Crowded Supermarkets

[HST Power]

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

I think we'll have to create a thread for 'Trolley Power Sliding!'

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!

In Germany, they've made trollies that have GPS systems built in. You put your list of items onto the trolley computer and it directs you to them!
When you've finished, you swipe your card into the trolley. It has a card reader built in as well!
I'm not sure if they are actually being used in supermarkets yet, or just being tested out, but they definitely exist.

 

[Mike395]

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

Care to enlighten us?

 

[HST Power]

Care to enlighten us?

Please don't! Or I may forget to scan my Nectar card!!

 

[route101]

The Morrison self check outs are very sensitive , you need to put your purchase in the bag!

 

[me123]

The Morrisons ones work fine. The problem people have is that they don't follow the instructions, assume that they work the same as the ones in Tesco/Asda, or go too fast. They're very sensitive, but I reckon most people can get through them with no intervention if they actually paid attention and went at a sensible pace.

(I'd also like to say that by "put the item in the bag", but the item and the bag have to be on the security scales; it's amazing how often people don't understand this!)

 

[Mojo]

Care to enlighten us?

In the bottom left hand corner is a button with a speaker and some bars (looks like your typical volume controls), press it a few times until it is in mute. Be aware however that depending on the setting it was on, the volume may go up before it goes down!

Personally, I don't often shop in MORrisONS but go there a couple of times a year to get the dry cleaning done and often end up picking up some things. They definitely have the worst checkouts though; very unresponsive, slow and troublesome and far too talkative (they ask you to put the item in the bag after every single thing you scan!) I remember when these things first appeared in Sainsbugs and Tesco and were a nightmare to scan things and they kept making up errors, but since then, these supermarkets (presumably in conjunction with the manufacturers) have improved the technology and are much better to operate. It seems the machines in MORrisONS machines are years behind the other shops! Shame really, as I remember as a child the Shop and Go which was pioneered by Safeway and I loved it. The Quick Check in Waitrose is quite similar to this.

 

[WestCoast]

It seems the machines in MORrisONS machines are years behind the other shops!

Well, I know someone that runs independent shop, and he subscribes to these retail technology magazines, where there's usually an article about these machines. Apparently the ones used by Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA e.t.c are NCR (National Cash Registers).

Morrisons, Wilkinson's, B&Q, IKEA e.t.c are Wincor Nixdorf, who are the largest supplier in Europe. They have a coin belt which I think is quite good.

 

[Mojo]

Well, I know someone that runs independent shop, and he subscribes to these retail technology magazines, where there's usually an article about these machines. Apparently the ones used by Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA e.t.c are NCR (National Cash Registers).

Morrisons, Wilkinson's, B&Q, IKEA e.t.c are Wincor Nixdorf, who are the largest supplier in Europe. They have a coin belt which I think is quite good.

Thanks for the checkout gen. I wonder if on a supermarkets forum they are discussing the differences between S&B and Shere self-service ticket machines

The only other shop I've used their tills on the 2nd list is B&Q and also had trouble with them, so it must be that the checkouts made by that company are not as good.

I've also noticed that the tills in one of the Sainsbugs Local near me are slightly different from the normal ones, having a change funnel instead of a traditional coin slot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_fisher/4831524285/in/photostream/

 

[WestCoast]

Thanks for the checkout gen.

Sub-forum - checkout sightings?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I've also noticed that the tills in one of the Sainsbugs Local near me are slightly different from the normal ones, having a change funnel instead of a traditional coin slot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_fi...n/photostream/

I think that's the newer version of the NCR till! I've seen them at newer Tesco stores as well.

I can't say I've ever had that much problem with the Wincor tills - although they have an annoying voice.

I think a lot also depends on how they are calibrated with weights and set-up (i.e. if not done properly problems will arise, slow response e.t.c). I've heard a lot of people whinge about ASDA's being worse than Tesco's or Sainsbury's but they are the same model...

 

[red circle]

Sainsburys is my nearest,it has six self service checkouts that always seem to have a queue because of all the parents holding little Liam up so he can 'bip'things through.Also none of them can recognise a bag of Hula Hoops and hav'nt been able to for six weeks (try it).

