Products · Pattern or everyday thing
Self-checkout machines
Raised as a usability problem by 744 people on Hacker News over 17 years (2010–2026), in 306 threads.
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Every issue, all time, most people first
Machines repeatedly stop with unexpected item in bagging area alertsUnreviewed
20102026- Confusing prompts like 'Please return item to the bagging area' make self-checkout frustrating to use2025-11-18
- Moving bags or light items triggers false unexpected-item alerts, interrupting checkout2025-10-21
- False 'unidentified item in bagging area' errors force clerk overrides when items are placed too early2025-08-21
Errors when scanning and bagging one item at a time force staff waitsUnreviewed
20102026- Items fail to scan or discounts aren't applied, so staff must intervene2026-06-26
- Machine locks out after a correct scan until an employee reviews it2026-04-21
- Scanner keeps disputing whether items are bagged, forcing waits for an attendant2026-04-13
Weight checks fail unreliably at self-checkoutsUnreviewed
20102026- Scales keep malfunctioning at self-checkout, forcing staff intervention2025-12-15
- Self-checkout fails to detect light items and throws fits over unexpected weights, forcing workers to sprint between registers2025-09-22
- Scale errors out on known-weight items, so shoppers stop using self-checkout2025-06-15
Shoppers cannot tell what to do when a barcode will not scanUnreviewed
20102026- Till scans the wrong QR code on products that also carry a barcode, causing errors2026-08-19
- Barcode scanning is deliberately throttled, slowing customers checking out2026-01-14
- Bar codes often fail to scan, forcing attendant lookups, and bagging space is too small for a full cart2025-12-09
Items not placed perfectly on scale cause scanner failure needing helpUnreviewed
20102026- Weighing scale requires moving items from cart to bagging area, causing avoidance2026-04-21
- Must scan identical items one by one, waiting for scale each time, since multi-scan was removed2026-01-14
- Easy to skip scanning items by mistake, and the weight sensor did not catch it2025-08-21
Unexpected item flag blocks checkout until staff interveneUnreviewed
20102026- Machine often flags errors for the customer, requiring staff to intervene despite no wrongdoing2026-04-21
- Machine flags errors when items are moved or weighed, needing staff override2025-10-21
- Machines wrongly flag mistakes, forcing customers to wait for staff help2025-08-28
Every checkout step is deliberately slowed, taking too longUnreviewed
20102026- Shoppers spend seconds hunting for the finish and pay button, slowing checkout2025-08-20
- Self-checkout UI is slow when entering produce codes or paying2025-03-12
- Self-checkout takes as long or longer, with non-barcoded produce being especially hard2024-04-22
Small bagging area causes misplaced items and mistakesUnreviewed
20102026- Bag-setting area is sized poorly, making bagging groceries frustrating2024-09-23
- Bagging area too small, so fitting groceries without triggering a lock is nearly impossible2024-04-02
- Items get left unpaid because the bagging area is too small and produce weighing fails2023-12-05
Machine locks up if item is not placed in bagging area quicklyUnreviewed
20102026- First-generation terminals rejected items for bag placement and weight errors, forcing attendant unlocks repeatedly2026-01-28
- Machine locks up if item isn't on scale within about three seconds, forcing attendant help2025-08-21
- Machines lock up unpredictably and need staff to unlock them2025-03-27
App and kiosks fail to process offers or lose ordersUnreviewed
20102026- Kiosk keeps prompting upsells, even for items already in the order2026-05-20
- Kiosk lags after each tap and pops up extra upsell dialogs at checkout2026-04-16
- App and kiosks are slow and buggy, sometimes failing to process offers or losing orders2026-04-16
Card-only machines leave cash payers unable to payUnreviewed
20102026- Kiosk printouts come out unusable, forcing a trip to the clerk instead2025-12-09
- Couldn't find the item they wanted on the kiosk, and cash payment was hard to reach2024-07-28
- When something goes wrong, shoppers wait while one employee fixes kiosks one by one2024-04-02
Errors force a staff member to interveneUnreviewed
20102026- Machines freeze every third item and need staff to fix them2026-01-28
- Machines frequently get confused and need a human to intervene2025-12-26
