How do we feel about the idea of no more cashiers?  One popular club store may be moving to utilizing in-app checkouts and getting rid of registers and checkout lines.

Self-Checkout or Going to a Cashier?

A trend I've noticed lately is stores moving away from traditional cashiers and moving towards self-checkout. While I do see the benefits of self-checkout, like there being more registers, I still like the old school method of having someone else check me out.  I don't know about you, but self-checkout always takes me twice as long as just letting someone who is a pro do it for me. I can never scan my items as fast as a cashier can, and heaven forbid I have to look up a produce item or type in a SKU.

The Red Blinking Light of Shame

One time, I was sick and in a hurry and had to just grab a couple of things, cough syrup being one of them.  As soon as I scanned the cough syrup, the checkout popped up a message about needing an employee to come help me.  It was apparently the kind of cough syrup that you have to show an ID to buy. The checkout lanes were full, so the one person the store had overseeing them was busy with a couple of people who had their lanes throw the red blinking light of shame before mine did.  In my opinion, self-checkout has the illusion of being faster (and sometimes it is, if you're only getting one or two items), but often just adds more complications to my trip and leaves me dreaming of a simpler time.

And don't even get me started on dealing with self-checkout when I have my kids with me.  Have you ever had to wrangle a toddler having a meltdown while trying to quickly check out your groceries?  It's a nightmare.

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The First Ever Register Free Sam's Club

At the end of 2024, Sam's Club opened the first "register-free" store in Grapevine, Texas.  Here is what Sam's Club says about this location, which seems to be the future of the club:

One of the most exciting features of the remodel is the transition to a register-free shopping experience. High-top tables near the showroom and entrance are staffed by member specialists ready to assist anyone new to Scan & Go. This innovative approach has been met with enthusiasm, with the majority of members preferring the streamlined system in its first week.

 

Is Sam's Club Getting Rid of Cash Registers and Cashiers in the Future?

After the success of this new store model, Sam's Club announced more plans to expand the register-free shopping experience.  At Walmart Inc.’s 2025 Investment Community Meeting, they announced that they will soon begin the process of remodeling all locations, and according to their corporate website, they will remodel all 600 current locations "with the newly opened Grapevine, Texas location setting the standard for the club of the future."

While they don't say they are completely getting rid of cash registers and cashiers, the recent report from Sam's Club corporate says they are making a significant investment in Scan & Go technology (the app utilized for self-checkout).

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Meanwhile, investments in digital tools such as Scan & Go™, Just Go exit technology and personalized, AI-driven advertising are elevating the member experience and removing friction from the shopping journey.

So, what do you think of this news?  Do you like the idea of moving away from cash registers or are you a bigger fan of the old school way of checking out? You can see the full article with all of the plans for Sam's Club here.