Lowe’s shopper ditches cart and walks out after ‘being forced to stand in self-checkout line’ & vows to boycott chain

A LOWE’S shopper has slammed the store and explained why their checkout experience led them to ditch the chain.

The customer raged and said they would boycott Lowe’s after they were made to wait in a long line.

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This shopper ( @ImVenomousTruth ) complained they were forced to use a self-checkout on their recent visit.

“I’m done with @Lowes because of this,” they wrote in a scathing X post.

“Was there on a SATURDAY MORNING, no registers open only the 4 self checkout.”

The shopper alleged that this had a major impact on all people waiting to pay for their goods.

“The lines were half way down the isles,” they added.

“Several people including myself just left the carts and walked out.”

This person also claimed four other employees were standing in the area.

Lowe’s has started to phase out its use of in-person cashiers in preference of the self-service machines at some stores.

This move has been hoped to reduce wait lines and bring more efficacy to stores.

Despite this, other customers have complained about this increasingly common measure, The U.S. Sun has previously reported.

Another shopper shared that the store’s reliance on self-checkouts also made her abandon her goods and walk out .

“Got a full cart. Went to customer service to ask where I check out. The lady I asked ignored me with her phone,” they wrote.

“3 others standing around pointed. Got down there. Self checkout only.

“Told the gal there ‘I don’t work here’ and left.”

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.

Shoppers have also spotted their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.

Another shopper claimed they regularly encountered issues with the self-service kiosks.

“Dear @loweshomeimprovement, I didn’t appreciate the forced self-checkout,” they wrote on Facebook .

“I hate it. There is ALWAYS some sort of issue with self-checkout.”

CHECKOUT CHANGES

Lowe’s has not been the only chain to make controversial changes to its payment areas.

Target announced earlier this year that it would impose a 10-item limit at its self-checkouts in most stores.

This means shoppers with more than 10 items must use cashiers.

Some customers have raged about the impact this change has had on their wait times at checkout.

“I like to bag my own items and I’m also quicker than most of the people that work there but if I get over 10 items now I’m forced to wait in a long line?” a shopper wrote on Facebook.

“Bye bye target. That’s what express lanes are for not every self checkout!” she added.