WALMART shoppers have been furious over several major changes made by the retailer that customers say are ruining the shopping experience.
While many shoppers have complained about anti-theft policies imposed by Walmart in recent months, some are also upset about changes at checkout that they say have left them waiting nearly half an hour to leave the store.
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The changes appear to be affecting buyers in the United States and Canada.
A customer recently took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to complain that only one employee was allegedly working in the self-checkout area of their local Walmart in Barrhaven, Canada — about 18 kilometers southwest of Ottawa.
They claimed that the lack of employees meant that dozens of customers had to wait to complete their purchase.
“8am Sunday @WalmartCanada @Walmart Barrhaven. One person at self-checkout and 25 people in line,” said the buyer he wrote in the post.
“WHAT A JOKE!
The customer appeared to call Walmart to hire more employees to speed up the checkout process.
“How about spending some money so you don’t have to wait 20 minutes to use a SELF checkout,” they wrote.
Walmart eventually responded to the complaint, urging the customer to provide more information about the incident.
“We are sorry for your experience,” the major retailer said.
“Please send us a direct message and explain your concern so we can help you.”
It was not immediately clear why only one Walmart employee was managing the self-checkout area or whether other cash registers were open.
In recent months, Walmart shoppers have noticed that some locations have closed self-checkout lanes – causing more delays in shopping.
Some of these changes were attributed to Walmart’s increased benefits for Walmart+ members.
Specifically, shoppers have noticed self-service machines being made available only to members – who pay $12.95 per month, or $98 annually, for the benefits.
Others spotted their local Walmart stores announcing they would end self-checkout during certain hours of the day.
Walmart defended the changes, saying the company believes it will improve the customer experience.
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 they were offered more cashiers.
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.
Spokesman Brian Little told Business Insider: “”We believe the change will improve the in-store shopping experience and give our associates the opportunity to provide more personalized and efficient service.”
“The decision was based on several factors, including feedback from associates and customers, purchasing patterns and business needs in this area,” Little added.
However, buyers are not convinced.
Some even resorted to leaving their basket of items and leaving the store when they saw long lines.
Walmart did not immediately respond to The US Sun’s request for comment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
