Safeway Has Added Self Checkout Machines

[Alpha8472]

Safeway has recently added self-checkout machines to most of their stores in my area (Walnut Creek, CA). I know that Albertsons used to have them in most of their stores. Once Albertsons sold their stores in the area, Save Mart continued to use them at their newly rebranded Lucky and Save Mart stores.

The self-checkout machines were quite popular at the store today. However, it might just be because of the horrendously long lines and understaffing at the regular checkout lanes. I guess if you don't want to wait in the long lines, the self-checkout machines are an option. Sometimes you just don't want to bother a live human cashier. They seem so overworked and tired. The fake smile that they have to put on just irritates me so much. It is probably because their politeness is not genuine, and you can tell that they could not care less about you.

The most annoying part of self-checkout is that many people don't know how to use them. Many people can't even scan a simple barcode. They keep waving their items over the scanner when the barcode is on the other side of the item. Or maybe they are standing there trying to scan pieces of fruit. Then they remove items from the bagging area and the machine needs to call an attendant over to the fix the problem. It often takes a long time to just get through the self-checkout. However, the people at the new self-checkout machines seemed to having so much fun today. "Look! I can scan my own grocery items!"

[storewanderer]

Save Mart also uses self checkouts in some of the Food Maxx Stores that were purchased from Fleming. It is my understanding the new Modesto Save Mart has self checkouts. I think that is probably the first of Save Mart's "own" stores to get them.

The customers will get better and better with using the self checkouts as time progresses. I frequently use these machines at a lot of stores and find many customers are pretty good with it. Those that don't get it eventually gravitate back to the normal checkouts.

The system at Safeway is efficient and works pretty well. This system has come a long, long ways since it was first deployed at Kmart years ago and had all kinds of problems. Kroger's system is a bit rockier and seems more complicated despite numerous "upgrades" and interface changes.

My biggest complaint with self checkouts is how Safeway, Raleys, and Save Mart don't staff them. This is a real problem for many, many reasons.

Kroger's self checkouts are ALWAYS staffed. I have never seen unstaffed self checkouts in any Kroger operation. Outside CA, the vast majority of Kroger's stores have self checkout.

[tesg]

Safeway's big Lifestyle store in Boulder, CO (which has the biggest organic produce section of any Safeway I've seen), added self-checkouts after their remodel about five years ago. I shopped there at like five in the morning. It was the only option for checking out, and nobody was around to help if you had a problem. I could have walked out with half the store and nobody would have second-guessed me.

What I hate about the self-checkouts is when you've happened to pick up a piece of fruit that doesn't have the PLU sticker on it, and you don't know the code off-hand. You're screwed then.

Then again, I was once told by a Costco cashier she couldn't sell me a seedless watermelon because the PLU sticker was missing (and they're apparently too lazy to have somebody run back and look). I rattled "4032" off the top of my head. She keyed it in and, upon discovering I was correct, kiddingly asked if I wanted a job.

I've also noticed that Walmart has gotten AWAY from self-checkouts in their newest stores. They were going in heavily with those a few years ago.

[storewanderer]

Safeway's Self Checkouts in NorCal seem to be programmed that they shut off at 10 PM. So after that you get a normal cashier.

Kroger as I understand it has a policy in place making self checkout the only checkout option in a number of stores after a certain time (10 PM, Midnight, etc.). However this seems to vary by division. Smiths seems to use this program (they stopped doing it here due to complaints) in some stores but not others. Fred Meyer does not seem to use this program as I've been in their stores in a lot of different places during the 10:00 PM hour and found the self checkouts closed. I'm drawing a blank on how Frys does this. I have been in some Frys Stores late at night but they were always busy enough that they had self checkout and one or two regular lanes open... that may have something to do with traffic patterns in AZ.

[Kroger472]

Kroger's Michigan division has a policy of not having a regular lane open after 10 or 11pm unless requested by a customer.... If they would get signs that said that we would have less problems with customers getting angry at the U-scans.... But the U-Scan attendant at some point runs the regular lane and the 4 or 6 U-scan's at once in some stores using the hand-held I-Pad... (It's really easier then it sounds, I've had to do it before, it is an interesting experience).

[romleys]

I bought some booze at a Safeway self-checkout today and obviously needed an overide which was given to me without hassle. Save Mart seems to have changed their self checkout machines so the "Place The Item In Bagging Area" is bypassed. The volume seems to be a bit lower too at Save Mart stores...

[storewanderer]

"Kroger's Michigan division has a policy of not having a regular lane open after 10 or 11pm unless requested by a customer.... If they would get signs that said that we would have less problems with customers getting angry at the U-scans...."

This is a terrible policy for a grocery store claiming to be a "full service supermarket."

Actually I've seen signs at Smiths out of town that advise "early morning" and "late night" customers that a regular lane is available upon request. Most customers don't want to ask for the full service they should be getting at a "full service supermarket."

[Super S]

Walmart removed them from the Longview store (conventional, not a supercenter) a couple years ago. When I asked why, they said they found out people were not scanning all of the items and there was a lot of theft. Walmart is currently building a new store and I am curious if it will have them.

Fred Meyer is usually pretty well staffed in the grocery end where they have the U-Scans plus several regular cashiers. The home/variety end is another matter, NO self checkouts and usually only one, sometimes two cashiers, and the lines back up quickly at times.

I have yet to see self checkouts in Safeway. Then again, I rarely shop there these days.

The worst offender in staffing is Lowe's. About 90% of the time they have one register open (at the service desk), one at the lumber entrance, and the rest are self checkouts. It doesn't matter how busy they are either.

[Kroger472]

"Kroger's Michigan division has a policy of not having a regular lane open after 10 or 11pm unless requested by a customer.... If they would get signs that said that we would have less problems with customers getting angry at the U-scans...."

This is a terrible policy for a grocery store claiming to be a "full service supermarket."

Actually I've seen signs at Smiths out of town that advise "early morning" and "late night" customers that a regular lane is available upon request. Most customers don't want to ask for the full service they should be getting at a "full service supermarket."

I Agree Storewanderer.... It should absolutely be the other way around... It would make things easier.... But in the interest of NOT paying overtime they want everything closed and everybody punched out by seven minutes after closing... which is the end of the leeway period to punch in and out on time...

[storewanderer]

Albertsons was doing this too here. Save Mart even tried it. I observed in the case of one Save Mart pulling this after 8 PM that the supervisor on duty, upon a few visits, (they did not have a cashier) was more interested in standing around reading a magazine and pretending to (but not really) monitor the self checkouts.

Wal Mart has self checkouts in three Reno Stores that are all working. However their newest area stores and latest remodel do not have self checkouts.

I also think they added self checkouts to their store in South Carson City, NV within the past couple years, but I don't frequent that store. I know it did not have them a few years ago but it did have them the last time I went in.

I have also been to a Wal Mart in California (Sacramento Florin Road) where self checkouts were closed on a weekend in the afternoon.