Ravings of an Intermittent Fool

Nice overview.

However, I have not used -- and WILL not use -- a self-checkout aisle, until the stores provide me some sort of incentive (say a 10-15% discount on my entire purchase). My reasoning is that they are making ME do the job of the cashier, but they are still charging the same price as if they were paying a cashier. Until they spread the savings around, I will stubbornly stand in line to have my purchases rung up by a store employee.

I like being able to do for myself. ALthough it may not be faster, it feels faster since I am in control, doing the work. It also certainly not any less personable since the cashiers at Hyde Park Krogers appear to all be on valium or something else that makes them not smile, move quickly or be interesting to interact with.

Interesting side note -- just read an article that the self check-out machines at some of the local Giant Eagle grocery stores are rejecting the new $20 bill.

Yet another reason why I enjoy a debit card. :)

:) yeah i pay everything with it....so handy although certainly murder on keeping the check book up to date.

I use the self-scan thing regularly... there's nothing I hate more than waiting in a grocery store aisle for a 95 year old woman to pay for her $12 worth of groceries with a check (which always takes at least 20 minutes). My only complaint is the exact procedure you must follow. If you dont immediately put your item on the baggage table/scale after you scan, the system thinks something is wrong. I buy large multi-packs of bottled water alot, and after scanning them, there's not enough room on the scale to sit it on there. So I put it back in my cart. Well, the system didnt like that, so I had to wait for an employee to come over...I had to explain what I did... it was just a hassle. Another complaint is that you have to press a button to say "I dont have a Kroger-Plus-Big-Brother Card" . Why not just let the customer scan it if they have one, but assume they dont. Otherwise, I've found the self scan a very good system.. and I agree with Will; there should be some incentive for the customer to use it (like a skymiles kind of points system for free groceries at least)

Good comments. The Kroger Big Brother gods must be listening Jeff because at the Hyde Park Kroger store, you just swipe your plus card if you have and if not just start swiping your purchases....either that or HP Krogers is running a new version of the U-Scan software.

You know "self-scan" is a pretty good euphemism for...

AAAHHHh...time for my mid morning stretch break. Maybe I'll take a few extra minutes to run myself through the scanner.

In response to Will... the other consideration in your cost/savings proposal is the value of your own time -- if waiting in line for a 'real' cashier takes an extra five to ten minutes for your five-dollar purchase, you have not only been charged the regular price, but if you believe that your time is worth anything at all, you've actually been charged more.

if you think that's bad, you should check out the kroger's in mt. washington... it looks like a god damn prison from the outside

Yeah, Jeff lives near there....What an architectural flaw to have the back of the store face two streets that face the store. And you are right about the look of the place. The tall smooth walls do remind me of the old WV State Penitentiary (I grew up about 20 minutes away from it).

@John ::

This is a good point -- however, I consider grocery shopping as a whole unit (i.e. I don't plan anything else around it usually). Therefore it takes me exactly one shop-foo each time I shop.

I also figure that, in general, I would almost always rather be doing something else with my time anyway, no matter what I am actually doing. :)

I luv to use the self check out aisles. They're sooo fun!

we call it u scam in atlanta, they never pay any attention. i get paid for doing kroger and wal mart greeters jobs, ha ha, its sooo easssy

Just so everyone knows, the U-Scan self checkout systems have been in Kroger stores in different divisions for over 7 years.... thus each division has a software program a little different to accommodate for the divisions promotions, offers and/ or sales strategies. I use to install U-Scan systems (not just in Kroger stores) in the stores and find it the most fun watching people how to use them!! :) (They should do a candid camera show!) However, for the few people who want to be "paid" to use U-Scan..... YOUR ARE CRAZY AND NUTS!! Why is it that you think you need more??? Those systems are for your convenience and cost over $150,000 per store system. They are made by Optimal Robotics... www.opmr.com

***The real point: (think about it)

Be happy in the first place you can experience something new, plus it is fun!
Secondly, if you get frustrated after "being ’the’ cashier" with your own groceries which might take 3-4 minutes to checkout..... Think about all the cashiers in the store..... They are they 8 OR MORE hours and have to listen to complaints, suggestions, be "happy-happy" and 1 MILLION more things they have to do 5 days a week and over 40 hours week for year after year!!!!!!!!!!!

