Checkout Nightmare
It was a normal day at a shopping center. People were lining up to pay for their goods and the cashier was just swamped with a landslide of customers. Even with having five to six counters open, it was still overwhelming to the staff.
A lone shopper with only a few items in their basket sees the self-check-out counter. He speeds through the crown to get to it first. Finally reaching his destination, he looked around and he noticed no one was watching.
Tea from a TikToker
Lately, a viral TikToker was professing to be a Walmart employee. He detailed how the shop could identify consumers who were stealing from the store. Their system, according to reports, followed shoppers at the self-service pay registers.
Knowing how technology works today, it's not at all surprising that they can do it. Shops like Walmart, after all, must invest in security.
Self-Checkout Benefits
Self-checkout is available at Walmart to assist consumers in getting out of the store more quickly. These are for individuals who do not wish to wait in line to do so.
At the local super Walmarts, these lanes are available for use as long as the shop is open, which is 24 hours a day. Sadly, some take advantage.
Taking Advantage
People who believe they can get away with theft by not scanning all of the products before placing them in the bag take advantage of the self-checkout system.
Shoplifting is a crime that results in arrests regularly. However, their scheming will be coming to an end.
No Sneaking Out
In some instances, would-be thieves may believe that using the self-checkout option will allow them to sneak a few more products into their basket without being detected. The TikToker's clip, on the other hand, reveals that the store is fully aware of what its customers are up to.
Stealing is a no-no to Walmart, folks--- that’s what they say anyway. Their customers better watch out if they’ll try something sneaky.
Recording Shopper’s Activity
According to the video by @walmartgy69, their technology-based system is savvy. It can record their shoppers’ activity at the self-check-out counter.
Of course, that clip has gone viral because the customers of Walmart are also curious as to what kind of tech they use. Who wouldn’t, right?
Walmart’s Way
Just so everybody knows, Walmart has its way of dealing with thieves. Even though a store has a long period to bring charges against anyone caught shoplifting, Walmart just does it immediately.
When an arrest is made, they file charges. This may be one of the reasons why many are curious about their anti-theft system.
Not Just a Slap on the Wrist
Some individuals who were apprehended for theft believed they would only receive a wrist slap. That's where they got it wrong. They were arrested and jailed for shoplifting, even though this was their first infraction. Walmart refuses to drop petty theft charges.
People should know about their system so that shoplifting could be avoided. After all, the price they’ll pay is higher when fined.
Some Shoplifting Excuses
Certain offenses may be expunged depending on the state. A misdemeanor conviction might jeopardize your career prospects in commerce and other industries, such as shoplifting for minor theft.
People have made numerous excuses, the most common being "oops, I forgot to pay for it," which occurred recently when a man was found stealing at the self-checkout. Well, it seems like Walmart’s system knows who’s bluffing.
Well-Trained Staff
“What if I forget to scan something?” you may wonder. Walmart's loss prevention personnel are well trained. They can tell when you've made a mistake, and they can also tell when you're lying. Oh, not only that, but they are also well versed with the system that the TikToker has leaked.
Some individuals who stole from Walmart believed they got away with it for an extended period of time. There’s also something they didn’t know.
Digitized Records
The security cameras' video recordings are digitized and never destroyed. During an inventory check, a worker once discovered items lacking from her department and requested that a loss prevention officer analyze the tape.
They found two individuals removing stuff from the section, going to another store area, and hiding it in their pockets. Their license plate was captured on surveillance footage, and they were apprehended a few weeks after the store robbery.
Odds of Being Caught
Trying to steal from a Walmart self-checkout or shop is never a good idea due to the high probability of being apprehended. Individuals have stolen from Walmart to obtain a grill or chocolates.
As we all know, they had to pay multiple times the price of their items when they were caught. Perhaps, Walmart’s system is so good. Let’s see what the TikToker has to tell.
A Technological Equipment
The anonymous TikToker provided a clear and concise picture of the technological equipment used by the corporation. It assists all retail chains in tracking every product sold in their stores. Walmart, as you can see, places a high value on security.
Stealing from them is a foolish act--- well, sometimes. You’ll find out why later.
Thanks to Zebra Technologies
In the video, the employee demonstrated a scanning gadget that all Walmart employees are equipped with. It also has a label that says, "POV: We know when you're stealing."
The gadget is manufactured by Zebra Technologies, a well-known retail track, and trace company that sells scanners and software to many of the top retailers in the United States, including Walmart and Costco, among others.
Detailed Report
The handheld devices are used to connect the assigned members of the shop to the self-checkout systems. It indicates which goods are now in use and that are open.
The equipment generates a thorough report of the things that have been scanned in the system, as well as and of items in the store. Isn’t that amazing? Wait, there's more.
