A few checkout grumbles:
Software at supermarket checkouts (in fact any EPOS) is still a bit slow and takes a while to catch up with fast users.
Places still insist on charging non-round amounts for items e.g. 99p and there's something in the English psyche which dictates that you must wait for your change even if it is only 1p.

Enter - the QuickTill
here, very simply, there's only a secure cover over worthwhile currency e.g. stuff worth more than 50p or so. The cashier has easy access to all the rest of the money, and hence can give you your change at the same time as 'ringing up' the transaction, and you can be out of the store with a cheery goodbye before you know it.
-- neilp, Aug 19 2003

Electronic Change Dispenser http://www.krauth-o...oin%20dispenser.htm
[half, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

I'm not sure how this is going to help. You still need to scan, add and receipt (even if you don't take your receipt). The change bit doesn't really add much time.
-- hazel, Aug 19 2003


my point is, I think, that They need to scan it, and do whatever, I just need to hand over my £1 and get 1p back.
Watch next time for the rate determining step.
-- neilp, Aug 19 2003


Most of them round here won't be able to do any mental arithmetic mind. They'll still need to wait for it to tell them what to do.
-- hazel, Aug 19 2003


I'm all for improving the efficiency of most any operation. But, I'm having a little trouble grasping the problem here. I've not seen any software that couldn't keep up with the clerk. Are you saying there's a significant delay between the time they punch the "Total" (or whatever) and the time they give you your change? Or does the software take a long time to calculate how much is due back to you after you pay?

Around here, the coins are often returned with an electronic change dispenser as linked. You collect your coins while the cashier counts out and prepares to hand you your paper money change.

Sorry, I'm not grasping the issue here. I'm a bit slow sometimes.
-- half, Aug 19 2003


Most employers require them to wait for the POS to instruct the amount of change, anyway.

Besides, rarely does one pay the face value on an item. In my locale there are sales taxes and shoppers' club discounts and bottle deposits, etc, all tacked on at the POS. It's darned near impossible to figure out the final price on a bottle of Diet Pepsi.
-- waugsqueke, Aug 19 2003


[waugs] - depends on the country, I can't remember a time when I paid anything other than the face value (GST, VAT are included, there is no deposit etc.)

[half], perhaps it's just my local supermarket (sainsbury's) that has really slow software, or perhaps the security release doesn't happen until the end of the transaction, but yes, I've definitely had to wait, probably only for about 5 seconds at a time, but quite consistently.
-- neilp, Aug 19 2003



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