We are not Walmart!!!

[karma_gypsy]

The Wal-Mart in my area used to have self scanners, but gave them the boot after not too long. They were replaced with actual checkers on express lanes.


Now, the Home Depot, on the other hand. Got rid of all of their cashiers and replaced them with self scanners (and the lone cashier forced to watch them). Sometimes, if the person is confused enough, she'll just walk up and ring the item through for them on the scanner.



Although, I don't see how Wal-Mart's scanner is any different from anyone else's ... they have to make you wait until your order is done before removing the items ... don't they?

[BookstoreEscapee]

I would just like to say, and I'm sorry for it, but the self check outs at Smith's are retarded. Even when I don't take items away, they tell me to put something back.

The one at the Acme that used to be near me was the same way. Once I accidentally put my purse down on the edge of the scale (wasn't thinking) and it yelled at me to take off the "unrecognized item" or whatever they called it. When I did it yelled at me to put it back.

I rarely go to Wal*Mart unless I have no choice. I have one 5 minutes away and I've been there maybe 4 times in the 8 months I've lived here. I don't think that one has SCOs, though. I'd rather go to Target even though it's a 15 minute drive at least.

[aurelemsrealm]

We have one Wal-Mart with SCOs, and one newer Wal-Mart without SCOs. Personally, I find Kroger's SCOs to be easier to use than Wal-Mart's. I only use the SCO if I only have a few items, and don't feel like waiting in line. If I have more than an armload of items, I just go wait in line.

I wish you could fill up Wal-Mart gift cards at the SCO. I use the gift cards to get the 3-cent-per-gallon discount at the Murphy USA stations. I don't even fuel up at my c-store unless I'm just down to the last drop in my tank because the Murphy USAs are a bit cheaper, and I frequently go to Wal-Mart anyway. I'll sometimes go to the SCO monitor to fill up my gift cards if I don't want to wait in line, but I feel funny about bothering them unless I'm actually using the SCO.

[SG15Z]

I've got a question about self-scan. I was at Kroger the other day and self-scanning and almost done with my order. I got a phone call and as I was at self-scan, there was no one in line, and I was almost complete with my order, I went ahead and took it and then proceeded with my order.

Some employee came over and started taking my bags off the scale and putting them in my cart. At first I thought she was just moving the "big" items such as the 12-pack of soda I bought so that she could put that little sticker on it or something. Then I saw she was grabbing everything and just piling it on top. I hadn't even finished paying. I had to stop my phone conversation to tell her I hadn't paid yet and ask if her removing my bags was going to mess up the machine. I still have no idea why she thought I needed help or that I wanted her to come over and put stuff in my cart. I was doing perfectly fine on my own.

Now, if I had been in the regular checkout line with 5 people behind me and just took a phone call and started chatting and ignoring everyone around me, I could see that she might get annoyed or something. But I was in the SELF-scan. Obviously I went to that line b/c I don't want help - I want to scan, bag, and put the groceries in my cart myself so that I can pack the groceries the way I want and nothing gets smushed.

Am I wrong to be a little upset that she just came over and started taking my stuff and putting it in the cart? I guess if I hadn't been on the phone I would have just said "oh I'm okay thanks, I don't need help".... but she interrupted me and rushed me along when I hadn't stopped going through my order when I got the phone call and no one was waiting. I just thought it was weird.

Well as I mentioned at http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=31730
Krogers is putting a lot of pressure on SCO. And the utilization is not the only thing, we're actually suppose to "help" the customers if it appears they could use it. Or talk to them, etc. They don't realise people going through SCO don't want help. Is a main office thing, it's stupid but we get in trouble if we don't do it...

[earl colby pottinger]

Not always

Most stores I run into arn't like that; If the price is wrong, they give the lowest price. With WM, when the price on the sticker is lower then what the price rang up for, they have to get a manager and ask advise and almost make you pay the higher price. If the item rang up more than what was on the sticker, then they go to the shelf to check the price, which I don't mind, but considering how many items I had that happen to (3 items) the last time I was at WM, I think WM is a racket.

Years ago the local Walmart when it oppenned had a major SNAFU with the pricing of a solar power kit (Solar Panel, Battery, and Inverter) for $49.99, it should had been $499.99 but someone messed up input to the computer. Since it was a new item it seems no-one realized at first the price was not a promo and they sold 10-12 that day.

