‘About time,’ cry Walmart shoppers after 2 more locations announce end of self-checkout – blaming thieves for the change
THE trend of removing self-checkout entirely from stores continues at two more Walmart locations that faced severe theft problems.
After announcing a slew of self-checkout removals over the last couple of months, Walmart has added two more stores to the list.
A Walmart in St. Louis, Missouri, and one in Cleveland, Ohio, will be removing the troublesome kiosks from stores over the next few weeks, representatives told Business Insider.
"We believe the change will improve the in-store shopping experience and give our associates the chance to provide more personalized and efficient service," Walmart spokesman Brian Little told Insider.
Several other major retailers have also announced the removal of self-checkout options or changes in rules concerning self-checkout in recent months, including Target, Dollar General, and FiveBelow.
The move comes as retailers try to clamp down on growing rates of shoplifting that many believe is directly linked to the proliferation of self-checkout machines.
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One study by shopping analysts at Grabango found that customers were 21 times more likely to steal while using self-checkout than when checking out with a cashier.
And much of the theft may be unintentional.
Another survey by Lending Tree found that 20% of people admitted to accidentally taking something home without paying when using self-checkout.
JOINING A TREND
Several other national chains have announced changes to their self-checkout policies just a few years after debuting them in stores across the country.
Target made headlines last month when they announced that they would begin limiting self-checkout to 10 items or less and replace many of the machines with cashier-led checkouts.
Store representatives said the update was tested at dozens of stores during a pilot program that saw the shift lead to a significant drop in "shrinkage" — item loss due to theft.
Leaders of Dollar General also announced this year that they would be shutting down a large portion of their self-checkout machines due to theft concerns.
Shoppers have already begun to take notice.
"Wow Dollar General has shut down ALL of their self-checkout because of stealing," shopper Patricia Wright said on Facebook.
NOT GONE YET
Walmart began completely removing its self-checkout options with a few stores in New Mexico last year, according to Time.
The company is the largest in-person retailer in the US, along with the country's biggest employer.
Other locations have also tried to reduce their reliance on self-checkout machines.
A Walmart in Los Angeles, California had reportedly roped off its self-checkout machines to discourage shoppers from using them after they were linked with increased theft.
With over 4,700 locations in the US alone, Walmart representatives said that there was no plan to remove self-service kiosks from all stores quite yet.
In a statement to The US Sun, Walmart’s press office director Joe Pennington confirmed the chain's stance last year.
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“We continually look at ways to provide our customers with the best shopping experience and that includes adjusting the checkout area in stores," Pennington said.
“There are no current plans for self-checkout removals nationwide.”
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.