Most Walmart stores moved entirely to Walmart Self Checkout as Phase 1 of their new store design. BUT Phase 2 is coming – take a peek!
Walmart Store Redesign – Phase 2??
Last year, over 1,000 Walmart stores across the country moved entirely to self-checkout lanes as Phase 1 of their store redesign. Stores also added larger, bold signs and dedicated sections for electronics, beauty, home, and other departments so shoppers could easily find what they needed.
According to Walmart, the change to self-checkout made the process faster for customers because all checkout lanes remained open, whereas previously only a few lanes were open due to operational costs.
They also brought back Scan & Go at select locations for a more streamlined process, and encouraged shoppers to download and use the Walmart app for a more digital shopping experience.
A lot of folks weren't too happy about the change BUT according to Walmart, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive – and NOW they're looking at moving to Phase 2 of their redesign.
And as skeptical as I was about Phase 1… I actually think Phase 2 sounds pretty amazing?? 😀
What will Phase 2 look like?
In the next phase of their redesign, Walmart is amplifying the physical, human, and digital design elements (like QR codes), in stores to inspire customers and elevate their experience. Physical elements include lighting, space enhancements, dynamic displays, and more engaging features.
Here are some features of their Phase 2 redesign:
1. Activated corners in select departments.
Exciting displays at the corners of certain departments pull customers in and help them touch, feel, and become a part of the space.
For instance – The home department may feature a living room or bedroom set up where the customer can squeeze a throw pillow or feel the coziness of a blanket, then find those items onsite to purchase and take home, or order them online.
2. Elevated brand shops for a unique experience.
These shops will help take a customer's “store within a store experience” to the next level.
Apparel will highlight owned and national brands like Reebok – with great prices, quality, and style.
New parents will be greeted in the Baby Department by elevated displays showcasing all the items needed to create a dream nursery – as well as strollers and car seats that are brought out of the box to allow for test drives.
Beauty will also showcase exciting shops where new and trending items are given a home, and men’s grooming tools can be seen and experienced.
3. More space to move around and discover.
In these new reimagined spaces, Walmart has purposefully created more space for customers to explore and discover the breadth and depth of what our stores have to offer. Who doesn't love more room to explore??
4. Digital touchpoints.
Walmart customers will be greeted with digital screens throughout the store and be able to see the vast range of products and services that Walmart offers online through the strategic use of QR codes.
For example, in the Pet department, a customer can scan the QR code to find additional dog bed options, learn about Walmart’s pet insurance service, or have a 20lb bag of kibble delivered to their door.
Phase 2 of Walmart's store redesign is currently only at their incubator location in Springdale, Arkansas, BUT we're hoping it will happen soon at other Walmart stores across the country. 🙂 You can read more about this new redesign process in the Walmart press release here.
Want a little more?? A bunch of folks on TikTok have visited this Walmart store in Arkansas and filmed their experience. Here's just one example – take a peek at how pretty this Walmart is! 🤩
What do you think of the Phase 2 redesign? Leave a comment and let us know!
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These stores have lost site of who their customer is. The focals do not make me want to shop more. They are distracting and every time o pass one, I know things I used to buy there were sacrificed to make room. Walmart is throwing share at Amazon. The reason brick and mortar struggles is not brick and mortar, it’s fools believing the consultants who sell these ridiculous ideas and are never around when the concept fails. You don’t abandon your core customer to woo new base that probably won’t shop with you anyway. Wait til those focals are strewn with merchandise people left behind, just like the store’s traditional end caps are. Walmart, if you are listening. Fire your consultants. Ask your customers and your best people what makes people shop there. Read these comments. You are alienating the people who pay your bills!
This is a ridiculous concept. Why should I have to check out & bag my own groceries & still pay all these high prices. I would much rather have contact with a human than a machine. It is also being proven that there is a lot more stealing going on at these self checkouts. Scan one item put two in the bag. This also drives up prices. This new concept also looks like they are turning into another Target. I guess I’ll be looking for somewhere else to shop. Sad situation. Makes me sick that they are getting rid of employees that need their job to be able to take care of their families. What are they supposed to do now?
No one is losing jobs! They are actually hiring more associates to assist customers!
I think phase 2 is a terrible thing to do to customers & cashiers. Are you trying to do away with the human race, didn’t know Walmart was so Greedy..
Looks like they are trying to become Target, hopefully jot with the Target price tag. More space means less product that they carry. Living in a small town I travel 45 minutes just to get to a Walmart that already doesn’t have what I need vs a larger city store. I can only imagine what we will be left with. My shopping may become all online.
