Crowded Supermarkets

[strange6]

Don't you just hate them and in particular the people with trolleys who seem to go into a day dream and block your path, get in your way etc. I feel like shoving them violently out of my way. The worst is when you get about 2 or 3 women with trolleys stood in the middle of the aisle gossiping away and blocking the path! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Take a tip from me and shop at night when it's much more serene. I'm off for a spot of gardening to calm down!

 

[me123]

Of course, if everyone follows your advice, the congestion just moves to that time! I always try to shop prior to 10am. A lot of people don't go out then because it's too early for them, and they can't buy alcohol before 10am!

 

[CarterUSM]

I quite shopping at night also, usually after a backshift. I don't think I could shop during the day anymore!

 

[SS4]

I've started to shop at night now to take advantage of the cooler weather although there are more staff out replenishing stock etc. When I couldn't shop at night early in the morning was good. 9am on a Monday my local asda is deserted

What bugs me the most is that people who simply stop right in front of you, more than once I've flew into them to emphasise the point. If there is a collision I use the conservation of momentum to come off better . Also annoying are those who misuse self-service (I've seen small trolleys through self-service before and all I wanted was a paper) - I've been known to circle an aisle if I went past what I wanted!

Having the path blocked ahead by slow gits ahead is another pet hate I share with you, sometimes I'll find a new route to bypass other times it's the three "excuse me"s and then good old ramming to get through.

One I would like to add is the way that some customers I've seen treat the staff when they're moving around (usually as part of their duties), cutting them up, asking them to show them were stuff is (Aisle 31 is rather clear IMO, especially when said aisle has a massive sign with 31 above it). Is it really that hard to treat staff as you would any other person?

 

[strange6]

I've started to shop at night now to take advantage of the cooler weather although there are more staff out replenishing stock etc. When I couldn't shop at night early in the morning was good. 9am on a Monday my local asda is deserted

What bugs me the most is that people who simply stop right in front of you, more than once I've flew into them to emphasise the point. If there is a collision I use the conservation of momentum to come off better . Also annoying are those who misuse self-service (I've seen small trolleys through self-service before and all I wanted was a paper) - I've been known to circle an aisle if I went past what I wanted!

Having the path blocked ahead by slow gits ahead is another pet hate I share with you, sometimes I'll find a new route to bypass other times it's the three "excuse me"s and then good old ramming to get through.

One I would like to add is the way that some customers I've seen treat the staff when they're moving around (usually as part of their duties), cutting them up, asking them to show them were stuff is (Aisle 31 is rather clear IMO, especially when said aisle has a massive sign with 31 above it). Is it really that hard to treat staff as you would any other person?

hahaha classic post about the ramming! Another hate is when you're behind somebody, you try to pass them, and then they suddenly change direction and block your way. this happened to me three times by the same woman within a minute today and it really cheesed me off.

 

[HST Power]

There's a Tesco 24 near where I live. One night, me and my wife were wide awake at 2:00am. We were planing on getting up early to get the shopping done anyway, and as the Tesco was a 24 hour, we just decided to go along there and then. It was completely empty. Best time to go by far!

 

[WestCoast]

What I don't understand is why people who have the chance to go shopping in the week, when it's quieter, still go on a Saturday/Sunday. It creates absolute chaos.

One of my pet hates is people stopping dead in front of you - if your not paying close attention you can easily end up bumping into them.

I find the bigger the supermarket the worse it is! The local Tesco Extra near me is absolutely rammed on Sundays, but the busiest store I've ever been to was IKEA on a Sunday. Normally, I don't mind IKEA, it's a bit different to any other shop and the restaurant is pretty nice, but I couldn't wait to get out it was packed out with screaming toddlers!

 

[SS4]

What I don't understand is why people who have the chance to go shopping in the week, when it's quieter, still go on a Saturday/Sunday.

Nor me, if I had to go on a weekend I certainly wouldn't pick lunchtime

One of my pet hates is people stopping dead in front of you - if your not paying close attention you can easily end up bumping into them.

