WALMART is facing backlash from shoppers after imposing a limit on how many items they can check into automatic checkout.
Customers have reached out to Walmart on X to express their frustration with the policy update.
The retailer recently began limited self-checkout for shoppers with 15 items or fewer.
Shoshana (@shan_shan_78) begged Walmart to reconsider after waiting in long lines.
“Dear Walmart, if you are going to go back to 15 items or more being fulfilled by a physical cashier, add more cashiers!” she he wrote in X.
“It’s like a madhouse just for groceries.”
She was not the only one to face this problem.
“My goal is to obey the rules, but if you only intend to self-check out 15 items or less, you should have more than two cashiers working,” added fellow shopper Joe (@Joetecínio).
Some customers said the change caused enough disruption that they started shopping at rivals like Aldi and BJ’s.
One shopper suggested increasing the number of items allowed at self-checkout, since most people buy their groceries at Walmart.
“Walmart, I can’t say I love the new 15 items or less self-checkout policy. It wouldn’t be so bad if the cashiers moved a lot faster. they wrote.
“But I really should increase the number to 15. I can’t wait in lines like that every time.”
LOST THE MARK
Target rolled out a ten-items-or-fewer rule for self-checkout in March.
The company promised that the change would create “express self-checkout” lanes.
A pilot test found the limit made self-checkout twice as fast, but Target faced a similar backlash as Walmart.
“As someone who consistently gets 12 items at Target, the self-checkout express lane being for only 10 items or less really made me think about switching allegiances,” wrote one user X.
“I would rather shop at Walmart than wait more than 10 minutes with 11 items because of their strict inspection policy,” another shopper added.
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at several locations were made available only to Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed at specific times and more cashiers were offered in its place.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting would fuel 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 thwart fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, this test has been discontinued.
At Target, items are being limited in auto-checkout.
Last fall, the brand researched new express self-checkout lanes in 200 stores with 10 items or less for added convenience.
In March 2024, this policy was expanded to 2,000 stores in the US.
Target shoppers regularly complain about waiting in long lines while only a few brick-and-mortar checkouts are open.
“A five-minute ride has now turned into 25 because there are only two lanes open and the lines are in the women’s lane,” said a Target customer posted in X.
Target apologized to the customer, saying stores are working to prioritize traditional, full-service registers.
“We are prioritizing full-service check-in lanes to support our guests throughout the day and intend to open Express Self-Checkout to accommodate busy times,” the store wrote.
The retailer announced that it would stop accepting standard payments starting this week.
Fans are racing to find nine rare Squishsmallows toys only available at Target.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
