Supermarkets discussion

[Mojo]

Currently Sainsbury's by me has them, but leave the entrance ones open so thieves grab stuff and just run out that way. And clearly most could leap over them anyway.

On exit you can just push them open, they don’t offer any resistance at all. When you push them slightly the motor comes into play and swings the gate open. Even Wide Aisle Gates at railway stations offer more resistance. This is the ones Sainsbury’s use; the Morrisons ones I saw in their shop at Elstree and Borehamwood (but not in use) seem to slide left and right rather than swing.

 

[jon81uk]

Are these receipt scanners only in city centre supermarkets at present? I've never encountered one.

No its normal sized supermarkets at the exit of the shelf-scan area.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are these receipt scanners only in city centre supermarkets at present? I've never encountered one.

No its normal sized supermarkets at the exit of the shelf-scan area.

Can't say I've encountered any of these devices / systems yet. Where's already got them installed / in use?

 

[gg1]

No its normal sized supermarkets at the exit of the shelf-scan area.

Okay, not in any of the ones I've visited. Off the top of my head I can think of 7 supermarkets I've definitely used a self service checkout in the past 12 months (3 Sainsburys, 2 Tesco, 2 Asda) , plus another 3 or 4 maybes which I've definitely shopped in but can't remember if I used self service.

 

[ChrisC]

Well yes apart from fact that comparing each own brand like for like.
Defo recommended Aldi chocolate biscuits, 300g same as Asda, really nice, 10p less per pack than Asda.
Even Sainsbury's these days has some better prices on some items than Asda.

Don’t dismiss the more upmarket supermarkets like M&S and Waitrose for very good quality own brands at reasonable prices. I’ve just discovered how good M&S breakfast cereals are and their cornflakes are 10p cheaper than Asda. M&S digestive biscuits are also reasonably priced and I find them very good. Living on my own I find small tins of baked beans and tomatoes useful and Waitrose do their own brand in small tins at a cheaper price than many other supermarket. Basic items have really come down in price at these stores to match other chains and are often better quality. The only problem is I always end up spending more because I always come out having bought lots of their more expensive luxury items too!

 

[jon81uk]

Can't say I've encountered any of these devices / systems yet. Where's already got them installed / in use?

Okay, not in any of the ones I've visited. Off the top of my head I can think of 7 supermarkets I've definitely used a self service checkout in the past 12 months (3 Sainsburys, 2 Tesco, 2 Asda) , plus another 3 or 4 maybes which I've definitely shopped in but can't remember if I used self service.

I've personally not been to one yet either, but people have posted on this and other forums about them being in use, I've seen Sainsbury's and Morrisions mentioned.

Only one I've come across before was Ikea Tottenham.

 

[jon0844]

On exit you can just push them open, they don’t offer any resistance at all. When you push them slightly the motor comes into play and swings the gate open. Even Wide Aisle Gates at railway stations offer more resistance. This is the ones Sainsbury’s use; the Morrisons ones I saw in their shop at Elstree and Borehamwood (but not in use) seem to slide left and right rather than swing.

They do seem quite pointless*, and cause more delay to paying customers who can find it hard for the reader to pick up the barcode. At my Sainsbury's the barcode is wider than the reader so you can't just touch on it, you must lift off a bit.

Maybe I should just push through to save time!

* I would concur that they might have a limited deterrent factor, just as suicide gates aren't locked but could still stop someone going through.

 

[Ken X]

Sainsbury's Horsham has had active receipt scanners on the exit of the self service tills for several weeks now. No idea if they have influenced shrinkage though.

They have binned their parking machines recently I notice. Don't know how it is policed but 2 hrs free parking according to the signage.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

They have binned their parking machines recently I notice. Don't know how it is policed but 2 hrs free parking according to the signage.

Could be some automated number plate recognition camera system, maybe sited up above the entrance/exit.

 

[Ken X]

Could be some automated number plate recognition camera system, maybe sited up above the entrance/exit.

Probably. I walk there so it's not a big issue for me. Will peruse the signs next week when I pop in.

