For years, Walmart has been at the heart of a retail debate that nearly every shopper has weighed in on: self-checkout. Whether you found it convenient or frustrating, these machines became a staple across stores nationwide. But now, Walmart is making a bold pivot—phasing out many self-checkout lanes in favor of a more human-focused approach.
This decision follows years of mixed customer feedback. Some appreciated the speed and autonomy of scanning a few items and skipping long lines. Others felt burdened by technical glitches, cramped bagging areas, and the sense of doing a cashier’s job without any reward. Walmart, it seems, has been listening—and recalibrating.
Originally designed to streamline shopping, self-checkout promised shorter lines and lower labor costs. But in reality, many shoppers encountered frozen screens, mis-scans, and the dreaded “unexpected item in bagging area” alert. For those buying more than a few items, the process often felt slower—not faster.
Security concerns also loomed large. Studies show that self-checkout systems are more vulnerable to theft, whether accidental or deliberate. Even with surveillance, the honor system has its limits—and for Walmart, those losses have added up to billions annually.