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Booths is a very upmarket chain which operates in a limited region of the country. However I would say that with self checkout machines there are a wide range
by noodlesUK 3y ago
Booths is a very upmarket chain which operates in a limited region of the country.
However I would say that with self checkout machines there are a wide range of experiences. Some self checkout machines (e.g., Waitrose or M&S) are actually pretty okay. They tend not to have the little scales that try to reduce fraud and constantly complain about “unexpected item in bagging area”. My local Tesco express is the opposite. It only has self checkouts with scales - the scales are much too small and don’t accommodate the newer style plastic bags. I hate those machines with a passion, and I feel like Tesco has utter contempt for me as a customer whenever I use them.
Clearly there is a trade off between customer satisfaction, fraud, and business efficiency.
What’s sad is how little improvement there has been in self checkouts over the past 5 or so years. They rarely deactivate the security tags on products, or do anything else useful. Many don’t even accept coupons or successfully read store loyalty cards. They also seem to be used more in stores that probably should have fewer of them. The mini tesco in a major city has people buying alcohol on nearly every other transaction, and people shoplift much more. Checkout workers would help with that. On the other hand, a bigger shop in a more rural location might be well served with “scan as you shop”, which I think is a fantastic invention.
- touristtam 3y agoI agree with the sentiment of lack of innovation. The "scan as you shop" was already a thing in Belgium Delhaize supermarket back in 2003/2004. The Tesco checkout till takes paper coupons, but won't use your app ones, unless you trick the till into believing you've dropped a paper copy in the slip provided. Often you are stuck waiting for assistance to let you buy, alcohol or painkillers or demagnetise items (including high value food items like steaks).
- jhbadger 3y agoWhat about the Amazon grocery stores that supposedly let you just put things in your bag and cameras detect it? Haven't been to one, so it might be one of those things like self-driving cars that don't work that well in practice.
- xingped 3y agoThey do actually work pretty darn well. I would say that's probably the future of checkout as soon as Amazon licenses it to everyone
- cjs_ac 3y agoIIRC, they still need humans to watch you as you take things from the shelves to work out what you've taken, which causes a delay of around an hour in being charged for your shop.
- tonyedgecombe 3y agoOur local Waitrose was refurbished recently. They have new tills with scales. My guess is the losses were too high on the old system. >I feel like Tesco has utter contempt for me as a customer whenever I use them All the mid-market supermarkets are like that in the UK. Our local Tesco is grubby, expensive and the service is poor.
- dontlaugh 3y agoSome bigger Tescos have these wide bagging areas with pretty accurate scales, I find those work much better.
- csdreamer7 3y ago> Many don’t even accept coupons or successfully read store loyalty cards. They also seem to be used more in stores that probably should have fewer of them. Never had an issue with loyalty cards here in America. You scan and it works. Haven't used coupons in a while.