‘What is their purpose?’ Home Depot shopper cries after seeing employees ‘doing literally nothing’ at self-... - The US Sun
A SHOPPER has slammed Home Depot's operational decisions around its self-checkouts as employees fail to take any action.
Retailers are increasingly being asked to address issues at self-checkouts where that is long lines, technology glitches, theft, or a desire for more cashier-ran registers.
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Now, in response to a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, a Home Depot customer has admitted that the retailer's self-checkout makes him crazy.
One user @TailsWindsFI posted a clip of himself at a Home Depot self-checkout asking employees if they could find him a left-handed hammer.
All three immediately reach into their pockets for a device that searches the store's inventory.
"Why plumbers will be $200 I/hr in the future lol," he wrote in the post adding: "Nobody knows how to work with tools and this video clearly shows it."
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While that customer complained about the lack of staff knowledge, fellow shopper Brian Spilner said that the employees at self-checkout do nothing.
"The self-checkout at Home Depot drives me absolutely nuts," he wrote in response to the "hilarious" clip.
"Always 2-3 people there doing literally nothing."
"Go open a register and check people out - what is their purpose?!?," he asked.
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This is a question being asked by customers of numerous retailers as changes are being rolled out among self-checkout areas.
Last year Target trialed express self-checkouts which limited users to just 10 items in a bid to make the kiosks more efficient and to tackle shoplifting.
This has now been rolled out across all Target stores and will be "evolving to match guests with the right checkout options," the retailer said in a press release.
Alongside item limits the retailer has also introduced operating hours for self-checkout and more "traditional lanes staffed by team members."
"Then what's the point in having self-checkout?" one person asked in a post implying that a move toward item limits and operational hours at self-checkouts renders them useless.
Others have said that the change may see them avoid the retailer altogether.
Meanwhile, Walmart has been criticized for appearing to shut down their self-checkout areas at a number of stores though no official announcement has been made.
"@Walmart screwed the pooch by getting rid of self-checkout," one shopper said on X.
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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.
"Back to long lines and insufferable waiting times."
The U.S. Sun previously reported on another Walmart shopper who slammed the retailer's employees at self-checkout for making him feel uncomfortable and failing at basic customer service.
"@Walmart watches while you shop," shopper Michael said.
He explained that it makes him uncomfortable how employees watch him while he is in the store and how spying on shoppers seems to be more important than customer service.
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"Have people watching you while you self-checkout because they no longer believe in customer service," Michael added.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to The Home Depot for comment on Spilner's complaint.
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