Self-checkouts are nothing new, they have been around for a couple of years now. You can find them in grocery stores, hardware stores, even McDonald’s has the option to use a self-checkout instead of a traditional cashier. A Walmart store is starting to switch to a self-checkout store only.
via shutterstock
Walmart Self-Checkout
Fayetteville, Arkansas is doing a new test for its Walmart. They will only be having self-checkouts at their store, no cashiers. This is a new experiment for them to see what works better.
If all goes well and the test is successful, then Walmart will do the same thing in more locations and across the country.
While they did not have a set date in place for these to take effect, it could happen sooner rather than later. These new decisions will also depend on many different things.
One factor is feedback from their employees as well as the customers. The main concern is Walmart just wants to do things that are easiest for both their employees and their customers.
Why the Change
Some people wonder why the need for a change and if it will help employees or just make things worse.
One of the main reasons for this change is self-checkout is very cost-efficient. Having a customer do the same work you would normally pay an employee does save the company a lot of money.
One report found that checking someone into their flight at the airport with a cashier costs around $3 dollars. If the customer checks themselves in, it only costs about 14 cents, which is a significant difference.
Another positive is the privacy that customers get when they buy things. If someone gets a personal item or something they might be embarrassed to get, having the self-checkout allows them to keep their purchases private.
Negatives of Self-Checkouts
A lot of customers actually are against self-checkouts. They feel that they are doing all the work and not getting paid for it.
Others find the machine to be difficult to use and cause more problems and takes up more time. Especially the older people who don’t use technology too often may have more problems with the self-checkouts than others.
Oftentimes customers have to ask the employees for help, which is basically like having a cashier anyway. With there being only one or two employees around to help a dozen or more self-checkout stations, it could end up taking more time on customers to get the things they need.
One other negative is that it does put workers out of a job. With the way the economy is going, we need more jobs open for people to live in this world.
With the way things are going, Walmart may be the first to change out cashiers for a self-checkout only system. Which way do you prefer?
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377 comments on “Walmart Store Switches to Self-Checkout Only”
I personally like the self checks. But where we live there are so many elderly and disabled who just no way could do it on there own. Not sure about anywhere else but for store 2287 in New Castle PA it is a very bad idea.
There needs to be a combination of both. All self help is not customer friendly for seniors and folks with physical challenges.
I like the self checkouts myself, I feel like I can do it faster than some of the cashiers they had that would take forever to scan someone’s groceries, probably because they got payed by the hour. What I really don’t like about Walmart’s new rules is closing the pharmacy entrance. I’m older and don’t like to have to walk a long ways and so I parked in front of the pharmacy, then noticed the change when I got up to the door. I had to walk the length of the store outside, then the extra distance to go around the rails they put in front of the store to make you go around the side of the store. Then I had to walk all the way to the other side of the store, and get my wife’s prescription, and then walk all the way back to the other entrance, then walk the length of the store outside in the heat back to my vehicle. I don’t know who came up with this asinine idea, but I refuse to go back in Walmart, so we switched our prescriptions elsewhere, and if we can’t get it on grocery pickup, we won’t get it or we will get it elsewhere.
Sometime I do self check out but other times really need a cashier and seems more people cash out electrinics when limited up front and most times full. Buggies
Please leave cashiers!
Thank you, for this wise consideration!
NO SELF CHECKOUTS!!!!!!
I have not problem with self checkout, often prefer. However, it’s very difficult to get the bags to open so you can move through the process quickly. Both at Wal Mart and grocery stores.
That’s insane what about all those workers what happens to them , I don’t even like self checkout I never use them .. what is this world coming to…Â
If they are manning the self checks correctly, then it takes the same amount of people. Anybody that IS extra goes to a different department. This is how Walmarts grocery pick up originally started.
Or the quit Walmart and get hired by the company that makes and maintains the self checks. That’s where I work, and we have a LOT of former Walmart employees. Self checks don’t cost Walmart employees their jobs and actually create more jobs within my company.
Self checkout may be fine for a few items but not for abig order.
Why go to the store if I have to do the work? Stay home and order online.
Exactly
True. Sam’s club you can scan the item as you put it in your cart and pay in the app and show your online receipt when you leave. So no going through self check or cashier’s. If they are going to get rid of cashier’s why not just get rid of checkout period and just do app in-store purchase?