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Tesco also has pushed self scanning tills for years now. However, the number of employees working at the cash register is still the same because those scanner

Tesco also has pushed self scanning tills for years now. However, the number of employees working at the cash register is still the same because those scanners sometimes do not work and most importantly their user experience is deplorable. So, you frequently have to ask someone for help (and I'm in my mid-thirties and very tech-savvy. I can only imagine how someone twice my age would feel when using these scanners).

dingaling 10y ago
> However, the number of employees working at the cash register is still the same Actually the ratio of staff:active-self-checkout machines is planned to reduce in each new deployment as customers become accustomed to the machines. Starts around 1:2 and usually sits around 1:4 with a target of 1:8 or even 1:12 at quiet times. That's definitely a reduction in cashiers since the machines displace existing check-out lines & registers. Source: an acquaintance is a manager in a Tesco Superstore.
- robryan 10y ago
  Similar at supermarkets in Australia, one staff member could be watching over about 12 self checkouts. They still offer regular registers for people with a lot of stuff and people that don't like self checkout. The machines are good enough now that I almost never get stuck, although some people are a lot more prone to needing staff assistance to complete checkout.
crottypeter 10y ago
Terrible UX is spot-on. I was using one of these just this morning: got all my shopping onto the scale/shelf and was getting ready to pay. The machine asks how many 5p bags I used. So I start packing the stuff into my backpack to find out whether I need a bag. The machine pipes up: "Did you remove something from the scale?" The screen has a full screen modal warning that I have to put the shopping back. I put the things back on the scale and guess that I won't need a bag and I pay using contactless but what if my shopping won't fit in my bag? I understand why we have to "pack" things onto a scale (it makes it much harder to take things without scanning them) but it has to trust you at some point.
- lorenzhs 10y ago
  Just say you brought your own bag and put the backpack on the scale. Then put things into the backpack as you scan them. Sometimes it'll request an attendant to confirm that it's empty (probably because it's heavier than most bags).
  - crottypeter 10y ago
    Yes, but i always think that will take ages ;-)
- nmeofthestate 10y ago
  You're supposed to put your bag on the scale at the start when it asks if you brought bag(s). Fill it, then fill 5p bags if necessary.
- modeless 10y ago
  You can blame that bad UX on the government, not the store. Next time you can just lie. The store doesn't care. They'd be happy to give you as many bags as you need for free if they were allowed.
lorenzhs 10y ago
Don't ever use a Chip + Signature credit card at a Tesco self-checkout, they had to reboot the thing when I accidentally used it instead of my regular UK Debit card. Other than that I really like self-checkouts, usually much quicker and they're excellent for coin disposal (dump all your coins in it and pay the rest by card).
- k-mcgrady 10y ago
  >> Don't ever use a Chip + Signature credit card at a Tesco self-checkout Are UK banks giving these out? I've never come across them before.
  - makomk 10y ago
    They're standard issue from American banks these days. I believe you can request them from UK ones too if you have trouble remembering a PIN, though.
nawitus 10y ago
Self-checkout registers in Finland have about 1 employee per 6 machines. They work pretty well, I haven't had any issues after the first few months they were launched.
SXX 10y ago
I used them in Tesco many times it's was horrible expirience too. Sometime they didn't work properly or failed to scan something. What worse shortly after some stores in London got those there was less cashiers working at eventide. So you had to choose between unpleasant expirience or long queue.

dingaling 10y ago

> However, the number of employees working at the cash register is still the same Actually the ratio of staff:active-self-checkout machines is planned to reduce in each new deployment as customers become accustomed to the machines. Starts around 1:2 and usually sits around 1:4 with a target of 1:8 or even 1:12 at quiet times. That's definitely a reduction in cashiers since the machines displace existing check-out lines & registers. Source: an acquaintance is a manager in a Tesco Superstore.

robryan 10y ago
Similar at supermarkets in Australia, one staff member could be watching over about 12 self checkouts. They still offer regular registers for people with a lot of stuff and people that don't like self checkout. The machines are good enough now that I almost never get stuck, although some people are a lot more prone to needing staff assistance to complete checkout.

crottypeter 10y ago

Terrible UX is spot-on. I was using one of these just this morning: got all my shopping onto the scale/shelf and was getting ready to pay. The machine asks how many 5p bags I used. So I start packing the stuff into my backpack to find out whether I need a bag. The machine pipes up: "Did you remove something from the scale?" The screen has a full screen modal warning that I have to put the shopping back. I put the things back on the scale and guess that I won't need a bag and I pay using contactless but what if my shopping won't fit in my bag? I understand why we have to "pack" things onto a scale (it makes it much harder to take things without scanning them) but it has to trust you at some point.

lorenzhs 10y ago
Just say you brought your own bag and put the backpack on the scale. Then put things into the backpack as you scan them. Sometimes it'll request an attendant to confirm that it's empty (probably because it's heavier than most bags).
- crottypeter 10y ago
  Yes, but i always think that will take ages ;-)
nmeofthestate 10y ago
You're supposed to put your bag on the scale at the start when it asks if you brought bag(s). Fill it, then fill 5p bags if necessary.
modeless 10y ago
You can blame that bad UX on the government, not the store. Next time you can just lie. The store doesn't care. They'd be happy to give you as many bags as you need for free if they were allowed.

lorenzhs 10y ago

Don't ever use a Chip + Signature credit card at a Tesco self-checkout, they had to reboot the thing when I accidentally used it instead of my regular UK Debit card. Other than that I really like self-checkouts, usually much quicker and they're excellent for coin disposal (dump all your coins in it and pay the rest by card).

k-mcgrady 10y ago
>> Don't ever use a Chip + Signature credit card at a Tesco self-checkout Are UK banks giving these out? I've never come across them before.
- makomk 10y ago
  They're standard issue from American banks these days. I believe you can request them from UK ones too if you have trouble remembering a PIN, though.

nawitus 10y ago

Self-checkout registers in Finland have about 1 employee per 6 machines. They work pretty well, I haven't had any issues after the first few months they were launched.

SXX 10y ago

I used them in Tesco many times it's was horrible expirience too. Sometime they didn't work properly or failed to scan something. What worse shortly after some stores in London got those there was less cashiers working at eventide. So you had to choose between unpleasant expirience or long queue.