Self Check-Out @ grocery stores

I’m Just Sayin’

I feel the need to rant and rave about the worst thing that could happen to grocery stores and any other store where you would be buying more than 10 items. We already had to work our way through acquiring who knows how many discount cards that we had to add to our wallets or key chains. In this economy some of us are even using coupons here and there when before only grandmas and people with nothing else to do would clip coupons every Sunday afternoon. I even got used to taking the time to pick out the most usable shopping cart so that the lock they put on it doesn’t decide to turn on while I am pushing my groceries while I am still in the store. I had already gotten used to most things that you have to do at the grocery store….almost.

And then I see that more and more stores are introducing the brilliant idea of using Self check-out kiosks/ stations, whatever. Yes, I know they are not a new thing. I had seen them years ago but now they are popping up in lots of places. Some stores decided they were failures but other stores think they will give it a try. This weekend brought me the most frustrating day moment of my life. I’m exaggerating. While in Long Beach I decided to visit the local Ralph’s to do my weekly grocery shopping. I have shopped at this particular Ralph’s before and have generally had a good experience. This Sunday I was in a very chipper mood doing my grocery shopping until I walked toward the cashier area. I see one lane open and walk straight for the lane. I get there and there are 3 older men waiting but there is no cashier. No cashier was planning on coming either. I turn around to the only area where I could pay…the self check-out Lanes. Apparently all the cashiers decided or were forced to hang out in the self check-out area so they could “help” people with their “self check-out” I ask them if they are planning on having any cashiers work the other lanes. She says to me “I guess not”.

My only choices were to walk away and leave all my goods in the grocery cart or pay at this machine. #1 thing that is wrong with these machines charging us for our goods…Obviously that they do this b.s. to get people out of jobs. If that wasn’t bad enough, they didn’t work hard enough and creating a machine that is useful. The first machines I had seen were able to offer you 2 spaces to bag your groceries. All you could bag is two bags of food before they started to hassle you if you tried to move the full bag in order to bag a 3^rd bag. At this point they would start telling you that you had to return the items to the bagging area. Return the items to the bagging area. The attendant will come and assist you. You become frustrated because you have 10 more items and no idea how to bag them if you cannot remove bagged items from the bagging area. Now, there is a second wave of machines. They have improved. The ones at Ralphs offer you 4 spaces to bag your groceries. All is well if you decide that you want to fill all your groceries into 4 bags. What happens to you if you can’t fit all your items into 4 bags? You are in grocery store hell.

This is what I experienced this Sunday. I had groceries for about 8 -10 bags and 2 cases of bottled water. Can you imagine the chaos that ensued? I don’t think you can unless they show you the security camera tapes. I lost it….badly. I had a fight with the machine and the attendant that would not get off my back and who also was not able to help in any way. I can still hear it in my head “return items to bagging area” “ Do you need help” “ I will get that for you” “return items to bagging area” “This machine only allows for 4 bags, what am I supposed to do if I have more items to bag?” “ I don’t know, you are supposed to fit you items in the bagging area, how many more do you have?” “Oh my god, I have 8 more items and 2 cases of water” “ I can scan the water for you” “ I don’t need you to scan if for me, where am I going to put it if it doesn’t allow me to continue unless I have the item in the bagging area?”

Oh God, she just stood there breathing on me and offering help that she didn’t know how to give. I had to ask her to back off because her and the machine had given me the biggest anxiety attack I had ever had and I didn’t know if I would be able to continue. Somehow, I carried everything and managed to throw stuff everywhere causing a scene. I paid. I threw all the bags in my cart and ran outside. I was able to breathe fresh air and calm myself down.

So really, I’m just sayin’ can stores just give up on this stupid self check-out idea. Really? If you want to use it, can you use it for 10 items or less? I’m just sayin’. Can you use it and also allow attendants/cashiers to work their lanes where they can be of service? Really? I’m just sayin’. It would make a lot more sense.

Oh I have a brilliant new Idea. Can you guys create self check out stands that allow for at least 10 bags and another area for bigger items like cases of water or beer? Again, I’m just sayin’.

Am I the only one who hates these self check-out machines?