This whole idea is stupid! People over 70 aren’t going to shop at Walmart anymore. I hate all the digital everywhere. I want a human to check me out and help me find things. I DON’T want to have to scan something and be starting at my phone the whole time I’m shopping. If I wanted to do that I’d just stay home and shop online. Stores are too lazy and money hungry to even have people check you out.
Boooo Walmart. A few thoughts crossed my mind. I’m a germaphobe (pre-pandemic) the thought of self checkout makes me jittery. I can never find anyone to help me. The buyer for our local store is awful! The only clothes available for women are exercise/leisure wear. Walmart is giving me more reasons to choose another retailer. So sad!!!
Ridiculous… I have a relative working in Walmart neighborhood store in Florida who just essentially lost his job working evening shift in maintenance and cleaning to the new model of night shift only, take it or leave it! Displaced a whole group of workers in the store , may who cannot work nights because of family responsibilities, way to go Walmart showing how much you care about the neighborhood and child care ! All for the corporate level thinking this is a way to save money!! I can’t wait for the toilets to back up at 7 pm and staff can say, sorry, no bathrooms available till 11 pm…
This whole model outlined is ridiculous. Only taking much needed jobs away… Thanks Walmart!
I like the interaction with the people. They need to realize that some people only get out of their house every once in a while. I think someone needs to interact with them and make them feel as though someone cares. I have heard some people ask to speak to the manager when doing self check out and requesting an employee discount because they are having to do the work of their employees.
I have not shopped in walmart in several years. They don’t have anything I need. Amazon is my store ! I am not going to check my own items out unless I get a 1099 ! The store here in Athens, TX is horrible. I refuse to support them in anyway and yes that includes Sam’s and Murphy Oil.
My Walmart has started their redesign, the store is a nightmare! Can’t find anything and the shelves are either bare or fronted to look like there is more merchandise than there is.
A lot more self-checkouts are now available with a few cashiers left and there are larger, easier to read signs on the aisles.
As someone who is older and disabled, self-checkout does not work for me. It most certainly will not work for my wheelchair bound mother.
I do not believe they should eliminate all the cashiers, if they do then disabled people like me won’t be able to shop there. Besides, for some people, the cashier is the only living person they see outside of their home. People need human contact.
I totally agree. Only purpose is to save store money and eliminate payroll. I will happily stand in line for a few minutes for a live cashier and save a job. Total elimination is a mistake.
I refuse to use a Self check out anywhere. Humans need a job instead of a computer doing the job of several people. If Walmart goes to only self check out, they will loose my family as customers!!!!!!
Amen!
They won’t get my business anymore. I like cashiers to check my groceries out, it is way faster and less frustrating. Why should we pay and have to do the work too?
I do grocery pickup because with little ones it’s way less hassle and less time for me!
If you find one with self check. outs only push the call button tell them you dont know how to do it you need a employee to check you out and stand there and make them do it if they dont and refuse leave the whole cart of groceries right there. Either way will help when enough people do this they will need extra people either to check out or put up the groceries. Yes you will help make your area poor when less people work and more cant find jobs you know how bad places in Michigan got when they automated jobs you town too will be crime ridden from people that cant afford to feed the kids unless they steal to get it. So really think about if it can harm you. Cause it will do harm to your town if you are in a smaller area.
Wake up ya all this is 2022 not 1952
Yes, it is, and just wait until your job is replaced, also!
After all, it’s 2022!
Less contact with employees….that’s a laugh, you can’t find one when you have questions now! I don’t work for Walmart so why would I want to check myself out, I wait in line for an actual cashier. I prefer to take my business elsewhere, but unfortunately walmart is the only store in town.
Exactly. I don’t want to put a cashier out of a job (regardless of what they claim cashiers ARE losing their jobs with this new model!) and why should I have to do all that work when they aren’t paying me? I’d rather they opened more staffed registers – that are already there BTW! Not good. I’m looking to shop elsewhere now.
I agree with Terry. I don’t work for Walmart, and evidently fewer and fewer people do work there. I am finding fewer people at all stores to answer questions too.
I resent self checkout. I personally believe it does effect the labor force. Walmart does not “give” the shopper a reason for HAVING to do this chore. (Kroger’s gives you points and lower prices and joins with Shell gas for out of store plus). I have been told by many that it’s a way to either not scan (shop lift) or change the price on an item which effects all
I refuse to do self checkout. I don’t work there, I already did my 10 hours. I don’t believe people are not losing their jobs over this. If Walmart is going to totally self check out then I to will go elsewhere.
