You were in line for 5 minutes!!!

[mjr]

and then Mom would announce "This one is mine, that one is hers (Granny's), and that one is hers (Daughter's), so we're all under 15."

To which you'd probably like to have replied, "Bulls**t you are..."

[KabeRinnaul]

I was in a Wal-Mart once, in an express lane. The lady in front of me had TWO separate "orders" (i.e. one group of items, then another). I let out an audible disgusted sigh, and went to a different lane. Guess who finished first...

My grocery store used to have a trio of regulars (daughter, mom, and granny) who would pull this in our 15-or-less lane. They'd pull up a buggy with 40-50 items, divvy them up more or less equally in whatever way meant they got to use all of their coupons (they didn't buy things they didn't have coupons for), and then Mom would announce "This one is mine, that one is hers (Granny's), and that one is hers (Daughter's), so we're all under 15."

[jackfaire]

It kind of is, because you don't pay for the people to bag your groceries and take them to your car. Of course, there are trade-offs.

Here it isn't. Most of the stores I shop in don't have a separate bagger. The cashier is the one bagging your groceries and you only get someone taking your groceries to your car if you specifically request their help. That's why I may pay more at another store but unless the cheap store has self check out I won't frequent there if I am bagging my own groceries.

[s_stabeler]

This adds its own issues. For example, a frail elderly person whose entire purchase is a 20 pound bag of flour. They are more likely to use a cart than a basket. Meanwhile, the quarterback of the college football team has a couple dozen different small items, and is carrying them in a basket. It would be more appropriate for the elderly person to use the express lane and the quarterback to use the regular lane, but by designating the express lane "basket only" you would be allowing the quarterback to go there while excluding the elderly person.

Interestingly, "No Frills" (discount arm of the Loblaws chain - chain does price matching of competitors) no longer allows price matching in the express lane, since price matching makes a transaction take longer.

That's why you would have some flexibility- that elderly lady may well have a cart, but they won't be buying much, so you can let it slide- which that quaterback is buying quite a lot.

[mjr]

There is a grocery store chain in my area where every single location has you bag your own groceries. I honestly bloody hate that. Yes it's cheaper but then the pressure is on me to load my groceries into bags and while there are two sides for the groceries to be on I still have to finish before the next person needs my side and then I feel pressure and guilt if I don't finish in time.

Where I live, we had a grocery store like that. It was actually in business for several years before it shut down. They promoted the "bag your own groceries" as a "money saving" thing for the customer. It kind of is, because you don't pay for the people to bag your groceries and take them to your car. Of course, there are trade-offs.

They even had little signs that would tell you how to bag your groceries (cans/heavy stuff on the bottom, etc...).

[jackfaire]

There is a grocery store chain in my area where every single location has you bag your own groceries. I honestly bloody hate that. Yes it's cheaper but then the pressure is on me to load my groceries into bags and while there are two sides for the groceries to be on I still have to finish before the next person needs my side and then I feel pressure and guilt if I don't finish in time.

[wolfie]

this is one reason why I like how I have sometimes seen it labelled- basket-only.(basically, if your shopping will fit into a shopping basket rather than a cart, you can use the express lane.)

This adds its own issues. For example, a frail elderly person whose entire purchase is a 20 pound bag of flour. They are more likely to use a cart than a basket. Meanwhile, the quarterback of the college football team has a couple dozen different small items, and is carrying them in a basket. It would be more appropriate for the elderly person to use the express lane and the quarterback to use the regular lane, but by designating the express lane "basket only" you would be allowing the quarterback to go there while excluding the elderly person.

Interestingly, "No Frills" (discount arm of the Loblaws chain - chain does price matching of competitors) no longer allows price matching in the express lane, since price matching makes a transaction take longer.

[mjr]

That sign is important because it's a fixed point. The limit is always 10 or 15 items depending on the store (those seem to be the most common express lane limits) Sure if the cashier was to ignore the sign and just check out every single person coming through their line that would in a way destroy the sign and turn the line into just every other line.

You are correct, and your statement about it being a "fixed point" is valid. However, posts on Customers Suck tell us a few things:

1. A lot of customers don't read signs.
2. Customers that DO read signs will sometimes disregard them if the information on the sign is inconvenient.
3. Customers will complain.
4. Spineless managers will cave in.