Alternatively bump into them anyway, tailgating doesn't exist on foot

 

[Dennis]

Went down to the local Asda earlier, absolute mayhem - shocked by the number of people with nothing better to do than go shopping on such a lovely sunny day, they should be at the garden centre.....

 

[HST Power]

Who here still tries to power slide the trollies?

 

[SS4]

Who here still tries to power slide the trollies?

Me! Speaking of trollies I end up travelling faster than the trolley with unfortunate consequences for my shins

 

[HST Power]

Me! Speaking of trollies I end up travelling faster than the trolley with unfortunate consequences for my shins

Happens to me as well. I try to go really fast down the aisle, then put my foot on the back wheels and the whole thing spins. Very childish, but great fun all the same!

 

[Ivo]

Whenever I'm at home, I always go to ASDA at roughly 1am wherever possible. It's only a ten minute walk, and I always have my brother along with me when I go at that time. Not that we tend to get anything necessary (Pepsi, donuts, pies, that kind of thing ).

We ran into our old Scout leader doing it once.

 

[mumrar]

I had to quickly pop to Sainsbury's yesterday, as it's our closest, and was heartened by the fact that 8 self-service tills should see me through with my two items quickly.

When I arrived I was horrified to see a pensioner with 3 hemp style bags full in the bagging area, and around 40 items still in the trolley - some needing age verification. Next to him was another old dear who'd "never tried these before" and thought a packed weekday lunchtime, before the Easter break, would be the perfect time to do so.

I could quite easily have despatched them without a care!

 

[kentuckytony]

I rarely go to the supermarket - my wife loves to do the shopping.
I may pop in to one to pick up an item or two occasionally.

About a month ago, we were going out to eat and decide to stop in the store on the way home. [Here we have a major chain callled Krogers.] As we were checking out, some really old, dumpy codger [way beyond my level of the same] was blocking the end of the check out line gabbing with a friend.

I quietly tried to ease myself out of the lane so I could load our cart. I accidently moved his cart with my hip and leg. He swings around and says, "Are you trying to be smart?" I replied, "But, sir, I already am smart!" Then he says, "Okay, buddy, do you want to take this out to the parking lot?"

I was so amazed at this escalation, I was speechless and just chuckled. I think he could have been decked by just about anyone, old ladies and little kids included. By then he started to move off yelling other things. Maybe he was hoping to get his wife some life insurance or sue someone.

My wife does not want me to go to the store with her any more!
Now we are both on the lookout for him in other places.

 

[strange6]

I had to quickly pop to Sainsbury's yesterday, as it's our closest, and was heartened by the fact that 8 self-service tills should see me through with my two items quickly.

When I arrived I was horrified to see a pensioner with 3 hemp style bags full in the bagging area, and around 40 items still in the trolley - some needing age verification. Next to him was another old dear who'd "never tried these before" and thought a packed weekday lunchtime, before the Easter break, would be the perfect time to do so.

I could quite easily have despatched them without a care!

hahaha It's annoying is that. Sainsbury's are not like ASDA in that they don't specify that the self-service checkouts are for baskets only. It's so annoying when you see people there with trolleys, not only going at a snails pace, but also blocking the damn area up with them
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I rarely go to the supermarket - my wife loves to do the shopping.
I may pop in to one to pick up an item or two occasionally.

About a month ago, we were going out to eat and decide to stop in the store on the way home. [Here we have a major chain callled Krogers.] As we were checking out, some really old, dumpy codger [way beyond my level of the same] was blocking the end of the check out line gabbing with a friend.

I quietly tried to ease myself out of the lane so I could load our cart. I accidently moved his cart with my hip and leg. He swings around and says, "Are you trying to be smart?" I replied, "But, sir, I already am smart!" Then he says, "Okay, buddy, do you want to take this out to the parking lot?"

I was so amazed at this escalation, I was speechless and just chuckled. I think he could have been decked by just about anyone, old ladies and little kids included. By then he started to move off yelling other things. Maybe he was hoping to get his wife some life insurance or sue someone.

