I Made An Anthopological Observation In Tescos

[Booldawg]

As someone in their mid 40s I tend not to use the self-service checkouts as I'd sooner be served by a real person - even if the SC checkouts are clear and there's a queue at the 'real person' checkouts.

I notice its the opposite with younger people; they'd sooner go self service even if 'real person' checkouts are free.

Does this mean that older people are technophobes, younger people would sooner deal with a computer, or both?!

[Svejk]

^That was Anthony Worrell-Thompson's missus.
I go to the shops to fill my hopper up, not to have intercourse. Even if it is with Bridge champs or jeniuses like yourself, cap'n.

[Stephen_G]

Intercourse???

I'm shopping in all the wrong places...

[Captain2]

I also think I am able to judge if a person just wants to shop, pay and go. I say hello, serve and say goodbye.
I also wasn't saying I'm a genius - just not a dim-wit - I hope ;-)

[Chinajan]

I use manned [and womanned] checkouts simply because self-service tills are doing people out of jobs.

[Svejk]

^ Well said, comrade.

[Tilly2]

Same here, chinajan.

[Prudie]

Very noble but a bit futile. If they got rid of them they wouldn't employ more staff you'd just get longer queues - something I've noticed has significantly improved since self-service came in.

[Tilly2]

Umph!

[Chinajan]

People faced with longer queues will shop elsewhere...I do.

[Psybbo]

That's my argument too, Chinajan and I like the people who work there (Sainsbury's).
B&Q self-service tills are a joke

[Stephen_G]

My local Sainsbury's has nine self-service tills, but usually only five are in operation. If I have a Trolley, and anyone in the self-service area has a Trolley then I go to a Person-operated checkout instead. It isn't the biggest of spaces to manoeuvre past someone else with a Trolley, to get to one of the other self-service machines.

[Prudie]

The most important thing is we should have a choice in order to keep us all happy - which we currently do so Yay!

[ummmm]

They've also created lots more jobs since the start of online shopping. People who used to work on the tills will now being doing our shopping. Then all the delivery drivers.

[Svejk]

Nationalise the shops. It's not fair that some people buy more than me. Everyone, rich & poor alike, should queue up for the same bread.

[Buenchico]

I'm 61 and I'll happily queue to use a self-service checkout rather than go to any of a dozen staffed checkouts with no customers at them. I prefer machines to people every time!

[Tuvok]

I prefer a human till - the "please put item in bagging area" and "unexpected item ......." anoys me.

However, our Tesco has the handheld scanners - my only gripes with them is that you have to scan every item - there should be an option to enter the quantity you've bought of a multiple item. Then of course sometimes it decides to scan twice! And then there is the dreaded moment at the till - will it be a random security check or not!

[Jackdaw33]

Quite right, Svejk. Your avatar reminds me of when I was in the USSR 40 years ago. The procedure for buying goods was threefold:

Firstly you would queue up at the counter until it was your turn. Next you would order your goods which would be wrapped and you were given a ticket.

You took that ticket to the other end of the shop where the cashier would calculate the total, usually with an abacus, and give you a receipt. You then went back to the original counter, handed over the cashier's receipt and would be given your purchases.

[askyourgran]

I use self service if all the manned tills are busy that's if I don't have a trolley full. But there is often something that I have to have assistance with, usually to weigh something or breadrolls that need keying in, that annoys me. Plus the voice telling me to 'put the item in the bagging area' when I have already done that makes me mad.

[mikey4444]

I don't have the best of records when it comes to these self-scanning checkouts I'm afraid. Something always seems to go wrong !

[sandyRoe]

Does that carrots for beef trick work?