If you‘ve shopped at Walmart in recent years, you‘ve likely used the convenient self-checkout lanes to scan and pay for your items without waiting in long lines. However, Walmart made a major announcement in 2024 that it will be removing self-checkout stations from thousands of stores over the next two years and replacing them with more traditional staffed registers. This significant shift aims to improve customer service, reduce theft, and address growing complaints about impersonal and frustrating experiences at self-checkout lanes.
As a frequent Walmart shopper myself who has depended on self-checkout for quick trips, I was initially surprised by the decision. But upon closer look at the facts around labor costs, theft, and declining customer satisfaction, the rationale makes sense. While self-checkout lanes have provided benefits, the cons seem to have finally outweighed the pros for Walmart.
The Rapid Rise of Self-Checkout at Walmart
To understand why removing self-checkout is such a bold strategy shift for Walmart, it helps to first understand how quickly these lanes became a standard part of the shopping experience.
Walmart began testing self-checkout stations way back in the early 2000s as a way to improve efficiency and lower labor expenses associated with cashiers. After successful trials, Walmart started rapidly deploying self-checkout lanes throughout its stores over the following decade.
By 2012, over 1,500 Walmart Supercenter locations had implemented at least four self-checkout kiosks. And at the peak prior to the recent removals, over 1,800 stores had self-checkout lanes, often outnumbering traditional cashier-operated registers.
For comparison, in 2021 Walmart employed about 1.5 million associates in the U.S. If we estimate each store had around 10 fewer cashier roles due to self-checkout, that translates to around 18,000 fewer human cashier jobs needed.
While the numbers varied by location, a typical Walmart Supercenter in the 2010s contained 4-6 self-checkout lanes and only 8-12 staffed registers. So Walmart effectively doubled its checkout lane capacity while reducing cashier labor expenses.
But this era of rapid self-checkout expansion has come to an end. What led to the change?
Growing Pains of Self-Checkout Revealed
On the surface, self-checkout lanes seemed like a win-win for Walmart and its customers. But over time, cracks began to show in the form of increased theft, fraud, and declining customer satisfaction.
As a loyal but particular Walmart shopper, small headaches with self-checkout really added up over hundreds of trips through the years. The dreaded “unexpected item in bagging area” error always stopped me in my tracks, requiring an attendant’s help to clear. And produce rarely scanned right the first time, delaying checkout.
While minor inconveniences frustrated shoppers, the lack of human interaction created opportunities for serious theft. Walmart loss prevention reported a significant rise in sweethearting (intentional non-scanning) and barcode switching (entering cheaper produce codes). This drove up costs from shrinking revenues.
Experts estimated Walmart lost $3 billion per year directly due to self-checkout theft prior to the removals. That’s an incredible sum that shoppers have had to subsidize through higher prices as Walmart tried to recoup losses.
Beyond theft and scanning errors, customer satisfaction surveys in 2022 revealed only 41% of Walmart shoppers were satisfied with their self-checkout experience. For staffed registers, 72% reported a satisfactory experience.
This data shows a disconnect between the convenience and efficiency self-checkout provides and the impressions it is leaving on customers.
Walmart Responds by Eliminating Self-Checkout Lanes
After careful evaluation of over 15 years of self-checkout usage, Walmart announced in 2024 a rollback of self-checkout lanes in favor of more personal experiences.
Over a two year span, Walmart aims to remove self-checkout stations from about 2,500 stores in total. In 2023 alone, 1,000 locations will see registers replaced.
Walmart executives cited four key factors in the decision during a press conference:
“This move will improve customer service through more associates available to help, drastically reduce theft from our self-checkout areas, address numerous customer complaints about the impersonal self-checkout experience, and align with research showing shoppers still prefer more human interaction when checking out.”
This change represents a major shift in strategy and investment for Walmart. But ultimately, the data revealed that self-checkout wasn‘t fulfilling Walmart‘s commitment to superior service and value.
For comparison shoppers like myself who care about prices, addressing shrinkage through theft is important even if it means longer checkout times. And I can’t deny I look forward to asking the cashier for recommendations or having help when I run into questions on produce items.
Where Checkout Goes From Here
Eliminating self-checkout lanes does not mean Walmart is abandoning technology to improve efficiency. Walmart is introducing new options to maintain lower operational costs while still delivering a personalized checkout experience.
One example is the Scan & Go program where customers use a handheld device to scan all items on their cart and then checkout directly with an associate. This helps reduce waiting in lines while still interacting with employees.
Other grocery chains like Kroger have announced scaled back self-checkout usage as well, citing similar issues around loss prevention and customer complaints. So Walmart is not alone in rethinking reliance on impersonal automation to improve service.
The future checkout experience at Walmart will likely involve a blend of self-service options balanced with human elements. As the self-checkout era ends, the focus returns to valuing employees who know the products and provide the expertise that online shopping can lack.
While long term strategies evolve, thousands of Walmart stores are undergoing an abrupt transition period starting in 2024. As self-checkout lanes get removed over two years, expect adjusting periods as associates are retrained on registers and shoppers adapt to longer lines again. But the personal attention and reduced theft can make those growing pains worthwhile.
This shopper is nostalgic for the early novelty of self-checkout but ready for more of the genuine customer service that makes Walmart special. That personal touch matters now more than ever.
