WALMART has offered to launch a probe after admitting a shopper’s self-checkout experience was odd.
The customer seemed perplexed that all the self-checkout stations were closed.
A Walmart shopper was left seething when self-checkouts were closed (stock)[/caption]
One shopper was left stunned by what transpired at the checkouts at 5:45 pm on a weekday, according to an X post.
She appeared stunned that there were only two cash registers available.
“I wonder why I don’t come here more often,” the shopper said, much to her dismay.
“Then the checkout lines that are 10 people deep remind me why.”
A Walmart spokesperson swiftly responded to the shopper’s grievances.
They admitted that the state of the checkout lines was “odd.”
The representative then encouraged the shopper to send Walmart a message containing the store’s details.
A raft of shoppers have complained about the state of checkout lanes that have emerged inside Walmart stores across the US.
One customer shared pictures of empty shelves inside a store in Fort Worth, Texas.
They revealed that customers appeared to be stockpiling ahead of the winter storm set to hit the northern part of the state.
The shopper also shared a snap showing the checkout lines that stretched down the aisles.
Customers have wasted no opportunity in slamming Walmart for seemingly not having enough cashiers working at one time.
“I am so over self checkout!!” a shopper raged on X.
“I just want to pull my cart up and have someone ring and bag my purchases.
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“Seriously, I don’t get paid to work there. Staff more than three of the 20 checkouts!”
Walmart shoppers can check out their groceries by using traditional cash registers or self-service scanners.
Rumors circulated last year that Walmart was charging customers to use self-checkouts.
This was because the retailer, in some stores, reserved kiosks for Walmart+ members.
Walmart+ is a subscription service where customers can take advantage of a raft of in-store perks.
A yearly subscription costs $98, which equates to around $8.17 a month.
A Walmart representative told Reuters shoppers do not have to pay for self-checkout access but acknowledged that lanes may sometimes be reserved for Walmart+ members.
Robert Arrieta, who is also a spokesperson, confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that sometimes self-checkout hours may be adjusted.
“For example, a store might start or end the day with staffed checkouts,” he said.
“As the number of shoppers and associate staffing increases, these stores open self-checkout registers to manage the increased customer flow. This process isn’t new.”
The shopper also complained at the lack of registers[/caption]
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed up checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at various locations were made available only for Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed during specific hours, and more cashiers were offered instead.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting fueled the updates, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would stop the fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, that test run has been phased out.
At Target, items are being limited at self-checkout.
Last fall, the brand surveyed new express self-checkout lanes across 200 stores with 10 items or less for more convenience.
As of March 2024, this policy has been expanded across 2,000 stores in the US.
Shoppers have also spotted their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.
