INFURIATED shoppers are blasting Walmart’s new security policy with one customer waiting 32 minutes for an essential item.
With more products being security tagged and placed behind locked panels, queues for everyday items are getting longer.
1
Fragrances are the latest item to be placed behind plastic panels under padlocks.
Shoppers used to be able to grab their perfume of choice and just pop it in their basket, but now to get your scent you’ll have to request a staff member retrieve it for you.
Stores, like Sephora, claim perfumes are expensive and so are at risk of theft, which is why retailers are choosing to put them behind protective panelling.
While it seems like a good idea, one Walmart shopper was struggling to find an employee to assist them with their purchase.
The shopper was waiting for half an hour to get their hands on some fragrance, unable to find a staff member to help them.
They took to social media to express their frustration, posting on X: “What’s going on?
“I’ve been at fragrance pushing the button for attendant and it’s going on 32 minutes.”
Shops are going to more extreme lengths to protect their products, with measures like safety tags on toothpaste and even protective netting wrapped around cheese.
However, this isn’t the only time Walmart has faced complaints for its new policies.
Shoppers are slamming the store on social media after there was a big shift at check-out.
Walmart replaced manned registered with self-checkouts and then reportedly closed down the self-checkout lanes.
Baffled customers were forced to wait for up to 45 minutes to pay for their groceries.
Some check-out counters were available but only allowed customers to scan 15 items max, leading to many having to queue up behind one another, leaving the tills empty.
One disgruntled shopper shared their exasperation online, writing on X: “My local Walmart decided to replace roughly half of their checkouts with self-checkouts.
“Well, because people were just walking out without paying they now close off multiple self-checkout lanes if there aren’t enough employees to monitor them.
“Make it make sense.”
Another Walmart shopper slammed the store for operating tills that only allowed fewer than 15 items per shop.
The perplexed customer posted: “Walmart Store number 3583 closing all lines while people standing waiting over 10 minutes to send everyone to Self checkout because now it’s ok to checkout in lanes marked 15 items or less with over 15 items suddenly.
“So now we have to wait in the self-checkout line.”
The budget supermarket has been criticized online for lack of staff and over-the-top security policies.
Walmart has been under so much scrutiny since the check-out change-up that customers have threatened to shop elsewhere.
There has been a steady increase in shoplifting over the past few years and retailers are upping their measures to tackle it.
Locked cabinets, security cameras, receipt checks are becoming commonplace with shoppers facing long delays when picking up their products.
What is Walmart’s Scan and Go?
Walmart’s Scan and Go was made to save time for shoppers
Walmart’s Scan and Go system was created to help customers scan items as they shop, pay, and leave without waiting in long checkout lines.
The retailer describes the new system to be done in a few easy steps:
- Customers first need to have the Walmart app downloaded on their phones with their location access enabled.
- On the Store Mode landing page, shoppers must click the Scan and Go option.
- Customers can scan each item and place them in their carts as they shop.
- At the end, they’ll be prompted to view the cart to make sure the quantity on the app matches the ones in their carts.
- Shoppers will press “Check Out” and head to a self-checkout kiosk.
- They’ll be prompted to scan the provided QR code at the register and confirm their payment method.
- Once the transaction is complete, shoppers can leave the store without worry.
