I stop in the A&P this afternoon to grab a few necessary provisions, plus some CheezDoodles (buy one, get one free, how could I resist?) I detest those ‘express yourself’ self-serve check-outs on the principal that as stores phase them in on the premise of improving customer convenience, they cut their costs (savings I doubt will be passed along to us shoppers) while eliminating jobs for people like the nice high-school age kid at the actual express lane. So I wait at the employee operated register behind a neatly groomed but rather grim looking fellow, very grim looking indeed, with a cart containing five gallon-size bottles of bleach, for which he paid with a fresh hundred dollar bill. The kid at the register gave him his change and said “Have a nice day.” He turned and left without a word.
I find myself wondering what that gentleman had planned for his Friday night.
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October 13, 2009 at 12:54 am
Diane
I’m one that’s guilty of using the automated checkouts! I love them!
No one to deal with, you might find those kids “nice”. Mostly I don’t. They’re sullen, rude, and they don’t give a crap about you or their job.
I get to pack my own groceries MY WAY and I watch the prices for errors. Because the stores don’t always properly update sales on the computers and you get charged regular price for something that’s advertised as being on sale. Or I’ve read it wrong, or I don’t have the proper quantity (like you have to buy 2). But when the thing is done for you, they go too fast for me to keep track of.
I know it eliminates jobs but oh well. Once the RFD scans come into play and you can just pass the entire cart under them and get a total, all that will go away too.
As for the bleach…..hmmmmmmm.
October 13, 2009 at 4:32 am
cegrundler
You’d think with my anti-social tendencies they’d suite me fine, especially since I watch the prices and bag my own groceries. I guess I’ve known a number of those kids and they’re always friendly to me. And around here, half those automated registers tend to go “Please wait for manager” on every other item.
Then again, for someone like Otto, they’re perfect, especially in places like the 24 hr Stop & Shop in Point Judith! RFID scans… hmmmm. That’s a tricky one. Tinfoil hat time! Then again, now you can grocery shop online and have it delivered.
That bleach is intriguing, though.