Beware Texas Walmarts Have Successfully Killed All Customer Trust

Walmart’s Self-Checkout Experiment: Where’s the Human Connection?

My wife and I recently had an unsettling experience at Walmart in Abilene, where we were stopped at the door after using the self-checkout, and treated as if we hadn’t paid for our items. It got me thinking, what happened to the retail human connection? When I was younger, cashiers made the experience of shopping personal. They greeted and chatted with you, and, more importantly, treated you like a valued customer, not a suspect. But now, it feels like that personal touch is missing, replaced by machines that don’t trust you.

I’ve always tried to live by the principle of kindness. I’ve often found myself standing in line at Walmart behind families who were struggling to afford the basics, cereal, crackers, and things for their children. I would see the disappointment in the eyes of the kids when their parents said, “We need to put that back, we don’t have enough money.” In those moments, I’d look at the cashier and say, “I’ll pay for it. Let the kids enjoy their cereal.” And it always gave me the opportunity to say to the family, “God loves you, and so do I.”

Those small acts of kindness have always been at the heart of my shopping experiences. But where’s that kindness now? Where’s the human connection? I feel as if everyone is trying to get in and out without any interaction with anyone else for fear of being noticed by the employee guards.

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The Corporate Shift to Self-Checkout

Walmart’s decision to shift to self-checkout is a company fail in my eyes. While it may seem more efficient, the reality is that self-checkout has increased theft by up to 50%, costing Walmart billions​(DealAid &​WorldMetrics). Ironically, Walmart employs people to stand around the self-checkout area, watching customers like hawks, when those same employees could be working as cashiers, ensuring a smoother, more personal shopping experience. The money saved by reducing cashiers is nothing compared to the billions lost through self-checkout theft​ (WorldMetrics).

The Impact on Employees and Customers

Not only does the reliance on self-checkout systems lead to significant financial losses, but it also impacts the lives of Walmart employees. Many of these employees are now struggling to make ends meet as their jobs are reduced or eliminated in favor of machines. In my view, AI and self-checkout machines don't lie, cheat, or steal, they simply perform tasks consistently. Humans, on the other hand, can make errors, take advantage of systems, or succumb to personal struggles, which unfortunately leads to more theft and complications within the store.

Reintroducing Trust and Kindness

But, beyond the financial aspect, there’s something more important here, trust. As customers, we don’t want to feel like we’re under suspicion every time we walk out of the store. I believe we need to be kinder to one another, and that starts with how companies treat their customers. Instead of relying on machines and invasive security measures, Walmart could focus on building trust through personal interactions with cashiers and employees who can connect with customers.

If Walmart brought back more cashiers and human interaction, they could improve both their financial situation and their relationship with customers. The wages saved by reducing cashiers are a drop in the bucket compared to the billions lost through theft. Moreover, restoring a more personal shopping experience could help rebuild the trust that’s been eroded by overreliance on automation.

A Call for Humanity

I’m convinced that if people could embrace honesty and kindness, the self-checkout machines would save hundreds of millions of dollars in wages. However, those employees who are now unemployed are struggling to make ends meet. The machines don’t lie, cheat, or steal, but humans often do. AI may offer solutions, but it can’t replace the genuine connections and trust that human interactions foster.

Walmart’s move to self-checkout may have seemed like a step toward convenience, but the reality is it’s a system that’s broken, both in terms of preventing theft and in how it makes customers feel. A return to more human interaction could benefit everyone involved. After all, a company built on trust is one that customers want to come back to.