My wife does not want me to go to the store with her any more!
Now we are both on the lookout for him in other places.

lol Supermarkets are turning out to be places of quite some hostility these days

 

[WestCoast]

hahaha It's annoying is that. Sainsbury's are not like ASDA in that they don't specify that the self-service checkouts are for baskets only. It's so annoying when you see people there with trolleys, not only going at a snails pace, but also blocking the damn area up with them

My local large Tesco used to have self-service checkouts with a conveyor belt intended for full shops They were a bit annoying after a while.

My biggest gripe with these checkouts is when the member of staff who is supposed to be supervising them wanders off - you can stand there for ages while the machine has a tantrum. Even worse is when they use them in the little shops and just rely on the staff on the tills to check them.....

The worst self checkouts I've found are the ones in Morrisons and Wilkinson's - really slow to react! I don't mind the new type where you chuck your coins in a basket type thing, it means you don't have feed the coins one by one, plus I always use the self service when I need change (buy something for 30p with a £20 note!)

 

[Ivo]

Anyone else remember this thread?

 

[SS4]

My biggest gripe with these checkouts is when the member of staff who is supposed to be supervising them wanders off - you can stand there for ages while the machine has a tantrum. Even worse is when they use them in the little shops and just rely on the staff on the tills to check them.....

It wouldn't be too bad if the machines had tantrums over obvious things, but the baggage area stuff is stupid and they don't like you using your own bags

The worst self checkouts I've found are the ones in Morrisons and Wilkinson's - really slow to react! I don't mind the new type where you chuck your coins in a basket type thing, it means you don't have feed the coins one by one, plus I always use the self service when I need change (buy something for 30p with a £20 note!)

I've seen one (and only one) of those in a tesco - the new Tesco Express on Colmore Row, opposite Snow Hill

Anyone else remember this thread?

Before my time here

 

[HST Power]

It really annoys me when they scan the item and chuck it down the conveyor belt at five hundred miles an hour. The self service is quite good, and I'll bet my last pound that before too long every till will be self use.

 

[WestCoast]

The self service is quite good, and I'll bet my last pound that before too long every till will be self use.

I have read that Tesco has set up a chain in the USA called Fresh & Easy that has all self-service, but you can press a button on the screen and someone will come over and do it for you.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It really annoys me when they scan the item and chuck it down the conveyor belt at five hundred miles an hour.

Aldi/Lidl do this - they scan unbelievably fast. I don't mind, the quicker I'm through the till and out, the better!

 

[HST Power]

Aldi/Lidl do this - they scan unbelievably fast. I don't mind, the quicker I'm through the till and out, the better!

Only problem is, you end up with fifty items at the bottom of the till, bags all over the floor, the shop assistant clicking her fingers saying 'card please sir' and a queue of four others glaring at you! That's why I never go to Morrisons!

 

[WestCoast]

Only problem is, you end up with fifty items at the bottom of the till, bags all over the floor, the shop assistant clicking her fingers saying 'card please sir' and a queue of four others glaring at you! That's why I never go to Morrisons!

That's why at Aldi (and quite a few supermarkets in Europe) you just put your trolley at the end, then put the items in the trolley and pack later on the packing shelf away from the till, they don't expect you to bag it all there and then at lightening speed

I think it's better system I think but hey, I'm not Mr Tesco!

 

[ACE1888]

Railways is one of my lifelong interests for sure, but it doesn't pay the bills:cry:
Backdoor/warehouse worker for Tesco, me....

 

[me123]

I had to quickly pop to Sainsbury's yesterday, as it's our closest, and was heartened by the fact that 8 self-service tills should see me through with my two items quickly.

When I arrived I was horrified to see a pensioner with 3 hemp style bags full in the bagging area, and around 40 items still in the trolley - some needing age verification. Next to him was another old dear who'd "never tried these before" and thought a packed weekday lunchtime, before the Easter break, would be the perfect time to do so.

I could quite easily have despatched them without a care!

