4 hours Ago By Chris Bradford
TARGET has continued to come under fire by furious shoppers over its policy to clamp down on theft. Customers have moaned how in-house measures have led to what should be short trips into lengthy, unwanted sagas. The customer, known only as Lex, claimed her trip to a Target store in Washington, D.
C., turned into a 35-minute ordeal, according to an X post. She claimed that nearly everything was locked inside the outlet.
The shopper moaned how the bells that alert staffers a customer needs help were not working. “Took 35 min to get everything I needed on what should have been a 5 min trip,” she said. read more on money Then, she turned to the checkout, which ultimately proved to be the final straw.
“. I realized I had to self checkout and left everything in the store,” she said. A Target spokesperson responded within minutes of the customer raising the complaint.
“We apologize for the experience!” the representative said. Most read in Money “We will be sure to pass on your feedback to the store leadership and other appropriate departments.” The Target spokesperson invited the shopper to share more details.
It’s unclear if the shopper provided the extra information. Target is just one retailer that has resorted to locking items away. Items ranging from shampoos to underwear and clothes have all been put under lock and key.
The U.S. Sun has reported how the measure has been mocked by most shoppers.
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. One shopper went so far as to claim that the measure has destroyed the in-store experience. Meaghan Halligan, from California , said shopping at Target used to be her favorite activity before chiefs decided to roll out the policy, according to The Wall Street Journal.
She said shopping online was preferable compared to going into a store. Meanwhile, others have labeled the store change “utter insanity” and “dystopian.” Other chains such as Walmart and Walgreens have turned to the policy.
But, the CEO of Walgreens, Timothy Wentworth , admitted the deterrent had an impact on sales. “When you lock things up, you don’t sell as many of them,” he admitted in an earnings call last week as reported by USA Today . The anti-theft measure is not the only policy that has caused frustration among Target shoppers.
Target hit the headlines when chiefs announced it was trialing a policy limiting self-checkout users to a maximum of 10 items . Read More on The US Sun Bosses said they imposed the measure to ensure self-checkouts remain efficient. But, some shoppers have been left bewildered by the policy, threatening to boycott the retailer.
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