Walmart promises to launch probe after checkout ‘suddenly shuts down’ – shoppers say there was ‘no warning’
WALMART has vowed to launch a probe after a shopper claimed the checkout lane they were using shut down while emptying their cart.
Blasting the supermarket giant, they said they weren’t warned about the shutdown.
Like many other major retailers, Walmart has been criticized by shoppers who have lashed out about checkout experiences.
Grievances often range from long lines waiting for checkout lanes to become free to malfunctioning self-service kiosks and policies that only allow a certain number of items to be scanned.
One shopper urged Walmart chiefs to do better following their latest experience, per an X post.
They claimed they had stood in line for 15 minutes before it suddenly closed.
read more on money
The checkout belt shut down when the shopper was apparently unloading his cart.
They then alleged they were not given any notice.
“No warning other than them turning the light off as I was getting ready to unload the cart,” the shopper said.
Walmart responded to the shopper within minutes.
“This needs to be looked into,” a spokesperson said.
They invited the disgruntled customer to share further details about their experience.
Target shopper says chain ‘lost a customer’ after ‘ditching cart at self-checkout’ as retailer doubles down on policy
A slew of customers have slammed Walmart over their store experiences.
Sometimes, ordeals have even forced some shoppers to abandon their carts in frustration.
The U.S. Sun reported how one customer simply left their cart containing $200 worth of groceries in light of self-checkout frustration.
Certain Walmart stores are believed to have introduced limits on the number of items that can be scanned at kiosks.
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.
Such measures are designed to ensure self-service remains a swift way of checking out groceries.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Shopper Croft Kelly claimed she was scolded by a worker over the number of items in her cart.
She was incensed, claiming that the self-checkout rules were atrocious.
She claimed the policy made her shopping experience worse than it should’ve been.
Target is another major retailer that has imposed item limits on its shoppers.
OTHER CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS
But it is not just checkout issues at Walmart that have irked shoppers.
Walmart is one of the few retailers that does not accept Apple Pay.
And pleas from shoppers to roll out the payment system appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Top execs have revealed why the chain has not yet rolled out the payment method.
Walmart has an in-store app that allows shoppers to link their debit and credit cards.
Read More on The US Sun
CEO Doug McMillon said: We would like to have the customers open our app in the store all the time.”
Home Depot has recently rolled out Apple Pay across its portfolio of stores, and a phased rollout has started at H-E-B outlets.
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.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!