So next time something is not quite right..... GET OVER IT!!! "The customer is only right... until they are wrong!"

***

Give U-Scan a try... it's a great system! You'll love it. Plus, you can always make suggestions if you wish at ... www.kroger.com

@ U-Scan ->

> for the few people who want to be "paid" to use
> U-Scan..... YOUR ARE CRAZY AND NUTS!! Why
> is it that you think you need more?

By investing in a u-scan, the grocery store chain is able to realize a larger profit margin. Consider it this way: a cashier making $7.50 per hour would cost the store $180 every 24 hours in wages (I'll leave benefits out). 833 days of $180 is about $150,000 -- therefore, after only two years, the u-scan is now cheaper than paying a cashier. Assuming the machines have a working life of more than 2 years, the store chain begins to see big savings. My contention is that they should pass the savings along to the consumer, since they are no longer paying a cashier.

> Think about all the cashiers in the store.....
> They are they 8 OR MORE hours and have
> to listen to complaints, suggestions, be
> "happy-happy"

Yes, and they are paid to do so. If I am to be my own cashier, I expect to be paid as well. Until then, I will not contribute to the demand for the infernal u-scan machines.

I like using U-Scan. First of all I luv new technological advacements and gadgets. :) Second of all it's less time I have to chat with some annoying Fry's (Kroger) employee who say there usual scripted routine. And also you don't have to deal with some numb-nuts who can't bag groceries or remember to ask if you want paper or plastic, and to ask if I a healthy person want "help-out". The only reason they ask anyways is because the other grocery stores offer the same thing. My 2-cents.

For those that feel that they are getting ripped for not using Uscan because they arent seeing the savings, they are sadly mistaken for which wages are harder to compensate for with low food prices and is very difficult to fight against the communistic regime of Wal-Mart. And in a personal matter people who will stubburnly wait in line, why must everything be about money to people like that. YOu have 2 workable legs, and hands do it yourself for once, and get over the fact that your not getting paid to do soemthing for once. Greed is the problem with this world. Those Uscans are only going to get worse through out ALL stores. Get use to doing things yourself

okay, I work at a Kroger. I was recently trained to run the USCAN machines. You must remember that these machines are for YOUR convenience. If you're in a hurry and there's only 2 people running a register and there are four USCAN's waiting to be used, you're saving a lot of YOUR time. It's good for people who are on their lunch break and just want to get in and out. As far as people who have big items, there are now buttons on the computer for you. It says "press here if you have large items" All you have to do is press it, have the person running the USCAN come over and scan it for you and you leave it in your cart. ...As for all the greedy people who want to be paid for using a USCAN machine, get over it. I'm sure everytime you go into the grocery store you don't use a USCAN machine anyway. And for the people who are annoyed with the employees who have to say "did you find everything okay?" and "would you like help out?" Leave them alone, they're just doing their job. I'm sure at your own job you have to set standards and you have to have Customer Service, so just let them do their jobs.

> As for all the greedy people who want to be paid
> for using a USCAN machine, get over it. I'm sure
> everytime you go into the grocery store you don't
> use a USCAN machine anyway.

That's correct -- I guess I was unclear originally. I expect some sort of discount if I use the automated chcekout lines. I have no problem with paying the normal prices if I checkout with a human cashier.