I get your point about the "X items or less" being a fixed point, but given the four enumerated items above, it's not as "fixed" as we'd like it to be.

[jackfaire]

Well, then you start getting into the Sorites paradox (i.e. when is a "heap" not a "heap").

So, when does an "ok number of items" turn into "too many items" in an express lane?

When the person knows for sure it's more than the limit said on the sign. I get what you're trying to say each person thinking "well but I only have more than a few items than that person" and so on. But that's why their is the baseilne on the sign. IF it's visibly clear they have more items than the baseline on the sign then they SHOULD be sent to another line.

That sign is important because it's a fixed point. The limit is always 10 or 15 items depending on the store (those seem to be the most common express lane limits) Sure if the cashier was to ignore the sign and just check out every single person coming through their line that would in a way destroy the sign and turn the line into just every other line.

However we are talking a fixed point here. The Cashier is the keeper of the fixed point. If they can visibly tell that the cart coming in exceeds that fixed point send it away. If they cannot check it out. You don't have to have too many more items to make it obvious to most people unless they are small items which isn't going to take much longer anyway.

At no point during the day should two heaping full carts of stuff come through the line because it clearly doesn't mesh with the fixed point.

[mjr]

I think the basic principle should be "are they buying substantially less than most people do"- if, for example, you have a full shopping cart, then you should probably use a normal lane. ( this is one reason why I like how I have sometimes seen it labelled- basket-only.(basically, if your shopping will fit into a shopping basket rather than a cart, you can use the express lane.)

Also, bear in mind the express lane is intended for people that have quick transactions to be able to skip the need to wait behind people who take ages. As such, if (for example) you are using a lot of coupons, please use the normal lanes.

Sure, I understand that. But to what's been a discussion in this thread, how many items over the "limit" is OK?

If the limit is 10, and someone shows up with 15, is that OK? How about 14? 13? 12? I don't know that "it depends on the items" is OK in most circumstances, unless it's 15 of the same item, and the cashier can scan just one and then hit "x 15" on the register.

I know we start to get into "reductio ad absurdum" territory there, but I think it ties into the paradox nicely.

Aside from that, you'd be surprised at how many things people can cram into one of those small, hand-held baskets.

[s_stabeler]

I think the basic principle should be "are they buying substantially less than most people do"- if, for example, you have a full shopping cart, then you should probably use a normal lane. ( this is one reason why I like how I have sometimes seen it labelled- basket-only.(basically, if your shopping will fit into a shopping basket rather than a cart, you can use the express lane.)

Also, bear in mind the express lane is intended for people that have quick transactions to be able to skip the need to wait behind people who take ages. As such, if (for example) you are using a lot of coupons, please use the normal lanes.

[mjr]

I agree. Sure if someone comes up with an overflowing cart send them away. But usually the people with too many items fall into the "weren't sure how many" category and if we are going to be anal about every single item over it's going to take even longer forcing every person over 10 to repack their trolley and head to another line and for the cashier to 0 out the sale. Quicker for the cashier to just finish.

Well, then you start getting into the Sorites paradox (i.e. when is a "heap" not a "heap").

So, when does an "ok number of items" turn into "too many items" in an express lane?

[jackfaire]

It makes more sense to treat them the way people (including the police) treat speed limits. If the limit is 45 MPH, and you're going 47, nobody cares; why make a fuss if your ten items turn out to be eleven?

I agree. Sure if someone comes up with an overflowing cart send them away. But usually the people with too many items fall into the "weren't sure how many" category and if we are going to be anal about every single item over it's going to take even longer forcing every person over 10 to repack their trolley and head to another line and for the cashier to 0 out the sale. Quicker for the cashier to just finish.

Most of what seems to take more time in express lanes from my experience is that more people seem to try to have full conversations with the cashier in that line than any other. If you want fast service don't go to the express lane. I know it seems counter-intuitive but having more items gives both the checker and the customer a greater sense of urgency in getting out.

The only thing faster than either of those is self-checkout which is my preferred method because most days I am really not very good at small talk most days.

[HYHYBT]

It makes more sense to treat them the way people (including the police) treat speed limits. If the limit is 45 MPH, and you're going 47, nobody cares; why make a fuss if your ten items turn out to be eleven?

[Gravekeeper]

To me this sounds like common sense.

Well there's your problem.