Now self-checkouts for RETURNS appear at major supermarket in first-of-its kind trial
A MAJOR supermarket has launched self-service returns kiosks in a first-of-its-kind trial.
Asda has unveiled the stations at one of its branches in Greater Manchester.
The Ashton-under-Lyne store opened the "drop boxes" late last month where shoppers can process their own refunds on products they don't want or that are faulty.
The kiosks let customers scan their receipt and item they want to return then deposit the unwanted item in a bin with a refund then processed.
Shoppers who have forgotten receipts are helped by staff members to process any refunds manually.
It's not clear at this stage whether the self-service refund kiosks will be rolled out across more branches.
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In the same Greater Manchester branch, Asda is also trialling self-service vending machines for tobacco and vape products.
The supermarket chain is rolling out the trial in two phases.
The first phase involves workers serving shoppers at the existing customer service desk and then picking up any products from the nearby vending machines.
The second stage will see customers able to select the products they want to buy on screens at self-service checkouts.
They will then be asked to verify their age with a staff member and, if approved, they will receive a receipt which they can scan at a nearby vending machine and collect their product.
Again, it's not clear whether the self-service tobacco and vaping vending machines will be rolled out across further branches.
Asda said the trial of the new-style kiosks will stop shoppers having to queue up at the customer service desk to process refunds or buy vapes or tobacco.
Alexander Lacy, senior manager retail front end service, said: "We recognise that a key pinch point for customers is at the kiosk and customer service desks in our stores, with added queue times and multiple missions taking place in a small area.
"That is why we’re trialling two new systems to improve the customer journey in our Ashton store, which will reduce queue times and allow colleagues to focus on serving customers when and where they need us."
The latest trial from Asda, the UK's third biggest supermarket chain, comes after it announced it would be putting more staff on traditional checkouts.
Any remaining old-style tills are now being staffed more often, particularly at weekends and other peak times.
Michael Gleeson, Asda’s chief financial officer, said in August it was "not more checkouts, it's more colleagues on checkouts."
He added: "I think we have reached a level of self-checkouts and scan and go where we feel that works best for our customers, and we feel we’ve got the balance just about right."
"We have invested additional hours in manned checkouts and that’s been within the existing physical infrastructure [of the stores]."
However, the retailer also said it would not be installing any more old fashioned checkouts in its shops after they removed a number amid the rise in smart shopping.
Other retailer self-checkout changes
The past decade has seen retail bosses investing in self-scan tills in a bid to reduce customer wait times and reduce wage bills.
Sainsbury's is currently trialling giant hybrid scanners with moving conveyor belts across selected stores.
Lidl started rolling out self-service checkouts in its UK stores in 2017 in a bid to make the shopping process easier for customers.
In recent months, Primark has been rolling out self-checkouts at dozens of stores too.
But the move to automation has left some customers feeling left behind and missing a human touch.
Mr Baitiéh said the business was "reviewing the balance between self-checkouts and manned tills".
Last year, Booths, an upscale Northern grocery chain, abandoned self-service checkouts following customer feedback.
DODGE SELF-CHECKOUTS
If you want to avoid self-checkouts, you may want to consider using scan-as-you-go technology.
Scan-as-you-go systems are the latest addition to the supermarket shopping experience, and several retailers are making them permanent features in big stores.
They allow customers to scan as they browse, either using their smartphone or a handheld device.
Then, most shops allow you to check out in a completely different area from other shoppers, saving time on queues.
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It means shoppers can track how much they're spending as they go around the aisles, allowing them to budget and stick to their list.
It also means they can bag their groceries as they wander around, saving even more time.
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds.
"Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.