Old versus young

Make it 50%. That’s the minimum I’d consider. A lot of times they don’t work right and customers need a human to come help them. There’s someone standing near by just in case anyway.

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Well, maybe I'm out of place in this thread, but I preferred self check-outs because the line was much shorter.

I also don't even like going into stores, so I order my groceries with an app and either get them delivered or go to the store and have them bring them out to the car. I've been doing that since around 2015, so it wasn't because of Covid.

I remember a time before the Internet existed and when no one had personal computers at home. When I was in school, cell phones were banned. If we needed to call our parents, we had to call collect from the pay phone. I got my first cell phone at 20 and it only made phone calls. No texts or Internet.

Its SO much faster. Its like there is literally one person in front of you.

And you just have to do things so the camera can clearly see what you are doing. Its very Pavlov's dog. If it buzzes, dont do that, your doing it wrong!

Different strokes! The line is faster in my store because they have few items and know what they are doing. Most of them are young too. The conveyor belt is too small unless you have just a few things. I always have too much for those machines. It’s faster for ME for the checker to scan and someone to bag!

Going to the grocery store is one of few opportunities I have to get out.

Certainly no Internet when I was in school. Pay phones were plentiful.

If I DID have a cell, my parents were so strict they would have blocked any outgoing calls except to home, my dad’s office and maybe things like the doctor’s office. Same for incoming.

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I forgot to say I have no where to go so not in a hurry. Everyone is rushing here, whether driving or not. I hate it. Drivers tailgating me and customers practically breathing down my neck behind me at the store.

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I can’t hear the buzzing or if it’s one of those infernal talking machines! The library finally turned the voice off of the check out machine. Thank goodness. I do use the library self check out, but the voice always bothered me. I can hear it saying something but can’t understand it. The librarians all wear masks so I can’t understand them either. Besides the self checkouts can’t do the card coupons or pts. Or maybe it can but you have to know how? I’m old, I’ll stick to humans.

Self checkouts do coupons. They also take EBT (food assistance stamps). You can also order online with coupons. But if it's too much of a hassle to learn, I understand.

I do not drive fast. I'm very careful. Most people honk at me because I'm going too slow for them. I do find that annoying. And when they run red lights. It's dangerous.

Yeah, I’m in no rush either. I don’t like shopping but I don’t really rush. Mum thinks I go too fast tho. I just go in, get what I want and leave. If I can’t find something I forget it, instead of hunting for it. I do occasionally ask where an item is, they are always moving stuff around. But if someone appears to be rushed I let them go first. I also pull over and force tailgaters to pass me.

Going online is not just being good with technology but how user friendly the site is. It could be slow or one is worried about privacy. I hear one can get scammed more easily using banking apps or Zelle.

I have never used the self checkout at the library. I like interacting with some nice people at the front desk. They know I’m a regular and they have been there a long time, even before Covid. I need the stability of familiar faces.

The grocery store self checkout has a voice that says things like place your items on the belt after scanning. It annoys me as I don’t like the sound of it. It SOUNDS like a machine, so robotic.

They also rearrange the store every couple of months. It drives me nuts as well as some staff I talked to.

If there’s room for tailgaters to pass me I don’t pull over, but if especially stressed I will. But one time I was on a single lane main road. I never took that route so didn’t know. There was no where to pull over and I had a convoy of cars behind me. It was a winding road with blind corners but they wanted me to go faster even though I couldn’t see around the corner!

After almost 3 years of Covid, I need human contact. It is wired into us. I was isolated before Covid so the lockdowns almost killed me.

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I’m near your age. If there’s a human available, I go to that person even if there’s a line. It’s harder to get humans on call centers or customer service lines than it used to be. And sometimes the menu doesn’t have the option I want or what I’m calling about.

Years ago I did self checkout since I had just 3 items and wanted to see how it worked. (I’m afraid someday that’s all that will be available) My stuff didn’t scan so I needed a human anyway.



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I have used self-checkout, but I prefer the human touch. I just read a book about computers (robots) eventually taking over many jobs a human does now. I'm using humans while I can. They need the money.

I was thinking about food that's no longer. Anyone remember banana ice cream on a stick, like the chocolate version? I miss that. And stores where I live used to have Italian ice cream--many colors. That was good!

Have you all noticed how much space cereal takes up in the grocery store? I liked all that when I was a child, and many of the kinds I ate are still available. That's nice, anyway, even though most of them have lots of sugar.

Yeah cereal is huge. I don’t eat much, I’d like it if they still had those individual packs and you could just buy 1-2 of them. But you have to buy them in huge amounts. Mum eats it every day though. So today I just bought her a bunch of her healthy cereal at half off. That’s what it should cost. Man it’s expensive. I was tempted to buy Corn Pops but mum doesn’t eat that and I’d never get it eaten.

I used the human check out. I always say thank you and tell them, both the cashier and the bagger, to have a good day and I look them in the eye so they know I see them. They aren’t just workers to me.

There are single servings of cereal available. They come in like mac n cheese type cups, maybe a little bigger, where you pull of the paper top. They are stupid expensive though, like a dollar or more, IIRC.

Ugh, that is expensive, no wonder our store doesn’t carry those!