- Machine often doesn't work, and staff are unhelpful when you ask for help2025-03-27
Forgetting to scan an item risks ban or charge, shifting work to shoppersUnreviewed
20102026- Honest scanning mistakes get customers reported to police as shoplifters2026-06-26
- Forgetting to scan an item risks being banned or charged, and the work is shifted onto shoppers2024-09-24
- Scanning everything yourself is a hassle; mistakes can look like shoplifting2024-04-02
Prompting through each item is far slower than a cashierUnreviewed
20102026- Gets stuck for minutes on unbarcoded items and flags tiny weight mismatches needing a cashier2024-01-17
- Ordering screens take about five times longer than telling a cashier2021-07-09
- Ordering at a kiosk takes longer than telling a cashier2020-05-08
Unexpected item alert triggers unclear interruptions during checkoutUnreviewed
20102026- Repeated prompts and unexpected-item alerts force waiting for an employee override2026-06-26
- Unexpected item alert triggers unclear, frustrating interruptions during checkout2025-08-05
- Repeated unscanned-item alerts, then lockout requiring an employee to help2023-11-14
Removing a double-scanned item requires waiting for an employeeUnreviewed
20102026- Removing an accidentally double-scanned item needs staff admin approval, so simple mistakes need help2024-01-18
- Accidentally scanning an item twice needs an employee to remove it2024-01-17
- Accidentally scans items belonging to the person next to the user2023-12-23
Machine randomly refuses some items, forcing a line changeUnreviewed
20102026- Machine often skips asking for quantity on loose produce, charging for one item2025-12-14
- Machine blocks expensive items with no warning until after joining the line2025-06-17
- Items get rejected by the machine for being placed wrong, causing stops and chastising2025-01-31
Ordering one item takes about ten presses on hard-to-find targetsUnreviewed
20102026- Too many screens with delays to place a simple order2026-05-21
- Takes about 100 taps on the screen to order three items2023-09-13
- Ordering one item takes about ten screen presses and touch targets are hard to locate2022-07-25
Bagging prompt for large items forces a five-second wait to skipUnreviewed
20102026- Machine urges bagging or pay as soon as you pause, rushing customers2024-05-26
- Waiting for an employee to approve a bag takes longer than just bagging items later2024-01-17
- Forces bagging prompt for large items, must wait 5 seconds to skip2022-07-25
Machines fail mid-transaction, then long waits for staff helpUnreviewed
20102026- Items must be moved slowly along exact path or employee intervention is needed, causing long waits2025-08-21
- Some units are slow and unreliable, making customers wait2024-01-15
- Each item has about a 5% chance of an error needing an employee, causing a two-minute wait2023-10-18
Touchscreens ignore taps unless pressed softlyUnreviewed
20102026- Touch screen doesn't work when hands are wet2025-11-23
- Touch screens need a very precise touch, neither too light nor too hard2024-01-17
- Touchscreens ignore taps unless pressed softly; UI is slow and unresponsive2024-01-16
Anti-theft sensors stall checkout when items are removed from bagging areaUnreviewed
20102026- Weight-check anti-theft system stops checkout when items are placed wrong2024-01-17
- Bag weight checks trigger false theft alerts and ID checks interrupt purchases, needing staff help2024-01-17
- Anti-theft sensors trigger too easily and hold up legitimate shoppers2024-01-17
Scale malfunctions every six items, forcing re-placingUnreviewed
20102026- Machine nags loudly if item isn't placed on scale quickly enough2024-01-16
- Machines constantly complain about unexpected items on the scale2024-01-15
- Must wait for scale to stabilize after each item; locks up when items exceed scale capacity2023-11-11
Inconsistent weighing and payment rules, with lag causing double scansUnreviewed
20102026- Errors like double scans, weight sensor faults and payment failures are slow to resolve and blamed on the customer2026-01-27
- Perceptible multi-second lag between scans and before payment2024-04-22
- Inconsistent weighing, produce scanning and payment rules; lag causes double scans2023-05-17
Machines falsely complain about item weight despite correct placementUnreviewed
20102026- Machines falsely complain about item weight even when the customer has done everything right2024-01-16
- Machines fail about 60% of the time, needing staff to intervene for weight mismatches2022-12-21