I agree 100%. My sister works for Walmart and employees ARE being affected under the guise of “a better customer experience “. They are also going to start paying all employees $15 an hr but it also will come with a price. No more bonuses, less benefits and possibly other things that will affect their workers. Its a shareholders business, they aren’t going to let their pockets suffer.
Well you truly didn’t think they could keep up with their high payroll and benefits forever with an unskilled workforce and sacrificing elsewhere did you?? I saw thing coming years and years ago when people were saying to “go work at Walmart, they have great pay and benefits”. They don’t have the infrastructure to keep that up for long term. With a big and heavy payroll, something has to give for a company to survive.
I used to shop Walmart several times a week and walked around extra on winter days for exercise. Not anymore, they never replace crappy carts and do not bring them in from parking lot. Replaced senior greeters with young unfriendly folks who are on their phones. I ask her “there are no carts is someone going to bring them in?”( 3 employee standing together) answer “no
You could have brought one in yourself.” Me I guess I’ll do my shopping elsewhere. She shrugged her shoulders! I got my prescription and went to target. It’s been getting worse a couple of years but now they blamed covid. I now drive right past Walmart another mile and shop target or groceries at aldi. It’s sad, our local FB page is full of similar stories and issues and folks who no longer give them their $. Poor Sam Walton would hate what has happened to his friendly efficient shopping concept.
Most of the open check outs are self checkout. I have scan and go so I can scan as I put it in the cart. Just scan and get receipt and walk out!
God help the people there on black friday. Thats going to be very interesting
This is a horrible idea because there are so many people who do not shop with credit cards and do not own one. This process is very discriminatory!! I like self checkout but switching to credit card only is unfair to a lot of us. A lot of poor and elderly people will be affected by this change in policy. Walmart is supported by many lower income people who will be affected. I will find another store to do my shopping!! Bad decision. Who does this benefit?? Walmart!! What about the cashiers who will be losing their jobs?
You can use cash too. Cashiers will not lose their jobs
If you don’t work for Walmart you can say they aren’t…I know as a fact they are. My sister works there and they have slowly gotten rid of them by messing with their schedules and giving them no choice but to quit and then “they aren’t laying anyone off”.
This is true and Walmart has always done this to their associates. They hire full-time help and after 2-3 months they slash their hours to 10 a week. Associates complain then quit. Whoever is left (part-time) will find a niche. Maybe. Jobs and employment today is not about the workers. It’s about the CEO’s, share-holders, investors, profit. The workers are just a means to an end and then they are booted out the door. This is the new normal.
You’re right, Walmart self-checkouts are phasing-out cash.
I walked-out of Walmart on my last visit when self-checkout
would NOT take cash. I used to buy a lot of stuff there.
I rather have more cashiers than to see displays
If I have to bag my own groceries I should get a discount on the price. Otherwise, the EMPLOYEES should do their jobs. Smh
I’ve been saying this all along! They need to offer a big discount if I’m gonna work scanning my own groceries.. I don’t appreciate this change. Makes me angry. I have bad neck and shoulder pain. Not fair to us. We do the work, for free.
I think if walmart is going to self check out. Then their prices should come down. Sure they had to purchase the machines, but only 1 “host” instead of several cashiers, is being paid. I’m not a fan of walmart to begin with. I worked there for the longest 6 months of my life. The managers are given bonuses for keeping cashiers to a minimum. Will they lose their bonuses? Since no cashiers. Walmart management just doesn’t treat any of their employees like they should. Companies will learn, your employees are vital. Treat them right, you get a better work ethic and they are nicer to your customers. Which makes for repeat customers.
Recently walmart decided to employ DoorDash to deliver online purchases. To compete with Amazon, in getting your purchase to you the same day you ordered it. BAD IDEA! After the 1st 2 orders were delivered to the wrong address. Even took pictures of where they left my packages.. Which they had to replace, and ship. I requested they put a note on my account to not use Doordash for delivery. Even tho CS said they did, any order I’ve made, has been delivered to a house at the opposite end of our road. One girl called me, said “my gps says I’m here, but the wrong house number” I stayed on the phone with her, to talk her to my house. She literally turned around 4 times telling me her gps said for her to make a U turn. I think I know better than gps, where I live! BTW, the road i live on is only 1 miles long! Think Doordash needs to screen their drivers. Make sure they know how house numbers go up & down on a street or road! I’ve had so much trouble with ordering from walmart, I’ve stopped. I order everything thru online, I absolutely despise shopping. So since UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, & Amazon can get my orders to my house, I order from them or companies that use their shipping.
