DOLLAR General has hit the reverse button on self-checkout stations which sparked a lively debate among shoppers.
Many people have mixed feelings about this self-checkout switch-up as they consider whether convenience or interacting with a cashier is better.
Shoppers in Massachusetts dove into how the removal of self-checkout affects them.
“It’s not that I like it, but it’s convenient when there are big long lines or they are short-staffed,” Javier Marrero told NBC affiliate WWLP on Friday.
Another shopper Ellen Moorhouse chimed in and explained she enjoyed self-checkout before there was an influx of them.
“I think I used to in the beginning when it was more of a novelty,” Moorhouse told the outlet.
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“I think these days I would much more prefer to stand in a line and talk to a real person.”
Raju Panta said her opinion on self-checkout is strictly about how long a line is when compared to a regular cashier.
She also slightly discussed how theft was a factor and is inevitable.
“That’s notorious, people are going to do what they are going to do,” Panta told WWLP.
“For me, it’s more about time. If I see an open spot there, I might go into a person checking out.
“But if I find a self-checkout, it may be much easier and faster for me, so I use both.
“I think it is more about supporting the values you are going to see and if you don’t want checkout to go away or real customer service, then you have to support them.”
BYE-BYE SELF-CHECKOUT
Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos announced the removal of self-checkout in May.
Vasos said self-checkout would be removed from “the vast majority of stores.”
The decision to remove self-checkouts comes as Dollar General has been dealing with shrink which refers to theft.
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.
“We believe these actions have the potential to have a material and positive impact on shrink,” Vasos said.
“Shrink continues to be the most significant headwind in our business,” Vasos said.
Vasos also explained how customers expressed they enjoy interacting with an employee when they shop at a store.
“And with that interaction then also comes having somebody at the front of the store very visible at all times, which as you recall was not always the case in 2023,” he continued.
Dollar General is not the only retailer removing self-checkouts as it tackles customer’s preferences and theft.
Walmart has also moved towards reducing self-checkouts at its stores.
“We continually look at ways to provide our customers with the best shopping experience and that includes adjusting the checkout area in stores,” Walmart spokesperson Josh Havens told Business Insider in September 2023.