- Machine halts over wrong weight and needs staff, often none present2022-05-29
Scanned items vanish from receipt with only a system busy messageUnreviewed
20102026- Scans beep but items vanish from receipt with only a 'system busy' message2025-05-24
- Unclear beep versus boop sound means items go unscanned without the shopper noticing2024-01-16
- Machine beeps over an e-coupon overage and shows a receipt that actually says transaction canceled2024-01-16
Error-prone for people uncomfortable with finicky interfacesUnreviewed
20102026- The on-screen interface is often pretty crappy and confusing to use2024-01-16
- Tech-savvy user makes mistakes and wastes time due to poor UI2024-01-16
- Frustrating and error-prone for people not comfortable with finicky interfaces2024-01-15
Cannot pre-load personal bags, forcing two stages or staff helpUnreviewed
20102026- Bag weighing option repeatedly requires staff approval; bagging area location differs between shops2024-01-17
- Own bags trigger unexpected-item alerts, forcing a staff member to intervene before starting2024-01-17
- Re-adjusting bags triggers a discrepancy needing staff help to fix2024-01-15
Must call an attendant to approve alcohol purchaseUnreviewed
20102026- Restricted items like cough syrup and alcohol force an employee call mid-checkout, with surprise rules2024-01-17
- Must wait for staff to verify age before paying for alcohol2020-09-29
- Alcohol purchases wait for staff to notice an alert, slower when quiet2017-02-09
Small produce, weighing or bagging errors freeze machine until staff arriveUnreviewed
20102026- Shoppers must weigh produce themselves and need staff help for buggy machines2024-04-03
- Produce search, weighing and bagging steps are clunky, and small errors freeze the machine until an employee comes2023-03-05
- Bag weight and alcohol age checks require a clerk, and the machines are set low, forcing bending2019-04-15
Belt layout forces rushed bagging as next items arriveUnreviewed
20102026- Single-belt design causes congestion and makes customers wait while bagging2023-10-14
- Machines force slow timing, roll back belts, and demand rescanning already-passed items2023-09-13
- Must run between belt sides to load, bag, then pay, slowing checkout2018-05-05
Warns about unscanned items when none are present, confusing shoppersUnreviewed
20102026- Warns about unscanned items falsely, so people wait for staff to clear it2025-08-21
- Warns about unscanned items even when none are present, confusing shoppers2025-04-19
- Screams alerts about unidentified items when customers merely look at it2024-01-17
Problems require waiting for staff to come fix themUnreviewed
20102026- Too much room for error, often needs staff to intervene2022-12-17
- When something goes wrong, one attendant must handle everyone waiting in that section2020-07-23
- Staff often get concise orders wrong, so the person has to correct them2019-09-12
Mangled barcode cannot be typed in, forcing staff waitUnreviewed
20102026- Machine gets confused by crumpled barcodes and unbarcoded produce, forcing waits for attendants2024-04-03
- Any barcode exception forces customers to wait for staff to be summoned2023-10-08
- Items without barcodes can't be entered, forcing an assistant to log in and key in codes2023-10-07
Calling staff for help when stuck takes agesUnreviewed
20102026- Calling for staff help when stuck takes ages at one supermarket2024-01-17
- Customers can't get through without assistance, and help takes forever to arrive2019-07-28
- Requires a knack to use; customers get stuck needing staff help2019-07-07
Looking up produce codes by hand is tedious and slowUnreviewed
20102026- Hard to find produce codes and cannot enter quantity directly2024-04-22
- Produce has no barcode and tiny price numbers, forcing squinting and manual lookups2023-07-22
- Must hunt for produce codes and wait for the one working scale2023-07-22
Alert needs staff password, making checkout slower than a cashierUnreviewed
20102026- Constant false alerts for unexpected item make checkout much slower2026-01-08
- Alert tone sounds too quickly and frequently during routine checkout2023-10-14
- Each alert forces a multi-minute wait for staff to clear it2023-09-13
Produce lacks barcodes, so users hunt through a slow UIUnreviewed
20102026- Hierarchical menu for barcode-less produce makes items hard to find2022-08-14
- Navigating menus to find produce codes is slower than typing the known code2022-07-09
