at the self serves are often almost as long as the at manned ones. Why queue up to do it yourself when someone else will do it for you?

Peter.

[tigertiger]

My brother works in the industry and they have found a fiddle.

There is a particular brand of water that weighs the same as a brand of scotch.
You can scan the water twice, and pass off the scotch at the scale.

And before anybody asks, I am not divulging the names of the two products concerned.
But needless to say, one or other product will change.

[Martin (Admin)]

Topic name changed.   

[w3bby]

The system as described here for the UK seems a real pain in the backside. We have it in Sweden as well in some of our larger supermarket chains however only customers with store cards can use the service. Scan the card, pick up a reader and then shop. Register each purchase as you go round, weigh vegetables and scan the label that comes out, the rest you just scan the barcode. Takes a little longer than just dumping the stuff in the cart.

Checkout is either via a manned till or through a self-serve both positioned at the same place so if staff help is required it is right there. Occasionally the computer asks for a check and then it is just to empty the lot as usual.

I use the system as it is normally quicker to check out than going through the manual tills.

[Roger in France]

"......probably be one...." Colin?

This type of checkout has just been introduced in our local hypermarket. I was wondering if the "scale" actually weighs each article, I presume the bar code could trigger that element of memory as well. However, knowing just a little about weighing machines (former Inspector of Weights and Measures) and would be surprised and impressed if it could cope with the range of what I bought the other day, 15kg sack of dog food to a packet of sewing needles.

My guess is that it merely detects the number of articles placed in the shopping bag after scanning.

Any insider know?

I quite like the process and have had no problems apart from not being able to find my change in notes. The odd coins were spewed out at chest level but I could not find the notes until the next customer pointed out that they came out a slot at knee level!

Roger in France.

[The long Build]

I have tried to see if I could trick them , put my credit card on the scanned side , and it announced quite loudly " Unexpected item"

[tomo55]

I have used them but found myself mumbling at them ,not a good sign so I now avoid them and use the manned tills.Its nice to interact with Humans instead of machines.
I tried the petrol station equivelent as well,all went fine until it was meant to produce the receipt not knowing if it had worked or not ,duely reported to the Kiosk and explained to be told it always does that we know about the problem.
Nice if they told the payiong customer me thinks.
Ive stopped all my loyalty cards as well its very refreshing saying no when asked if i have a advantage/nectar card.
Who needs all this modernisation not I for sure.
KISS (Keep It Simple Soldier/Sailor)works for me.
 

[BarryM]

I emailed B&Q Customer Services to complain and they protested that "most customers liked the self-checkout tills".     

However, they also said that there should always be at least one manned till open. In our local B&Q that's the Trade Counter which is seperate from the ordinary tills and thus often overlooked. That's the one I always use. If enough people complain, they may change there minds or at least start manning more tills.

Go to   http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/aboutbandq/contactUs/serviceissue-store-enquiry.jsp

People Power!! 

Barry M

 

[Circlip]

Think it's bad now?? Wait till the assistant is on the other end of a telephone!!!!!

   Regards  Ian.

[swordfish fairey]

The system as described here for the UK seems a real pain in the backside. We have it in Sweden as well in some of our larger supermarket chains however only customers with store cards can use the service. Scan the card, pick up a reader and then shop. Register each purchase as you go round, weigh vegetables and scan the label that comes out, the rest you just scan the barcode. Takes a little longer than just dumping the stuff in the cart.

Checkout is either via a manned till or through a self-serve both positioned at the same place so if staff help is required it is right there. Occasionally the computer asks for a check and then it is just to empty the lot as usual.

I use the system as it is normally quicker to check out than going through the manual tills.

This is the way our Waitrose does it, and it works a treat. And no,we are not posh for using Waitrose, it may be a bit more expensive, but it is far and away better quality than than the others..I have gotten to an age where one is  carefull what one puts into one's gob... ...Smudge

[dreadnought72]

It could be worse - think of the job. That poor assistant at the self-service section is hearing "unexpected item in the bagging area" at least twenty thousand times a day. My head would explode.  

Andy