 

[zero]

I used a big Sainsburys in the north with a receipt scanner in the summer, but I can't remember where. Looking at my Nectar history it seems to have been either Bolton or Morecambe.

Also I recall being in a supermarket with one in Norway in 2016 or so. I had just arrived from the airport and was carrying a huge backpack with my clothes and supplies for a 5 day trip... I didn't buy anything and said as much to the security guy who let me out.

 

[Kite159]

Only place I've come across those "scan to exit" barriers in Sainsburys is at High Wycombe (in the large Sainsburys near the bus station).

Quite pointless as they don't stop those people who scan more expensive fruit/veg as cheap stuff like carrots or those not scanning everything if doing smartshop.

 

[jon0844]

They can't be that cheap to set up either. After all you need to run cabling for the scanner, connect to the gates, hook up the system to check the transactions etc.

And people can still fiddle things or just push open the gate.

 

[jon81uk]

They can't be that cheap to set up either. After all you need to run cabling for the scanner, connect to the gates, hook up the system to check the transactions etc.

And people can still fiddle things or just push open the gate.

The barrier system probably doesn't check transactions, the till would likely just print a pre-determinded exit barcode.

 

[Mojo]

Just been to an Amazon Fresh and noticed they’ve changed the way it works. You can now just walk in, not even through a one-way barrier, without scanning anything. To exit, there is a swing barrier for someone who hasn’t bought anything, and there are two exit barriers on which has the App barcode reader as previous, but they have added a card reader for people who want to pay with contactless or physical card.

 

[Farigiraf]

Just been to an Amazon Fresh and noticed they’ve changed the way it works. You can now just walk in, not even through a one-way barrier, without scanning anything. To exit, there is a swing barrier for someone who hasn’t bought anything, and there are two exit barriers on which has the App barcode reader as previous, but they have added a card reader for people who want to pay with contactless or physical card.

Amazon fresh does seem quite revolutionary, but the whole shop has lots of cameras which track anything you pick up, and then charge you when you leave, so anything you touch is added to your cart. I've read a few reviews of it and apparently just putting your hand close to it and inspecting it adds it to your cart, and the process of removing it from your cart requires the app, or you have to call customer service and have it refunded. If you check something for allergen/nutritional advice you have to do the whole process again. Additionally, the card readers often tend to overcharge (read the reviews, it's very common).
I do think this will succeed because high street shops are dying out and a trillion dollar company can afford to have their supermarket be a failure and keep running it, but, as the BBC article states, this is on the verge of 'Big Brother shopping'. I'd like Bezos and co. to stay in the world of online delivery and useless products I don't need.

 

[jon0844]

Amazon fresh does seem quite revolutionary, but the whole shop has lots of cameras which track anything you pick up, and then charge you when you leave, so anything you touch is added to your cart. I've read a few reviews of it and apparently just putting your hand close to it and inspecting it adds it to your cart, and the process of removing it from your cart requires the app, or you have to call customer service and have it refunded. If you check something for allergen/nutritional advice you have to do the whole process again. Additionally, the card readers often tend to overcharge (read the reviews, it's very common).
I do think this will succeed because high street shops are dying out and a trillion dollar company can afford to have their supermarket be a failure and keep running it, but, as the BBC article states, this is on the verge of 'Big Brother shopping'. I'd like Bezos and co. to stay in the world of online delivery and useless products I don't need.

On the day that Netflix announces price hikes after adding some 8-9m new subs (many perhaps being those who can't share accounts anymore), I am seeing more charges from Amazon who have not only put up the Prime subscription by £20 or so per year, but now want to charge me £1.99 for deliveries before 1pm the next day, or the same day (before 10pm) if ordering early morning.

Amazon then wants to make me pay to remove ads from Prime Video soon, and pay for Alexa features.
Even when they make billions in profits they want to keep extracting more and more money from us.

 

[jon81uk]

On the day that Netflix announces price hikes after adding some 8-9m new subs (many perhaps being those who can't share accounts anymore), I am seeing more charges from Amazon who have not only put up the Prime subscription by £20 or so per year, but now want to charge me £1.99 for deliveries before 1pm the next day, or the same day (before 10pm) if ordering early morning.