- Casual users are slower because they don't know where barcodes are2022-05-29
Machine calls for assistance after pressing pay, blocking checkoutUnreviewed
20102026- Machine inexplicably calls for assistance after pressing pay, blocking checkout until an employee comes2024-04-02
- Machines reject cash and offer no way to reach an employee when card payment fails2024-01-16
- Machine repeatedly stops and needs a cashier to fix it2022-09-24
Overstrict scale halts scanning and forces waiting for an employeeUnreviewed
20102026- Frequent scale errors and clearing errors requires employee fingerprint scan2024-04-22
- Scales give high false alarm rates, so cashiers often ignore them2024-04-03
- Scale is so strict it halts scanning and forces waiting for an employee2023-12-21
Unclear whether items were scanned, causing double scans and missesUnreviewed
20102026- Unclear whether items scanned, causing double scans and missed items2023-12-28
- Similar items share the same picture, so scanned items are hard to tell apart2023-10-18
- Scanned item not added to total because previous item hasn't registered on scale yet2023-10-14
Machine falsely accuses customers of theftUnreviewed
20102026- Machine wrongly implies shopper is shoplifting after failing to detect an item2024-05-28
- Machine flagged customer for theft over a free item it failed to recognise2024-01-17
- Customers are falsely accused of theft by the machine and frustrated by it2024-01-17
Machines stall for minutes waiting for an employee to approveUnreviewed
20102026- Machines often stall for minutes waiting for an overworked employee to approve2023-05-23
- Machine stalls on complicated cases, and waiting for an attendant takes longer than a human cashier2021-06-07
- Machine blocks checkout on errors, forcing a wait for manager approval2017-05-12
Unclear that goods are weighed, and produce is slow to find on screenUnreviewed
20102026- Looking up and weighing bulk produce on touch screen is error-prone and annoying to fix2023-10-14
- Looking up and weighing produce is a pain for shoppers2021-03-09
- Didn't know goods were being weighed; produce took long to find on screen2017-05-11
Machines force unnecessary clicks, making checkout tediousUnreviewed
20102026- Self-checkout takes up to 12 clicks, with upsell prompts adding steps2025-01-16
- Machines force unnecessary clicks, making checkout more tedious2013-10-07
- Grocery self-checkouts make people click through several layers of buttons to pay2010-02-04
Bag scales are finicky and cramped for full cartsUnreviewed
20102026- Bag scales are finicky and cramped space makes full carts hard to check out2025-10-20
- Full carts are hard to ring up and bag alone; machines not designed for them2024-01-17
- Not enough room to bag and juggle items with a full cart2023-11-11
Paying takes many touch, tap and confirm steps after scanningUnreviewed
20102026- Paying at the terminal takes many touch, tap and confirm steps after scanning items2024-04-02
- Can't scan multiple identical items at once; card terminal lacks tap payment2024-01-17
- Hard to figure out new payment terminal while line waits2023-08-20
Errors need an employee to clear, so it works only half the timeUnreviewed
20102026- Staff clear whole cart and make customer rescan everything after an error2023-12-03
- Constant unclear errors needing employee override; screen resets; mistakes cannot be undone2023-09-13
- Works only half the time; errors need an employee to clear2022-05-22
Items scanned while a prompt is open silently fail to registerUnreviewed
20102026- Handheld scanner lags badly; phone app requires unlocking, tapping and waiting to register2024-04-02
- Prompts interrupt scanning, and items scanned while a prompt is open silently fail to register2024-01-17
- Hard to follow scanning, bagging and card-swipe prompts at the right moment2020-03-10
Touchscreen ordering makes mistakes hard to correct, often needing staffUnreviewed
20102026- Touchscreens miscalibrated, inaccurate, and falsely flag for help2024-02-02
- Touch screens lag, and frequently demand staff help for bagging-area mismatches2024-01-17
- Touchscreen ordering is hard to correct mistakes on and machines often need staff help2022-01-26
Unreviewed issues were grouped by machine: Claude Haiku labelled each comment as a usability complaint, named what it's about and summed up the problem in a line, and a small model grouped similar problems. Nobody has checked them by hand. Expect mistakes.
