A WALMART shopper has blasted the chain after realizing that self-checkouts do not accept certain payment options.
The customer said she was left mind-blown after spending more than 40 minutes in line.
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The shopper, known only as Eden, seemed mystified that some self-checkout machines wouldn’t accept cash or some contactless payment services, per an X post.
And, she appeared to bemoan the lack of cash registers.
“Spent 40+ mins in line cuz you know… why open more cashiers when you’re pushing self-checkout,” she said.
“Finally made the decision to no longer cause myself the headache.”
The fact certain self-checkout machines do not accept cash has caused a stir online.
It has prompted curious social media users to speculate why this may be the case.
Redditors have explained that machines which accept cash require more maintenance.
“The machines that can take cash have a lot more moving parts,” one said.
“[They’re] are a pain in the a** to maintain, and therefore go down a lot more than the ones that don’t,” one social media user chimed.
Walmart is not the only retailer that doesn’t allow self-checkout users to pay for goods via cash.
Publix has responded to shoppers who have flagged this grievance.
The grocer revealed that cash was becoming less popular, and that it’s easier to maintain kiosks that only accept contactless payments.
“Cash has declined as a payment method of choice, and maintenance on checkouts that use cash are costly,” a spokesperson said.
In 2022, Wegman’s explained why certain machines only accepted card payments.
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.
Shoppers have also spotted their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.
Bosses explained that the decision was taken to ensure checkouts remain efficient.
Walmart has come under scrutiny over its decision not to let shoppers pay by Apple Pay.
Apple Pay is a tool that’s accepted by around 90% of American retailers.
But, Walmart CEO, Doug McMillion has tried to justify why the company has not joined the huge list of chains which accept Apple Pay.
He explained that he wants shoppers to use the in-house payment app, Walmart Pay.
Walmart Pay is a contactless payment service that allows shoppers to store their cards on a digital wallet.
Why doesn’t Walmart offer Apple Pay?
CEO of Walmart Doug McMillon has revealed why stores don’t offer Apple Pay on Stratechery with Ben Thompson.
Though using Apple Pay at the retailer has been an ongoing conversation, McMillon emphasized that “We would like to have the customers open our app in the store all the time.”
The app can be used to help find items in the store, but it can also be used to pay for your purchases.
“That’s one of the things that we would like people to use our app for,” he said.
Efficiency is an issue that affects all retailers.
While some chains have turned to banning certain payment methods, other retailers have rolled out policies limiting the number of items that can be scanned.
Target hit the headlines when it rolled out a policy that limited all self-checkout users to a maximum of 10 items.
A representative for the retailer said one of the unintended effects of the policy was that it helped reduce theft, per ABC News.
Schnucks bosses introduced a policy that limits self-checkout users to 15 items.
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