A FIVE Below employee called customers complaining that the store did not have a self-service machine.
In a quick nine-second TikTok, the employee posted herself working at the discount chain.
“5below is not self-checkout… why do people look down on me for this,” posted the TikToker who goes by Mads (@minecraftluverrr).
“You seem very entitled, let me do my job.”
Five Below recently implemented a new policy that restricts customers from using self-checkout machines.
The chain, known for having products that cost five dollars or less, no longer allows customers to scan, bag or use self-checkout machines.
Customers used to use self-checkout machines alone, but now self-checkouts have transformed into “associate-assisted” checkouts, which Daily Point reported.
Now the only thing customers can use on their own is the pin pad to pay for their purchases.
“I understand the hassle of waiting in line and it’s definitely an awkward setup, but customers can be extremely rude. I’ve heard several horror stories from clients with associates as well as my own,” Mads told the Daily Dot.
“I don’t care if people don’t know the politics. I just wish people wouldn’t take their frustration out on me,” she said.
“I really enjoy my work and I love interacting with customers. I always try to provide everyone with the best experience possible.”
Although the video was brief, the debate in the comments was extensive.
The video received more than 83,000 likes and more than 2,700 comments.
Instead of agreeing with the employee’s comments, many users took the video as an opportunity to complain about their concerns with self-checkout machines in retail stores.
“Girl, checkout has been automatic for years and now all of a sudden there is an employee there rushing me and packing my bags the wrong way,” wrote one customer.
“This is a NEW policy that allows people to go crazy.”
Many customers have written about their unpleasant experience checking out at Five Below.
“I was like ‘oh thanks’ when I started and the employee just snatched my items out of my hand… they’ve never done that before, it’s always been self-checkout,” said one customer.
“I hated how me and the cashier stood so close to each other, on the same side of the register, and just scanned right next to me when I COULD do it myself,” said another customer.
The new changes follow a massive increase in retail theft over the past two years.
In 2023, stores lost a total of $121.6 million to retail theft, a Capital One study discovered.
This number is expected to increase to $150 million by 2026.
“We expect to have 75% of our transactions across the chain handled by an associate, with a goal of 100% of our highest-shrink, highest-risk stores being fully transacted by an associate,” Five Below CEO Joel Anderson said in a statement. an announcement. March earnings call Fox Business reported.
The company did not immediately respond to The US Sun’s request for comment.
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.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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