I used to do them in Morrisons. We are always told to inform people with a full trolley that they were going to have problems, and suggest that they may be quicker elsewhere, but we couldn't tell them to move. I lost count of the number of people coming up with a £100 shop, saying they'd be fine, and then moaning that there's not enough room in the bagging area and wondering why they're having problems... :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

...and I'll bet my last pound that before too long every till will be self use.

It will take a while. Tesco used to have self-service tills designed for big shops. It failed and I think they've all been removed. (You needed at least two people to work them anyway). Most other stores see the value of them, but can see that the current technology has no scope for replacing all tills. It would be extremely inefficient and they would lose most of their customers.

Even if they do all go over, you'd still need operators to keep the machines right.

 

[SS4]

I used to do them in Morrisons. We are always told to inform people with a full trolley that they were going to have problems, and suggest that they may be quicker elsewhere, but we couldn't tell them to move. I lost count of the number of people coming up with a £100 shop, saying they'd be fine, and then moaning that there's not enough room in the bagging area and wondering why they're having problems... :roll:

It's essentially the modern equivalent to the "ten or items or less" till which was also frequently ignored by some!

It will take a while. Tesco used to have self-service tills designed for big shops. It failed and I think they've all been removed. (You needed at least two people to work them anyway). Most other stores see the value of them, but can see that the current technology has no scope for replacing all tills. It would be extremely inefficient and they would lose most of their customers.

Even if they do all go over, you'd still need operators to keep the machines right.

I agree although there is an element of ratios, you could have a staff to self-service ration of 1:2 up to 1:4 yet a manned till is by definition 1:1 and therein lies the main advantage of self service. Wouldn't mind seeing more machines in banks that read coins and either exchange or deposit them in the user's account - I've only seen one Natwest with such a facility and it always appears to be in demand.


Back to the original scope of the thread I dislike the people that sort of swing between aisles or stand dead centre while looking at something. I've daydreamt of both one-way systems and a fast central lane for passing through, in reality of course it would be ignored

 

[jon0844]

I could quite easily have despatched them without a care!

Why the hell do the Sainsbury's self-checkout machines say 'Have you swiped your Nectar card?'. Can't the computer tell?

It should say 'You haven't Swiped your Nectar card', 'What do you mean you don't have one? We've factored the points into the price anyway' and 'Seriously, forget the Big Brother nonsense. Nobody cares that you bought this s**t. Get a Nectar card and grow up'.

Okay, so the system Sainsbury's uses now is maybe more polite, but it does bug me!!

 

[WestCoast]

Why the hell do the Sainsbury's self-checkout machines say 'Have you swiped your Nectar card?'. Can't the computer tell?

Some of the Tesco ones say "have you scanned or swiped your clubcard?"

I've noticed the ones in Boots get around this as you have to select "I do not have an advantage card(?)" or "I do have an advantage card!", before you can even start scanning!

 

[LE Greys]

Who here still tries to power slide the trollies?

Me, sorry. I sometimes do mailbag-style flying pickups as well. It's fun, but drives other people up the wall.

I think the main reason is trying to get out of there as fast as possible. My weekly shop record is eight minutes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's why at Aldi (and quite a few supermarkets in Europe) you just put your trolley at the end, then put the items in the trolley and pack later on the packing shelf away from the till, they don't expect you to bag it all there and then at lightening speed

I better system I think but hey, I'm not Mr Tesco!

Pity you can't have a chute leading directly into the bag, with a separate channel for eggs and other breakables. Mind you, I often stick stuff directly into my backpack for the walk home.

 

[Mojo]

Why the hell do the Sainsbury's self-checkout machines say 'Have you swiped your Nectar card?'. Can't the computer tell?

It should say 'You haven't Swiped your Nectar card', 'What do you mean you don't have one? We've factored the points into the price anyway' and 'Seriously, forget the Big Brother nonsense. Nobody cares that you bought this s**t. Get a Nectar card and grow up'.

Okay, so the system Sainsbury's uses now is maybe more polite, but it does bug me!!

I have discovered where the mute function can be found on the ones in Sainsbugs so am no longer bothered by such annoyances