Anyone know this? I was "audited" at the grocery store: In self-check out aisle

[lindysalsagal]

Anyone here know what really happened to me?

I used the self-check-out hand-held scanner for about 6 items I was putting right into my shoulder bag. Then, at the register, you scan the bar code on the little hand-held thingy and you pay as normal.

The light goes off over my head, the screen says you must get assistance, (like, when you scan a greeting card and the belt can't feel it drop) and a young guy appears suddenly, grabs my bag, and re-screens some or all of my items.

He did it so fast, I wasn't able to see if he re-scanned it all or just some.

BTW- He missed one worth $2.50!

So, does anyone know if it really was random and he said, or were they watching me on camera like in a casino, and did I forget to scan something?

It's a long day, I might have missed one, tired after a day at work and a commute...

But it was wierd that this guy appeared out of no where immediately, and he was a whole lot faster and smarter than the people who usually work the self check aisle.

I thought about it for a couple of days, and maybe I'm being paranoid, but I'm starting to think they watched me and maybe I missed one.

Anyone know if this goes on, or have I watched too many crime tv shows????

[TimeChaser]

1. It probably depends on the store

The store I go to uses weight to try and make sure you've scanned everything. But it's super finicky and staff are pretty much constantly running over to blinking lights. I'm sure the guy's seen this happen a million times a day and was just appeasing a fickle computer.

[lindysalsagal]

2. I did the magic scanner wand so you don't put it on the belt at all.

That happens most of the time to me. But since it wasn't a weight thing, I'm still wondering if they were watching me.

I'll do the same thing again and see if they watch me again....

[Laffy Kat]

3. Can't stand those self check-out stands.

At my grocery store that's the only way you can check out after 10:00 pm, so I have to use it then. The darn thing almost always indicates that "an associate has been called to assist you." But the associate doesn't do anything but reset the machine. I always tell the associate, "You know these things are taking your job, right?" They hate them as well.

[LeftInTX]

4. I hate them too

They seem to be popular at Lowe's and Home Depot. (Doesn't make sense to me cuz most purchases at those stores are kinda bulky) And Wal-Mart.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Yeah, I love it at Home Depot when I have a cart full of drywall and only self checkouts are open.

Or they have shit piled at the end of checkout lanes so you can't make a turn with a cart.

"What is this? A fricken flea market?" I commented on that in a survey and got a laugh out of the store manager when he called.

[True Dough]

16. I feel the same way

My wife and I were using one when the damn thing started blinking due to not putting the scanned item in the grocery bag within a certain time limit. Then the machine pauses and the light above starts blinking for customer assistance. We look around for the store employee who is going to help us and realize that the light is blinking at the other 3 self-checkout stations as well. What a clusterf_ck!

[jcboon]

5. Save a job--use a checker

[rurallib]

10. AMEN!

Have a close friend who is deep in the union - he set me straight on that quite a while ago.

I am willing to spend some time to make sure a cashier has a job.

[mrmpa]

7. I think that if I use self check out I should receive @ least 5% off.........

my order. I am saving the store from having to have an employee do the work, etc. I never use them.

[Yonnie3]

8. Something similar happened to me at Wally World

After checking out the manned register, I was stopped. My receipt and bags were taken from me and checked. It was very quick and it seemed they were counting items. I was not happy with being accosted this way. They certainly weren't doing it to every one.

I suspected they were checking on the honesty of their cashiers. I confirmed this later with the lead loss prevention person. He had worked with me at the DVD/CD production facility before it closed. He had some choice words for the folks that corporate had sent in to audit the loss prevention.

He also clued me in to the fact that they have many camera housings and only a few real cameras they move around those fixtures.

I doubt that they have staffing to watch that camera closely. It may even be that they have the self scan set up to alert every so often as a random audit or it may cue on people who buy certain items.

[lindysalsagal]

9. Thanks. You've got the picture. It was creepy.

I only had one small bag of items, including blueberries and drain cleaner.

[Yonnie3]

11. Uh Oh!

I surprised homeland security wasn't involved. Drain cleaner and blueberries! Shhh!

[HAB911]

12. Here in the south we have Publix Supermarkets

They are staffed for bagging and taking your cart out to the car for you, and don't allow for tipping. They are employee owned, only employees have their stock shares.

My wife is very impatient and if there is no one to bag, she will do it. I stand across the aisle and watch her.

Does anyone remember the movie The Sand Pebbles?

It's their rice bowl, let them earn it.

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/1067090/Sand-Pebbles-The-Movie-Clip-It-s-His-Rice-Bowl.html

[madinmaryland]

14. I worked as a bagger for a grocery store in Ohio for a couple of years when I was in HS,

and I would have been happy to have a customer bag and take their own groceries out to their car. There was plenty of other shit I was doing that could have been more productive. Don't know how much time was wasted packing shit into the car and never getting a tip for packing their shit.

I go into Kroger 30 years later and can still pack a bag better and faster than the kids that they don't even bother to train.

[HAB911]

18. Yep, I can bag better than most of the kids there

and I've never done it professionally. I don't think they teach them anymore. At one time they did.

[cwydro]

15. I love Publix.

But they also have self checkout, which I usually use.

[HAB911]

17. Where are you?

I've never seen a Publix with self checkouts and I'm in Tampa, basically the home of Publix

[TexasProgresive]

13. All the self check outs I use require you to place the items scaned in the bag area which is a scale

But you would be aware of that with the first item. The system would not let you continue scanning until you complied.