Supermarket: "Scan and Shop"

Anyone given these a go?

I took one son, a week ago, to get his Uni shopping. He had a budget of £125 and I had some coupons I could utilise.

So, to keep tabs on how the spending was going, we opted for "scan & shop".

First impressions: you pick, scan, pack items as you go along.

Now, this is a bigger than usual amount and that swung it in our favour. However, it was more laborious than simply popping things in the trolley - then unload at cashier and pack. Took us quite some time to do it. It also occurred to me that, if you didn't keep a close eye on the trolley (and it's pretty obvious you are a scan and shop customer: who else has packed food in their trolley prior to cashier?) the opportunity does exist for the less honest customers to nab something out of your trolley, yet you will still pay for it. But, I doubt that would be a major issue really. Just an observation.

Got to pay part and I had been "randomly" selected to have my items 'checked'. No problem. I'd scanned everything, I'm an honest shopper. A few items were selected, we passed with flying colours and out we go.

This week, I had 2nd son model to repeat for his benefit. Same procedure.

Get to the checkout, lo and behold, I had been "randomly" selected for another 'check'. No problem. I'd scanned everything, I'm an honest shopper. A few items were selected ...

... and then, the guy states:
"You didn't scan this item!" (quite confrontational, I thought)
"Yes, I did!"
"It's telling me you didn't: move over there, take all your bags out. I have to scan each item you have put in your trolley."
And he then preceded to do just that.

I was mortified! The mere thought that I may have tried to pass through something I hadn't scanned (but I *know* I had and my son had witnessed it!) let alone try to scam them of a 60p tin of something when my bill was significantly higher than that!

There were no pleasantries, no attempt at humour from the guy. In fact, while I was re-shuffling the two bags he's returned to my trolley, he made a point of saying something to ....

.... my son! So, I looked up and pointed out that *I* had scanned and filled that trolley and *I* will be the one to pay for it, so, if any comment needs to be made (at all!) then do address to *me*? His reply: "Well, you looked busy"
I smiled and responded: "I am! But, a polite 'excuse me' would have got my attention and, let's face it, me 'looking busy' hasn't prevented you from unpacking my goods, scanning each item, repacking (differently) and holding up my departure, has it?"
He was slow, I was feeling more embarrassed by the moment because: this particular check out site is located right in front of the main entry/exit from the store; full view of every customer entering, and leaving, that store. Which added to my embarrassment because I'm thinking, crikey, they must think I'm some kind of shop lifter if I'm having to have all my bags checked!!!

And that's when I got a tad more than embarrassed. That's when I began to evaluate how flawed this whole system is! My son and I both *know* I scanned every single item we bagged. But, for whatever reason, when it came to a member of staff doing a "random" check (which clearly is not random!) an anomaly occurred. So, in full view of every customer, I am treated as though I may have other goods not accounted for. (Had I been a suspected shop lifter, they are at least afforded the dignity of being taken off the shop floor in order that their bags may be searched. As a scan and shop customer, you are in full view of everyone!).

And that is the point I thought to myself: I really don't *need* this! And left the shop. (The, by now two staff members, continued to re-scan and pack the trolley).

Son argued that we really should just go back in, pay for it and go home.
I argued that the system was flawed, not us - reminded him of other 'issues' we'd encountered which hindered our progress (all operational management basics!), and stated that I had no intention of paying £130+ for the privilege of feeling humiliated.

I did go back in (silly girl asked, did I want my shopping?) and spoke to the duty manager and gave him feedback on the flaws in the system, queried the ethics of discretion under such circumstances, the placement of the scan tills to facility more discretion while checks are being carried out and then addressed certain operational management shortfalls and staff/customer communications (complimenting the female of the previous week vs the brusqueness of the person today)

He apologised (but then, to be fair, what else could he do?). He also highlighted that, when you first begin using these devices, the "random check" will flag you for the first *few* shops ... which indicates it is not in the least "random" as per definition, but a strategy!
I didn't purchase the goods, deciding instead that I would prefer to spend my hard earned somewhere where I wouldn't be subjected to a system which has the potential for customers to experience feelings of humiliation, embarrassment and ... the element of being "taken for granted"! Ergo: if the technology says it is so: it *must* be so and the customer must be wrong! (This riding on the back of the stupid faulty card reader recently too).

If you do use them, use them with caution and with the knowledge that if the scanner is faulty, you will be:
a) subjected to a longer "wait" than a traditional cashier;
b) be exposed to all customers entering or leaving the premises; thus
c) open to conjecture on why *you* are having all of *your* goods scrutinised and the message that may (or may not) give out to those onlookers! (depending on their attitude, newspaper affiliation, daytime TV viewing or even - old fashioned perspective - their degree of cynicism.

Definitely a system I will not use again as it is neither time saving, nor dignified when your own integrity is pitted against "technology" (which is actually faulty!?) and technology is deemed superior! Nor are the checks "random", as confirmed by the duty manager: your first "few" shops (however many that means!) *will* flag up a security check, so not "random" at all.

Or, maybe, he has inadvertently given me a heads-up? Hmm, maybe, I should shop under this system, do my first "few" with integrity and then .... have a mega shop of lifting this that and the other, because, hey (!) I'm less likely to be "randomly" picked as I've proved myself an honest shopper

Flawed: on a number of levels

 

Not for me ta, pick what I want, bang it in the trolley and let the cashier do the sums, then ask them to pack. I py and put the stuff in my car, job jobbed as they say.

