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I have to admit I like using these things.  However, I get horribly aggitated when I'm behind someone who doesn't know how to use it.  I feel it should be used by people who can and want to get out of the store in a hurry. 

I typically resist stuff like this until long after it has become mainstream - I'm often the 'only one' not doing it.  For example,  I took several years before I started using Pay At The Pump for gasoline.

But I have used the self check-out at Lowe's.  It's pretty cool, actually, and SHOULD help lower overhead costs for the stores.  Hopefully, they will pass those savings to the consumer (but I'm not holding my breath).

I voted yes, but Lowe's and Home Depot are the only places I have encountered them, and thus the only places I have used them.

I agree about being behind someone who doesn't know how to use them. Infuriating!

I never go to Lowe's or Home Depot, so I've yet to have the pleasure of checking myself out (there's a joke in there somewhere...), but I can definitely sympathize on the "sh!theads who shouldn't be allowed near the things in the first place" comments. Everytime I go to the post office and try to use the automated postal kiosk, there's always some a-hole who can't figure out where the stamps come out, or what the different shipping types are, or what Delivery Confirmation is... I don't know whose head I want to slap more, mine or theirs...  :hatred:

i use them everytime, without a doubt.

I've used the ones in Lowe's & WalMart.
No one ever seems to use the ones at Lowe's, so it's always "(zip)-in-out".

At Walmart, I tend to pick the line that appears to be shortest.
Last time I used the self check-out, I was caught behind some little old lady who was having trouble figuring it out.
Then it was my turn.
By then, a line had formed behind me, & I had a full shopping cart.
Some of the items, like the lip balm, were too light for the scales, & some of the items were duplicates, as I was stocking up on groceries, so the machine kept giving me grief with the "Skip Bagging?" & "Scanned Twice!" notices.

Ironic how I went from annoyed to embarrassed so quickly.
I left the store empathizing with that little old lady who held me up.

Since I work nights, I usually go to the store at 3 or 4 in the morning, so those are the only checkouts open.  I like them a lot.  The only problem is when I'm trying to buy beer and the attendant is nowhere around.  (Not that I blame them.  Dead store, middle of the night, I wouldn't want to stand there for eight hours, either.)

I've seen them but they do not have them in the stores here, maybe a couple here and there. But they are not common place, hell half the stores I go to I have a in-store a account and I just say put it on my tab and they bill me once a month.
Great thing about small country towns, no ID's, no cards, just "Put it on my account" and off I go.

Used one today!  Bought a red bull before work and couldn't be bothered waiting in the lines that were around. Scan, pop it on shelf and bam you're out of there.  So it's handy when you have only a couple of items.

Though I don't see how these things keep costs down, because I imagine one of those babys costs more than the yearly salary of your average checkout person anyways...

I've only seen them at a couple of supermarkets, and really couldn't care less if they had self checkout or not.  More of a novelty than anything...

I'll only use self checkout machines if there's no one at one.
For some reason I always feel really awkward using one...like everyone in the store is watching me.

(http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/9748/rt014754350x400jb4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

The machines at Wal-Mart speak to you if I remember correctly. 
(I forget because I haven't used one in ages)
I always thought it'd be funny if they added comedy AI to them.
You know, it'd make fun of you and other customers.

Especially if you're buying an item that could potentially be embarrassing if the other shoppers found out.

Like if you were buying Preparation H or tampons for your wife or girlfriend.   :smile:
The machine would clear it's throat with a big "Ahem!  Looks like someone's got hemmorhoids!!  Ha Ha!"

A new Walmart near us has them, but they usually have an employee stationed near them to assist the technologically challenged.

I've used them at Home Depot.

I havent' used one because I'm afraid of the people behind me getting mad as I try to figure the thing out.

Use them? I wish we had them here!  :twirl:

I use them only at a Stop & Shop and thats rare as it at my friends house. Its usually empty when I do use it though.

Honestly, I try to avoid them, unless I've got only a few items.  It seems like EVERY time I use one at Wal-mart, there's always SOME item I have that stumps up the computer and I have to have an attendant come over and override the stupid thing.  I figure if an attendant has to be around to get my order through, I may as well have gone through a regular check out.

Strangely enough, they built a brand new Super Wal-Mart in a nearby city several months back, and, for whatever reason, they choose not to put ANY self-checkout machines in there.  Guess the idea isn't checking on everywhere.

.
The main places that use them for where I go is Wal Mart (Which I'm trying to avoid), and some of the grocery stores that I go to have them.  I like using them if I have a few items, or lots of small items.  One of my pet peeves with these types of system is when people who would have a shopping cart full of items (LilCerberus no offense) and I'm in a hurry (This happened a lot when I worked in a grocery stores as I would be on my lunch and someone who doesn't understand the machine is trying to use it.

I learned my lesson

No! When I go into a store, I want to interact with a person, not with a machine.

I like to interact with people to at times, especially if I have a large amount of things I need to buy, then I will use the cashier lanes.  Most of the time when I do go tot he store, which is usually fairly early (Around 6:20 and 6:30 AM) the self check lanes are closed and I will use the night cashier lane.

For me it's more of a convience ito use the self checkout lanes, because I can get in and get out, especially if I don't feel go or if I am in a hurry.

I have attempted to use them, twice at Sam's Club and once at Home Depot, each time I had an item or two that the computer couldn't scan or price for some reason, since then I avoid them. The biggest reason I have for not using them is not that I don't trust them, I just enjoy having a real person I can talk to and joke with when I check out. I sympathise with those who get in line behind someone who is technologically challenged, this happens to me once in a while at the ATM machine at my bank, at these times I just grin and bear it. The person at fault for this delay is not the customer, it's the store or bank etc. they should have someone whose duties, in part, are to keep an eye on this type of thing and take care of it in a timely fashion.   

I use them when I go to Zellers because it's never packed when I go there. That's the only place I use them. Everywhere else I go through the regular cashier. I do like them though. They're quick and easy when I have my debit card handy. I don't know if you can use them if you have cash, can you?

Yep, most of them accept cash and change.
They have that mechanism that sucks up dollars and a slot for change...similar to a soda machine.

I was wondering how that worked... thanks!

I've only seen them in one store here,  a Big W (our equivalent of Walmart) and only in that particular store near where I live.  I've never used them and they don't seem to be too popular.  I think it will be a while before they become mainstream.

Surely there would be too much scope for fraud and theft with those things?

I don't get off of work until midnight each night so the Kroger I usually go to near my house has a self checkout aisle but what's stupid is they have to keep a cashier working there to oversee everything. How about just having them work a register instead?!