Target Rolls Out Express Self-Checkout for 10 Items or Less to Speed Up Lines

Target will roll out express self-checkout lanes limited to 10 items or fewer starting March 17th to reduce wait times and understand customer preferences.

Target found the express lanes were twice as fast during pilot testing; customers surveyed said the overall checkout experience was better with the option to use self-checkout for small purchases.

Retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Dollar General are also experimenting with changes to their self-checkout strategies to reduce theft and improve customer experience.

Dollar General will remove self-checkout from over 300 stores with the most theft, limit self-checkout purchases to 5 items or less in remaining stores, and convert some self-checkout registers to assisted checkout.

Many retailers increased self-checkout during the pandemic for health reasons and staffing issues; now they are looking for new models that balance loss prevention and customer satisfaction.