Is Walmart going to charge extra for self-checkouts? Details explored

Walmart shoppers recently came across a significant change as self-checkout options were either roped off from certain stores or were limited to the 'plus' members. The unexpected change left the shoppers in panic as it would mean they may have to pay either $12.95 per month or $98 annually for the plus membership to access self-checkout.

The rumors, however, were quashed soon after when the retailer confirmed that there were no such plans to force customers into buying the Plus membership to access self-checkout and that they wouldn't have to pay extra charges to access self-checkout. As per the retailer, these changes may have been made at the discretion of the store managers as they test different staffing options to ensure efficient check-out for shoppers.

Although the self-checkout may not be limited to plus members, regular shoppers may soon start seeing some small changes. When shopping early in the morning, shoppers may find the self-checkout lanes either completely closed or limited to plus members only. The self-checkout options may then only become accessible to everyone as the day passes and the stores start seeing some customer traffic.

The self-checkout option is not exclusive to the Plus membership holders (Image via Walmart)

Addressing the recent confusion about the self-checkout at stores, Joe Pennington, spokesperson for the company, gave a public statement:

"Our managers look for ways to innovate within their stores and pay close attention to customer feedback on where they can better meet their needs. Based on several factors including customer and associate feedback, shopping patterns, and business needs, some locations are temporarily testing different checkout staffing options."

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All you need to know about the changes in self-checkout at Walmart

Walmart is reconsidering the self-checkout option as stores start roping it off or limiting it to the plus members during specific hours. The self-checkout option gained popularity during the pandemic and helped several big and small store locations when companies struggled with staffing problems.

Although the self-checkout approach has made things efficient for retailers over the last few years, it has also proven to be quite counterproductive due to cases of retail thefts in certain regions. Last year, major retailers, including Walmart, Macy's, and Nordstrom, had to shut down many stores after the losses from shoplifting, retail thefts, and break-ins were at an all-time high.

As of now, Walmart does not seem to have any plans to make the self-checkout option exclusive to the Plus program members. Stores, however, have already started implementing small changes to the system that may seem like a hindrance to many shoppers.

The changes to the self-checkout option are yet to be implemented at the nationwide level (Image via Walmart)

Cashiers have also started returning to the stores, and customers with more than ten items are being automatically directed for manual checkout through the cashiers. However, this may not be good news for people shopping for multiple items at the store as they may now have to wait in long lines to get everything scanned and complete the purchase.

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Similar changes to the self-checkout counters have also been noticed at Target stores nationwide. While the change has yet to be implemented at all store locations, shoppers have noticed that most stores only offer the self-checkout option for limited hours throughout the day.