Walmart May Remove This Key Area From Its Stores for Good

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Well, this isn't great news for anyone who loathes self-checkout stands.

The world's largest retailer, Walmart, is seriously considering replacing all of its traditional checkout lanes and workers with self-checkout stations.

The retail giant is conducting a trial run first at a Walmart superstore location in Fayetteville, Arkansas, reports Fox Business. Traditional conveyor belt lanes there are currently being replaced with only self-checkout counters.

The experiment will determine if the DIY approach to scanning and paying for your items at Walmart will be more efficient, faster, and safer for shoppers—especially during the coronavirus pandemic when person-to-person interactions are the riskiest way to spread the virus. (Employees will reportedly still be available to help with self-checkout, though.)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/walmart-may-remove-this-key-area-from-its-stores-for-good/ar-BB15zK4f?li=BBnb7Kz

[tblue37]

1. Nope. nt

[TheBlackAdder]

26. Yep. They open up their alternate profit center, fleecing people with fines for mis-scans & theft.

[tblue37]

27. I never use self scan, and I never will. nt

[USALiberal]

41. You use ATMs? Pump your own gas? Lol! Nt

[tblue37]

44. I don't use ATMs. I do pump gas, but I pay in advance inside. I am deaf. Self scans talk at you.

I can't understand what they say.

[Sneederbunk]

2. Thankfully all shoppers are honest.

[getagrip_already]

9. believe it or not....

Self checkout stations have a much lower product shrinkage rate than human workers. The scales and cameras are very good at finding things like ups code swapping and other methods shoplifters use to defeat mere disinterested humans.

A checkout clerk is not paid or rewarded for spotting theft. They are only punished if they allow it. Machines do what they are told and look at every item. So does the largest private police/security force on the planet (walmart security).

Self checkout is actually much harder to fool than an employee.

[applegrove]

13. And what you scan has to weigh the same as what you put in the bag. I think.

[Ms. Toad]

15. It's not that sophisticated -

but I won't use the weight-based-accuse-me-of-theft machines.

I'll use the conveyor belt models - I'm faster than any clerk I've ever encountered.

But the weight-based ones accuse me of theft every time I have to adjust anything in the bags. Won't use them.

[applegrove]

17. I'm so sad. I loved being a cashier and being right onto the penny at the

Last edited Wed Jun 17, 2020, 11:24 PM - Edit history (3)

end of the day. I worked in the bookstore of a major university for a few years. Thousands and thousands of dollars going through my cash over the course of a few weeks. And i was right on every time. Meditative. I was hoping to come out of retirement and get a job as a cashier. Now it seems there will not be a job for me. Oh well. Nobody pays in cash anymore. No chance to build a record of being right to the penny while doing something with only good stress. But what are the other cashiers going to do?

[StarfishSaver]

3. I NEVER use self-checkout unless I have absolutely no other choice

Whenever someone suggests I move to self-checkout, I say, "No, thank you. I don't work here."

(I didn't come up with that - I heard someone else say it and stole it ...)

[Goonch]

5. This was ALWAYS the plan

Walmart removed jewelry and fish depts as they required dedicated staff

[USALiberal]

42. Use ATMs? Pump your own gas? Silly! Nt

[cayugafalls]

4. Oh boy, this is going to be interesting.

I can tell you right now it will not be faster or more efficient. I spent two years going to U of A in Fayetteville and well, there are some pretty interesting people that hang at Walmart...

Like I said, this will be interesting.

[JI7]

6. bad idea if people have a lot of items. Self checkout is best for very few items

maybe less than 5 items. and best if they are small.

but they get held up with people who have more things.

[Ms. Toad]

16. Only the weight-based models.

The conveyor belt models are faster for me than a clerk, regardless of how many items I have.

[JI7]

24. I haven't seen any self checkouts with conveyer belt

[Ms. Toad]

30. There are plenty in our area.

Frequently stores choose one or the other model - and I explain very bluntly why I don't use the weight-based models. The conveyor belt ones work just like they do when a cashier works them, except you scan at the beginning of the belt instead of loading up the belt to run to the cashier.

The only slow-down is if I have too many things to move off the end of belt. I pick up a lot of time because (1) I know what produce I have - cashiers often can't figure it out (or pick the wrong one of two similar ones - organic/non-organic). (2) I don't have to watch like a hawk to make sure they chose the wrong thing - or that things ring up with the sale price. If I see a problem, I can flag the cashier to come over while I continue to scan. I don't have to worry about cashiers who think their chin needs a sling (rather than wearing the mask over their nose & mouth).

[TheBlackAdder]

28. Lowes tried that shit with me when I had about 30 items. I just did a cargo drop & walked out.

[madaboutharry]

7. Uh uh, no way....

They are using the virus as an excuse to fire employees and offer the customer reduced services.

It’s an old bait and switch.

I never shop at Walmart anyway, but that is just a slap in the face to their customer base. Especially elderly people.

