Tesco, you suck.

[clo_again]

Just dropped into the new Tesco Express for cupcake ingredients and as I went up to pay, juggling cupcake ingredients precariously (I always think I won't need a basket and always, always regret it) a Tesco guy hovering by the empty queue pointed to the two empty self-service checkouts and said "Have you used self-service before?"

Now, there was no queue, just me. There were two people serving at the two normal pay points and the customers with them were almost finished. There was no reason for me to have to go to the self-service because I wasn't holding anyone up and I generally refuse to use self service on principle because they force you to use the plastic bag hanging there. IT WON'T LET YOU SCAN THE NEXT ITEM UNTIL THE ONE BEFORE IT IS IN THE BAG. Then at the end it yells at you if you leave the bag there for more than ten seconds (I *collected my change* and it started grouching at me) so you can't even repack from the plastic into an actual bag without taking longer than it would've taken to go to a normal checkout. They're actually forcing you to take the bag.

Which quite frankly, in these days when a lot of people take resuable bags with them, is pathetic. I Disapprove.

Which was why I replied to the guy "Yes but I'm not keen." I did not expect then to get the response "Go on then; just ask if you need help."

Seriously. A customer tells you they're not keen, Tesco employee? DON'T MAKE THEM DO IT ANYWAY. I hate arguing with shop workers; I've been there, I know it sucks to get a snarky customer and I usually can't come up with a response on the spot anyway. I gaped at him for a second and went, because I was too flustered and about to drop everything to argue. When I told him about it after, my dad said I should've replied "I said I'm not keen, not stupid. No thanks." Which I will next time. But in the meantime I've just acquired YET ANOTHER plastic bag when I had my big Sydney Acquarium canvas one *there* and ARGH. It makes me so mad. Try that next time, Tesco employee and I will end you.

I got especially annoyed by this today because I made a particular effort to take a resuable bag. Why? Because I'VE BEEN SINGING THIS ALL DAY, THANKS TIM MINCHIN. NOW I FEEL LIKE A FAILURE.

Off to make cupcakes so everything will be right with the world again. Hope I bought enough strawberries. Mmmmm.

Comments

[rainisnice.livejournal.com]

I know you probably couldn't care less, but as someone who used to man the self-serve stations when I worked at a grocery store, I feel compelled to speak up for the Tesco employee. We were yelled at if the self-serve had open spots with people standing in the lines and we had to go force people to come through the lanes; I assume Tesco's policy is the same and it's easier to deal with annoying a customer for a couple of seconds rather than an annoying boss for several minutes/hours/days/weeks.

Also: assuming your machines work like the ones we have here, the little bagging area works by weight, so if you bring your own bags [as I often do], all you have to do is have them reset the scale before you start scanning.

Anywhoo, I'm sure you don't care, and I'm certainly not trying to force you to start using the machines... but before I worked at a store that had the machines, I was like you and hated them... but once I learned how they worked, I came to like them quite a lot. *shrug*

It was rather rude of him what he said to you, though. :P

[clo.livejournal.com]

I think it was more the fact that he completely brushed off what I said, more than the fact he directed me at all. If it'd been busy I would've understood but he was just hanging around with nothing else to do, so there was no reason for him not to listen. I know the big bosses can be such a pain in the ass which is why I always try to be nice but it was just the way he said it, as if I needed patronising.

I've tried using my own bag on the self-service at Tesco before and I find them extremely picky about the weight, especially if I've taken a backpack because I'm walking some distance. My problem is more with the general Tesco policy than the employee for that though; they shouldn't have it set up on the assumption you'll want a bag these days because at least half the shoppers (especially the little old ladies around here) take their own. It irritates my green side. :) Right now it's much simpler to say to a checkout person "I've got a bag thanks!" than try to kick a machine into accepting your bag, especially if there's a queue building up behind you. When they fix the bag thing, I'll be all over the self-service!

[mayakittenreads]

*giggles* Tim Minchin is AWESOME!

[clo.livejournal.com]

He is! I'm sad it's taken me so long to discover him.

[mayakittenreads]

*pets him*