Flaw in the system

[Dreamstalker]

My store has those scan-guns for customers to use, and a few months ago they rolled out something new: a smartphone app that has the same functionality but uses the phone's camera to scan the barcode. I was planning to download it and see how I could cause the app to break, but it seems someone did that for me.

I'm not officially watching the selfscans (I don't have the "God card"), but I can fix simple stuff like typing in UPCs, using the store loyalty card for people, explaining that $discount will come off at the end, etc. A customer calls me over with the following problem:

He purchased one package of steaks. As the app uses the entire camera's field of view, he accidentally scanned two more (the scan guns only work at a max distance of about 2 inches; the app doesn't have that restriction it seems). The stray steaks can't be voided out the usual way (hit "Remove" and rescan the code) because he doesn't have the other packages in his possession. Even if I had the god card, the only info I had to go on were the prices and item descriptions, and those exact packs may not even be in the case anymore.

I got called away for something else when the FEM with the god card showed up, so I didn't get to see how that was resolved except it involved two assorted frontend managers and the meat dept manager.

[DerangedHermit]

This is what happens when they try to cram new things into a POS POS that was old and ancient when I started working there 8 years ago.

There's this bug (which happens with both types of "S-it"), a thing with "Must Buy" sales that makes it show up invisible on self-scan, the almost-complete lack of being able to scan new barcodes on coupons, and a bunch of other little things. Supposedly they're getting new register systems for their stores within the next few months, but I've heard THAT one before...

[Dreamstalker]

I'm sure they are...we've been promised new ones since before I started there (seriously, they renovate everything in the store EXCEPT the registers? Our hardware version has been out of vendor support for at least ten years and I can count three registers that nobody likes to be on because they break if you breathe on them)

Most of what I get called to deal with on the selfscans are coupons, and probably 99.5% need to be forced through (which I can't do when I don't have the admin card, so I get screamed at for that). Some coupons won't even scan properly at the cashier stations.

A lot of coupons with the 'stacked' barcodes (wtf is the point of those anyway?) throw a "No manufacturer ID match" even when the correct item is in the order.

[DerangedHermit]

A lot of coupons with the 'stacked' barcodes (wtf is the point of those anyway?) throw a "No manufacturer ID match" even when the correct item is in the order.

This one with what looks like a split going down the middle horizontally? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GS1_DataBar_Coupon

It contains a lot more information than the traditional bar code.

[Dreamstalker]

Those will scan using the regular guns at the registers (narrow field and the laser can get both sections), but for whatever reason the scanner decks will not recognize them...I'm wondering whether that's a software or a physical flaw.

[DerangedHermit]

Those will scan using the regular guns at the registers (narrow field and the laser can get both sections), but for whatever reason the scanner decks will not recognize them...I'm wondering whether that's a software or a physical flaw.

I'm thinking some sort of update (or lack thereof). At my store, there are some registers where it will either:

1) scan on both the scanning gun and scanning deck
2) scan on only the gun
3) scan on neither

On my store's selfscan, only one register will take the newfangled coupons. The other registers won't and neither will Paystation. There are are a lot more mainline registers that will take them, but there are still a few mainline registers that either don't or only take them with the gun.

This place's POS is a dumpster fire.

[Dreamstalker]

Probably lack of an update in my case. Catalina coupons will not work on the self-scans at all and need a manager to force them through (I just go to the desk with the coupon and receipt; it doesn't make sense for me to call MOD over for one coupon when they're dealing with 5 other issues simultaneously).

It's a crapshoot as to which normal registers will take them too...SM has decreed that we are allowed to type in the coupon as long as we have it in front of us, which (seeing as that was forbidden until a few weeks ago) seems to mean to me they don't plan on actually fixing anything until all the registers break.

[Catwoman2965]

The flaw in MY store's system was just changed. My guess is someone got their head out of their ass and went, WHY are we doing THAT?

That having to do with reward certificates. For every 500 points you accumulate, either through using your store charge, or reward card, you get a $25 certificate. Which, contrary to customers telling us they have coupons, is really a form of tender.

In the past, when you could only earn them using a store charge, if a customer used them, and returned the merchandise, they were credited to their store charge. so if you spent $100, used $50 in rewards, and returned it all, you got a $100 credit to your charge. And once we started giving them for the rewards card, where a customers uses another form of payment, we did the same thing.

Now, all of a sudden, we are required to issue a store credit for the amount of rewards used. Which is how it should have been all along. I an't even imagine how much money the store lost by doing it the old way, as I'm SURE many people gamed the system.