[Whalen]

Went to the supermarket this morning and made the mistake of using the automated checkout, open mannned checkouts were few and the lines long.
Tried to buy ginger, no luck, not in the system. Clerk comes by, looks up secret code and my $1.01 piece of ginger is ready for me to bag.
Almost finished when Hubby tries to find Hass Avocados in the system, need the clerk again, (at this point I am and muttering this is one more reason I'm outta here and off to TV) more secret codes, rings up romaine lettuce, cancel transaction, new code, rings up Florida Avocados at 2x the price, cancel transaction, 3rd time's the charm, bingo! finally got my avocados.
What an ordeal

So the next time you're at the market in TV and someone scans and bags your groceries, and then asks if you need help to your car remember to say a heartfelt "Thank You Very Much".

[l2ridehd]

They have not solved the automated check out at grocery stores or Home Depot yet. I have NEVER gone through one where I didn't need a clerk anyway. It's like when ATM's first came out, they were not user friendly and always broke down. However now they are great. Never go to a teller anymore. Between ATM and online banking, they can close the branches. But grocery stores and HD need to work on those infernal machines some more. However I do believe they will get them right someday.

[JohnN]

only barcoded stuff that's easy, and I have no problem

I love the automated checkout systems. However, if I have items without barcodes (produce) I will only use them if the store is not crowded.

I finally have the Home Depot system down. Basically if you have smaller items that do not require any measurements you are good to go. When I'm purchasing items which are sold by the linear foot I will go to a human cashier.

Another thing that helps ease my frustration is that I try to go when the stores are usually not busy which where I live is during the weekdays.

Actually leads me to this question: In the non-Villages world stores tend to be "quiet" during the weekdays; since not many people work in TV do the stores' "quiet" times differ from the rest of the world, or is it still easier and less crowded to shop during weekdays?

[Don H]

Ah yes....the stores do have us well trained. We shop at Stop & Shop (Long Island) and we always wonder why only three out of five auto check out systems are open. Are two of the systems on break??? Are they "off duty"???

[Yoda]

If we keep using these automated check outs, in time there will be one less live clerk needed. Will it be you? One of your children?

Yoda

[GMONEY]

Depends, I might use the Jedi Mind Trick and it could be You

[KayakerNC]

Remember when grocery stores had clerks that actually rang up your items? Pre-scanning.
Remember when grocery stores had actual butchers?
Progress......I guess.

[BritParrothead]

Just try scanning a newspaper through these darned things.....
No chance!!

[Sidney Lanier]

Originally Posted by Yoda

If we keep using these automated check outs, in time there will be one less live clerk needed. Will it be you? One of your children?

Yoda

Ditto. We don't use them because all it does is hasten the loss of one more job. Same with carts in the parking lot; if enough of us bring them back to the store (courteous as that appears to be), that's eventually one job less....