Walmart Customers - Say Goodbye To Self Checkout!

Attention Walmart customers - get ready for some major changes!

At least two Walmart stores have pulled the self-checkout machines in order to go back to the traditional check-out lines. Score one for humans! 

If you're a Walmart aficionado in St. Louis, Missouri or Cleveland, Ohio, you may have already seen the changes, as the supermarket giant has already started scaling back the once-praised scannable machines that frequently went from being an ease to a headache. I mean, just how many times has one of us seen a grandmother struggling to figure out how to get certain items to scan or someone taking way too long to find the USB code? Something needed to be done!

"We believe the change will improve the in-store shopping experience and give our associates the chance to provide more personalized and efficient service," the company said in a statement.

THERE MAY BE MORE TO THE STORY

Although Walmart claims that they are trying to increase their customer service, there may be something more at play here. Across the country, shoplifting has seen a tremendous rise in retail stores across the country. And although there are plenty of absurd videos of people ransacking stores and blatantly walking out with giant TVs or thousands of dollars in stolen goods, a lot of shoplifting occurs at the self-checkout line. Apparently, humans aren't always the most trustworthy, with people not actually scanning all their items and instead pocketing them. 

Other popular stores like Target and Dollar General have also started pulling their self-checkout option due to the millions of dollars in losses due to the stolen goods. 

GOOD MOVE OR BAD?

More Walmart stores are expected to follow suit, but there is a catch. The super giant announced last month it was unveiling its Walmart+ premiere shopping card that would limit self-checkout lines for only the cardholders who would pay for the $99 membership.

When I asked the OutKick Walmart faithful about this they responded with a resounding "absoluteely not." Bold move by Walmart to want to charge people that are the ones scanning and bagging the items that they just drove to purchase instead of conveniently buying at home via Amazon. What's next - forcing customers to sign a W2?! 

So my question to you, OutKick readers - are you happy or angry that self-checkout machines are being limited or even taken away from your local stores? Did Walmart make the correct move here or did it lose your business?

Email me: Michael.Gunzelman@OutKick.com or tweet me: @TheGunzShow and I may include you in a follow up piece!