[TheCommuter]

The Wal-Mart store near my home has self-checkout registers where customers ring up their items, pay, and leave without ever having contact with a cashier. I have been using these for the past few years without any issues.

I was ringing up my stuff this afternoon when an employee walks up to me and says, "Something doesn't look right. You've only scanned three 12 packs of soda, but there are four in your basket."

I replied, "No, I've scanned four 12 packs."

The employee proceeds to look at the screen for about 1 minute until she finally sees the charges for four 12 packs. She said, "Well, it looked different on my screen."

I said, "Thank you, and go away," while waving my right hand as if I was swatting a fly.

I realize these clerks have a job to do regarding preventing theft and loss, but I still think she should not approached me unless she had definite proof of attempted shoplifting. I probably did not handle her in a very tactful manner either, because I was rather annoyed. Well, thanks for allowing me to blow off some steam.

By the way, I was a cashier at various retail outlets for 2 years, and I would never have been bold enough to approach a customer regarding something of this nature.

[caliotter3]

After my first three tries at using these automatic scanners at the grocery store resulted in needing help from a human cashier anyway, I refuse to use the contraptions. I also thought I was going to have the cops called on me one time when I insisted on waiting inside the store for a manager to make a moneygram transaction for me. He was on his break I was told. They wanted me to go out and wait in my car. I told them no, I wasn't going to wait in my car, just so they could ignore my request. I stood my ground and all of a sudden the manager didn't need to be on break anymore. It's not my fault that I look like a psycho from out of a movie, especially when I'm in a great deal of pain and don't want to be bothered by the rudeness of others. Sometimes it pays to be unattractive.

[Sabby_NC]

Originally Posted by TheCommuter

The Wal-Mart store near my home has self-checkout registers where customers ring up their items, pay, and leave without ever having contact with a cashier. I have been using these for the past few years without any issues.

I was ringing up my stuff this afternoon when an employee walks up to me and says, "Something doesn't look right. You've only scanned three 12 packs of soda, but there are four in your basket."

I replied, "No, I've scanned four 12 packs."

The employee proceeds to look at the screen for about 1 minute until she finally sees the charges for four 12 packs. She said, "Well, it looked different on my screen."

I said, "Thank you, and go away," while waving my right hand as if I was swatting a fly.

I realize these clerks have a job to do regarding preventing theft and loss, but I still think she should not approached me unless she had definite proof of attempted shoplifting. I probably did not handle her in a very tactful manner either, because I was rather annoyed. Well, thanks for allowing me to blow off some steam.

By the way, I was a cashier at various retail outlets for 2 years, and I would never have been bold enough to approach a customer regarding something of this nature.

Ohhhhhhhhh that would have made me very crabby. I THINK I would have liked a different approach that the one she did to you.
Rude and insensitive.
She needs to learn to be far more tactful.

I would have said 'yup rippin' walmart off again!!' LOL I mean you ALL would bail me out eh????

[CHATSDALE]

commuter, you should have reported that
if they have a screen that they have to observe are they saving any money by not having a cashier at that aisle
sorry you had to go thru that stupid mess

[gonzo1]

I refuse to check myself out. It takes away a cashiers job. And I do not get a discount for doing their work for them. And now I see it can leave you open for suspicsion as to whether you rang every thing up.

[Joe NightingMale]

Yeah, there always seems to be some sort of problem with those automated checkout stations. I'm not sure they save much time.

[DutchgirlRN]

I detest the self check-out! They're more a pain than any help. As a last resort I used one at Wally World last week, all of the lines were long and I only had 6 small items. When I got home and checked my receipt I found out I had not paid for a box of envelopes. I have no idea how that happened? So...I'm assuming if a person did want to rip off Wally World there is a way. I did for 96 cents! plus tax...Uncle Sam got ripped too


I once went back to a store for an item I realized I hadn't been charged for, it was the cashiers fault. It turned into a fiasco, I was trying to pay for something and they asked for my receipt to prove I had not been charged for it...um excuse me?...It's not on the receipt because I wasn't charged for it....well we need the receipt to verify that. Oh puhleaasee people! I'm trying to give you money here not trying to take anything and I left feeling like a criminal so now I just say "oh well...not done on purpose".

[cheerfuldoer]

COMMUTER - The UGLY part of all this is the cashier didn't even have the decency to apologize to you...no "I'm terribly sorry ma'am....".

I do not like the self-checkout registers. Whenever I have tried them, they always always always screw up to the point of a cashier having to be summoned to figure out what went wrong, OR it will say "scan the item..., put your item in the bag..., or something of that nature. I will wait in a long line just to have a cashier check my purchases. Replacing human help with machines should have NEVER been invented ...IMHO.

[cheerfuldoer]

Originally Posted by DutchgirlRN

I detest the self check-out! They're more a pain than any help. As a last resort I used one at Wally World last week, all of the lines were long and I only had 6 small items. When I got home and checked my receipt I found out I had not paid for a box of envelopes. I have no idea how that happened? So...I'm assuming if a person did want to rip off Wally World there is a way. I did for 96 cents! plus tax...Uncle Sam got ripped too


I once went back to a store for an item I realized I hadn't been charged for, it was the cashiers fault. It turned into a fiasco, I was trying to pay for something and they asked for my receipt to prove I had not been charged for it...um excuse me?...It's not on the receipt because I wasn't charged for it....well we need the receipt to verify that. Oh puhleaasee people! I'm trying to give you money here not trying to take anything and I left feeling like a criminal so now I just say "oh well...not done on purpose".

Your sense of humor cracks me up! Loved reading this. Thanks for the laugh!

[Spidey's mom]

I don't like self-registers either.

I use those times when I get out to my car with an item that didn't get paid for (usually it was on the bottom of the cart) to teach my kids about being honest. I've never had a problem - people are usually amazed.

Our local Home Depot has those self-registers . . we've tried but it always entails a clerk coming over to help us out.

I never thought about the idea that it takes a job away from a person. That is a good thought.

steph