photo: Jiří Zemen, PrahaIN.cz/Self-service checkout in Lidl, illustration photo
There are two types of people, some don’t like self-service checkouts and don’t use them, either on principle or because they don’t know how to use them. Others, on the contrary, prefer them, mainly because of the time savings.
Unmanned cash registers are already in almost every chain of stores, in some branches they even outnumber the classic ones with live service, in others there are both types, but the classic ones are often closed. This is especially disliked by older people, who are used to placing their purchases on the belt and exchanging a few words with the staff, they do not want to learn anything new.
Our editors have now been contacted by a reader who uses self-service checkouts. Recently, however, he is said to be encountering the same problem.
“I don’t go for big purchases, I go more often, but only for a few things, I usually go to self-service checkouts, but the almost daily problems in Lidl in Mukařov are tragic,” wrote a reader, saying that it’s not just about this particular branch, it’s the same allegedly also in other stores, and not only in Lidl.
It bothers her that there is no service at the place. It is said that there is usually one classic cash register open, if someone has a problem at the self-service cash registers, the cashier has to stop his work and go there to help. But this system is not beneficial for anyone, because everyone is waiting for the result.
The situation is also the same, for example, in Billa at the Prague airport, where there are many self-service checkouts, but only one attendant behind the classic one. People who mainly buy alcohol and cannot go to the self-service one, then have to wait for unblocking at the cash register.
We wrote
Those who shop at Globus are certainly familiar with the Scan&Go self-service system. You mark the goods yourself, you can put them in the shopping bags directly in the basket…
Most cash registers are blocked
That’s why we went to the mentioned store in Mukařov, a few kilometers outside Prague, three days in a row, always on a weekday around six in the afternoon, the most people were there on Friday.
In all cases, a maximum of two cash registers were opened, at which there was a relatively long queue. So even those with a full basket went to the self-service kiosks.
It turned out exactly as our reader described. All the self-service cash registers were busy and at least three were always flashing a red light, which signals a problem. The customers nervously looked for the attendant to help them, but she was not there. In one case, the customer correctly marked the baguettes, but the scale misidentified them, a similar case was not unique, others, for example, did not know how to mark the entire carton of milk without having to take it apart, one man entered the quantity in the case of a carton of milk and then marked one milk, but when the cashier asked how many pieces he had, the man pressed 12 again, marking 144 boxes.
Several times we also witnessed how the customer gave up waiting for help, took his few items and went to wait in the queue for the classic cash register, but the self-service one remained blocked. Others gave up altogether, left the purchase at the register and left.
Goods without a barcode are the most problematic
The most common items that people have a problem with are said to be the incorrect selection of the type of fruit and vegetables, or baked goods, i.e. goods that do not normally have a barcode. “That’s why we are working on automatic recognition of articles using cameras in order to make shopping as easy as possible for customers,” said Kateřina Stichová from Lidl’s corporate communications department for our editors.
At some Lidl stores, they try to use only self-service cash registers.
“In selected stores, we are testing the operation of self-service and traditional cash registers by one employee during less exposed hours. This means that the classic cash registers are closed and the given employee is available at the self-service cash registers. However, within the test, our principle of friendliness plays an important role. In the event that a customer requests to open a classic cash register, store employees should always accommodate him and open the cash register,” says Kateřina Stichová.
In the Mukařov store, she also promised to retrain the employees so that the situation does not happen again and everything goes as it should.
Self-Service Checkouts: The Good, The Bad, and The Seriously Confusing
*Image by Jiří Zemen, PrahaIN.cz*
Ah, self-service checkouts! The modern-day marvel that claims to save us time while simultaneously plunging us into an existential crisis. It’s like the lovechild of technology and what we call ‘adulting’—except this lovechild sometimes forgets to pay for its own groceries.
The Great Divide: Users and Non-Users
In this brave new world of shopping, there are basically two kinds of people: Those who avoid self-service checkouts like a bad Tinder date and those who zip through them faster than you can say, “I forgot to scan the apples!” And let’s be honest, if you’re the latter type, you must be a wizard among mere mortals—time-saving enchantments included.
Fresh Produce Meets Futility
So, our trusty editors received an email from a brave warrior of the checkout lines—a reader who dares to use self-service checkouts regularly. But here’s the twist; they’re running into the equivalent of a sitcom plot every time they do. Imagine this: you’re buying just a few items, full of hope, ready to breeze through, only to find self-service kiosks flashing red like a Christmas tree on steroids. But the only thing missing is Santa to help you sort out why your bananas aren’t scanning.
Service With a Frown
It seems that in certain branches of Lidl—let’s say the one in Mukařov, for evidence—it’s common to find only one poor cashier on duty while all self-service lanes are about as helpful as an umbrella in a hurricane. When someone encounters a problem at the self-service machine, it often becomes a production—not just a simple trip to the store, but an episode of a reality show titled, “Who Can Get Help the Fastest?” Spoiler alert: it’s usually not the customer.
The Comedy of Errors
We’ve seen it all: customers wrestling with self-service machines over milk cartons, trying to convince the scale that yes, indeed, they did not bring an entire dairy farm into the store. If you thought shopping was just about buying groceries, think again. It’s now a game show where everyone loses—especially the folks waiting behind you.
Barriers to Entry: The Bar-less Bakery
One of the main arenas where chaos reigns is an item that any self-respecting supermarket has: baked goods. What? No barcode on my baguette? Imagine explaining that to the self-checkout machine, which responds to you like it’s judging your life choices with every glance at those delightful pastries. “You mean you want me to just trust you on this? Good luck!”
Corporate Wit and Wisdom
In response to this farce, Kateřina Stichová from Lidl’s corporate communications got all business-y and announced plans to introduce fancy cameras to help identify products without barcodes. Brilliant! Because nothing says ‘friendly shopping experience’ quite like feeling like you’re being surveilled while picking out a pear. “Excuse me, sir, but I think you meant to choose the ripe one, not the one that recently attended a boxing match.
The Human Touch: More ‘Touch’, Less ‘Go’
Meanwhile, for those of you who long for the golden days when cashiers were omnipresent and more than just a figment of our imagination, Lidl promises they’re retraining their employees. That means, depending on your luck, you might meet a friendly face next time—or just find out they’ve also taken an extended coffee break.
Final Thoughts: Self-Service or Bust?
So, where does that leave us? Will self-service checkouts take over, or will we humanity’s sentimental side make us wish for polite chit-chat at the cashier’s counter? Maybe the self-service system is just a cheeky way of preparing us for the future of technology—where even our grocery shopping becomes a one-person show. For now, remember: next time you’re at the store, every beep from that machine is a mini-applause for your struggle—we are all in this together!
And if you can’t figure out how to buy a bag of flour without launching a four-part mini-series about it, fret not; you’re not alone. Happy shopping!
