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A WALMART customer has raged at the store and said he ditched his cart and left for another retailer due to a 20-minute wait.
The shopper blasted the chain over its self-checkout area and claimed these machines led to crime.
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Rick Gibbs shared his scathing rant and shopping experience in a Facebook post.
Gibbs said he waited in a long line as there were only two cashiers at the store in Logansport, Indiana.
The shopper added that the store had opened more self-checkout machines and said this had impacted his shopping experience.
“Took me 20+ min to go threw the line of these two cashiers,” he wrote.
He added that he ditched his cart, walked out of Walmart, and went to another grocery store.
Gibbs said he called Walmart to complain about this checkout area change and claimed using these self-service kiosks promoted a certain type of crime.
“I complained that it is facts that self checkouts promote thief,” he said.
“And I am tired of paying for the thief’s.”
Despite this, Gibbs claimed that the store had increased its number of cashiers to six when he visited at 7:30 am.
“No waiting to pay lol,” he said.
CHECKOUT CHANGES
Walmart has started to roll out a checkout change at some of its stores.
The retailer has recently limited some self-checkouts to shoppers with 15 items or less.
This has meant people with more than 15 items must wait for a cashier to pay for their goods.
Some customers have raged about this change on social media, The U.S. Sun has previously reported.
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.
One shopper said a Walmart employee stopped them from using the self-service kiosks to pay for 20 items.
“So now they are not just paying people to watch you check and bag your purchase so you don’t steal, they are now paying someone to make sure you don’t buy too many dog treats!” they wrote.
STORE’S APOLOGY
Walmart has not been the only retailer to face backlash for its growing use of self-checkouts, The U.S. Sun has previously reported.
Kroger apologized to a customer who complained about wait lines that extended into the aisles.
This shopper shared images of customers waiting to pay at their local branch.
“Does anyone even work here anymore?” the shopper asked.