 

We used to have one of these near us and I often used it, after about 12 months they did away with it. apparently too much 'expensive' stuff i.e. joints of meat and bottles of spirits were being stolen!! I knew from the start that this would happen, made it far too easy for people to just help themselves.

Val

 

Tesco? Only use the likes of self scans/scan and shop to check prices when the instore price checkers aren't working (suspect many are deliberately disabled to prevent shoppers from checking for mis-prices). If you buy wrongly priced stuff at Tescos they must give you 'Double the Difference' (DTD) so if a BOGOF doesn't work you'll get both items for free. Very often items that are coming through the checkout at much higher prices than displayed get posted on money saving websites some ;unscrupulous types' actually go around numerous Tescos stores filling their trollies and after going through the checkout go straight to Customer Services to claim the 'DTD' thus reducing their shopping to pennies (or you actually get paid to shop if the overcharge is more than 50%), but Tescos resist paying it out if you've been through the self scan or used scan and shop.

Every little helps!

 

Was it being "stolen" from the honest customers trollies, Val, or somehow or other "stolen"? (Maybe from those people who had *passed*, the initial "integrity" shopping and betting on not being chosen for 'random check'? )

You see, I'm not adverse to checks, if they are genuinely random, take into consideration the apparatus may be flawed (as opposed to the user) and I'm not adverse to checks, if they are carried out by staff who are pleasant, polite and do not appear to be "biased"; who accept that technology may be flawed.

I think my ultimate argument is: you're guilty, until proven innocent 'coz we're sceptics' who would rather trust a computer than *you*! This is a corporate system gone mad! (IMHO). Even worse when their staff buy in to that argument, are prepared to put good manners aside (after all, if I had been a tea leaf, it would not have taken the whole shop load to have established that: IT WAS 6op vs a £130 pound shop? So, BITE ME!!!!! ) Yet the FACT remains, I flipping scanned it, the scanner "bleeped" (rightly so, as it did will all my purchases .... ) ... but, it did NOT register with the staffs scanner: WHY NOT!? And that is what they must ultimately deduce! In relation to that, they must also re-consider staff training: a) acknowledge tech can, and is, faulty at times; b) how not to alienate a customer due to a machines malfunction; c) re-evaluate their market positioning of these "tills".

Just .. Arrgh!

 

I'm not in the habit of divulging the group - merely because this is forwarding thinking technology: in my view/experience, it is the technology which is at fault as opposed to the "group" harnessing it. However, suffice to say ...


... they will be 'rewarded' with my feedback. Rewarded? Yes because a) my issue does not begin and end with a duty manager (with the social skills of a water boatman!) And, not least, because I really do have both the life experience plus theoretical arguments to put forward as to why this system is flawed as both an economic argument plus one of CSR, plus consumer loyalty! ( and that's before I present arguments on operation management, service management and good old, human resource management! Don't even get me into the statistics zone!

 

When I first started reading it, I was going to suggest that you simply dump the shopping on the floor and walk away, leaving the staff to put it all back again. I've done that once or twice, although under different circumstances. I once waited in a massive queue for a checkout. I was seen waiting and nobody said anything, right up until it was my turn when I got told "sorry, this til is closed now". So I simply put the basket down on the floor right then and there and simply left the shop. Wife tried to 'calm me down' but I just told her loudly, in front of the approaching pencil thin security guard who was making a beeline straight at me for some reason, that as a matter of principle, I'm not doing business in a place where the staff can't even manage the most basic of common courtesies.

 

I didn't know any supermarkets were still doing this.
Where I go they still dont trust you with the trolly and charge a deposit of a pound, but still see people walking up the street with them.
I hate the automatic checkouts where some stupid voice keeps saying "put it in the bag", even after you did, or you dont actually want a bag.

And I dont like queueing at the normal checkouts when there are lots not open.

One day I will just go into Morrisons, fill up a trolly with all kinds of stuff and then walk out and leave it in the aisle, due to the wait required to get out the place.
I've only done it once up till now.
It actually takes longer to get through the till than it does to do the shopping.

 

It's more the reverse with me - go to Lidl or Aldi to get something like a cucumber 20p cheaper and suddenly have 3 people with great trolley loads of shopping get in front so just walk out and go to Morrisons or Tesco.

 

I dont think a cucumber is going to cause any problems left at the till.
A trolly full of all the most expensive stuff they sell, just abandoned in an aisle near the till might hit the spot.

 

I've never tried the 'Scan...Shop' business...i don't trust myself....i think i've only managed to go straight through the 'self checkout' successfully on a handful of occasions as there's usually a hitch somewhere down the line.... ...i don't like supermarket shopping at the best of times

@"M" ....remind me never to walk through customs with you

 

What's Scan and shop?

 

Never used it but if it's anything like those self service checkouts it's easier to just do your shop and bang it on the checkout as it's always been done.

By the time you've had to call a member of staff over several times to sort out the 'computer says no' issues and the unexpected item in bagging area and the manual voids/staff overrides etc and the fact it won't allow you to purchase alcohol, it would have been a lot quicker to have just gone through the regular checkout.

I find these things are usually a lot slower and more frustrating by the time you've had a fight with so called modern technology than if you'd have just done it the old fashioned way.

 

I hate supermarkets.....shop online. No queues, no crowds. Sheer bliss.