Ledge: This is the part of the checkout that is closest to the store. It is made of metal. It's sole purpose is to in case the conveyor unit, or "belt". The ledge has no moving parts and therefore items placed on the ledge will not advance with the belt.
Belt: This is the black rubberized conveyor belt on which you place your groceries. The belt is designed to move towards the cashier so that they don't have to reach for your groceries. The specifics of how the belt moves will be discussed below. People will put anything on the belt, including leaking bloody meat, used Kleenex, and money; thus the belt is very dirty. Placing any food you don't intend on washing (like unwrapped baked goods) or your children on the belt isn't a very good idea.
Dividers: Most cashes come equipped with two dividers. Sometimes they have the store logo or motto on them, and sometimes they are just plain black plastic bars. The sole purpose of these dividers is to DIVIDE one person's groceries from the next. When you have finished placing your items on the belt, it is a good idea to place the divider at the end of your order. That not only ensures that the next person's order won't be mixed with yours but also signals the next person that you are finished and they can begin placing their items on the belt. That being said if there is a divider on the belt it is not necessary to leave a space before you start loading your groceries. Cashiers universally understand the purpose of the divider, and will not start ringing in groceries after the divider reaches the front of the belt. Leaving a large space on the belt, or waiting for the cashier to complete the previous order is unnecessary, and greatly slows the process for you, the cashier, and anyone behind you in line.
Metal Funnel: This is a triangular piece of metal that sits at the front of the belt on the side closest to the customer. This funnel is designed to push groceries away from the side of the belt and prevent them from getting lost behind the scanning unit. If something gets stuck underneath the funnel it can easily be flipped up. It is a good idea when loading your groceries on the belt to leave a little room on that side to prevent groceries from being squished by the funnel.
Infrared Light Sensor: This is an invisible laser like light that runs across the surface of the belt closest to the cashier. On one side of the belt the light is produced, and on the other side the light is received. If this light is blocked and cannot be received, then the belt will no longer advance. If the light is uninterrupted the belt will pull forward until something blocks the light once more. It is common practice for a cashier to place a divider vertically in front of the sensor to prevent the belt from advancing continuously. Note that the advancement of the belt is completely dependant on the light sensor and that the cashier cannot control the stopping and starting of the belt, nor the speed in which the belt moves.
Keyboard: This is used by the cashier to key in quantities of produce items, to manually key in scan codes, to indicate the amount and type of payment, and most often to input produce codes. Pushing buttons haphazardly will most likely result in an error on your bill. So no, it is not OK for your child to play with it.
Scale Controls: Located right next to the scale/scanner most of these units have 2 buttons. One resets the scale to zero, and the other increases the volume of the scanner.
Scale Scanner: Directly in front of the cashier is the scanner/scale. It is a delicate scale, capable to measuring as little as five grams (0.17 oz). The scanner is underneath the scale and works with an infrared light similar to that on the belt. The scanner reads the bar code on the item, which the computer (hidden below,or inside the belt) recognises and produces the price that is on file for that bar code. The cashier has no control over this process either. The prices are usually determined by central office, and are usually the same province wide.
Debit/Credit machine: Most people are familiar with this, if there is one clearly visible, then it is up to the customer to swipe his or her debit card, or tap their pay pass. IF you are not paying with a MasterCard that has Pay Pass, you must give your card to the cashier for them to swipe. The cashier will ensure the number is correct and once the charge has been approved, and signed for, they will return the card. It is acceptable for children to push the buttons on this machine as long as they are gentle, as this machine is only activated once the cashier pushes the "debit" or "credit" button.
Pricing Gun: Not all stores have these but most wholesale stores do. Inside the "gun" is a miniature, hand-held scanner. This is used when their are heavy items in the cart, or objects that are too heavy or awkward to manoeuvre over the scanner. That being said, if you choose to leave items in your cart, make sure the bar code is facing up so that the cashier can see it, and scan it.
