Walmart recently announced that it is getting rid of self-checkout machines at two locations because of a crime spike. The stores that will be affected are in Cleveland, Ohio, and Shrewsbury, Missouri.
When a customer self-scans their items, the employees are not present to monitor whether or not everything was scanned correctly, which often leads to theft. Self-checkout machines are popular with criminals because it’s easier for them to steal. As a result, Walmart has decided to deploy real employees at the checkout counter, giving shoppers more personalized service.
This move could save the retailer millions of dollars in loss prevention and enhance the shopping experience. Neil Saunders, the managing director of GlobalData, said, “Most of the rollback of self-checkouts is due to retailer concerns over theft.”
Walmart customer Erik Johnson told the Daily Mail, “I think it’s faster if everyone went through a person checker. Personally, I find the self-checkouts a pain in the ass. The only good part is when the other lines are long.”
Walmarts in St. Louis are now getting rid of self checkouts because theft is so bad…https://t.co/9RlNA3dmgo
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) April 23, 2024
In contrast, Target stated that it would limit self-checkout customers to only ten items in order to improve the shopping experience. This change comes after a recent study from Drexel University in Pennsylvania found that self-checkout lanes actually leave shoppers feeling frustrated because they are forced to do it all themselves. It turns out that most customers would rather have an employee do their work for them.
The decision to remove self-checkout machines at Walmart also follows the recent announcement of the closure of four stores in Chicago, Illinois due to poor performance, as well as the closure of two stores in Portland, Oregon.
In an interview with CNBC last year, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon explained that the company has been dealing with an increase in theft and warned that stores will close if city officials do not resolve it.
It’s concerning to see that crime levels are so high that retailers like Walmart and Dollar General are forced to make drastic changes in order to protect their business. It’s a sad reflection of the current state of society, where people feel like they can take what they want without consequences.
