"It'll Get Ugly": Shoppers React to Walmart's Self-Checkout Overhaul

A Walmart customer has criticized the company for planning to introduce more self-checkout lanes at some of its stores.

The customer worries about longer lines and waiting times inside the stores because of the new policy.

Walmart Reverses Course on Self-Checkouts

Two additional Walmart locations-one in St. Louis, Missouri, and the other in Cleveland, Ohio-will eliminate their self-checkout machines, a company statement to Business Insider revealed.

The removal of these machines will take place after store hours and will be completed over the next two weeks.

"We believe the change will enhance the shopping experience in our stores and allow our associates to offer more personalized and efficient service," Walmart spokesperson Brian Little explained to Insider.

With over 4,700 stores across the United States, Walmart has stated that it does not intend to refrain from broadly removing self-checkout kiosks from its locations.

In addition to removing the self-checkout machines entirely at certain stores, Walmart and other retailers are trying to tackle the issues that arise with self-service technology.

Business Insider reported that several Walmart stores have started restricting access to self-checkout lanes exclusively to users of Walmart's services, the Walmart+ membership, and the Spark delivery app.

Also Read: Dollar Tree Announces Closure of 35 Stores in Ohio, Final Sales Underway

Walmart's Checkout Changes Spark Debate

A customer, known on X (formerly Twitter) as @USAgenda22, responded to news that some Walmart stores will be removing their self-checkout kiosks. The user emphasized that Walmart must increase its number of cashiers if it plans to eliminate self-checkouts.

"If they remove self-checkout, they'd better get more cashiers on registers, or things will get ugly real fast," they commented.

The shopper also expressed concerns over potential long waiting times. "No one wants to wait in lines the length of the store," they added, highlighting the importance of efficient service.

This discussion follows Walmart's decision last year to remove self-checkout machines from three of its Albuquerque, New Mexico, stores, as reported by The U.S. Sun. Although Walmart operates 14 locations in Albuquerque, the change was only implemented in three stores.

The company did not specify the reasons for these removals. Still, it stated, "We continually look at ways to provide our customers with the best shopping experience, including adjusting the checkout area in stores."

Additionally, The U.S. Sun noted another customer's frustration with the removal of self-checkout. The user, @subonekd, also voiced their dissatisfaction with X, stating, "I don't know what's worse: cashiers who don't know what they're doing or customers who are surprised they've got to pay for everything in their cart."

This highlights the mixed reactions from the public regarding Walmart's checkout strategy adjustments.

Meanwhile, Target has introduced a new policy at its self-service lanes, limiting customers to ten items per transaction. The company reports that this change has doubled the speed of the checkout process compared to when no item limits were in place.

Additionally, some Target stores have started restricting the operating hours of their self-checkout lanes.

Research indicates that self-checkouts can lead to what's known as "partial shrink," a loss of inventory occurring when customers accidentally or intentionally fail to scan all items in their carts. This phenomenon can affect store profits and inventory accuracy.

Related Article: Target Faces Lawsuit in Illinois Over Alleged Secret Biometric Data Collection, Shoppers Could Receive $5K