I have only shopped twice at Walmart since COVID. I don’t even shop Walmart online. I have been shopping at local businesses. I hate Walmart. I haven’t needed them in a year and I hope not to need them in the future. They dont really care about the older folks, people with disabilities or really anyone. They are big business and that is it. The store I go to is a family business. Someone besides the cashier packs your groceries and will even take your groceries to the car. Oh without being tipped. Small town America.
I am a “senior” at age 63 though I don’t think I really am a senior until I’m in my 80s. Anyway I prefer self-check, but do not think that cashiers should be eliminated altogether. It is extremely hard to hire employees these days…..we own two businesses and rarely have applicants apply. It’s a nightmare when people are getting paid equivalent amounts to stay home. It is difficult for people with disabilities and if people are talking about you? Who cares? I haven’t cared since high school. Now if they are whispering about your children that’s another story. Just give them a wave as you leave the store!
Reason 276 to NOT shop at Walmart personally. My dad prefers Walmart because he is 72 and needs to get all stuff in one place BUT he shouldn’t have to scan and bag his own goods. He typically waits in a cashier line and stands in line longer than he shopped. That is utterly ridiculous!!
Our “new and improved” (hahaha) Walmart just remodeled. I didn’t notice if there were any cashier-operated lanes but, yeah, they do have the new self-check stations. Like some others, I have medical issues-back problems sometimes prevent me from being able to do this work although I usually do use the self-check when I am doing okay and I almost always order online now. There needs to be lanes available for, not only checking you out, but to also remove groceries from the cart!
In my Texas town the workers group together to talk and stare at you. They do not offer to help. There is not enough counter space to check out then sack then where do you put your sacks. You have to sack and place on floor and their prices are not THAT low to ask me to work and do their job. So HEB or Target or Amazon what changes are you planning because I WANT costumer service.
Amen to this! Makes you wonder what these ninnies get paid $15/hour+ for now.
Preach!!
Well I experienced it for the first time last month and have not been back since. Ut was horrible. First I use a power chair cart due to two knee replacements. I had a lot of grocery items because I did not see the change when I entered. I could not get close enough to the scanner so I had to stand and hurt. There were attendants but none you could ask to do it. The volume of the register would not turn up so I had to read the screen to see if item scanned and it double scanned about 4 times which had to be corrected. If I had not had deli meat sliced I would have left buggy and all. My next trip to Walmart will be to a different location to see if they’ve made the same grave mistake. Thanks for letting me vent.
I am good friends with the manager of our local store and our daughter works as a cashier at a different store. They have both told me that their stores struggle hard to hire and keep cashiers!! So those saying they are taking away jobs, may not be correct! They tell me that self checkout helps keep the cashiers they have from being so overworked. I started choosing to use the belted self checkout during the pandemic (our small town store does not have grocery pick up) because the cashiers were not allowed to touch our reusable bags from home. I didn’t want more plastic bags! I don’t mind it at all!
I like Walmart and its many selections BUT I will NOT shop there if it’s self checkout only or if the 1 or 2 assisted lines are too slow.
no thank you. if Wal-mart goes strictly to this, I will not be shopping there anymore. I will go else where. If I do go to Wal-mart, I will insist that a clerk checks me out or I will leave everything I put in my basket right there.
I refuse to check myself out.
This was their way of getting rid of employee’s and make more money. Really, people need jobs and Wal-mart has plenty of money. Plus, I don’t get paid to check myself out.
I will not be shopping at Walmart if they do not have cashiers, because I refuse to check myself out. I HATE self checkouts and will not use them!!!!
I agree. I am old and need too much help at the self check outs to be worth it. Idon’t care about pretty and more digital involvement in shopping. I just want good prices and good service wherever I go.
One of our Wal-Mart stores in NE Texas did this. I dont know if it was a trial run, to see if they liked it, but the very next timeI went in there, it was back to check out lanes.
I don’t work for Walmart. They don’t pay me to do their job. Never have been a big fan of Walmart and this only adds another reason.
I think it’s worth a try. I have noticed the many cashier lanes not attended a lot more, so therefore the front of the store is a lot of area that could be stocked with products.
Keep a open mind
If the Walmart in my state goes to all self check I will no longer shop with them.
