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WALMART shoppers are warning each other to avoid the chain over a controversial new self-checkout rule.
The rule was first introduced in March and it has been hit with incredible backlash.
Walmart shoppers are angry over a new self-checkout policy[/caption]
Walmart has given store managers the power to close certain self-checkout registers to all customers except those who have a Walmart+ membership.
As this membership costs $98 a year, the new rule has gone down badly with consumers.
“If I have to pay to buy a product at any store I will never shop at that store chain ever again,” wrote one on X recently.
Another shared their sentiment.
“First, they made me do someone else’s job by implementing self-checkout,” they wrote.
“Now they want me to pay them to do someone else’s job. I hate Walmart.”
“If taking jobs away from people by replacing them with computers/robots wasn’t bad enough, they’re now charging already paying customers to pay to use self-checkouts?” asked another.
“They’re not on the payroll.”
One called it “paying for the privilege of being your own cashier and bagger.”
“I guess I’ll be going to Kroger, Aldi’s, HEB out of principle,” said another.
WALMART+
Access to all self-checkout lanes is not the only benefit of having a Walmart+ membership.
Members enjoy free unlimited deliveries with no minimum order fee, along with complimentary delivery on groceries from their local store.
Members can benefit from fuel discounts that slash up to 10¢ per gallon at over 14,000 locations, including popular fuel stations like Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy.
Membership costs $12.95 per month, with the flexibility to cancel anytime, or $98 for the annual plan.
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.
You can explore the plan risk-free with a 30-day trial before committing.
Since its launch in 2020, the program has amassed 59 million subscribers, which is around 23% of the US population.
The price has not gone up since its launch.
However, at $98 a year, Walmart+ is more expensive than a Costco Gold Star membership or a Sam’s Club membership.
See the new coffee line from Sofia Vergara that’s being sold at Walmart.
And check out the pay bonuses the store is giving its workers.
