Checkout Etiquette

At my place of work we are small enough to have what is known as a "kiosk" instead of the normal type of tills with the conveyor belt-type set up. There is a bay on the customers' right of each till which is big enough to place baskets in. Similar to the set-up of a self-service point. Of course this does mean that there is one on either side of certain tills, due to the set-up of the kiosk, but that I might save for another rant. Today we are here to discuss etiquette when you do not have a basket.

Ok, so. If you have gone around and collected, say, your milk and bread without a basket (understandable, just two items in a small shop) why does it not still stand to reason to put the items in this area? Why is it suddenly so unclear as to which side of the till you should place your items? (This does more specifically apply to those of you who have the brain to approach the tills from the correct direction… there is no help for those of you who somehow manage to still approach from the front of the store despite clearly being old enough to know better.) You walk over, I turn to greet you and there is a bay on the same side I greet you! What do you think that extra bay is even for on the far right? Just to make it look pretty? This happens with basket people, too, but it seems to be those with loose items who seem the most confused and I just don't understand.

Further more, I know that the dip is not at the same level as the till, but it really is not that far down. Just put the items there for me, rather than trying to put them on the area right on front of me. My weighing scales are there so if you have items that need weighing I will then have to clear everything back off and that is just hassle that I do not need. It is really not making my life any easier and it is quite clearly not helping yours, either, as you are attempting to balance all of your shopping right on the edge of my till. I have now taken to politely asking customers to "just pop them there, for me", but it does not take much to realise that this is the more logical plan, surely?

And finally, I can understand handing them to the member of staff behind the tills, that's fine. We appreciate it, if you are happy to wait between scans and whatnot. But please, please, please commit to that decision, ok? We do not appreciate following the item as you slowly get bored and lower them to wherever you feel fit to place it as we are trying to retrieve them from your grasp. Thank you.