Amazon then wants to make me pay to remove ads from Prime Video soon, and pay for Alexa features.
Even when they make billions in profits they want to keep extracting more and more money from us.

If the service isn't worth the price, don't use it.

 

[Farigiraf]

If the service isn't worth the price, don't use it.

It's the largest company in the world, so it's quite hard to not use it. Often there's no option - If I want a lamp for example my options are: IKEA (my closest one is Milton Keynes and they might not have the one I want on the website), B&Q (I don't own a car, 2 buses), eBay (second hand, depends), Local shops or other websites (expensive), or Amazon. I don't support the way they treat their employees etc. but you move on with your daily life.

 

[Kite159]

On the day that Netflix announces price hikes after adding some 8-9m new subs (many perhaps being those who can't share accounts anymore), I am seeing more charges from Amazon who have not only put up the Prime subscription by £20 or so per year, but now want to charge me £1.99 for deliveries before 1pm the next day, or the same day (before 10pm) if ordering early morning.

Amazon then wants to make me pay to remove ads from Prime Video soon, and pay for Alexa features.
Even when they make billions in profits they want to keep extracting more and more money from us.

Agreed there, it's one thing introducing a lower price tier with adverts so if people want to try and save money and watch adverts then it's ok. It's when they introduce adverts to a standard package and expect people to upgrade to avoid them.

Just means some people go back to pirating TV shows as they don't want to sign up to such a service to watch one program which is "exclusive" to that service, especially if said service isn't available in the UK.

 

[jon0844]

I am a Prime subscriber until at least next February. That got me free deliveries. Now it doesn't.

I can stop using it, but I won't be getting a refund.

But, back to supermarkets...

 

[jon81uk]

It's the largest company in the world, so it's quite hard to not use it. Often there's no option - If I want a lamp for example my options are: IKEA (my closest one is Milton Keynes and they might not have the one I want on the website), B&Q (I don't own a car, 2 buses), eBay (second hand, depends), Local shops or other websites (expensive), or Amazon. I don't support the way they treat their employees etc. but you move on with your daily life.

I agree that they treat employees terribly, but from what you say the service is still worthwhile to you and other options are more expensive. I’m not defending Amazon, just the general principle that if a price increases you are free to stop using. Of course places like Argos are also available.

I am a Prime subscriber until at least next February. That got me free deliveries. Now it doesn't.

I can stop using it, but I won't be getting a refund.

But, back to supermarkets...

It’s only same-day delivery under £20 that is going away. Next day delivery will still be available as before. Most of the time same day wasn’t available to me anyway so I’ve never used it, so nothing changes for me.

 

[jon0844]

It changes a LOT for me, having many depots near me and being on the outskirts of London.

Plus if they make me pay to use my Echo devices to control my heating, lighting and so on they have me over a barrel - as I'm not going to be happy but nor do I want everything to stop working (or I'm forced to find another solution that will also cost money).

It's no surprise companies do this of course and we all allow it by just stumping up because the alternative in most cases is non-existent. The companies know this. They've built systems on purpose to lock you in.

 

[Hadders]

The barrier system probably doesn't check transactions, the till would likely just print a pre-determinded exit barcode.

Transactions are checked, the barcode on every receipt is unique.

While these barrier systems will not sort out all instances of theft what they do add an additional layer of security and are part of an overall package of security measures used by supermarkets.

Just been to an Amazon Fresh and noticed they’ve changed the way it works. You can now just walk in, not even through a one-way barrier, without scanning anything. To exit, there is a swing barrier for someone who hasn’t bought anything, and there are two exit barriers on which has the App barcode reader as previous, but they have added a card reader for people who want to pay with contactless or physical card.

Amazon Fresh have been struggling - earlier this year they announced they weren't going to open any more stores for the time being.

I noticed that the Tesco Express store on High Holborn that was 'Get-Go' only now has self checkouts installed for traditional style shopping.

