IBM Self-Checkout Register @ Hannaford (Twin City Plaza, Leominster, MA)

[fanowner12]

We have these at our local Giant supermarket, its annoying. The bill and coin acceptors are on the bottom, as well as is the change dispenser, which makes it hard for a regular customer to use.

[georgef551]

@fanowner12

Aggreed.

I like the NCR ones (after all, they always made cash registers, so you'd think they'd know how to make an automated one....and they do.)

[dontwalkhand]

First time I have seen an IBM one, though Sam's Clubs here have been recently getting self checkout and they're IBM instead of NCR or Fujitsu

[Elevatorville]

alot of stores have a discount card like you mentioned Food Lion has mvp card Mars SuperMarkets of Maryland now has Self checkouts they been in business since 1943 I used to shop there they are now on the high side Marsfood.com

[Elevatorville]

@Elevatorville I will upload you a photo of the store.

[alexweb8]

Even though the IBMs don't tell you to, you can simply insert cash after pressing "Finish & Pay" without selecting cash and it would still work fine. When the bill acceptor is activated it immediately switches to the cash screen. Fujitsu U-Scan is the same way.

[georgef551]

@alexweb8

I tried that before, because the NCR's at Shaw's allowed me to do that. It won't accept cash, until the Cash button is selected. Doesn't seem right, but here, it either glitched when I tried, or you really have to tell it "Cash" before inserting coins/bills.

[alexweb8]

@georgef551 Oh, that's strange. It could've glitched or Hannafords just has it set differently. IBMs do vary in the way they function (i.e. Pathmark and BJ's have a special screen for coupons, but Stop & Shop lets you just scan them after your items.) The only Hannaford's I went to in Maine had no self checkout (ripoff!!) but the Shaw's did.

[georgef551]

@alexweb8

Might try the cash-first again, whenever I go there again.

[dieselducy]

WOAH!! I miss hannaford. Used to shop there when i lived in Massena!! Woah and that one talks!!

[georgef551]

@dieselducy

I like these as well. Only negative is, unlike ther NCR ones I've used, you have to tell it you're paying in Cash, if doing so. The NCR ones, when it prompts payment, you can just start inserting bills and coins.

These IBM ones seem more responsive, too.

[dieselducy]

@georgef551 I want to film the one in my kroger. I just wonder how they are on photograhphy. but then again, I guess there is always the ipod touch.....

[georgef551]

@dieselducy

When I recorded the Belted one (NCR, Shaw's, Groton, MA), an employee watched nearly the whole recording, until she got a customer. She couldn't have cared any less. The same might happen to you. Grocery Stores don't seem to be as anal about it, especially if others aren't involved.

[MegaZeldafan1]

If you find one that has a conveyor belt like (e.g. Stop & Shop) I will be happy!

[georgef551]

@MegaZeldafan1

There's an ICR at another place I go, where it has the belt.

[anomalousclouds]

I love hitting Spanish just so people around me might turn their heads. =D (These look just like the ones in Pathmark near me) Usually more hassle than it's worth for more than 5 items, I've found.

[georgef551]

@anomalousclouds

Once you get used to these things, any item amount is easy, except for any fruits and veggies. That's work.

[anomalousclouds]

@georgef551 The part that seems to give me the most trouble is putting the item on the rolling bagging area, which I notice now Hannaford's doesn't have. (smart move) It seems to serve the opposite function of the conveyor belt usually found ahead of the register - I scan my item, then put it on a rolling belt which takes it about 10 feet to a little area where your groceries collect. (Can be really annoying with soda bottles.) If the item weight registers wrong, it halts the entire process.

[georgef551]

@anomalousclouds

The NCR ones at another grocery chain have a couple that got the belt. It's more work than anything, and those do temd to mess up more often. Even the regular ones do sometimes, then it's a fight to get it back in shape. :)

[Balarick]

@georgef551 my employer has the belt type self-checkout. belt returns misread items. soda bottles must stand up.

[georgef551]

@Balarick

I don't like those too much. Sometimes, they behave. I like the beltless far better.

[anomalousclouds]

@georgef551 (con't) ...and then it politely tells you to "Wait for Assistance" which actually means, "Go to the Customer Service Desk" and then they can just "unlock" it remotely. It happens so often they usually just do it in a split second without even asking what the issue is. Someone might just yell, "IT STOPPED." haha. Lighter items really wreaked havoc with me, such as toiletries and bags of chips, etc. I once had it stop me about ten times in a row.

[georgef551]

@anomalousclouds

When they screw up, I just pack up, and go to a manned station, provided it's the 1'st item or two. :)

When it can't deliver change, that's very annoying. Takes forever.

[ElevatingPirate]

Hannaford still exists? I just found a Hannaford bag the other day... it was from my ex's house, I think. Hannaford became Kroger over there around 2000.

[georgef551]

@ElevatingPirate

Hannaford is growing here in New England, Massachusetts, especially.

They bought Victory Supermarkets, a local chain. It was probably their biggest "expansion".

[ElevatingPirate]

@georgef551 Ahh, interesting. I looked it up, and apparently when Delhaize acquired Hannaford in 2000, they were forced to divest stores in various markets, including here (Raleigh, NC) and there (Richmond, VA) to other chains due to Delhaize's Food Lion brand having a large presence in them.

[georgef551]

@ElevatingPirate

That makes sense, as those other chains don't exist up here.

[QuietSundayLibrary]

I was beginning to wonder when you'd post another of these demonstrations. Will there be another "Market Basket" gauntlet in the near future, by chance?

[georgef551]

@QuietSundayLibrary

I've got several requests for that, and since there's no 15-minute limit for outstanding accounts (like mine), and Thanksgiving is when I get a gift card, I plan on a full video this time around.

[jimster586]

Cantaford to hire human cashiers. :D

[georgef551]

@jimster586

I wonder what will happen, when the new ALDI opens up late this year?

(It's several miles from this location, but about 5 minutes highway driving, you're there.)

[calvinchoe100]

these ones that you used are better than ours in australia

[jaymietreadwell]

@calvinchoe100 There are some more in Australia, and I will do some demos soon