It seems Walmart customers have had enough of the retail chain’s obnoxious checkout policy. If you’ve visited one of Walmart’s stores lately, then you might have the same issue with how the company is running its business. Long lines, self-checkout problems, and an overall frustrating experience have become the norm inside the stores.
Now angry shoppers have taken their grievances online and are hoping for swift action, according to The U.S. Sun. One shopper recently vented about the retail chain’s checkout policy on X, slamming their local Walmart for closing down self-checkout stations too early and failing to provide enough staffed registers.
@Walmart want to make sure I’ve got this. You closed the whole section of Scan & Go after 7:30, then close 1/2 of the registers in the other one you have open. All while having no express lane and 1 real cashier. I’m waiting in line with 3 items. I need to rethink where I shop.
— UCF for the win (@RDeOnofrio) January 28, 2025
Walmart responded with a classic corporate move by offering a vague request to discuss the matter in private: “Let’s hear more about your experience. Would you mind sending a DM, so we can take a closer look at these issues?”
The response did little to calm other frustrated shoppers, who aired similar complaints online. Another shopper claimed their local Walmart no longer allows customers to use cash at registers with human cashiers. Hence, they are now forced to use self-checkout instead.
“They say if you’re using cash you need to use self-checkout!” another customer wrote online, adding, “I told them I don’t work there, and then I found out it’s because none of the workers can count change back.”
Public Service Announcement From Someone That Wasn’t Me:
“YO @Walmart ! STOP ACCUSING PEOPLE OF THEFT!
You are almost exclusively self-checkout now. The last time I was there the lady checking receipts at the exit was stopping everyone.
I chose not to participate in that… pic.twitter.com/bPYL0BueQB
— Doni
(@DoniTheMisfit) July 12, 2023
Walmart remained silent on the other complaints, but similar accusations about its checkout policy keep piling up. Looking at the issue carefully, the commotion isn’t just about inconvenience. It’s more on what Walmart prioritizes over its customers’ satisfaction. Many shoppers suspect the company is phasing out cashiers to cut labor costs. This means customers have to do the checkout work themselves.
Since introducing its Scan and Go system and app in 2016, the company has been pushing its use among clients. But lately, the move has been more aggressive, with customers pretty much doing all the work inside the stores. So per the company’s policy, customers need to scan the items as they shop, pay through the app, and leave without waiting in line. For those who prefer a traditional checkout, this experience is becoming increasingly frustrating.
The problem with this system is further magnified by the lack of sufficient staffing. With only one or two cashiers working, customers endure long waits even for those with just a few items. One could also argue that this is the company’s response to the rising theft cases, along with the locked-up products and receipt checks at the door. In case you missed it, ABC10 examined the receipt check policy pre-pandemic and reported that it’s not illegal for customers not to show theirs before exiting the stores.
Still, many argue that all these issues stem from short staffing and not mainly because of theft cases. So while Walmart continues to tell frustrated customers online to “DM for details,” several are demanding more tangible action. For now, this feels like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, some rely on the company’s low prices to manage their budgets, despite its extremely annoying checkout policy.