Since I found out about it at work after my lunch break I was not able to go till that afternoon, by which time they had fixed the price.

[Estil]

I often hear the WM comparassions and such as well. I even had one customer have the nerve to tell me they only bought this group of cat food cans because Wal-Mart doesn't carry them (as if to say we're only second fiddle to 'em or something). To which I feel like saying (but don't of course), "If you think Wal-Mart is so damn great, then do your shopping there and leave us alone about it! Sheesh!" It's sort of like going on a date with someone who spends most of the date talking about how great his/her previous mate was.

[Estil]

Yet, interestingly - all of the WM's in the Cincinnati area have had the SCO's removed.

How ironic. The customers liked them, perhaps because it was too easy to slip things through and WM saw their profit margin shrink?

Our customers at Kroger hate the SCO's, and as the topic poster pointed out, they're basically trying to get rid of the human checkers. :P

[jaya9581]

As a general rule, I hate SCOs and never use them, but I do miss the ones our Stop & Shop (grocery store) had back in MA.

Instead of a shortened lane with a small bagging platform, it was a full-length lane. You took an item directly from your cart, scanned it, then placed it on the belt. The belt took the item down to a scanner (think sort of like a metal detector in a security line) and scanned it for, I assume, size and shape, etc. If it was the correct item, the belt took the item down to a bagging area at the end. If it was incorrect, the belt would go in reverse, returning the item to you to correct. The only time I had issues with "incorrect" items though was when I went a bit too fast and knocked an item over like a bottle of soda that did not stay still for the scan.

[FuzzyKitten99]

Well as I mentioned at http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=31730
Krogers is putting a lot of pressure on SCO. And the utilization is not the only thing, we're actually suppose to "help" the customers if it appears they could use it. Or talk to them, etc. They don't realise people going through SCO don't want help. Is a main office thing, it's stupid but we get in trouble if we don't do it...

I always say that if something makes sense, it isn't a corporate decision.

[Pagan]

Um, I just set it on the scale. It doesn't seem to care if it's actually in the bag or not (where I shop, at least).

Same here. It doesn't have any way to know if it's in a bag or not, just how much weight is on the scale. I've found that if I'm buying a greeting card I have to set it down on the scale. If you put in a bag, it seems not to be able to sense the weight.

Oh, and apparently I'm a mutant. My power is to use the self-scan properly. I had another employee amazed at my ability to properly self-scan a salad bar salad without calling for aid. She said something like, "Oh my gawd! You know how to ring those!? Half our employeeeees can't do that!"

You and me both! I also have a tendency to go too fast for the computer, too. The SCOs at our Wally World have a little bit of a delay. I think because of all of the other activity on the system. It's fun to watch people get all bent out of shape because it's "not going fast enough". Yeah, because those two seconds you just had to wait is soooooo inconvenient. And stabbing the screen with your finger is part of the reason that they break down. It's a touchscreen, not a stabscreen.

[Gurndigarn]

Years ago the local Walmart when it oppenned had a major SNAFU with the pricing of a solar power kit (Solar Panel, Battery, and Inverter) for $49.99, it should had been $499.99 but someone messed up input to the computer.

What sort of solar kit would go for $500? I'm assuming this is for minimal use (y'know, three lights and "what? no TV?"), since a good inverter would run over $500 by itself.

[Zell]

Yeah that happens a lot. It sounds like you have the same UScan that we do.

I have to admit, I do really hate those things. Ours need to be tweaked big time. I mean, you can put the edge of a small pen on the scanner or on the bag stand and it will say that there is a .01 difference in the weights of the two scales and everything will come to a halt. It's pretty ridiculous in my opinion.

[scroob]

WM executives: Let's tell the DM to leave stickers reflecting a lower price on the shelves, and let the customer, who usually buys more than 50 itmes, not notice they are being charged more at the register.

i hope you're joking here

[nomorecarts]

my wal mart had 6 uscans all together, then we took inventory and doubled our shrink target, so they turned on the scales. they broke it down to 2 sets of 4(they got some new ones) when they expanded the store, but they so rarely use one of them that when they opened it yesterday even the bags were dusty