 

[Dennis]

Never use self scan myself - much prefer some nice young lady to scan my meat and veg

 

[HST Power]

Never use self scan myself - much prefer some nice young lady to scan my meat and veg

I bet you would!

I only use the self service if every other till is heavily queuing. Doesn't happy very often though, as I go shopping really early in the morning to avoid the total carnage that begins at 10:00am!

 

[starrymarkb]

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.

Those are great - especially given the counter staff expect you to precount £40 of small change. HSBC seem to be the main users of them.

Coinstar machines charge the earth for the same thing

 

[HST Power]

I have to say, I'm pleased that they've started allowing you to withdraw £5 notes.

 

[me123]

Those are great - especially given the counter staff expect you to precount £40 of small change. HSBC seem to be the main users of them.

Coinstar machines charge the earth for the same thing

Coinstar is a con. Avoid it.

RBS Group have the machines as well. They're basically Coinstar machines, but they count the money and deposit them into your account. Bank staff will expect you to have pre-counted them, though. This is normal, and has been the case for at least thirty years (according to my Mum who worked in a bank). It doesn't take to count money into bags, but it would take up quite a bit of a bank teller's time; time which they could use to serve the giant queue of customers standing behind you! If your bank doesn't have a machine (and most still don't), just count them out into bags. Counting £40 will only take a few minutes... (PS; a quick Google search reveals that people are selling coin bags online; your bank will distribute them for free).

Petrol stations tend to be good at taking coins. Taxi drivers do it to them all the time (although I would again advise putting them into bags to make the experience quicker for everyone involved; taxi drivers do walk in and throw a pile of silver at the poor attendant and expect them to count it or, worse, just assume that it's right). They tend to have scales for weighing their coins. Oddly, I've never seen them at checkouts despite quite frequently getting people paying in coins there.

 

[SS4]

I have to say, I'm pleased that they've started allowing you to withdraw £5 notes.

Still largely pointless until you can withdraw £x5 from the bank although it's a good start

 

[HST Power]

Still largely pointless until you can withdraw £x5 from the bank although it's a good start

Suppose so. I don't take much money out anyway, I've got my Visa card. Prevents a scramble with change at the till!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

It's been going around now for some time that £5 should be put back in ATMs, it's useful for me as I can get on the bus with £5 (for a £3 fare I usually get) without having to withdraw £10 and get it swapped for 2x£5s in a shop.
The drivers here have a short float and hate £10 notes!

Back to the shopping, the ASDA here was rammed yesterday, full of all the annoying types such as the ones who thunder out the end of an isle causing me to nearly get mowed over. There was kids jumping up and down the isle whilst I was trying to see what Easter eggs were left but they seemed determined to get in the way of everything!

No wonder it was busy, they are shut all day today!!


Dennis, have you been to the local Tesco, Sunday's are horrendous, 10am-4pm it's rammed, and is bloody annoying, in fact I've given up going there and walk further to ASDA or go to the new Sainsburys, which is heaven as no one wants to go there and 9 times out of 10 it is empty...not even a few months old and staff are being laid off already!!

 

[Dennis]

Dennis, have you been to the local Tesco, Sunday's are horrendous, 10am-4pm it's rammed

Haven't been to Tesco in Trowbridge for years - found their fresh produce tended to go off quicker than most other supermarkets. Oh, and the lovely Monica doesn't work there .

 

[90019]

Back to the shopping, the ASDA here was rammed yesterday, full of all the annoying types such as the ones who thunder out the end of an isle causing me to nearly get mowed over. There was kids jumping up and down the isle whilst I was trying to see what Easter eggs were left but they seemed determined to get in the way of everything!

No wonder it was busy, they are shut all day today!!

I made the mistake of going to ASDA on friday evening. Not a good decision in retrospect.
The whole place was rammed full of mouth breathers and complete dribbling spastics, you know, the sort who don't seem to quite understand how a trolley works.
Honestly, some people should be banned from using supermarkets without a minder.

