Costco has begun testing a new checkout system that supposedly takes just eight seconds — and it’s causing their ordinarily cheerful associates to lose their cool.
CEO Ron Vachris told investors that the company launched a system that has employees scanning items in customers’ carts before they even get to the cash register. The new system is aimed at speeding up throughput and reducing errors.
While standing in line for checkout, a Costco staff member will come to your cart and scan all of the items. Once you reach the register, you’ll scan your membership card and all of the scanned items will load on the screen. All you have to do at that point is pay.
The new technology allows for “an average transaction time of around eight seconds,” Costco CFO Gary Millerchip said in the company’s second-quarter earnings call, per the Daily Mail.
As it is, customers report that current wait times can exceed 20 minutes.
“Early results show this is improving the flow of traffic, and we have received great member feedback,” Millerchip said.
Some customers and Costco workers have shared on social media that the technology has already been brought into their local stores, and there seems to be a disparity between consumer and employee feelings.
Most employees on social media expressed negative responses to the new system.
In the CostcoEmployee sub-Reddit, a user shared that their store implemented the new system and “it is horrible here,” though they noted that “it could work better but we just don’t have the hang of it yet and nor do the members.”
“It’s a pain… It’s slower now,” one person said. “You have one cashier pre-scanning everything, holding up the line, and members trying to skip the line, which makes the people waiting even more frustrated because others aren’t following the rules.”
“It’s been such a f–king disaster,” an employee shared. “Our GM is now bragging about how much better our prescan numbers but now lines are even worse and both members and employees are pissed.”
Another user noted that “pre-scan for registers works nicely because no one is itching to cut in front of you while you scan. Pre-scan for self checkout is an absolute ticking time bomb before members argue about cutting while you scan.”
“I hate it. It usually ends up taking longer than just taking the stuff out of the basket and ringing it up at the register. At the register, I’ve had so many mistakes from the people prescanning. Missed items, double charges. Why does Costco hate technology that actually works?” another person wrote.
“It’s literally one of the worst things Costco has ever done.”
Customers, meanwhile, have had mixed reviews of the new system.
“They have been doing this at my Costco for quite some time. Very convenient. Definitely speeds check out,” one person wrote.
“I’ve had them pre-scan my cart in line, and it saved a couple minutes while helping the lines flow a little faster. It’s not revolutionary, it’s just helpful,” a user added.
“To add a dissenting opinion, it has only ever added time for me as someone who only buys a handful of items per trip,” another chimed in.
“It’s dumb. It’ll work if they let customers use the scan guns, but they just refuse. If you read this thread, you’ll see people outlining all the ways it sucks,” someone said.
Some customers pointed out that the eight seconds is only the time it takes to pay and doesn’t include the amount of time spent in the line or scanning the items.
“Eight seconds is bs. That’s the time to pay only. But to get there, you are still in a line. Still waiting for a scanner person to show up. Waiting for those ahead of you. Waiting in that awful line to check receipts,” someone noted.
“They’re adding pay stations that let you pay for your pre-scanned order in 8 seconds? So they’re no longer counting the time it takes to scan things in their time it takes to check out? Why didn’t I think of that?” another commented.
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