At the grocery store buy my apartment, there are 4 self-checkouts. Two in one lane and two in the other. The lanes are just like the other lanes, same set-up, but instead of a person with a register, there are two SCOs in a row.
I love the self-checkouts. I’m fast, I know how to do it, it’s easy. If I’m just getting a few things (big grocery shopping needs a cashier and bagger), I will use them every time.
When I go at a busy time, there’s often a line for them. As for waiting in line, it seems that some groups of people pick sides and stick with it in line. If one opens up on the other side, those people will not go over there, but wait for the side they’re in line for. Another group of people will form one line which only branches off to go to either side when they are next. Then when one opens up they will go to it, no matter which side it’s on. (I prefer it this way.) And then you have a group of people that ignore whichever way we’re doing it this time, two set lines or one group line, ignore all lines in general, and just barge up to a just-opened SCO when there are clearly a ton of people that have been waiting and they themselves just walked up. I hate those people.
So which way do you do it, and is there a way you’re supposed to do it? And who says so?
I’m a one-liner and I think that is the default. I don’t actually mind when people split off into another line, because they are usually the clueless ones who just can’t figure out the technology. They end up being way slower.
I thought the single line way was the correct way, but if I get up there and find that we’re doing the double line thing, I’ll go with it. Maybe they do it when there’s a lot of people in line because we don’t have much room for a single line, and it’s easier for the separate lines to snake around instead of one line going straight back and blocking the whole area.
If there are people that remain standing in one line, while another register opens up and stand unused, I think “Moo” and go for the unused regisater. I would give them maybe 2 or 3 seconds to make a choice to break their line and head for the opening. I don’t have time to wait for the mentally challenged.
Around here, few people use the self-checkouts it seems. Me, I go straight for the personal shopper (portable scanner) and the bags. I take my scanner and my bags and I do the shopping - scan and bag everything while walking around the store. By the time I get to the self-checkout, all my groceries are in bags in my cart and I scan the bar code at the register to upload my total. Scan the coupons, swipe the debit card, grab the receipt and head for the door.
What grocery store does this and where do you live? I would SOOO use this if it was at my local Safeway, which currently has no self-checkout lanes and a lot of creepy cashiers (which is surprising, considering it’s a nice store).
The Albertson’s has one line for four SCOs. The Safeway where I do most of my shopping has none - but has plenty of lines and people - and they’re nice too.
Single line is the right way. I think the clueless are branching off in a zillion directions.
I love SCO except when I’m behind the one person that’s never used it before, ack!
I seem to end up behind that person more often lately.
Hey CATSIX, where are these “personal scanners”? I haven’t seen these in NY. I’d love them.
My grocery store is funny. Us customers were all happy making one line for the four SCOs. Then the store added a hand-printed sign on top instructing us to make two lines. Then they added two more SCOs in the next aisle and we were instructed to make three lines. Well, depending on how busy the store is, there can be anywhere from zero to four or five lines(I’ve seen some people treat each checkout as it’s own line) Can we go back to just one for the set of four and one for the two on the other side?
I like the single line system, and que up that way. If someone was there before me, and is fixated one one side, and a SCO opens on the other, I’ll clue them in. “I think that station’s open over there.” Rather than take advantage and swoop in on it.
Around here, most stores have a separate line per cash register, regardless of whether it’s SCO or staffed. (And I, inevitably, get stuck in the slowest line.)
I’ve always wondered why grocery stores go with the multiple line model rather than the one line model favored by banks. Isn’t one line with multiple servers supposed to produce the shortest average waits?
Ooh…me wanty. This would also help me feel more confident that prices are ringing up correctly, assuming the bar code scanner tells me the price as it rings up. I try to keep track, but frankly when I’ve spent an hour shopping, I don’t actually remember if the croutons were supposed to be $2.39 or $2.89 when I ring out.
Oh, and as for the OP, I like it best and believe in the single line system, but I’m pretty adaptable - if there are multiple lines when I show up, eh, I’ll go with it. But if all 4 are filled and only one person is waiting, I create the one line system (in the absence of any signs directing otherwise, of course.) Moo.
Meanwhile, as a result of the SCO, I’m not that tolerant of people who ask if they can cut in front of me in one of the cashier attended lines, due to the fact that they “only have a couple of items”. I hate to be rude and all, but that’s what the SCO is for!
One lady once responded, “but I don’t know how to use that.” Really? You don’t know how to scan groceries? Have you ever watched the cashier do it? It’s not exactly rocket science. Besides, there’s usually an attendant by the SCO to help those slow to catch on.
Unless I have less than 10 items, I avoid them altogether. If there are more than four people already waiting, I avoid them. That leaves the single “line” (more like a cluster) with “go for the first one open” approach shared by those waiting. The store I frequent has four places, two on one side and two on the other, with a fairly wide free-form waiting area. Most people form one line but take the first available scanner when it opens. But if I have to wait as long to check my own as I would to let an employee do it, I go with the employee. Besides, they have the “express lane” where most customers write checks and take at least as long to make that line as they would going through the self-serve scanners, right next to the self-scan section. If there’s also a line of more than two there, I just go wait at one of the “regular” lines. I try to stay away from the grocery until I have no excuse to use anything but the big buggy line(s).
The stores should really direct people where they want them to queue up. Either with lines on the floor, or one of those back and forth barricade thingies. If you just leave it up to The Herd, they’ll invariably choose 14 different ways to do it, each way more inconvenient than the last.
Me, I don’t use the self checkout usually - I’m too slow at it, it confuses me, and no I’m not an idiot, I’m just not used to it. I prefer going to a regular cashier.