People are not realizing they are losing workers. May sound “neat” but in the long run this will hurt. I have never been a Walmart fan but now I am finding myself not going at all due to this. I don’t get a paycheck from Walmart.
Not at the Walmart’s here. I asked my son about it, he and his wife work for Walmart, and they just changed the job code. This will reduce waste and returns by customers. Customers can bag their groceries their way. We use them all the time and they are much faster than traditional lines.
For those on food stamps or WIC, it adds privacy. Some people are extremely rude when they see people using them.
My DIL said she gets more done when there is self checkout.
Unfortunately, WIC customers cannot use the self-checkout lanes—at least not at my local Walmart. We are forced to stand in the crazy long line at the regular checkout. I often stand in line as long or longer than it took me to shop!
As a senior now (60), I never use self checkout. The employment issue is a part of my reason, but it is actually much slower for me, and I feel like everyone in line behind me is hating on me. I have trouble opening the bags and get a warning after almost every item for bagging it too slowly. The counter is lower than the conveyor belt, so my shoulders hurt, my back hurts–it gives me borderline panic attacks. I lose the opportunity to handle my groceries one less time (1- put in my cart while shopping, 2- put on the belt, can skip 3- putting back in cart if there’s a cashier/bagger and go straight to 4- putting in car, 5- taking into house). But now even Kroger has gone to just one cashier lane, and even if there’s a bagger that day, they don’t put milk and heavy stuff in the cart automatically. If I ask them to put the milk or bottled water into the cart, they act extremely annoyed with me. When I get to the car, they’ve stuffed the bags so full that they’re almost too heavy to lift and hurt my back even more. They’re not saving bags, because they double bag, which means they know they’re too heavy. I have a crying breakdown almost every time I get back into my car now, because it’s such an emotional and physical ordeal. It’s gotten so bad that sometimes I have to get two half gallons of milk instead of a gallon, but on the outside I still look young and healthy. I don’t want to do delivery, since I can’t make on the spot substitutions or change my menu plan when things are out of stock, but the stores might be forcing me to, and then my only contact with humans will be once a month at CVS. And my insurance company keeps nagging me to go to 3 month mail delivery for that! Ugh!!
I agree with you totally. I am also a senior (72) and I feel that the people are watching me and talking about me because I am slow checking out. I will not be shopping at Walmart anymore if this is the case.
The new system allows for personal customer service for us who need the help.
I pay Walmart for the Product I am purchasing, NOT to check, Bag, and carry out the Product I just paid for, at My expense. I will simply order thru Local Grocery Store Chain and have delivered. Then I can give Delivery Person a tip for their service to Me.
I refuse to use self check-out unless forced. These check-out lanes are jobs…where people can earn a paycheck. Im not getting a paycheck to run the register and would prefer someone who is takes care of the responsibility. Will never go to my local WalMart if they go completely self check-out. As it is, they typically only have one cashier. Not good to take away jobs to increase their profit.
I refuse to use self check out.
RANTING!!!! So apparently walmart in sebastian has no cashiers in the evening. The ONLY choice is self check out… so not only do you PAY for your stuff.. you HAVE to SCAN and BAG it!!! Saving walmart money!!! Called the manager, and they “have a couple of cashiers that hang till 10 or 11 sometimes but it is based on the amount of customers, some people really like it and others dont, we have more customers earlier so we have cashiers, but .. well…” pay walmart and give them free cashiers…. rant over!! My post to Facebook 2 yrs ago, yes self checkout is faster, but think about the amount of cashiers they used to pay for …. now the customers do it and walmart doesnt have to pay them!!!!
Love this idea! I only use self checkout anyway… introvert’s best friend
I was all for self check out till my card info was hacked thru a Walmart self check machine. This was the only place I had used my card that day around noon. By 9 pm that night 5 ppl in 5 different states had access and were trying to purchase many things. Thank the Lord for fraud alert through my bank that notified me! They told me Walmart is suppose to check those machines quite often for this but someone was slacking that day. I would definitely pay with cash or another means besides swiping that card!
I am not for self check outs…….
As for the “host” I waited 18 minutes.
Sorry Walmart this is unacceptable…
I had an anxiety causing experience at the Gaffney SC store April 26, 2021. I was scanning my groceries when a person pushed his cart right up to the checkout I was using. He stood there watching me. I tried to ignore him. He kept inching closer and closer. I finished, waited to insure the system reset so that he could not use my debit card info to pay for his items. As I was leaving he quickly pushed his cart closer to my body as though he was threatening to push me away. I will not use self check anymore unless my husband is with me.
