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[BigRedDog]

I've seen a couple of news articles on this in the past few days.  I thought they were kind of interesting when they first introduced them.  I still don't mind them if I only have a couple of things and nothing that is hard to scan...   no coupons, just use my debit card and go!!!

Other than than I much prefer to use a lane with a cashier.  And I 'm not talking just the grocery store either...   I encounter them more at Lowe's and similar stores.

I was checking out some 10ft pieces of PVC pipe a few weeks ago (not at Lowe's)...   the attendant gal that would normally scan those for me with her portable little zapper was tied up on the phone trying to get the service guy out there to fix one of the machines that was broken...   so I'm trying to get a 10 ft long pipe on the scanner without hitting the customers around me or the attendant who is not paying any attention to what is going on around her!!!   Then try explaining to that stupid machine why you didn't put the 10 ft long pipe in the bag they provide

I finally made it through but it was not a happy experience!!!   And I would have used a staffed lane but when we got to the front of the store they didn't have a single one open...   my wife was with me and she takes care of the ones Kroger uses so I figured we would make it ok...   we did...   EVENTUALLY!!!!   But it was not a good experience overall...

I'd like to hear your praises and your horror stories...   do you care if they stay or go

Article from The Blade website:

http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2011/09/26/More-supermarkets-bagging-do-it-yourself-checkout-lanes-in-name-of-customer-service.html

[ShorTea]

I use them once in a while, but it's never a good experience. Either the card won't scan or the item is light weight so it doesn't register that I put it in the baggie, in general just a hassle.

[The Fuzz]

The technology portion of them scared me.   

I do use them often, but only if I have just a few things.

A cart load of groceries now.....I go to the nearest cashier lane where there is either a hot woman in the same line, or the cashier is kind of hot.

[forever39]

I do not use them.  Seems to me it's just a way to eliminate jobs.

[eriemermaid]

I don't use them either forever39.  If I had my shopping all done and went up to the front of a store to check out and there were no cashiers available, I would leave the cart and walk out!

[Monique]

I'll use the self-serve checkouts, but Handsome won't. He hates them, says that the next step is the store requiring him to stock shelves and retrieve carts from the parking lot!  He's a process guru, and he says that the smart thing to do is put a scanner on the cart so we can scan things in as we pull them off the shelves. That would make checking out easier, especially if the entire cart was weighed at the end, much like each item is weighed on the belt in the self serve lanes.

I miss Publix in Atlanta. The carts had a drop down 'gate' on the end so that when I pushed the cart up to the checkout belt, the cashier could reach into my cart and get the items. Then a bag-boy/girl would bag the stuff and take it out to my car and unload it for me. No tipping allowed! Now THAT'S service! (Plus they have delicious baked goods!) *wistful sigh*

[Collegekid]

Unless I've got a ton of stuff, I really like the self checkouts.  I don't always want to have to deal with slow cashiers and the like, and with groceries I prefer to bag myself to avoid things being smashed or squished.

I'm actually more surprised that more cashiers and baggers aren't upset about them, think about it. You used to have 6 cashiers and 3-4 baggers in a big store at any given time, now there are maybe 2 lanes, a bagger and one more cashier overseeing 4-10 self check lines.  It's costing them jobs.

[Billy]

I refuse to use them and I won't touch a cart in the parking lot either. Theses stores bank on the fact that the consumer will do these things thus eliminating the need for as many employees. Come to think of it I won't bag my own groceries if there is only one bagger in the entire store either. After the manager gets stuck bagging all day they may rethink their position on hiring an extra person or two.

[BigRedDog]

I refuse to use them and I won't touch a cart in the parking lot either. Theses stores bank on the fact that the consumer will do these things thus eliminating the need for as many employees. Come to think of it I won't bag my own groceries if there is only one bagger in the entire store either. After the manager gets stuck bagging all day they may rethink their position on hiring an extra person or two.

My wife works as a customer service manager in a large Kroger store (not in Monroe county) and the bagger shortage isn't always because they haven't scheduled someone.  She does the hiring and the scheduling (even though she is still in the union) and it is her biggest nightmare in the position.  First, it's difficult to find employees today who are willing to WORK a job like that.  And a good number of the ones that are willing can't seem to get past the drug test part!  And then there are always a few that just don't show up when they are scheduled to work.  So when you see her bagging your groceries it isn't just because Kroger isn't willing to hire more people for the job.  Although I'll bet she does a better job and does it faster than most of the baggers can

[livewire]

My wife works as a customer service manager in a large Kroger store (not in Monroe county) and the bagger shortage isn't always because they haven't scheduled someone.  She does the hiring and the scheduling (even though she is still in the union) and it is her biggest nightmare in the position.  First, it's difficult to find employees today who are willing to WORK a job like that.  And a good number of the ones that are willing can't seem to get past the drug test part!  And then there are always a few that just don't show up when they are scheduled to work.  So when you see her bagging your groceries it isn't just because Kroger isn't willing to hire more people for the job.  Although I'll bet she does a better job and does it faster than most of the baggers can

Doesn't surprise me one bit, BRD.  Finding good help is hard to do.

Tell me - if someone was hired as a bagger (obviously an unskilled position, and probably not a high-paying one), could they work their way up to cashier?  Or higher?

Or do they take the attitude that, "I'm not going to bag groceries for $8 an hour!  I'm better than that!"

What does Kroger pay for a bagger?

Just curious.

[BigRedDog]

Doesn't surprise me one bit, BRD.  Finding good help is hard to do.

Tell me - if someone was hired as a bagger (obviously an unskilled position, and probably not a high-paying one), could they work their way up to cashier?  Or higher?

Or do they take the attitude that, "I'm not going to bag groceries for $8 an hour!  I'm better than that!"

What does Kroger pay for a bagger?

Just curious.

I don't the exact starting wage but you're in the neighborhood.  And yes that is a very typical story to have someone start as a bagger and work their way up.  My wife didn't start as a bagger although new cashiers have to help bag too sometimes.   There are many store managers today who started out bagging before they went to college and worked summers while they were home or part time while they were in school.

But it seems today that so many young people just want to start out as the vice president of marketing and hope to be Chairman of the board in a few weeks

[livewire]

But it seems today that so many young people just want to start out as the vice president of marketing and hope to be Chairman of the board in a few weeks

Exactly.  That has been my experience when trying to hire people.  I start them at about $9 to $10 an hour, for basic counter sales.  And you would think I was asking them to design the space shuttle.  I think the people that WANT to work, have jobs.  Might not be the level of pay they want (hell, who DOESN'T want to make more money?), but they are working, and doing the best they can.

[BigRedDog]

Exactly.  That has been my experience when trying to hire people.  I start them at about $9 to $10 an hour, for basic counter sales.  And you would think I was asking them to design the space shuttle.  I think the people that WANT to work, have jobs.  Might not be the level of pay they want (hell, who DOESN'T want to make more money?), but they are working, and doing the best they can.

I think you're spot on with this one...   some of her best baggers are working other jobs too because the want to and they can

[Billy]

Never thought of it like that before BRD. I would think 8 bucks an hour is a pretty fair wage to bag groceries. I know I've done much worse for much less. Sorry your wife gets put in that position but I still probably wouldn't bag my own. 

[BigRedDog]

Never thought of it like that before BRD. I would think 8 bucks an hour is a pretty fair wage to bag groceries. I know I've done much worse for much less. Sorry your wife gets put in that position but I still probably wouldn't bag my own. 

That's ok Billy... 

she'll gladly bag your groceries...   

and she gets a lot more than $8/hr for doing it