It’s no longer breaking news, the world of retail has changed, and many would say for the better. Ordering online, store pickup and delivery options, self-checkouts, and so many other choices have given customers more flexibility, more efficiency, and have changed the way we shop.
But there’s one checkout method that hasn’t changed in a long time – cashiers stationed at a conveyor-belted lane scanning items one at a time.
Well, even that looks to be changing, and specifically at Walmart.
According to Walmart, the retail behemoth will be going fully self-checkout and/or “Scan & Go” by the end of 2021. That means it won’t be long before you go to Walmart and you’ll no longer see cashiers or manned checkout lanes- you’ll likely see self-checkout “hosts,” and possibly one or two lanes with a cashier for those with special needs.
Yes, it’s likely that Walmart will save money by going to cashier-less checkouts, but the primary reason for the change, according to Walmart, is to speed up checkout times, give customers more choice, and give them more control over their shopping experience.
Along with testing out self-checkout-only stores, Walmart has also brought back “Scan & Go.” They tried it a few years ago and it just didn’t work out, but times and technology have changed since then and the new and improved Scan & Go is working pretty well. Basically, you use the Walmart app, shop in-store, and use your phone to checkout. There are lots of different options for shopping and checking out at Walmart. With the pandemic, more and more people are using pick-up and delivery which is super convenient and super easy.
According to Walmart’s website, they are currently testing a store with 34 registers lining the edges of a wide-open area. Each register equipped with a green light alerting associates and customers to available checkout bays. But, aside from the open layout, the most immediately noticeable change is that all the lanes will be open – all the time.
Of course, Walmart has not given details, that we are aware of, of the timing of their rollout plans, but Positively Osceola visited four local stores in Osceola County, and associates in 3 of the 4 said that they were going cashier-less this year – with a couple of lanes for those who might need extra assistance. So, get ready, retail looks to be changing once again, including in Osceola County!
So what do you think about the possibility of Walmart completely doing away with manned checkout lanes? If you were the Manager at Walmart, what would be your 5 recommendations to improve things?