Mind you, it got worse at the tills. I went to use the self service ones, because I only had a packet of potato scones, a tin of beans and a bottle of milk, and because there was only one person queueing. There were 3 tills in use (out of 4), but I ended up waiting for almost 10 minutes due to people trying to put a small trolley's worth of stuff through

 

[aspierail]

I don't particularly like shopping in supermarkets because first of all is the bright lighting secondly its get crowded and people bump into me when they is plenty of space but choose to go behind me instead what a bunch of idiots and last but not least is the rude staff who act like a bunch of jobworths.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I don't particularly like shopping in supermarkets because first of all is the bright lighting secondly its get crowded and people bump into me when they is plenty of space but choose to go behind me instead what a bunch of idiots and last but not least is the rude staff who act like a bunch of jobworths.

That's a large brush you've got there.

 

[SS4]

Interaction with staff works both ways though. Treat them like crap and they'll be more likely to treat you like crap. Be nice and they will be too.

I was very tired last night so I went to tesco and a manned checkout since I would never have got through self service

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I was very tired last night so I went to tesco and a manned checkout since I would never have got through self service

you what?

 

[SS4]

you what?

I should have specified that I wouldn't have got through self service without any problems due to sloppy mistakes on my part. In other words to avoid holding people up

OT: this heat is addling my brain

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Still largely pointless until you can withdraw £x5 from the bank although it's a good start

?

I've never had any trouble taking £5s out from the bank?

( Then again, I withdraw money over the counter, not from a machine..... )

 

[route101]

?

I've never had any trouble taking £5s out from the bank?

( Then again, I withdraw money over the counter, not from a machine..... )

I heard that some Barclays ATMs give out £5 notes , the new branch in Argyle st Glasgow didnt.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Cripes, Peter, you must live in the one remaining town where open banks and over-counter service still exist... At least, that's how it sounds from media doom-mongerers.

Funny how this 21st century cashless world has crept up: I commute with an annual Oyster, I pay for food at work on my company smartcard, my shopping and bar-tabs are mostly on plastic. I'm the person whom charity collectors and Big Issue sellers detest...

 

[route101]

Coinstar is a con. Avoid it.

RBS Group have the machines as well. They're basically Coinstar machines, but they count the money and deposit them into your account. Bank staff will expect you to have pre-counted them, though. This is normal, and has been the case for at least thirty years (according to my Mum who worked in a bank). It doesn't take to count money into bags, but it would take up quite a bit of a bank teller's time; time which they could use to serve the giant queue of customers standing behind you! If your bank doesn't have a machine (and most still don't), just count them out into bags. Counting £40 will only take a few minutes... (PS; a quick Google search reveals that people are selling coin bags online; your bank will distribute them for free).

Petrol stations tend to be good at taking coins. Taxi drivers do it to them all the time (although I would again advise putting them into bags to make the experience quicker for everyone involved; taxi drivers do walk in and throw a pile of silver at the poor attendant and expect them to count it or, worse, just assume that it's right). They tend to have scales for weighing their coins. Oddly, I've never seen them at checkouts despite quite frequently getting people paying in coins there.

Hmmm i got a tinof coppers and some 5ps . I dont have an account with RBS so i don know if i could use one of their machines .

 

[me123]

Nope; RBS group's machines pay the money into your account. Get some bags, count them up, pay them in. Shouldn't take too long. I counted £500 into bags over two hours last year (after I found my Dad's secret giant money jar...). Bank staff weren't partiaulrly pleased when I came in with two canvas bags filled with coins for them to weigh, but they managed!

£5 note ATMs are rare; I've never seen one in Scotland. The Scottish banks don't actually issue all that many fivers (hence why you get so many English 5s compared to Scottish ones), so ATMS issuing Scottish notes are particularly unlikely to issue them (although there are plans to reintroduce them to machines in Scotland, with Clydesdale seemingly keen to push them into circulation at some of their machines; watch this space). To be honest, some ATMs could do with £50s as well. Our ones at work are empty within a few hours now, so putting a higher denomination in as well would probably help balance things out so you're not needing to constantly refill it!

The big problem with £5 notes is that they're rarely returned to the bank. They go into a till and usually go straight back out. Hence they rarely get checked, and they're in really poor quality. The other issue is sometimes getting them in the first place. At work, our cash office used to struggle before the new Clydesdale fivers entered circulation, so the tatty notes had to be put into floats just so that we had some fives.