The newest 50 complaints
- Self-checkout process is unnecessarily slow2026-09-09
- Self-checkout forced on shoppers by long queues and fewer staffed checkouts, which they hate2026-09-07
- Till scans the wrong QR code on products that also carry a barcode, causing errors2026-08-19
- Staff delete orders early so the system records them as served, hiding real service times2026-08-13
- Receipt prompt vanished too fast to answer, defaulting to a paper receipt2026-08-13
- Honest scanning mistakes and false flags stop the user until an attendant clears them2026-08-12
- Light items like a greeting card aren't detected, so the machine blocks progress until the user works around it2026-08-12
- Honest scanning mistakes get customers reported to police as shoplifters2026-06-26
- Paying separately at one QR code creates a mess when six people each pay2026-06-26
- Self-checkout machines malfunction and make shoppers wait for a manager2026-06-26
- Repeated prompts and unexpected-item alerts force waiting for an employee override2026-06-26
- Self-checkout is slow because it must verify the weight of every item2026-06-26
- Items fail to scan or discounts aren't applied, so staff must intervene2026-06-26
- Too many screens with delays to place a simple order2026-05-21
- Kiosk keeps prompting upsells, even for items already in the order2026-05-20
- Forced through a series of unwanted prompts for emails, polls, and loyalty cards2026-05-16
- Machine often flags errors for the customer, requiring staff to intervene despite no wrongdoing2026-04-21
- Machine locks out after a correct scan until an employee reviews it2026-04-21
- Self-checkout keeps getting stuck and needs staff to unlock it repeatedly2026-04-21
- Camera falsely flags purchases, forcing awkward handling of heavy water jugs2026-04-21
- Weighing scale requires moving items from cart to bagging area, causing avoidance2026-04-21
- Mandatory long waits between scans slow down checkout and frustrate users2026-04-21
- Tip prompt appears before customer sees food or knows staff are working2026-04-16
- Kiosk lags after each tap and pops up extra upsell dialogs at checkout2026-04-16
- App and kiosks are slow and buggy, sometimes failing to process offers or losing orders2026-04-16
- Customizing orders takes too many taps on a laggy kiosk2026-04-16
- Scanner keeps disputing whether items are bagged, forcing waits for an attendant2026-04-13
- Self-checkout machines are so bad the commenter avoids using them2026-03-18
- Automated upselling and pre-filled tip amounts push people into choices they must actively decline2026-03-14
- Machines freeze every third item and need staff to fix them2026-01-28
- First-generation terminals rejected items for bag placement and weight errors, forcing attendant unlocks repeatedly2026-01-28
- Users can't tell whether a button was pressed or which one, and struggle to find items in menus2026-01-27
- Errors like double scans, weight sensor faults and payment failures are slow to resolve and blamed on the customer2026-01-27
- Barcode scanning is deliberately throttled, slowing customers checking out2026-01-14
- Must scan identical items one by one, waiting for scale each time, since multi-scan was removed2026-01-14
- Scanning items at self-checkout is so slow that it frustrates shoppers2026-01-14
- Constant false alerts for unexpected item make checkout much slower2026-01-08
- System halts often, so customer must debug it while staff just waves it through2026-01-07
- Customers stand confused after scanning, not understanding the machine's prompts unless a human repeats them2026-01-02
- Machines frequently get confused and need a human to intervene2025-12-26
- Menu boards are cluttered, unstructured, and make items hard to scan and find2025-12-23
- Scales keep malfunctioning at self-checkout, forcing staff intervention2025-12-15
- Machine often skips asking for quantity on loose produce, charging for one item2025-12-14
- Self checkout is impractical for large grocery carts, making shoppers do the store's work2025-12-09
- Kiosk UX is annoying and the machines are oversized2025-12-09
- Bar codes often fail to scan, forcing attendant lookups, and bagging space is too small for a full cart2025-12-09
- Kiosk printouts come out unusable, forcing a trip to the clerk instead2025-12-09
- Touch screen doesn't work when hands are wet2025-11-23
- Confusing prompts like 'Please return item to the bagging area' make self-checkout frustrating to use2025-11-18
- Touchscreen can't find the customer's prescription, so staff must enter details manually2025-11-17