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A SHOPPER has fumed about the lack of self-checkouts at their local store as the company made a major shift.
Target recently changed its self-checkout policy and customers are beginning to notice.
“Y’all need to stop stealing! Cause why the self-checkout at Lakewood Target unavailable?!” read the tweet posted by Ms. Bulls*** (@jadamyazia) to X, formerly known as Twitter.
A user quote tweeted stating that with fewer self-checkout machines they are still short on staff.
“[They’re] really short in workers though,” it read.
Target has decided to limit the operating hours of its self-checkout machines at some locations, according to Business Insider.
Most Target locations are open from 7 am or 8 am until 10 pm, but shoppers have mentioned on Reddit that self-checkout in their stores was only open from around 10 am or 11 am until 8 pm.
Target employees shared with the outlet that the main reasons behind the change are store staffing levels and sales volumes.
The retailer hopes to keep its percentage of store sales via self-checkout below a certain amount.
“If and when we do have to close the self-checkouts in the morning and in the evening, we’re going to have a lot of people extremely upset with us,” said one employee.
“And I’m going to have to explain to them that they are closed down due to theft.”
STILL UPSET
Self-checkout has been a sore spot for customers, but even with the change, many shoppers are still unhappy.
Despite the reduced self-checkout hours, the retailer has not allocated more employees to work the registers resulting in long lines and waits.
One customer said they waited in a line 30 people deep.
“My local Target closes the self-checkout now at 7 pm [because] the cashier said [people] wanted ‘more human interaction.’ Meanwhile, there’s one cashier and the line is 30 [people] deep. Insane,” wrote one shopper in a post to X.
“These companies are really struggling with which way to go on this. The answer is so simple. You always give [people] a choice.”
Another shopper shared a video to YouTube Shorts captioned, captioned “NO Self Checkout No Matter How Busy? Good Job Target.”
It showed a long line at checkout that went all the way to the girl’s clothing section.
Latest self-checkout changes
How retailers are tweaking their self-checkout formula
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.
“It’s lunchtime and it’s very busy with only one lane open at Target and no self-checkout. What the hell,” said the customer.
The retailer may begin to lose customers because one shopper said they would walk out if they saw a long line.
“The whole thing where @Target has the self-checkout lines closed until a certain time in the morning is the dumbest thing ever,” they tweeted.
“I literally just walked out. I’m not waiting in a line for 20 minutes just to get a few items.
“With my anxiety too I don’t want to talk to a cashier.”
