thomcat00 wrote: ↑Sat May 24, 2025 8:17 am I dislike the self checkout at stores.

I don’t mind them. The only annoying thing is having to call the assistant to have them verify that my bag is actually a bag!

It’s usually quicker than standing in the queue for a cashier. I always seem to be behind the person whose card doesn’t work, who wants to use 27 vouchers, or who goes away because they forgot cat food, leaving the cashier smiling indulgently and apologising to me for keeping me waiting. It wasn’t you, love, it was that silly…

Just the same when I go to the post office. I want two 1st class stamps and invariably end up behind the person who wants to send an elephant to Australia via Iceland.

The following is a bit out of date now as far as the technology is concerned. I wrote it in 2017.

“Nearly wet myself laughing this morning, standing next to a chap at the Sainsbury's self checkout. He was having an argument with it!

Have you swiped your Nectar Card?

No – I haven't got one!

Please insert cash or place your card in the Chip and pin device.

Hang on a minute – let me get my wallet out.

Please take your change – notes are dispensed below the scanner.

Yeah, okay.

Please take your items.

Hang on, let me put my wallet away first.

Thank you for shopping at Sainsbury's.

Sod off!”

I think it's circumstantial.
For houses, cars and generally anything of high value (to some extent watches as well), doing this in person makes sense.. how do you feel what a home is like, how do you ascertain the level of comfort or features or leg space of a car digitally. How do you capture intricate details of a dial or movement of a watch without seeing it in person. From a groceries perspective green groceries and new perfumes need to be done in person as well, as I'm always suspicious whether workers will give me bruised/damages groceries or perfumes having a bad scent.
For everything else I'm ok with online. I can buy stuff off Amazon etc.
But I absolutely agree with you on the customer service front. I really do miss that from companies. It was a layer of happiness when buying products having humans help and support. Having a yarn about the products you share common interests in.
Great times

We landed in the UK this morning after an overnight flight with next to no sleep. I was very appreciative that the melange of items we needed for our trip but didn’t want to pack was waiting for us on our arrival, all available from a single website (no prizes for guessing which) with about ten minutes of clicking. Certainly beats trekking around 3 or 4 stores where the selection is likely more limited.

With that said, I’m certainly not a fan of technology for technology’s sake. One of our local food stores (supermarket would be overstating things) has recently installed self check out machines, which seem to require approval intervention if you (a) have re-used your own bags or (b) have used any number other than zero of new plastic bags. I can only seem to avoid the dreaded “Assistance required” by selecting “No, I have not used my own bags” but inputting zero when asked how many new bags I have used. Which requires me to scan all my items, complete the transaction and then pack my own bag(s) after the fact.