jonboy

Super post, Don't mention the Bible, I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it!

Retired in Euskadi

Go every 3 months to visit mother; our system works well till the young girl/boy cannot seem to find the relevant fruit or veg.
I bet over the course of a year the time saved with the Spanish system would be significant.

jimenato

The Mercadona system works fine. The only problem arises when someone arrives at the till not having realised they should have weighed their stuff. It's usually tourists.

Lynn R

Apart from tourists, it seems to be mainly older people who are having problems with the new Mercadona system. I think I must be heading that way myself, whenever I'm back in the UK I avoid the self-service check-outs like the plague. I hope they never catch on here.

jimenato

They have them in Ikea in Spain I don't think they can save much money for the company - there is always an assistant there to help. Don't see the point.

HBG

I love the new Mercadona system, it gives you the illusion that you're in charge. Lidl's vegetables are better but it's a cold-hearted place without soul, as is Aldi.

Dick Dasterdly

I'm still waiting of someone explaining to me how the new system can be any better than the number system which I think was both faster and easier.

Yours truly confused.

Lynn R

I know I'm something of a Luddite, but I hate the idea of those wifi payment systems too, where you just wave your credit/debit card past the scanner. They even have them in newsagents so people can pay for things like newspapers and cigarettes with them. The possibilities for malfunction/fraud seem endless, to me.

Lynn R

I'm not sure how the old system can have been faster, as it involved touching the screen twice to enter the code number. The new system just involves touching the screen twice too, once for fruit or vegetable, and once on the appropriate picture. I find the new labels rather better, less likely to get scrunched up when you stick them to the bag.

Fredbargate

The system I remember from Mercadona only required touching the screen once. A picture and number combination

Lynn R

Ah well, there you go, my memory's obviously failing. Told you I was heading that way!

angiescarr

Where we are Our Lidl staff are friendlier than the Mercadonna ones.
Anyone else had any experience of German companies just not getting the idea of helpful criticism? I've really tried with my major supplier and although I can be a bit 'honest' about reasons why I and others may wish to switch brands (when others just switch without saying anything) They just decide any comment makes you an enemy. Not the first time I've had unhelpful attitudes from German manufacturers. The rest of the world fall over themselves for your support. The Germans put their product in front of you and stare at you. That attitude won't keep them successful in the long run. Sorry for the tangent.

Dick Dasterdly

I'm more familiar with Consum where you simply touch one number once, NOT twice and you don't have any hassle looking at two different screens because there are no screens and it's done in a split second.

jimenato

I think I might have sorted out the Mercadona screen confusion.

With the old system there were in fact no screens. Firstly you had to find your product on a set of pictures above. When you had found it you touched it and wasted a few seconds wondering why the ticket didn't come out. After several seconds you realised that what you were supposed to do was hit a button on keyboard below with a number that corresponded to the one on the picture above. You wasted a few more seconds by glancing over your shoulder to make sure nobody has seen your foolish mistake. You turn back to hit the right key but of course in your confusion you have forgotten which number it was and have to search for it again on the picture board. All very confusing and time consuming.

The new system is far simpler and quicker. You do indeed have to touch the screen twice. First, you have to choose between Fruit and Vegetables. This might confuse some I suppose, especially as they are not actually correct about which is which. You then have to choose your product. This I find quite easy as there are far fewer on each screen than previously.

I find the new system far superior.

jackytoo

...and to think that in another thread people are hinting about Spain being a forward thinking country