SHOPPERS are sounding off as major retailers shake up self-checkout lanes, and one Target rule in particular is causing fury.
Some customers have blasted the company’s 10-item limit, saying it slows things down and forces them to wait in long cashier lines.
GettyWalmart has removed self-checkout machines in some stores (stock image)[/caption]The rule for item limits in self checkout lanes was rolled out in March 2024 across stores nationwide.
Target, based in Minneapolis, said the goal was to speed things up and cut down on theft and errors, but shoppers aren’t buying it.
The change has some shoppers worried that self-checkout will disappear from Target stores altogether.
“Target is not removing self-checkout,” a spokesperson for the company told USA TODAY.
“We offer it in the vast majority of our stores and have no plans to change this.”
Since the update, transaction times are 8% faster and checkout wait-time scores have jumped 5 points, according to Net Promoter Score results shared by Target.
But customers have taken to social media to complain that the 10-item rule isn’t enforced fairly, and creates longer waits when the manned cash registers get backed up.
Retail analyst Neil Saunders said the limit was meant to stop theft and scanning mistakes, but it’s also led to shopper frustration.
“The problem is that it has put more pressure on manned checkouts,” Saunders said.
“Target has not uniformly increased capacity which can lead to longer wait times.”
Some staff ignore the policy, letting shoppers with full carts use self-checkout anyway, he added, which annoys rule-followers.
Other chains are also rethinking how they handle self-checkout.
Walmart has removed machines in some stores, including in Shrewsbury, Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio.
In 2024, the company tested reserving some lanes for Walmart+ and Spark delivery drivers, according to Business Insider.
“There are no current plans for self-checkout removals nationwide,” a spokesperson told USA TODAY.
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.
Walmart said changes depend on “feedback from associates and customers, shopping patterns and business needs in the area.”
Sam’s Club, owned by Walmart, is pushing its self-checkout tech further.
Shoppers at the warehouse chain can scan items on their phones and pay using its Scan & Go system, skipping checkout entirely.
AI tech at store exits can now check carts before customers leave as well, though staff are still on hand to assist.
“As we continue to revitalize our fleet, we’re testing and learning,” a spokesperson said.
“We provide flexibility and options for how members choose to pay.”
CHAINS ON SELF-CHECKOUT TRAIN
Costco, meanwhile, hasn’t made any major changes.
Experts say the retailer’s model limits self-checkout theft by having staff check customer receipts at the door.
However, some chains are ditching the tech altogether.
Dollar General is removing self-checkout entirely from its 300 highest-theft stores and limiting its use in others to just five items.
CEO Todd Vasos said some stores are shifting back to associate-assisted lanes.
Five Below has also pulled back, switching to a system where customers scan items but a cashier completes the sale.
A LendingTree survey in November 2023 found 15% of self-checkout users admitted stealing, and nearly half said they’d do it again.
Retailers also reported a 90% spike in dollar losses from shoplifting in 2023 compared to 2019, according to a December 2024 National Retail Federation report.
Retail analyst Santiago Gallino said self-checkout isn’t going anywhere, but it’s being reined in.
“Self-checkout works best for small, quick trips, not large basket sizes,” he said.
“The result is not a full reversal, but a more nuanced approach.”
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