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‘I left my cart,’ says Walmart shopper as they ditched $50 of groceries after being forced to use self-checkout
The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of self-checkout changes shoppers have seen at major chains.
A WALMART shopper couldn’t hide her frustration as she abandoned her cart while waiting in line.
The furious customer walked out after reportedly being told she had no option to use the self-checkout.
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Sharon Ackerman was apoplectic with rage following a trip to a store in Dubuque, Iowa – around 175 miles from Chicago.
She went to the supermarket and filled her cart with items costing between $40 and $50, per a Facebook post.
Ackerman then went to the checkout lanes but claimed not one was open.
She asked a worker about the possibility of opening one of the lanes but was told no.
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Ackerman couldn’t believe the worker’s reply so decided to abandon her shopping trip entirely.
“Left my cart and items and walked out,” she said.
She also recalled about a second horror experience, prompting her to think twice about shopping in-store.
Shoppers nationwide have complained about their pet hates when they are in grocery stores.
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Complaints have ranged from grievances about anti-theft strategies chains have rolled out to self-checkout-related policies.
Some individual stores have rolled out measures such as banning customers from scanning a certain number of items.
Shoppers Abandon Carts in Checkout Frustrations
One shopper claimed their local Walmart had imposed a policy that only allows self-checkout users to scan 15 items.
Less than impressed customers claimed the supermarket has become a madhouse.
Walmart has even apologized to shoppers who have aired their complaints on social media.
A spokesperson quickly responded to a shopper who claimed 30 people were standing in a line waiting for a self-checkout.
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.
Walmart is not the only chain that has come under fire from impassioned customers.
Costco and Target have also been the subject of such criticism.
One Costco member was stunned when they shared photos from inside a warehouse in Edison, New Jersey, that revealed self-checkouts had been removed.
And, another was furious when they had to stand in three different lines during their shopping trip.
Last year, Target chiefs trialed a policy to make self-checkout lanes more efficient.
The company was trying to act on grievances flagged by customers.
Bosses limited shoppers to scanning a maximum of 10 items at the machines.
The policy was tested at a select number of stores before it was rolled out nationwide in mid-March.
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But despite the company’s intentions, not all shoppers have been left satisfied by their in-store experiences.
It’s prompted some to boycott the chain entirely.