Walmart shopper with a newborn cries after being forced to scan $500 in groceries all by herself

Walmart had earlier removed self-checkout kiosks from some of its stores but does not have plans for other outlets.

PUBLISHED NOV 9, 2024

Representational image showing a line at a supermarket checkout counter | (Cover image source: Getty Images | David McNew)

Self-checkouts were initially launched to enable contactless shopping during the social distancing era. But just like QR menus, retailers and customers are now done with self-checkout kiosks, even though waiting at counters remains a hassle. Consumers are so frustrated that a Walmart shopper was left in tears after finding the only option to pay for her $500 shop was through self-checkout.

Checkout counter monitor in Walmart | (Image Source: Getty Images | James Leynse) — Image showing a checkout counter at a Walmart store | (Image Source: Getty Images | James Leynse)

The customer who was shopping with a newborn for an hour said that she seriously "considered walking out" but realized that her efforts would all go to vain if she did that. "I cried at a Walmart in Columbia today," she wrote on social media, before adding, "Was in there with a screaming newborn in my arms and a cart full of $500 worth of groceries and self-checkout was the only option. I seriously considered walking out but then the hour and 1/2 of shopping would have been for nothing," according to The Sun.

The customer who felt spent by the end of the ordeal later said that she stood in line for 23 minutes because only two self-checkout stations were working at the time. She also said that none of the scan-and-go counters were operating. She even admitted, "I’m too much of a decent person to leave my cart full of items at the front but I considered."

People wait to checkout in Walmart during the Pandemic | (Image Source: Getty Images | Al Bello ) — People wait in checkout lines at a Walmart store| (Image Source: Getty Images | Al Bello)

The first self-checkout kiosks were rolled out in American stores more than thirty years ago and were introduced as a new way to save time for customers and also prevent theft. While the tech did help the customers as well as businesses to an extent, it has now become a burden. With the holiday season around the corner, it looks like shoppers are in for some testing times at supermarkets. "Going to the grocery store used to be simple, and now it’s frustrating," Cindy Whittington, 66, of Fairfax, Virginia told Fortune. "You’re paying more. You’re working harder to pay for merchandise at their store. And it’s become an ordeal to check out. I should get a 5% discount," she added.

Walmart rolled out its Walmart+ service in the hope of improving the checkout process earlier this year. Just like retailers such as Sam's Club or Costco, Walmart+ offers its members early and exclusive access to perks such as sales promotions and fuel discounts across its partner gas stations. In the grocery shopping space, it offers home deliveries free of charge, which can help customers avoid the checkout lines.

As far as self-checkout is concerned, retailers are rethinking its role in the overall shopping experience. Businesses are trying to tackle costly self-checkout lanes and staffing concerns along with the lost revenue.

A Walmart Supercenter cart outside of the store | Getty Images | Photo by Joe Raedle — A Walmart cart outside one of its stores | (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Joe Raedle)

Back in April this year, Walmart decided to remove self-checkout kiosks at select locations, including two stores in Shrewsbury, Missouri, and Cleveland, in favor of checkout lines managed by staff, according to CX Dive. However, the retail giant does not have any plans to eliminate self-checkout counters from other stores. "We currently have no additional conversions to announce," a Walmart spokesperson told CX Dive.