[SouthernIrish]

32. Not true

Walmart has hired over 500k people in the past 2 months. More people hired for OGP and sanitizing areas, front door scanners and stockers.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Wonder which Supercenter they're trying this. We have 2 in Fayetteville.

Last edited Wed Jun 17, 2020, 11:13 PM - Edit history (1)

I will not use self checkout. Ask Home Depot how they liked me leaving my cart in the aisle and going to Lowe's.

[SpazzTheCat]

34. The Joyce Street Supercenter

thats the one

[2naSalit]

10. All the more reason to continue my life long boycott

of those insidious places.

[42bambi]

11. I actually like self checkout ... been doing that for almost 2 years at Walmart and Target. Also

Home Depot - if you have few items and are small, and so far all has gone really well for me. They do all have lanes open for people that prefer not using self check out, which is good, as I see many people sticking with what works for them.

[House of Roberts]

12. I don't shop at WalMart if I can avoid it.

And I don't like to use self checkout, as it tends to multi-scan items, getting the quantity wrong, requiring the supervising employee to straighten out the error.
Heavy items, like two liter soft drinks and 12 packs don't work well at self checkout either.

[katmondoo]

14. I never shop at Walmart. I do not like self check so I will leave that to Walmart lovers

[helpisontheway]

18. Our Walmart is a test store. A couple years ago they removed

most of the checkouts. Only a handful of registers. I figured they would eventually try to eliminate cashiers. From what I have heard (have not been there lately) our Walmart Neighborhood Market no longer has cashiers except for the person that helps if there are issues with the self checkout.

[demtenjeep]

19. nope

don't like them anyway

but I do not use self-checkout


Infact, I had to go there once in the morning. There were no checkers so I went to the customer service area. The lady asked what she could do and I said I need to ring up my purchase. She directed me to the self check out. I said I don't work there so no I don't use it. She insisted I use self-check out. I refused and asked for the manager. He showed up and again said self-checkout.

I asked if I was going to get the employee discount.

He rang me out.

[lpbk2713]

20. Note to self ...

Fuck Wal*Mart even more.

[smirkymonkey]

35. +1000

I have never shopped at WalMart and I never will.

They can burn in hell. Don't these bastards have enough money? Do they have to nickel and dime their employees to death?

[lpbk2713]

36. That's what I detest about Wally World.

The Walton family has money to burn but they treat their employees like shit.

[smirkymonkey]

37. Their greed is just obscene.

It's like the cruelty is the point or something They don't need the money, but they still want to deprive people of their livlihoods.

[SiliconValley_Dem]

40. yep. they are the devil

[marlakay]

21. I consider the self checkout less safe

Because no one is cleaning the area after each use at all. You are touching all sorts of buttons and packing areas.

[SouthernIrish]

33. They clean the self checkouts often in my local Walmart

[OverBurn]

22. Refuse to. Been in a Walmart twice my entire life.

[blueinredohio]

23. I was in walmart once when a couple were doing self check out.

The cashier had to come over and do the whole careful at self check out because they weren't scanning half their stuff. Yes, that will work out well.

[KentuckyWoman]

25. I would accept this if they shift purchasing back to buy American.

Shift displaced workers to pick up at the curb services
Expand offerings for disabled workers who can't do all that lifting and walking.
Improve company paid benefits for workers they have.


Once Walmart does this they all will. Low wage workers lose yet another employment option. Taxpayers already subsidize all of these workers, not just Walmart.


Walmart takes a lot of shit and has well earned it, but I will tell you that I've met more than one Walmart employee who made out better with Walmart that any other place they were able to work. Think inner city, out in the sticks, and people with personal barriers to better employment. Walmart will go places other stores won't. They are often shipping survival supplies to disaster zones before FEMA can get in. With Katrina, their distribution system saved lives.

There is A LOT wrong with Walmart. But they are going to do this. Yes it's partly greed but there are other factors. The real question is what are those factors and how can consumers mitigate any of those through our purchasing habits.

[Hotler]

29. If you go to Walmart for your nightcrawlers and you....

try to scan them one at time in the self checkout, you might be a......

[NutmegYankee]

31. I just stand there until someone checks out my goods.

I just say it violates my sincere and deeply held beliefs to do self checkout.

[PTWB]

38. I love self checkout

Soon we won’t have to checkout at all though (see Amazons stores).

[rownesheck]

39. I think all retail establishments

should go cashier-less and cash-less. I think Amazon operates some stores like that. As a retail worker myself, I've always hated working the cash register. I like as little customer interaction as possible. Let me fill up the store while you buy up the stuff. And yes, I know, I'm in the wrong line of work. But it's where I'm at, so if it can change to fit what I want, great!

[grantcart]

43. I love self check out. Most dangerous covid 19 location is at checkout lane

Self checkout is more spread out and they clean each station each time

All the stores in our area including Fry, Safeway, etc have 80% self check out.

We use Sam Club (Costco is 30 miles away) and use their phone app to add items by taking the bar code when we put it in the cart. At the end push a button and walk out. Saves time, waiting for people, etc. It is also great making sure we don't go over budget.

In a couple of years all the checkout will be done on people's phones.