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Self-checkout struggles when stores treat checkout as a simple scan-and-pay task even though it is full of exceptions. Scales, scanners, product lookups, age checks, payment equipment and receipts can all require help. The labor does not disappear: it shifts to shoppers and attendants, while retailers must weigh staffing savings against equipment costs, theft, delays and customer frustration.
Why does the machine keep calling an attendant?
Self-checkout depends on several systems working together: the scanner must read an item, the product database must identify it, and a bagging scale may need to confirm that the item was placed in the bag. If the scale does not register the expected weight, or a shopper moves an item in a way the system does not expect, the kiosk can pause the transaction.
Other common exceptions include an accidental double scan, produce that requires a lookup, age-restricted products that need approval, and payment or cash-handling problems. A receipt printer can fail, or a cash module can run out of change. These are not just minor annoyances: each stop can leave a shopper waiting for an employee to clear the error.
One attendant often monitors multiple kiosks. When several shoppers need help at once, machines can remain open while the line still backs up. That is why having more kiosks does not necessarily mean a faster checkout.
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Is self-checkout actually faster?
It can feel faster when a shopper has a small basket and the scanner, scale and payment system cooperate. But a fair comparison counts the whole transaction: scanning and bagging, any time spent searching for an item, and delays while waiting for assistance. If an exception interrupts the process, a staffed lane may finish sooner.
Self-checkout can therefore be faster for some transactions and slower for others. Basket size, product type, the shopper’s familiarity with the kiosk, the number of attendants available and the reliability of the equipment all matter. A kiosk that is physically open is not necessarily a ready, low-friction checkout option.
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Why do shoppers feel they are doing the cashier’s job?
Because they are doing more of it. Shoppers scan and bag their own purchases, while staff still handle exceptions, verify restricted purchases and monitor for problems. Wharton faculty member Santiago Gallino described the shift this way: “It’s not to make checkout more efficient. They are basically transferring the labor to the customer.”
That transfer may reduce the number of cashier-operated transactions, but it does not eliminate work. Retailers still need attendants, maintenance and loss-prevention measures. Gallino also cautioned that retailers need to consider “how much pain the customer is willing to take” when weighing customer experience against cost savings.
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It can make both intentional theft and honest non-scans easier. A shopper may overlook an item, scan it twice, or select the wrong produce entry; deliberate non-scans can also be harder to spot when staff are supervising several stations. Estimates cited by Knowledge at Wharton in 2024 put shrink at 3.5%–4% for self-checkout, compared with less than 1% for cashier-operated checkout. Those are estimates, not a universal rate for every store or kiosk.
A LendingTree survey cited by Knowledge at Wharton in 2023 found that 15% of respondents admitted stealing at self-checkout, and 44% of that group said they planned to do it again. These results describe survey respondents; they should not be read as a measure of all shoppers.
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Retailers have added cameras and missed-scan detection tools, including Everseen’s AI system, to identify possible non-scans. Such controls may help with loss prevention, but they can also create another point of friction if a system incorrectly flags a transaction and requires staff intervention.
Why are stores removing self-checkout?
For a retailer, the decision is an economic trade-off, not simply a judgment about whether shoppers like kiosks. Potential savings in cashier labor must be weighed against kiosks’ purchase and maintenance costs, attendant time, shrink, transaction delays and the risk of losing customer goodwill. A four-kiosk installation can cost upwards of $100,000, according to the Hackaday article; the exact cost depends on the system and deployment.
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Retailers are adjusting use rather than uniformly abandoning the technology. AP has reported that Target set a 10-item limit, Walmart removed self-checkout at some locations, and Booths took machines out of most of its stores. Wegmans ended its scan-and-go app while keeping its registers. These decisions show that a system can make sense in some settings and not in others.
Self-checkout has nevertheless become a substantial part of retail checkout. AP reported that, according to the Food Marketing Institute, it represented 30% of transactions in 2021—nearly twice the 2018 share—and that 96% of surveyed retailers offered it. A 2022 study cited by Knowledge at Wharton found self-checkout was the dominant checkout form in grocery stores. Those figures describe different measures and years; neither establishes that kiosks are the best choice for every store or transaction.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should a better checkout setup look like?
Self-checkout works best as one option in a mixed system, rather than a blanket replacement for staffed lanes. Retail Dive’s guidance is to keep staffed checkout available, place help within reach and reduce unnecessary friction in payment and verification. A small, straightforward basket may suit a kiosk; a large cart, restricted product or transaction likely to need assistance may be better served by a cashier.
Retailers are also testing alternatives. Smartphone scan-and-go lets shoppers scan items while shopping, though stores may verify purchases at the exit. Amazon’s cashierless-store model uses a different approach to checkout. Mashgin’s autonomous kiosks are another example of newer checkout technology. These systems change where scanning or verification happens; they do not remove the need to balance convenience, accuracy, privacy, staffing and loss prevention.
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The staffing context matters too. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics had about 1.2 million cashiers in 2023-era data, down from 1.4 million in 2019; AP reported that the BLS projected a further 10% decline over the following decade. That projection does not mean self-checkout alone causes the decline. Gartner analyst Sandeep Unni has said he does not believe self-checkout will replace traditional lanes, a view consistent with retailers continuing to use different checkout formats for different transactions.
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