Nespresso coffee pods have a devoted audience, and the queues in Nespresso outlets are often lengthy. Nespresso has begun introducing self-checkout options for time-poor Nespresso purchasers. Would you use one?
Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
The first example of the self-serve system has been rolled out at Nespresso’s Australian flagship store in Sydney’s Pitt St, Lifehacker’s friends at appliance retailing site Current report. Similar systems are already used in Europe and the US. (The article also mentions plans to trial same-day delivery in some Australian markets, which my Nespresso addict city worker friends would welcome.)
I can’t make my mind up about self-service in the store. The part of me that regularly heads to the self-service lanes in my local supermarket thinks the time savings would be welcome. The part of me that believes Nespresso goods are already on the pricey side figures the least you can expect is some human customer service for that money.
What do you think? Is that a welcome saving? Are you happy with your lower-priced ALDI coffee pod system? Tell us in the comments.
Nespresso launches self service POS terminals, flags same day delivery [Current]
Comments
17 responses to “Would You Use A Self-Service Nespresso Checkout?”
What I would dearly love to know is how many of these Nespresso users actually recycle the little pods? I’d bet that Millions must be making their way into landfill weekly.
I think in this day and age that machines that willingly promote the creation of landfill are to be abhorred and not embraced. Aren’t we supposed to be finding “better” ways to use our resources?
My partner drinks Nespresso a couple of times a day, and we always recycle our pods. My uncle also has a friend who cleans them and makes them into earrings, which is a pretty cool way to reuse them (and they’re really pretty too!).
Are you serious? Earrings? Now THAT should be a LifeHacker article! 🙂
When visiting the store it’s good to have the interaction, and when it’s quiet they’ll do the recycling for me while I have a free coffee or two. However same-day delivery does sound like a great idea.
I thought they even opened up for you after they were closed – to help you feel like a celebrity, or at least like George Clooney
That would be an interesting tactic… close the shop at 5 but pay the staff until 7 just to make you feel “special”
Just for the record, CHOICE did a study a while back that found in blind taste tests most people can’t tell the difference, and that it was something like 100x more expensive per serve than most traditional coffee’s..
I think people just like being “metropolitan” and using “pods”.
It also comes from perceived value and a belief that “this is expensive, so it MUST taste better”.
Consumers could tell the difference, but they rated Nespresso 5th out of 6 compatible pods tested.
None of the pods got a completely positive rating.
Another Lifehacker writer reported the study: http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/04/nespresso-coffee-overpriced-rubbish/
Choice article: http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/food-and-health/food-and-drink/beverages/coffee-capsules.aspx
Media release (for the tldr crowd?): http://www.choice.com.au/media-and-news/media-releases/2013-media-releases/choice-finds-top-selling-nespresso-pods-not-so-tasty.aspx
Keep in mind that there were only 3 testers, but they all had some coffee-tasting experience (see the bottom of page 3 of the original article).
I would use this line gives you a discount, otherwise what is the point?
In regards to the people talking about recycling pods, this is not the article for it, so why bother wasting the time to talk about something that this article is not talking about?
Or, now stay with me here, they could sell them in the f**king supermarket right next to their Blend 43.
With the peasants? pfft!
Although having said that, the other-brands who use Nespresso-style pods are now in supermarkets.
I’d use the self-service if it got me through the queue faster. I like that Coles etc have taken the human element out – I don’t go to the supermarket to talk to anyone, I get in and I get out. I got a nespresso machine because it seemed the fastest way to get from a) empty cup to b) cup of coffee. I wish I had factored in how annoying it is to buy pods in-store before choosing this system. Buying pods online or over the phone is pretty good, though.
Off-topic: Has anyone here used the third-party-made recyclable ‘green’ pods in their machine? Is it worth it in terms of quality and risk to machine warranty?
I always see people checking out an entire trolley full in the self serve checkouts, it really defeats the purpose. I simply refuse to use the self checkout since they arent paying me a wage to do thier jobs.
At my local supermarket the express lanes are never open, the self checkouts are full of people with entire trolleys, and the people with a few things are left to queue in the 1 other checkout open.
On to the coffee, in the long run its way more expensive for a pod machine and pods, then it is to buy a quality espresso machine and fresh roasted beans.
It’s been my experience lately that the quality of service from the people working the counters is significantly slower than doing it myself. Especially when paying cash.
They also seem to care more about what bags my things go in to than I am.
And for the love of god, I wish my local Big W would get some self-serve checkouts. I’m sick of waiting 15-30 minutes (not hyperbole or exaggeration) to get served, and would rather not go in.
I would pay extra just to use a self service checkout. Luckily for me my preferences equate to lower costs for the company anyway.
To the main question: YES, absolutely I’d use self-service even if it wasn’t any cheaper. It drives me bonkers to have to queue (often lengthy) just so they can generate a false air of exclusivity and attempt to cross-sell me their (over-priced) de-scaler. They can have counter-service *as well* for people who need help or want the interaction. That said, for the most part we now just order online, which is free delivery if you order in bulk.
To the other point raised (albeit off-topic): We always recycle. In this respect I actually do respect Nespresso’s initiative.
Simple answer is to drink real coffee, not this rubbish.
I believe most pods basically contain pre-measured pre-ground coffee beans, so technically they are “real coffee” for those who don’t roast and grind and measure (and grow?) their own beans.
Thus I think it becomes more a question of freshness, quality, and flavour preservation/alteration due to the pod creation/storage/distribution process, and of course the pod machine design.
That doesn’t mean that the end product can’t potentially be rubbish, but it might technically be rubbish real coffee.