Target is pulling a complete 180 on its self-checkout game, and it’s leaving shoppers seriously rattled.
In a move that seems to follow Walmart’s recent lead, the retail giant has reportedly removed self-checkout lanes from all of its 2,000 stores. Yep, just a year after hyping up a full rollout, they’ve apparently hit the brakes hard, and customers are not taking it quietly.
While Target hasn’t publicly declared a company-wide shutdown, reports from customers and staff are pouring in, especially on Reddit. One shocked shopper wrote, “The Target I live near completely got rid of self-checkout. I’m still stunned.” Another added, “I’ll be devastated if this happens at my Target. I only use self-checkout.” That sentiment is clearly shared by plenty of people who now face longer lines and fewer options, and they’re venting big-time online.
But this isn’t just about convenience, it’s about control. Retail experts say the flip-flop is frustrating because it feels so random. Neil Saunders from GlobalData told DailyMail.com that decisions like this seem to come from corporate offices without thinking about how they’ll play out in stores. The result? Chaos and confusion.
So, why is Target backing off a feature it once championed? Theft. Or more specifically, too much of it. Self-checkout lanes have always been a weak spot when it comes to shrinkage, and some employees say the decision is tied directly to a spike in stolen goods. One Target worker even said on Reddit that their store’s self-checkout has been closed for months and theft has dropped since. Another noted that high theft rates made those kiosks practically useless.
Target has been trying to tighten things up for a while now. Back in March 2024, the company limited self-checkout to 10 items or fewer, aiming to cut down on mistakes and keep lines moving. It also rolled out AI-powered cameras to keep a closer watch on transactions, but apparently, that wasn’t enough.
The retailer has also shut down entire stores in theft-heavy areas and allowed some locations to control when their self-checkout is available. Still, despite all the noise and the empty kiosks, a Target spokesperson insists that no major change is happening. “Target is not removing self-checkout,” they said. “We offer it in the vast majority of our stores and have no plans to change this.”
Whether this is a full-on retreat or just a quiet reset, shoppers are definitely noticing. The self-checkout experience at Target is looking way different than it did just months ago, and customers are watching closely to see what comes next.