That banana & chocolate ice cream on a stick was delicious @Travelinglady

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonightowl Things certainly don’t last like they used to. My Conair hairdryer lasted just 6 months and I’m still waiting for a replacement from the company since it’s under warranty. My previous one was also a Conair and lasted 11 years but maybe I got a lemon. I’ve used their stuff since I was a teenager. Passbooks with bank accounts where the teller would date stamp and initial each transaction. It was more personal and now they are trying to get us to install their stupid app. App, app, app. I hear one can get scammed more easily using that. I still go to a human inside the bank. ——— Posted directly on site using iphone

Oh, I remember the excitement of barely being tall enough to see over the counter, but just able to see the teller date stamp my bank book, and the sound of the stamp hitting the paper.

I still don't have my (very basic) cell phone connected to the internet. I don't know how to do it. So no bank apps here.

It was, so was a frozen banana on a stick covered in chocolate.

I'm fine with self check-out at the grocery store. That said, I'll use it because I'm shy to talk to the real check-out person. SO, not a healthy reason to use self check.

The medical lab I go to (only one in town) has ZERO employees in the waiting area. It is disgusting. You walk into the place and there are computer thingies on stands. You go to one and follow the prompts. Then, when you're finished, you go to a chair, stare at a cold-looking wall, and wait. Eventually, a human (I guess) opens a door and calls you back to get a blood draw.

I feel so, so sorry for really old people who don't know how to work those damn things and there's no one to help them. I find the entire set-up unethical from a healthcare standpoint.

I have almost never rushed in my life. I'm good with time management. I sure don't rush when I drive, unless there's an honest-to-God emergency. I've been a driver for over 40 years and never once had a moving violation (a few parking tickets, though ).

Oo, mum would never be able to do that. The tv cable company here has a computer check in like that and I had trouble with it.

Anybody remember 'dime stores' with wooden floors and big ceiling fans?

'

Oh, yes! 👍 remember Woolworth and their lunch counter where you could get a float, soda, sandwiches, cheesecake! A cup of coffee?

I use humans when I can too, and if machines do take over from humans, just what are humans supposed to do to earn money??? Not everybody can be a dentist or auto mechanic, occupations that still need a human to do the work. I hear Bezos wants to replace the Amazon warehouse workers with robots. Of course he does. It will be faster so he can be even richer.

Yeah, cereal takes up a LOT of space! So does salad dressing. I wonder if there's really THAT much of a difference. Sometimes the packaging of different brands look alike. The store brand of my cereal looks similar to Post, and once I got Post by mistake! Way more expensive, and I didn't notice a better taste either.

I used to eat all that sugary stuff as a kid, and I don't get why my parents allowed it, given how much they were obsessed with healthy eating. Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, and Lucky Charms were my favorites.


Yeah, I remember Woolworth's and I used to shop there too, as well as eat. Nothing like that now, though my grocery store has a Starbucks. But no tables and chairs, it's just grab and go, not sit and relax.

Nammu, I wondered why you use the library self-checkout but not the grocery store's? Is it more user friendly? I just came from the library and got my laptop again, this time through the holiday weekend so good timing. I enjoy the brief interaction with staff, that human touch, which is something I don't get much of otherwise. Even the apartment manager prefers EMAIL. But I CALL and I said it has a more human touch. Given how this building has no neighborly vibe, I'm trying to get what humanity I can.

Owl, I use the library self checkout cause it’s fast and convenient. The librarians at my library are still wearing masks so I can’t interface with them anyway. I need lips to read. But oddly they’ve taken away several check outs. So now more people use the librarians to check out. There used to be 6 self check outs now there’s only 2. Plus they took down the information center and moved her to the main counter. I don’t know why they did that!

The store check outs aren’t long enough to check out properly anyway. There’s no place to put scanned food. If you only have a couple items it’s ok but what if you have coupons or cents off items? Yeah, I still clip coupons.

At my library, masks are recommended but not required.

As for taking stuff away, the senior center took away the pay phone. It was a good thing to have for people who maybe forgot their cell or don't have one or the battery is too weak, etc. I asked the receptionist why and she said people would demand their money back if a call didn't work. I said it's the phone company they should complain to, not the center, But they didn't get it and said it caused too many problems.

I wanted to use the phone to check a number to see if this number is still a working number. I didn't want to use my own personal numbers to call; a safer option is a pay phone. I know local calls aren't 10 cents anymore, LOL. But it's worth to me to see if this number is still in service and whose voice is on the machine.

Thankfully the receptionist called for me, as it was a local number.

Speaking of $, I miss the "ka-ching" cash registers used to make, as well as adding machines. And the "ding" gas pumps used to make after each gallon.

I agree the self-checkouts at the grocery store don't have enough room to put items if you have a lot. Since I get 2 weeks worth, I need a lot of space and a fast checker. And bagger! Too much crap. I do this to avoid going weekly though.

I still clip coupons too. They have this digital coupon thing now, but you have to go online and create ANOTHER username and password. It seems I have dozens as it is. Sometimes I can't remember my security questions or the answers to them. Or it won't let me choose a question; I get just one option the system offers.

You also need a human to get points for reusable bags, so I go to a human and will do so as long as they are present.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travelinglady Anybody remember 'dime stores' with wooden floors and big ceiling fans? '

How I miss them! There was a Woolworth's, a really old one, and yes - wooden floors and fans - and they had a little bakery inside. My mom let me choose my 8th birthday cake there. I remember that I chose German Chocolate. It was a rainy day. The streets were wet and shiny. A happy, happy day.