I prefer self check out. Then I can bag my stuff how I want (because who puts toilet bowl cleaner in the same bag as your produce? Not me. But it has happened). Its much better to put the tampons with the icecream.
The more we accept “self-service” the more jobs will be eliminated. Walmart benefited greatly by the pandemic yet we saw no price decrease and the employees didn’t see a raise. These were the employees who despite the risk to themselves, and their families, went to work every day facing the public – up close and personal.
As far as I can tell Walmart is still in the profit zone, the corporate department hasn’t eliminated any positions, nor have they risked their health by dealing with the public one-on-one. If I wanted to work at Walmart as a cashier I would have applied for the job. Self-check is not for me! I use it only when there is absolutely no other option, and every single time I do, there is a problem: item won’t scan, coupon won’t take, baggage area doesn’t recognize the item has been bagged, mistakenly double checked and item and have to call for help to delete one, etc.
My suggestion to Wal-mart – cut the flax from the top and let the people who need an income work!!
I totally agree. As an ex employee (had the job to help me through college) I saw how cut throat they are. The small employees are expendable but the higher up managers (store manager) up to the corporate level continue to make bonus after bonus but those who are considered “necessary ” are the ones they are eliminating. Don’t let them fool you they aren’t concerned with the publics health or safety (making self checkout lanes for social distance reasons), they are using the pandemic to make changes they already wanted to in order to increase their profit margin but now they have “a reason” to and try to make themselves look good. Now they want to make us cashiers and baggers. Sorry I’ve seen too much to think walmart I the best thing since sliced bread.
Is Walmart going to lower the prices since I am checking myself out and bagging my own groceries? I HATE self checkout and avoid those registers like the plague!!!! They are taking peoples jobs away…there is no other reason!!! I will not shop at my local WM if they go to this check out system entirely. I don’t want to do their job for them!!!
I feel that I’m not working for Walmart so I should not have to do the work. I mean literally we’re working for them for free. There are some days when I just want to skip the line and get it done because I’m in a hurry then yes self check out is nice but when you have a full cart load you don’t want to sit there and bring up all your groceries. My heart goes out to the elderly folks who really have a hard time understanding what they have to do and you feel compelled to walk over there and give them a hand as a good citizen.
It is okay if I only have a few items but if I have a basket full there is no place to put full bags while I am checking out except back in the basket that still has a lot of unchecked items. If I wanted to be a cashier, I would apply for the job. I think we should have a choice.
I am spending my money so I want a cashier
I went to Walmart in Indianola,Iowa yesterday; my first visit in over a year. I was so disappointed i completed a satisfaction survey to express my displeasure. I was looking at large fans, both pedestal and box fans, no price posted anywhere, and not an employee in sight. I was looking in men’s clothing and was looking for prices of graphic tees, no prices posted anywhere, again, no employee in sight. On to the grocery department, where i was hoping to find the same great deals I have seen utubers post, alas , not one great deal did I discover. I looked at frozen turkey breasts and no price posted on each item as in the past when I have gotten them. However there were lots, of employees in the grocery department, all blocking the aisles with the huge carts and who were restocking shelves.
Then to compound my frustration I arrived at checkout and was dismayed to see all the self checkout stations. As a disabled senior citizen who was ready to get out of the store at that point, I was not willing to do the work I have not been hired to do. After reading your post, I now understand how the “host” works. The lady who told me to wait for someone to help me, offered no explanation of the process. The lady who did come to my rescue was very friendly and did the checkout in a very efficient manner and she was the best thing about my entire shopping experience
I decided I will not be returning to Wal Mart any time soon. I got home and checked online for the price of the fans! If I decide to do business with Walmart it will be online!
On any given day our store only has 3 of 20+ checkouts staffed so switching it all to self-checkout isn’t a big deal.
I prefer a personal experience. When we travel there’s seldom any contact at “service stations” as they were once called, at tolls just use a easy pass and drive through, need cash go to an atm, call a doctor, insurance office, school, office, many stores and you get an automated message to select a number for an extension which vary well tells you you can reach the business using their website or wait for another selection which may or may not be a live person. Does anyone realize how little people communicate anymore? Will we end up with being treated from birth to death by computers or select ailments at hospitals for emergencies? Sounds crazy now but 70 years ago it was “crazy” talk about putting people into space, using plastic instead of cash, portable phones, self driving automobiles and other ideas. When do we as a society slow down and enjoy each other?