We’ve heard about how frustrating consumers find self checkout machines, particularly when faced with long lines, confusing interfaces and glitching devices. Social media posts from Walmart customers fed up with the self checkout process often get mainstream press coverage. Many have been pointing out that Walmart+ members, who pay $98 a year, sometimes get dedicated self checkout machines. This may be partially due to theft at self checkouts, which has led retailers, including Target, to limit access. Walmart has finally responded to the complaints by saying it isn’t true that they’re charging $98 to use self checkouts and that it’s up to each Walmart whether to designate some for Walmart+ members.
A Walmart spokesperson said that while self-checkout lanes may at times be designated to customers who have signed up for its paid membership scheme, they are not exclusively reserved for these paying members, as suggested by social media posts.
A Facebook video, opens new tab says, in part, “Walmart is charging $98 to people to use self-checkout.”
A spokesperson for Walmart said whether a store decides to limit access to its self-checkout stations for Walmart’s members is a “localized decision” that a store manager would make depending on customer traffic.
The $98 membership program mentioned in the video refers to Walmart+, opens new tab, a membership customers can choose to subscribe to that costs $98 per year.
On its website, opens new tab, Walmart does not list the exclusive use of self-checkout lanes for Walmart+ members, but members do have access to the “mobile scan & go, opens new tab” feature. It allows subscribers to scan their items using the Walmart app on their smartphone and pay at a self-checkout kiosk.
How is Walmart’s response any different from what people are claiming? The Walmart spokesperson is saying that they do limit access to self checkouts, but that it’s not permanent and is based on demand. As I mentioned in my last story about this, I tend to avoid the busy local stores that have self checkout machines. When the stores aren’t crowded they’re not bad but it’s often a negative experience for me. I have Walmart+ so I can do grocery pickups and get delivery, but I haven’t set foot in a Walmart in months. Even with the app, it’s super frustrating to find items and deal with the lines. Maybe this is by design though.
Last month, Walmart did a test of self checkout “theft prevention” by using RFID tags. These are readable tags on all items in the store. The tags would both help people check out quicker without having to scan items and prevent stealing by being able to verify if everything is paid for. This sounds like a start, but it also seems like a way to make people super wary of the checkout process. Remember that SNL skit about Black people at the Amazon Go store?
Photos via Instagram and Youtube screenshots/NBC
