I agree!! I always wait extra just to have a HUMAN. We need to support our human fellows especially in rural towns now where we have no jobs and a machine or set are taking them away. Its a disgrace.

Agree in spades. I refuse to use self service anywhere unless I have one item only with no special ticket, etc. I am happy to wait in Target – told them if I can’t have an operator they can have what I have in my arms and I’ll go elsewhere, ditto at K-Mart, Coles and Woolworths. If they don’t want to have check-out operators, they may as well close their stores and we’ll all buy over the internet and keep returning things that don’t fit at their expense until they get the sizes right. If I go to a stored, I expect to be served.

Have tried to use self serve and really do not like it. If there is a problem the waiting for someone to fix it can be long. Somethings can not be done at self serve and then you then need to go to a checkout anyway.

Why is anyone still listening to her?

The self serve checkouts don’t always work and you have to ask an assistant anyway. We don’t get our groceries any cheaper when we scan and pack the groceries ourselves. They certainly will need more assistants at the self serve part because of the numbers that won’t scan. A checkout person can key in the number on the product in or use a dummy one and put in the price if necessary. It is keeping people employed too.

I think a mix of both is great, I know I used to hate having to talk to people sometimes, but I know others enjoy it.

Best thing about self serve is avoiding the needless and boring small talk at the register

Love the honesty. I do use self-serve (unless really tired or too much shopping) depending on how I’m feeling. Sometimes I have awful anxiety so don’t want to talk to anyone, and OCD so want things bagged a certain way. And I check myself if the special went through as sometimes others don’t notice and I have to annoy them with checking something. It is much quicker with a real human, though. My youngest does like to help scan things, give them to me or if it’s something she’s getting, scan it herself.

Definitely should be a choice. I won’t go through them for more than a couple of things.

What a pity they took away the choice indeed.
With small shoppings I don’t have a problem with self-service, but with big shoppings yes.

I prefer self serve checkouts faster and more efficient

I actually prefer going through self serve because frankly with the new BYO bag situation the check out staff are so slow! It takes them forever to organise the bags and then start scanning and put them in i feel like it takes forever to get through the check out. If i can i will order for delivery or pick up so i save that time at the check out. I am a busy person and i don’t want to waste my free time at woolworths/coles

I’ve always loved the self serve. But I agree that the positive interaction with the staff (or any person) can lift your day.

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  • • Ellen replied
    • 28 May 2019 , 8:00 am

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  And how do I remember the days that going to the shop was about the only contact I had with adults (besides my hub) when the kids were very little.

If I only have a couple of items I much prefer self serve to get in and out however, when I have two screaming kids and a tonne of items and there’s no registers open yet staff walking around everywhere I am pissed. I can’t look after two screaming toddlers whilst scanning my own shopping. It should definitely always be a choice to self serve or not

I ask and wait for a register with a staff member- they will open a register.

Love this. So real. I love self service if im ducking in to grab a few things. But doing a full shop with a toddler in tow the last thing i want to deal with is scanning and bagging all my shopping with your self service checkout that always tell me to call an attendant. Then i stand their 10 mins trying to wave down they young girl thats having a chat to come and help.

I agree with this I have worked at a check out and I know seniors really love to talk to checkout staff because sometimes these are the only people they talk to. It might save some money to supermarkets but its not good for the economy because it will also increase un employment.

Hard for mums with kids I agree

This is great. Sometimes this is the only interaction some people get in their day. It worries me to think what technology is going to be like by the time I’m old. You can’t replace people. We are doing ourselves out of jobs.

My local woolies know me by name. I most often use click & collect, but if I have a lot of things to scan, I’ll use a checkout person, and if it’s busy I’ll use self serve. But in saying that, I often have anxiety issues, so even polite small talk can increase my anxiety. Sometimes I really need to go shopping but I would rather avoid talking to anyone.