Amazon fresh does seem quite revolutionary, but the whole shop has lots of cameras which track anything you pick up, and then charge you when you leave, so anything you touch is added to your cart. I've read a few reviews of it and apparently just putting your hand close to it and inspecting it adds it to your cart, and the process of removing it from your cart requires the app, or you have to call customer service and have it refunded. If you check something for allergen/nutritional advice you have to do the whole process again. Additionally, the card readers often tend to overcharge (read the reviews, it's very common).
I do think this will succeed because high street shops are dying out and a trillion dollar company can afford to have their supermarket be a failure and keep running it, but, as the BBC article states, this is on the verge of 'Big Brother shopping'. I'd like Bezos and co. to stay in the world of online delivery and useless products I don't need.

That's not correct and was certainly not my experience when I used one of their shops shortly after it opened. I specifically picked up multiple items and then returned some of them to the shelf. I was charged correctly.

 

[Western Sunset]

I can honestly say that I have NEVER used a self-service checkout without having to seek assistance to complete my purchases. Yet my daughter seems to be able to use them without fuss; well usually.
Is this a generational thing?

 

[Gloster]

I can honestly say that I have NEVER used a self-service checkout without having to seek assistance to complete my purchases. Yet my daughter seems to be able to use them without fuss; well usually.
Is this a generational thing?

Not necessarily. I am completely baffled by technology and any sort of automatic doodaa, but manage to use the self-service checkouts in Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Poundland, W.H.Smug and the Co-op. I don’t use the ones in Tesco, but that is because when I used them regularly (four or five years ago) I found that they were frequently either short changing me or demanding more money after I had definitely fed in enough change. There were a few hiccups at first as I worked out in what order to do everything, what to press and where to put things: I was never as bad as the woman who kept on asking the automatic voice how to do what it wanted.

 

[maniacmartin]

Sainsbury’s Purley Way in Croydon has the barcode scanner exit gates too now. It’s a bit fiddly when you have a trolley as you have to lean past the trolley to get to the reader but not the end of the world. I think it’s a bit of a security theatre so I’d be interested to see if there any data on how much they reduce stock shrinkage.

Sadly the cost of living crisis has caused it to become a bit of a race to the bottom in the grocery sector. It’s all about making the numbers add up. Sainsbury’s have now started copying Clubcard prices with Nectar price labels on every other product in some aisles which I find a bit tacky.

My most recent shop was split between Lidl and Sainsbury’s as they’re just across the road from each other. Sainsbury’s was cheaper for some items as they have the Aldi price match for some things. The “discounters” small product range means I can’t do my whole shop there, so there’s now basically almost no benefit to them at all for me when you factor in the hassle of going to multiple places and longer queues at their tills.

 

[birchesgreen]

I can honestly say that I have NEVER used a self-service checkout without having to seek assistance to complete my purchases. Yet my daughter seems to be able to use them without fuss; well usually.
Is this a generational thing?

Not sure about that, my wife and i are both in our 50s and i always seem to use the machines no issues while she struggles, so much now that she leaves me to do it all. The fact she actually works for a supermarket is kinda ironic.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I can honestly say that I have NEVER used a self-service checkout without having to seek assistance to complete my purchases. Yet my daughter seems to be able to use them without fuss; well usually.
Is this a generational thing?

I don't think it's a generational thing but it is a shop gaining experience / customer practice thing.

When first introduced I regularly had problems using self-scan checkouts at Tesco, now they / I work fine nearly every time, except for the age check items. Yet Sainsbury's at Manchester Piccadilly I just can't get my head round so I just don't shop there. Morrisons and Sainsbury's are especially annoying for the loud 'please take you items' verbal every few seconds. I shall take my items when I am good and ready thank you, please let me pack my bag in peace! I scan, pay, then pack my bags to avoid the 'unexpected item in bagging area' dance. One day I'll show them an 'unexpected item in the bagging area', it will be me, standing in the bagging area!

 

[jon0844]

I think it's a hardware and software thing. Newer systems seem quicker and more intuitive, and the scanners work better.

Plus the customisation for each retailer can also play a part. Sadly this means the experience can be quite different from shop to shop, when it would be ideal to have consistency so those not so technically literate would not have to work each one out.