Metropol

I noticed the same! It's so dated that on their reciepts, there's only about 10 characters of space for product names leaving you wondering what half the stuff you've bought is.

The thing is, it integrates fine with the Self Service checkouts and even has that system where you can compare your reciept's prices on the internet. So surely their servers can work with some more modern POS systems at the checkout?

rdobbie wrote:

DJDave wrote:Just to add on the rebrand topic found this the other day http://your.asda.com/netto

Good find, thanks. The conversion photos and time-lapse video are interesting.

It looks like these conversions have been a totally "clean break" - i.e. the Netto format has stayed intact until closing day, then been eradicated and the shop reduced to nothing more than a shell before having an ASDA refit. (In fact, Netto are still banging out weekly flyers with no hint of any ASDA influence.)

A real contrast to the Safeway/Morrisons and Somerfield/Co-op transitions whereby own-brand product ranges, staff uniforms, POS materials, and so on, were phased in often many months before the stores were refitted, causing some fascinating branding clashes.

Indeed, although Netto's Aldi-style own brands are all now 'whilst stocks last', being replaced by a branded product when stocks run out.

Philip Cobbold wrote:It still amazes me that Asda are using such an outdated POS system on their checkouts when every other supermarket has moved over to LCD screens by now. It makes you wonder where they're actually getting all the kit from, as I'd be surprised if it's still in manufacture. They must have a huge stock pile of the things, as this conversion is going to require a pretty large amount of kit to fit all the stores out/

It's in line with what Wal-Mart use over in the states. I imagine they have a massive amount across the company and it'd be a mammoth undertaking replacing them all.

woah wrote:I noticed the same! It's so dated that on their reciepts, there's only about 10 characters of space for product names leaving you wondering what half the stuff you've bought is.

The thing is, it integrates fine with the Self Service checkouts and even has that system where you can compare your reciept's prices on the internet. So surely their servers can work with some more modern POS systems at the checkout?

They changed the format of the receipts a while ago, again to match Wal-Mart's domestic style. (Here's an old one.

Just because the terminals are old doesn't mean the server they feed in to has to be. The internet checker thing is only really a database that's updated overnight.

It seems odd that after a decade of edging the ASDA brand ever-closer to Wal-Mart, since Wal-Mart's own rebrand they've completely stopped that. It's almost like they're preparing to annexe off ASDA completely ready for sale.

Yeah they went through a time of doing the "ASDA part of the Wal*Mart Family" on the bags and even a nasty green and blue uniform, glad someone sorted that out. Then again the Asda Supermarket Uniform looks a bit rank.

DJDave wrote:Yeah they went through a time of doing the "ASDA part of the Wal*Mart Family" on the bags and even a nasty green and blue uniform, glad someone sorted that out. Then again the Asda Supermarket Uniform looks a bit rank.

There are even a few "ASDA WAL-MART Supercentres", Sheffield-Handsworth for one.

The big sign that advertises what is in-store at our local Asda calls it 'Part of the Wal*Mart family'. This is the only place it's seen at the nearest Asda. The same store seems to always have a stand outside the entrance informing you it's the cheapest supermarket for the XXth year running.

Regarding ASDA's POS systems, I was once in the Handsworth Sheffield ASDA (the Wal-Mart branded one as WillPS mentioned) and there was a brief power cut for about 10 seconds. The tills took around 10 minutes to reboot and reconnect themselves, causing havoc as shopping had to be rescanned and customers piled up at the checkouts waiting for the tills to come back to life.

WillPS wrote:

DJDave wrote:Yeah they went through a time of doing the "ASDA part of the Wal*Mart Family" on the bags and even a nasty green and blue uniform, glad someone sorted that out. Then again the Asda Supermarket Uniform looks a bit rank.

There are even a few "ASDA WAL-MART Supercentres", Sheffield-Handsworth for one.

They're now "ASDA supercentres"
Minworth changed not so long back.

Beep wrote:

WillPS wrote:

DJDave wrote:Yeah they went through a time of doing the "ASDA part of the Wal*Mart Family" on the bags and even a nasty green and blue uniform, glad someone sorted that out. Then again the Asda Supermarket Uniform looks a bit rank.

There are even a few "ASDA WAL-MART Supercentres", Sheffield-Handsworth for one.

They're now "ASDA supercentres"
Minworth changed not so long back.

Yeah, since I've moved to Sheffield it's only referred to itself as "ASDA" on the PA system etc.

What's happened to the handful of Wal-Mart stores (that pre-date the ASDA takeover)?

Talking of Asda, I just found out that Louise Redknapp recorded a charity single to the melody of Asda's jingle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U3ypl8TkBs

Regarding instore branding, I am quite disappointed that Asda have decided to persist with that horrible poison dart frog colour scheme, which has recently been extended across all own-brand packaging. If that wasn't bad enough, at my local store they have cladded the walls in MDF and painted it burgundy, and battleship grey shelving units have replaced the old ones. The whole atmosphere of the place now is dreadful.

I went to (retail nerd's paradise) Merry Hill yesterday, and found the ASDA setup in the mall quite fascinating. The checkouts were all flush to the mall, so when you took your trolley round you actually left the store. The tobacco kiosk was actually in the middle of the mall. Definitely worth a look if one finds oneself nearby, the mall is an eighties hideosity treasure trove!

Chie wrote: Regarding instore branding, I am quite disappointed that Asda have decided to persist with that horrible poison dart frog colour scheme, which has recently been extended across all own-brand packaging. If that wasn't bad enough, at my local store they have cladded the walls in MDF and painted it burgundy, and battleship grey shelving units have replaced the old ones. The whole atmosphere of the place now is dreadful.

It works well in stores with lots of natural light, but badly in stores that don't.

Yes the newer stores with big windows at the front and lots of skylights look great with the burgundy walls. The older B&Q metal box style ones do not work.

The Merry Hill style seems to be a European type thing where the checkouts have the opening to the mall behind them rather than a wall / windows. Certainly I've seen branches of Real in Germany and Essenlunga in Italy that had this layout with a shopping centre attached.

And yes I bought bags for life from both of them and brought them home

WHAT OF IT?