CHECKED OUT
‘People not computers’ blasts Walmart shopper after retailer makes U-turn to another location with self-checkout switch
Several stores have been removing self-checkout kiosks in key cities
A FRUSTRATED Walmart customer has called out the retailer after a self-checkout switch.
They advocated for a major change to improve the shopping experience around the country.
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In their eyes, the customer said "people[,] not computers" work best when checking out at Walmart.
Their comments come after a store in Shrewsbury, Missouri, a suburb on St. Louis' southwestern side, removed all of its self-checkout kiosks.
"I'm happy this happened," the Walmart fan wrote in a thread on Facebook about the store update.
"Like it mentioned technology taking all the jobs..."
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"We need to get back to people interacting with people, not computers," they added.
Others echoed a similar sentiment.
"I agree. Remove them and hire people," someone said.
"That's more jobs for people and being a union person, I don't use them," a customer noted.
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A third added, "I agree with you on this they need to hire more people."
CHANGING EXPERIENCE
Still, a few customers feared there would be a lack of efficiency at the checkout with the kiosks gone and that some staffers wouldn't offer better assistance.
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"They not going to hire more people they don't want to work and attitude nasty they going to put robots out," a shopper wrote.
"I actually like self-checkout because people [are] slow," another said.
Brian Little, another spokesperson for Walmart, gave more insight surrounding the removal of self-checkouts at the St. Louis area store while speaking with NBC affiliate KDSK.
"The decision was made based on several factors, including feedback from associates and customers, shopping patterns, and business needs in this area," Little told the outlet.
"We believe the change will improve the in-store shopping experience and give our associates the chance to provide more personalized and efficient service."
COMMON THREAD
This isn't the first Walmart location to abandon self-checkouts entirely.
As The U.S. Sun previously reported, Walmart ditched kiosks in at least three of its stores in Albuquerque, New Mexico, last year.
The company did not confirm the reasoning behind the decision, but it reportedly caused similar controversy among customers as it did in Missouri.
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.
Some claimed it ruined efficiency, while others said they preferred going to a cashier anyway.
"I could have been out of here 15 minutes sooner," Jonathan McKinney, a shopper near one of the New Mexico stores, told The Albuquerque Journal in September.
Walmart spokesperson Josh Havens told The U.S. Sun at the time that "adjusting the checkout area in stores" is part of the company's mission to "continually look at ways to provide our customers with the best shopping experience."
A Cleveland, Ohio, store followed suit early this year, Business Insider reported.
The retail giant confirmed to the publication there were no large-scale plans to remove self-checkouts at many more of its 4,700 US locations.
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For more related content, check out The U.S. Sun's coverage of a Walmart shopper's criticism that they want to "shop, not work" concerning self-checkout kiosks.
The U.S. Sun also has the story on the new delivery service Walmart announced that could change how customers get "missing ingredients."