"Express" (hah!) Scan-it-yourself checkouts

I would hate those checkouts on principle (on the grounds that they are designed to put checkers out of work) even if they weren't so often moronic: "Please put the item in the bag" it told me time and time again

-- when the item I had just scanned was a 10-ft piece of lumber!

Yesterday at my local HD I was headed toward the human-operated checkout terminal when the checker accosted me just as I reached one of the DIY scanners. I told her that I was ready to check out but that I hated "those things." She said, "Never mind: I'll do it for you." "Isn't the terminal working?" I asked. "Yes," she replied, "but they don't want us to use them." "But I hate the DIY scanners, and I know that a lot of other people do too." "Yes, I know" she replied, "that is why we'll scan the items for you."

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy
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On 11/28/2010 5:54 PM Percival P. Cassidy spake thus:

Just goes to show that, as with a lot of entities, if they let the people who actually did the *work* at Home Despot *run* the place, things would probably be a whole lot better. (Speaking as a prospective employee ...)

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Glad I am in a small town. HD here is great. Employees are helpful, smart and go to all extremes to get you what to want and very polite. Not so in the big towns I have been to. ww

Reply to
WW

Please put the shovel in the bag!

Reply to
Oren

I've had a similar problem but I think I actually moved my hands as if I was putting something in the bag and it worked. Weird.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

On 11/28/2010 6:25 PM WW spake thus:

Maybe not, but my HD (Emeryville, CA, next door to Oakland) is similarly full of helpful employees. It seems more hit-or-miss than anything.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

The other day I was at Lowes with the stick of lumber and it popped up "skip bagging" when it rang up. I hit that and it went on.

Reply to
gfretwell

On 11/28/2010 8:30 PM snipped-for-privacy@aol.com spake thus:

Lowe's seems to have gotten many things better than Home Despot.

I was really surprised when I applied for a bunch of positions for a new Lowe's store opening in San Francisco. I actually got an email message for each job I applied for, saying I didn't get it.

*Nobody* gives you any feedback for job applications anymore; I was really impressed by this. Never been in a Lowe's store, but should check it out someday.
Reply to
David Nebenzahl

You applied for a "bunch of positions" in a store you'd never been in? Getting a bit desperate?

Reply to
cjt

On 11/28/2010 8:37 PM cjt spake thus:

Actually, I am.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

=3D=3D I'd have been tempted to use the 10 foot piece of lumber on the machine when it kept up the request to put it in the bag. =3D=3D

Reply to
Roy

"WW" wrote in news:D_idneRQf76Akm7RnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@bresnan.com:

I notice a big difference when I visit friends who are in a small town. It's really nice.

Reply to
Marina

Tony Miklos wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

Yeah, because underneath the bag is a scale that is supposed to measure if something is really put into the bag.

Reply to
Marina

Shoot, that's just capitalism in action. Nobody is making Lowe's use dual-language signage. They are simply exercising their freedom to collect those Spanish-speaking dollars.

Cindy Hamilton

Reply to
Cindy Hamilton

David Nebenzahl wrote in news:4cf30dd6$0$2411$ snipped-for-privacy@news.adtechcomputers.com:

???

Reply to
Red Green

I find the DIY check outs to be much faster, and the help there more helpful.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

eo$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org...

=3D=3D The only reason for these DIY machines is because WalMart started the practice to save paying for cashiers. The rest of the stores like a bunch of friggin rats after the infamous Piedpiper, followed suit. Our local Co-op put in four DIY checkout thingies. Most of the time they sit there unused but a "supervisor" hovers around doing nothing most of the time but available in case customers are "having trouble"...what a bunch of CRAP. =3D=3D

Reply to
Roy

On Nov 29, 11:04=A0am, "Steve B" >

Me too. I always use them when available.

I admit if everybody else did the same, there'd be a line at them and they'd be as slow as a regular checkout.

But so far few people use them and you can walk right up and check out.

Reply to
TimR

My favorite was: "put scanned item in your bag." I put it in the bag, but it was too light to register. So, I put more weight on the scale and it accepted the item. So, I released the pressure "item removed from bag, please put it back" And it wouldn't budge no matter what I did. I think the attendant was afraid to help me because of all the smoke coming out of my ears.

More often than not, there are zero open human checkouts. Get used to it.

Reply to
mike

I'd suggest you look to move to a state with a non-bankrupt economy.

There is a rather notable correlation between that "red/blue" state map and a map of the condition of states economies. From the last election results it appears that a lot of voters noticed this correlation. You don't have to agree with either political wing, but it's pretty clear that more conservative economic policies and more limited social "entitlements" equate with a more stable and prosperous economy for everyone.

Sitting here in Texas where the economy has hardly seen a bump, I note that throughout this claimed recession, our economy has continued to do very well. Indeed we have seen a huge influx of people moving here looking for work, and it seems most of them are finding it.

Reply to
Pete C.

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