EVERY time you use a U-SCAN you are chopping away at someone's job, i.e.- as time goes by they are scheduled less and less hours each week until it doesn't pay for them to work there anymore. This is especially true for full time emloyees with full benefits. Make no mistake, this IS Kroger's agenda. I've heard it straight from the horse's mouth. I have worked for them for a long time. The stuff I have seen in the last four years have me thinking of an early retirement and going somewhere else. They are nothing more than another greedy company with no loyalty, feelings or compassion for their long term employees. The only reason I am staying on a while longer is as my user name suggests. I am now the eyes and ears for a larger entity that is VERY interested in their business practices and procedures. As well as their cleanliness. Watch out Kroger, something VERY BIG is about to bite you in the ass! You are being watched from the inside by MANY watchfull eyes!

The one thing that is not mentioned above is the loss of UNION jobs. Most (if not all) Kroger stores are affiliated with the United Food and Comercial Workers Union (UFCW).
Being a union member myself and a past member of the UFCW, I am at a personal crossroads. I do enjoy the speed and convienience of the U-Scan system. However, as a card carrying union member, it is my responsibility to bring to the publics attention the malicious chopping of good paying union jobs.

THANK YOU MOLE at Kroger! I am so glad someone there will actually speak out about their own company. I am loyal to people and not company and I was a previous employee of Kroger's. They give a lousy 20-40 cents as a raise for their employees' one year's worth of work. I busted my butt off one year trying to achieve an "outstanding" performance and what did that get me? Very Satisfactory and 41 cents. Whoop-de-doo. Then after that, they cut me off from getting promoted even when the third party company they use wanted me transfered over. They allowed the other employees to be transferred over and specifically prevented me from doing the same because it was cheaper for them to pay me on their payroll for doing the job for two companies and only being paid by one. I left as soon as I can and found out that for the same job that I did, I was paid $2.50 more at a different company than at Kroger. Recently they just lost over $600 million dollars. Maybe if they treat their employees better, their employees would put in more effort for them instead of taking their money and go shopping at Wal-Mart where it IS cheaper.

I feel the U-Scan was designed to eliminate jobs and generate larger revenue for Kroger top executives. You have one cashier working about six U-Scan stations which in time saves a lot of money. Let's face the facts, if Kroger was doing this for "the convenience of the customer" they would simply open up more checkout lines with actually people or not. Whether the cashier is mundane or not I rather speak to a human than a computer monitor.

I messed up on the second last sentance I meant "more checkout lines with actual people"

To the mole: You are gainfully employed by Kroger and they owe you nothing. This is how it works out here in the real world. If you feel as though you do not make enough money, go get a better job. The corporate leader devils you people refer to are working for a living too. They just happen to be smarter than you.

To the complainer about his .42/hr raise: You agreed to work for Kroger for a certain wage. I am confident that no where in your contract is a declaration of guaranteed raises by a certain amount.

I happen to be a 31 year old college student. I am married and have three children. I have worked my can off for the past 8 years as a mechanic, so I could return to school and earn a degree in another trade. My wife stays home and raises our children. I say all this to insure you that I know what shitty raises and corporate b.s. are all about. The difference between you complainers and I is: I do not believe these people owe me anything and I do not wish them ill will. They just happen to be smarter than I, and have worked their cans off to get where they are at.

I conclude. Get a second job and get your butt to school. For that matter, it sounds like your degenerate liberal minorities anyway- you might as well get on welfare and let me pay your way.

Will your an idiot ...
And I work @ Fujtitsu ...
I support Uscan and know it inside out.
This is coming straight from us,
You're an idiot

I will always try to check out at the fastest venue.

However, I am really annoyed by being asked to "bring" my payment to the cashier. It is another example of the improper use of "bring" when the word "take" should be used.

People who get paid for writing copy for advertising and marketing should find another career if they cannot used correct English. You can also hear this every day from TV and Radio "professionals".

For those that feel that they are getting ripped for not using Uscan because they arent seeing the savings, they are sadly mistaken for which wages are harder to compensate for with low food prices and is very difficult to fight against the communistic regime of Wal-Mart.