Personally I don't care for self scanners.  I have made friends with the cashiers and I like to talk to them.  

I do not think they are taking jobs away.  One "friend" was kind of hurridly dragging one day.  He had to be pulled to run paint for the 4 of us in line and he said only one of his persons showed up in his department.  Obviously there were none in the paint dept and the sporting goods dept usually covers paint when needed.  A manager from the deli was running the sports dept.  This was all because it was a Sat morning and to many were too partied out to come to work the next day - many didn't even call in.  I believe stores are trying to find a way to service customers in a season where many do not have a strong work ethic and/or think they should start in management rather than entry level positions.

Since I shop almost exclusively at Aldi in my town, I bag all my own groceries but the cashier scans them. Part of the reason they are so good is that they are treated well (they get to sit, for instance--I think it's ludicrous that cashiers have to stand all day, there's no good reason for it), part of it is they're well-trained, and part of it is they're not arguing with or waiting for baggers. If the cashiers in other stores were as good, fast, and friendly (as opposed to overly friendly and nosy) as the ones at Aldi, I'd probably 1) go to the other stores and 2) utilize the cashiers. As it is, I *always* use self-checkouts in my town if I have to go somewhere besides Aldi, and they work better for me than the cashiers. If I go through a cashier line it takes me 10-20 minutes, minimum, at any of our local stores (I wish I were exagerating). It's the same at our local bank, so I also never go in and use a teller (I've literally never once gotten out of our bank in under 20 minutes, no matter how few people there were waiting). Since I am only ever there to buy one or two emergency items, I am just not willing to stand in line through the endless chatter, mistakes, slowness, and nosiness of our local cashiers.

It also allows me to bag my own groceries in my own bags. Ecologically, this is great, and our local stores all but refuse to do it. I've actually gotten rude comments from both cashiers and baggers when bringing in my reusables! It's also great to bag my own groceries because I am often buying for clients. Smooshed bread would not go over well.

When I shop at Wegman's, which is unfortunately 45 minutes away, I always go to a cashier. One of the reasons we go to Wegman's is that they manage to offer cashiers and friendly, fast service at lower prices than our local (also chain stores) grocers. There are many other reasons (such as the produce isn't moldy at Wegman's, while it is at both our local Safeway and Food Lion most the time); but, I find it interesting that Wegman's can offer great service and equal or better products at lower prices.

If the service was better in stores, I'd likely do regular checkout instead of self-scan; but, as it stands, I'll keep using the self-scan and bagging my own.

I've lived in s'ville all my life and i know lots of the cashiers at the stores . so if i see a nosy , talkative cashier i know , then I just go to another lane.  One day in walmart when it was sooooo  busy, i was standing in line,  i had no idea who the cashier was because i hadn't even looked,  i just wanted to get thru.  i was there about 10 minutes in line and the manager comes up to me {i did not know him from adam] and says "we will have to find you another cashier, you are related to the cashier [at my lane]  which when i looked , she was my niece.  i was sooo mad as i had waited in all that crowd .  he found me another cashier and if i had anyplace else to shop in s'ville , i would have left my groceries sitting right there.  so how did he know i wasn't related to the next cashier or good friends.  who did he not trust , me or my niece.  needless to say,  I have no smiles for him when our paths cross.  of course, he couldn't care less i'm sure.  he's still there, i'm still there, and my neice is still there.  So life goes on.

Personally we don't like to use them because something always seems to go wrong. We bring our own bags and the bag holder does not seem to recognize them so you cannot use your own bags.    The other day I did use the self checkout because I only had 2 items and it worked out fine. 

      Zig

 When you have issues with your own bags just click Skip Bagging.

 It sound like most of you live in ares where Customer Service is at a Premium.  However, where I live, you are lucky if the cashier says "hello" to you.  As a matter of fact, they are usually carrying on a conversation with a friend on the side.  I absolutely love the "Check yourself out" lane.  My 10 year old son and I shop together.  He has learned how to compute the better price of different sized items.  He scans and I bag the groceries.  He is very aware of the prices and if they are wrong.  I would rather pack my own, than have my Toulet Bowl Cleaner in with my Meat.

ziggee:

Personally we don't like to use them because something always seems to go wrong. We bring our own bags and the bag holder does not seem to recognize them so you cannot use your own bags.    The other day I did use the self checkout because I only had 2 items and it worked out fine. 

 

 

      Zig

This happens to me too, and a cashier always has to come over and type something in so the computer doesn't think I'm taking something.  It's not a problem of pressing skip bagging, because I did try that.  The problem is the extra weight in the bagging area that the computer can detect.  It would be nice if there was an option for using your own bags on the screen.

Ours don't have Skip bagging or I would do it.

      Zig

Dorioakes:

 When you have issues with your own bags just click Skip Bagging.

Our local grocery chain is big on Customer Service and I love it.  I guess that is one of the reason's we rarely shop any place else and the prices are low.  Since we shop there a lot they also know us either by face or by name.

     Zig

 I also refuse to use the scanner at Kroger.I have even left my buggy when only one lane was open and a long line.I was told They would help me scan I refused.They should keep enough employs to check people out.These days I only go to krogers for very few  things never for my weeks food order anymore. Alice may