Walmart customer says she’s ‘shopping out of town’ after facing ‘scolding’ at self-checkout – new rule ruined experience

A FUMING Walmart shopper has blasted the retailer's recent self-checkout change after being scolded by a store employee for a simple mistake.

The chain introduced a 15 items or less policy at self-checkout kiosks in some stores earlier this summer and shoppers have not been impressed.

Many have taken to social media to voice their complaints about the rule and question the need for it.

"The new self checkout rules at the Walmart are atrocious," Croft Kelly wrote in a post on Facebook.

"I was stopped while at the self-checkout, while self checking out my 20 items since there [are] always less registers available, to only be scolded that this area is now '15 items or less.'

"I am utterly disgusted, that this store is making my shopping experience worse by the way it is now operating," she said.

"And... my husband was with me holding the cart, you see he just had knee replacement... and was in a bit of pain... and we wanted to get the walking, and waiting while standing in line over with,

"I will now shop out of town," Kelly declared.

The item limit at self-checkouts is not a nationwide Walmart policy, but the stores that have implemented it do not appear to have received positive feedback.

The change is supposedly meant to make the checkout process faster and more efficient, but some complain it does the opposite.

"I'm all about obeying rules, but if you're going to have self-checkout only 15 items or less, you should have more than two cashiers working," an angry shopper said.

"I have 23 items so I can't use self-checkout. So to them, it will be fast for me to wait in line behind 8 people who have 70 items in their carts," another customer said.

"That makes sooo much sense. Why not just make self-checkout maybe 35 items or less."

A comment on Kelly's post shared similar frustrations about the item limit policy.

"Idgaf how many items I have... if self checkout is available over register... mind your business ma'am... I'm scanning & paying for my s**t. Try and stop me," the comment read.

Others, however, seemed more supportive of the new policy.

"Don't like it then shop somewhere else!!!" another user commented.

"You people who have a cart load [are] why the company changed it to this way."

The U.S. Sun approached Walmart for comment.

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.

SELF-CHECKOUT WOES

Target introduced a similar policy in March when they launched their ten items or less rule for self-checkout kiosks.

And shoppers there also seemed annoyed at the change.

"Man I really hate that the Target self-checkout is now for only 10 items or less," one furious shopper wrote.

"Who leaves Target with less than ten items?!"

"Get rid of all self checkouts and hire cashiers," another post said.

"These stores will literally do anything except open more registers manned by a cashier," a further complaint read.