Re: B&Q self checkout machines

[The Medway Handyman]

No, I'm just a generally happy bunny.

[Mark]

I haven't been to morrisons since they introduced the trolleys that you have to put a £1 in to use. I had no cash with me at the time and the staff refused to help. I now always shop elsewhere.

[Bruce]

Thanks for that! Fascinating background.

Sir James Goldsmith used to own Presto - he sold the store chain to Argyll Foods in 1982. But you're right, it was Gulliver who masterminded the takeover of Safeway by Argyll Foods in 1987.

[Bruce]

"Mmmm! Don't you find they are much softer than Charmin?" ;-)

[Derek Geldard]

That's if someone in the queue behind you doesn't give you a kick

"In the bagging area".

Derek

[Derek Geldard]

As was Leeds Uni at the same time. Now it's 4 years honours degrees in "pizza-ology" at Leeds Met.

Isn't that the case with a lot of '70s concepts ?

Or, to paraphrase my '70s (Texan) boss ...

"You spend time and money developing a concept, then just when you've got it right some shit-arse comes along and copies it cheaper.

Derek

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Don't you carry small change in the car for parking, etc?

[Bob Eager]

I carry one of those pound shaped discs on my keyring.

[Owain]

But at the expense of upstair's tom sniffing round my yfronts.

Owain

[Mark]

Not when I am going to the supermarket.

[Dave Liquorice]

Aye, another reason for not liking Morrisons, that and the habit of blocking the isles with silly little offer baskets and the awful drab/dark yellow and black colour scheme. The Penrith store was quite light and airy when it was Safeway, turns into a dingy dim place when Morrisons took it over (and bought in the "pay" trollys).

Why? Do you have to pay for parking?

So do I but on some trollies at the only place I that I know has these things it doesn't work.

[Stuart Noble]

Pointless question, pointless answer. "Good morning" is different i.e I wish you a good morning but I'm not poking you with a stick to get a response.

[tim....]

That's unfair.

I often forget to offer my card at the check-out and when I realise two minute's later am annoyed that I wasn't prompted by the assistant because "I don't fit the profile".

tim

[Mike Barnes]

What "profile"?

I realise that the thing I most dislike about that question is the implication that I seem like the sort of person who would carry a Nectar card and then forget to use it.

Anyway just take your card and receipt to the Customer Service desk and they'll sort it out for you. After that happens a few times you won't forget again.

[Dave Liquorice]

And doesn't stop people snapping off the wings before they have been through the checkout...

If they developed a tag that could be zapped via the RF side it wouldn't be long before a little pocket box appeared that did the same thing...

[Stuart Noble]

Downright offensive. These days we all have rights and can be mortally wounded by bugger all. I suppose it takes our minds off what's going on in the real world.

[Jules]

Yeah, copy it, cut corners, add crap that nobody actually needs, have a big marketing campaign... public lap it all up, and by the time they've realised it's a pile of crap the company who did all the original hard work and made the better (but more expensive) product has been forced out of business. At that point all the public can do is continue buying more crap...

Most companies are run by idiots - but unfortunately most of the time they seem to be selling to idiots, too :-(

I think it's all called "progress" usually.

[Jules]

This side of the Pond it's always "did you find everything you need?"... I think next time I'll just go straight to the checkout with my shopping list and just hand it to them to see what happens. Maybe they'll navigate the crowded aisles and hunt out everything for me.

They have some self-service checkouts at one of the DIY sheds and one of the supermarkets here - but they always seem to have a staff member for each one who then checks every single item to make sure customers aren't trying to screw them. How the hell does that make *any* sense? It needs just as many employees to run, the self-service checkouts must be more expensive than the usual ones, and a trained operator will be able to get people through a checkout far quicker than they will themselves, thus reducing queues. Technology just for the sake of it, it seems.

cheers

Jules

[Jules]

Oh, I do like that! Or perhaps even better: "Yes, just this bit of one."

*hand over small fragment of plastic*

(that's one thing I've noticed in the US - they don't seem to constantly try to ram their store cards down peoples' throats like they did in the UK. Tesco and their bloody clubcard used to piss me off no end)

[Jules]

The whole "How are you today?" / "Good. How are you today?" / "Good." exchange is almost a cultural thing here in the US. It's utterly meaningless, but everyone does it and the exchange is always the same no matter how either of the people are feeling.

Sounds like it's over there now, too. Just try and treat it as a meaningless ritual rather than attempting any form of genuine answer. Takes a while to get used to, admittedly.