Wonderful Walmart Technology
This makes the entire procedure much simpler for the authorities, who can more easily track down the things sold and apprehend the customer planning to steal any item. The TikToker employee also provided additional information regarding the technology.
They stated that the scan identifies removed products. It was also mentioned that it sends a notification if assistance is required when the customer clicks on the machine.
Not that Impressive?
While some folks were impressed and a little concerned about trying to smuggle a spare package of cheddar cheese into their bags during their next Walmart visit, others were openly dismissive of the device made by Zebra technologies.
Maybe Walmart’s security is not that tight after all? Many comments prove so.
Forgotten Dog Food
One TikTok user stated that they could walk out of Walmart with one of those giant bags of dog food although they had forgotten to pay. They didn't notice it because it was hidden beneath the cart. Uh-oh, Walmart.
It seems like you’ve missed out on some people---or shall we say “many people?” How many do you think have sneaked out with a box of cheerios or a candy bar?
Another Forgetful Customer
Others spoke of forgetting products in their carts or just forgetting to swipe their credit card when at the self-checkout aisle, resulting in them walking out of the store immediately. Yes, you heard that right!
Without any apprehension from the staff, one said they literally walked out with more than $50 worth of merchandise by mistake. The staff member forgot to swipe their card.
Blatant Customers
Others were a little more outspoken about their Walmart shopping habits. One said that as compensation for serving as their own cashier, they always take a small item out without paying for it.
They even added that they don’t work for free in any way. Uhmm, is that genius or plain petty stealing?
Befuddled Buyers
Then some are perplexed by the technology. One Tiktok user commented that if the Walmart guys know when people are stealing, why do they gaze at buyers like they’re up to something when they're not?
That sounds like a reasonable question, Walmart. Maybe the employees should be a little more relaxed.
The Employees’ Comments
Here’s more Walmart scoop! In response, some of their employees stated that they're not compensated "enough to care.”
They commented that they'd just look the other way if they were alerted that a customer had stolen from the store. Aren't these revelations getting juicier and juicier?
Trying to Avoid Losses
Given the massive losses that Walmart regularly incurs as a result of theft from its stores, it is in Walmart's best advantage, according to research and analytics, to outfit its stores with all of the equipment that it can to curb theft from its stores as much as possible.
Well, given the comments from customers, it’s pretty apparent that extra security is necessary. No more free granola bars!
Corporation Losses
As per Fortune, Walmart estimates that it loses one percent of its expected gains every year due to theft. Considering that Walmart produced over $300 billion in sales in 2015 (the year the report was released) across all of its locations worldwide, that amounts to a stunning $3 billion.
Needless to say, that is a huge amount! Would this make customers still shop at Walmart?
Recent Statistics
In fact, more recent numbers show that Walmart produced $523.96 billion in revenue in 2020. It is indicating that they will have lost more than $5 billion in potential revenues as a result of theft.
Isn't that quite overwhelming? That explains their efforts for additional security.
Humans Can Only Go So Far
Walmart has been aggressively focused on minimizing its losses since the beginning of 2015. Its loss prevention divisions can only go so far with active human monitoring. It is the biggest reason why they are implementing the use of technology firms such as Zebra to supplement human efforts.
They are trying their best to take control of the situation. In addition, this helps staff members control the in and out of goods.
Walmart’s Anti-theft Budget
Forbes magazine recently published an article on the economics as to how much Walmart would spend every year to deter thieves. According to Forbes, it is not practical for Walmart to pay $3.25 billion per year to deal with a problem that costs $1.5 billion per year.
For them to shrug their shoulders and accept that something like this just happens is the most economically rational course of action. I mean what's a billion dollars to them?
A Statement From an Officer
An officer from a local police station remarked in 2016 that the company could undoubtedly do more to reduce the number of thefts in their shop. They also implied that a significant portion of his agency's time had been spent investigating a crime at a specific Walmart store.
We can’t help but ask if their system is effective. This is because it seems like people are still smuggling goods out of the shopping center.
More From Forbes
According to Forbes, a financial analyst believes that investing extensively in as close-to-total asset protection as possible may not be a wise investment for the company. The cost would be around $3.25 billion a year, or about a fourth of Walmart's earnings in the past year, which was $14 billion. Isn’t this appalling to think about?
So the story concludes that Walmart is only investing as much cash as they can before it becomes much more advantageous to let you walk out of the shop with the one slippers that you've had your eye on. They may have high technology, but the question that remains is simple. Is it worth it?
We Want to Know More
In the vid's comment section, the TikToker employee asked viewers whether they wanted to see precisely how personnel knew when individuals were stealing, as well as instances of the various ways buyers swiped products from Walmart without paying. Following his comment, hundreds of individuals expressed a strong want to see more of what he had to say.
What do you think of Walmart’s ways of doing things? Have you also ever forgotten to pay at one of their self-checkout shops? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments.