My local Home Depot store completely renovated their checkout area, moving all of their registers around.
I couldn’t tell how many of the registers were now designated for self-checkout, but there were several cashiers assisting customers, about the same number as before.
Up until recently, my Home Depot store had rows of checkout aisles, with some registers manned by cashiers and most being supervised self-checkout machines. There were always a cashier or two managing the line and assisting the self-checkout area.
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After the initial COVID pandemic closures two years ago, big box retailers set up roped-off areas where customers could stand in a single line, with social distance markers on the floor reminding everyone to stand 6 feet apart.
It could sometimes be cramped to wait in the single line, as the main aisle – the “race track” – was designed for two-way traffic around promotional displays. Moving around the displays, and sometimes wood pallets, was a minor but persistent hinderance.
Single-line checkout isn’t a new concept – my local Best Buy store has done this for years now – but it seemed to work for stores such as Home Depot, Target, and Walmart.
I won’t know for certain until I head to my Home Depot when it’s much busier, but the entire checkout area felt less cramped.
The snack display made me hungry, and in my opinion will surely sell better than they did before.
On this occasion I wasn’t buying anything, as I had only went in to see if there were any new promotions, and I didn’t like that I could only exit via a single choke point. Before, I could walk through any checkout aisle to get to the exit.
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This new checkout pathway design might help speed things up and also potentially reduce shoplifting, but it increases the hassle for customers leaving the store empty-handed.
I suppose that I can leave through the entrance or pro exit. But, I already know that my holiday season deal-scouting, when I research seasonal promos for ToolGuyd and my personal purchases, is going to bug me a bit.
If I’m buying something, this new setup might help get me out of the store faster. If I’m not buying something, the single checkout choke point could slow me down.
Have your Home Depot stores renovated their checkout areas in a similar manner?
Greg
Hopefully they added counter space to place things. If i have any more than 2-3 items at my HD they barely fit on the small counter they gave cashiers.
Jamie Davis
Agreed.
Vicky
I work for HD honestly there isn’t anything good about Self Check out if you need to ring up items without skus, have to measure items length, Scan something twice by accident, along with many other things with out a cashier to assist. There is more theft at those registers. Bottom line they don’t want to pay for cashiers .
Rebecca
Not true. We have cashiers readily available at all times to assist customers with their purchases. If there’s a problem they are there to help. We are getting the new front end checkout at our Store in August and are very excited!
Brenda
I hate using self check-out period. It takes jobs away from people that need a job. For some older people that come in that could be the only conversation they have all day and it’s lost with the self-checkout.
Stuart
There’s still the pro checkout.
Drako
This argument is extremely flawed.
SCO in many cases ADDS jobs (just see what happened and nearly all Walmarts that went SCO ONLY — many doubled their Front End positions.) Hell, my position would not exist without SCO.
As for “removing jobs” store’s DON’T need SCO to do so. And I’m sure you’ve seen this personally at nearly ALL drug stores and even some grocery stores, especially the smaller market ones. (Like the Red Apple near my home)
All the drug stores I’ve been in can have 5-10 registers, but NEVER have more than ONE cashier running them all day. (And they don’t have SCO to speed things up, especially for smaller transactions.)
My Red apple market USED to have 5 registers, but never any more than TWO cashiers ALL DAY. They removed 3 Registers to add SCO and suddenly they now have FOUR cashiers throughout the day.
The presence of SCO isn’t the deciding factor of if there’s employees. A company can REDUCE jobs without ever investing in SCO – but usually investing in SCO also comes with an investment with MORE positions, not less. (Though I can also state I have seen some stores use SCO to have less “front end” jobs — while increasing in aisle jobs and/or supervisor roles.
Even then, I’ve seen stores without SCO and stores with SCO reduce jobs across the board AT THE SAME RATE — all based on sales volume and wanting to “save money” over providing a good customer experience.
GregL
I shouldn’t have to work as a cashier when I purchase something. Not my job.
al
So over the weekend, I witnessed a bunch of home depot employees standing around while paying customers were press ganged into being temporary employees in order to do business with you.
Today I had 4 items. Asked somebody to help me scan them. They did, and then walked away leaving me to insert my card and pay. Unfortunately, after entering my pin, the entire system froze. I stood there like a fool through several rounds of “Customer Needing Assistance” before somebody came over, looked, determined they need a head cashier, of which there were none. I demanded a manager, and finally got a head cashier who fumbled around a bit. After 15 minutes, I abandoned the cart and left. If the charge goes through, I’ll dispute it via the bank. HD should have it all on the webcam that was watching me the whole time.
I’m not a favor of self service replacing good old fashioned courtesy, but will tolerate it to an extent. This was beyond that extent…
mikedt
Seems to me it wouldn’t take too much stolen merchandise to offset the cost of a check out clerk. Seems penny wise pound foolish to me.
Not Important
It isn’t about paying for cashiers. HD has thousands of employees and is not slowing down in their hiring. That’s a very short sided comment. Their goal is to make it easier for customers to get out the door, but it’s a learning experience for them too. No store has perfected self checkout. I’d advise you share your experiences with them and help them improve. They have plenty of ways to do so.
cd5686
Of the self checkouts in my area, Home Depot is far and away the best. The terminals are quick, they provide a wireless scanner so you don’t have remove large items, and they don’t ask you to bag items 0.00034 seconds after it is scanned.
A grocery store near me has switched to no cashiers after 9PM, I left a full cart of 2 weeks of groceries after finding this out. I told the manager why, felt sorry for the workers but I’m not scanning that many items on a self checkout with no room and machine halts when you remove a bag.
Stuart
For whatever reason, grocery store self-checkout is the worst, requiring store employee intervention with every other item. My favorite grocery store doesn’t have self-checkout at all, neither does the Whole Foods I go to once in a blue moon.
395Millbrook
An employee discount would be nice since I am now an HD cashier.
Paul
Yeah, since I’m not properly trained as a check out clerk sometimes things don’t get scanned properly and I end up with unscanned items in my bag!
Pete
That’s why they have cameras above the check out stations. You can easily be called in the back office. Besides this practice only makes items more expensive eventually for all. Not worth it.
Ed
I agree 100%
FJB
Yep….every place that requires me to self checkout, I only scan about 2/3 of what I have. If you’re going to make me work for you, I’m going to get paid.
Stuart
Google “self checkout arrest” when you have a chance. A lot of people have been going to jail for exactly what you describe doing.
Jim brass
Hope you enjoy being put in the home depot theft database.
Stuart
Exactly. Ignoring how thieves offer poor “if I have to check out myself it’s okay” excuses to justify shoplifting, retailers have plenty of cameras aimed at self checkout (and elsewhere). You’re not making a clean getaway.
Leroy Johnson
Where is your home depot at? They aren’t doing that everywhere, are they? Sounds inconvenient to me.
Stuart
What’s inconvenient about self-checkout shoplifters being arrested and prosecuted?
Matt
I’m a Behr Paint rep and I see it all day long in my territory. It’s so hard to watch and even worse when people think I work for HD and can help them haha!
Jeff
I always go to an actual cashier if I can. It’s nearly impossible at Walmart.
Pat
Every store that has self checkout now have reported a hugh loss . Seems that the idea of saving the company money by down sizing the number of employees has actually cost the companies more . Maybe it would be a better idea to get rid of the self checkout and hire more people.
Ra higgins
I have no training as a cashier . So these stores that are increasingly installing self check out stations expect me to do their jobs . I then demand a 25 percent discount on my purchase. You say there are employees to assist if needed . No there are not . Ether not there or on phones talking to friends .
Drako
Would love to hear the “I’m not trained to shop the aisles” from 100 years ago and “I want a discount for having to get the item MYSELF” — which was ACTUALLY used as arguments against Self Service Aisles 100 years ago.
Now we would fight tooth and claw if someone said they had to get it for you and take it to the register for you — but… that’s EXACTLY how stores worked 100 years ago. You couldn’t shop the aisles yourself. You went to the front counter, which blocked public access to the aisles, and ordered the items and paid for them BEFORE the army of clerks went to get them.
Imagine if the clerk forgot they were OUT of something.
Also, those same clerks were the ones STOCKING the aisles when not helping customers — so there were LESS retail jobs 100 years ago than there are now, since you can now shop the aisles yourself. (It just changes the jobs.)
theodork
First you say that “army of clerks went to get them”. Then you try claiming there were “LESS retail jobs 100 years ago. Then you try claiming “it just changes the jobs”. Wow! You contradicted yourself multiple times. This leads be to believe that some of your statements are not true, which makes you an apologist for the greedy corporations and shareholders.
Also earlier it was stated that HD does not have employee discounts, instead they get stock. Well, the :”new cashiers” do not get this “benefit” so why is it wrong to receive a discount for doing HD’s work? It seems more wrong that the new cashiers are doing HD’s work for absolutely zero compensation!
Steve
It seems most big box retail is trending in this direction.
Julian Tracy
I didn’t mind the self checkout as much when the screen was the reader, but now that they force you to use that greasy hand scan gun – no thanks. I really have no interest in working to check out after walking around the store for 20-45min to figure out what the day requires.
Much more importantly for contractors – some stores near me have angled prodesk adjacent under the canopy parking and others have parallel parking – the angled parking allows so much better traffic flow and eliminates a world of congestion vs. the parallel method.
Of course most employees are apathetic at best and half asleep at worst in terms of receiving input so you just give up because no one seems to give a damn.
Don’t get me started on finding a flat bed cart in or near the store meanwhile seemingly 100’s of employees floating around the store.
Kingsley
I bet B&Q in the UK will copy this! B&Q is modelled on Home Depot, right down to the colour scheme, although there’s no link between them.
Jamie Davis
The store in here in Bristol, Va has been frustrating for at least as long as the Covid-19 era. The checkout is much worse in every way than any Lowe’s in Bristol or the Tri-Cities metro for that matter. Much worse, though, is the Milwaukee M12 display and the Makita display. Home Depot has to be the top retailer for either system in North America. All Home Depot stores in my metro are abysmal with regard to these two displays. I really wish they would build out the M12 display, as I am a M12 user for years now. I love M12 purchased online. The store experience is lackluster at best. The Ryobi end cap, which is the main driver for Ryobi in these stores, is directly across the front race track from the checkouts. I have been frustrated with Home Depot and their layouts for years. Like mentioned above, it may reduce crime some and speed the process up to change the layout in checkout. That would benefit all of us. The layout of Lowe’s with the products I like at Home Depot would be a killer deal….. Oh Well.
David Z
I would guess that Milwaukee chooses how/what is emphasized by negotiating deals with each merchant.
Of you go to CVS, the manufacturers pay to have their products at eye-level, on end caps, etc. The same thing would apply here.
Ryan H
Is it a security concern? An HD near me changed the layout into a “torturous flowpath,” with an employee standing at the end. Makes it far harder to rush in, steal items and rush out.
Homer
The FEL upgrade is an ongoing initiative happening at multiple stores. Depending on store size and layout there can be multiple pods of self checkout areas with a single line pass through area that works as both customer service and backup registers.
All stores are also getting upgraded internet connections and replacement hardware covering all the routers, switches, and WAPs.
Stuart
Thank you for sharing these insights!
mp
Now give me an option to not print or email a receipt at self-checkout.
I want neither.
Robert
It’s getting like everywhere else. Customers are not only customers, they’re expected to be employees too. The stores have multiple regular checkouts, only one of which is open, “on a good day.” It’s all about the self checkout now.
I look for the average ER patient to eventually be doing their own suturing.
MFC
Well, every company has to mitigate theft, maximize employee workflow, position more items in front of the buyer, etc.
Unfortunately everyone feels entitled to some extent, and employee customer service is at an all time low, so yeah, welcome to robot future where humanity can’t even rely on itself to perform basic human tasks.
Kevin
There is no one to help you at hd in Houston, Pasadena tx area. Usually 1 or no cash checkouts and everyone standing around talking looking at their phones instead of helping people. Managers seem to not care about anything going on. Can never get assistance on any of the ilses. In my opinion home Depot customer service has gone down hill since COVID. Most of the time I get mad because I can’t get any one to help me find stuff so I walk out and go to LOWES. Which is usually right across to street for all home Depot.
Bill
I will just shop online.
Jon D.
I don’t get paid to be a cashier at Home Depot. And I sure don’t get a discount to check myself out either. Customer service in this country has gone to hell.
Gary Nelson
when l go into home depot, l look around to see if anyone is working a checkout. If it is all self service l head for the exit. Some things l need l can drive to another town near me to an independent hardware store and get what l need at a price where l save more than enough to pay for the extra gas.
Sometime back needed a pallet of concrete. Went to HD as it is close to my house. Got a quote and asked how much to deliver. $80 to go one mile. Drove across town to another hardware store. $1.00 less per bag and $15 to deliver. Only reason he charged $15 was his truck with the unloaded was one a delivery and he had to send extra person to help unload manually.
Although l buy at HD sometimes, l am not a big fan of them.
Popgun42
Most of the time I know what I want and buy on line go to the lockers and pickup.
GoguyT3d
Yea I agree to all, but I just comparison shop multiple sources online, look for the closest local pickup (so I can SEE the item first) then buy based on the price to ship or the price to drive at $60/gallon.
Harry
They made their check out like Walmart, they expect contractors , and professionals to check out themselves. I think getting rid of checkout is just another way to make customers like employees, when I go and there isn’t someone to assist, I ask for assistance. They’re getting rid of people and expect customers to do there work.
Stuart
There’s still the pro checkout area for contractors and such.
There’s also always someone to assist. A while back, when I had my hands full with my small kids, an associate at self checkout took my bucket of stuff and rang me up at self-checkout.
Ezzy
For some reason HD still doesn’t support mobile payment. Pathetic.
Jammer
If you use your phone to pay, HD doesn’t get your credit card info, so they can’t track you. They don’t want to pay the big data companies Google, Apple, Samsung, etc since it’s not as lucrative for them.
Scott
I worked at home depot for a little shy of a year . Most of my time there was during the pandemic. I have never experienced such rude and self-entitled customers in my life. I would make all of them use self checkouts.
David Z
You worked there during one of the worst times in recent history. That’s not the best time to form a longterm opinion.
Join a union
Do the curbside pickup. Employ someone to shop it. Check it out,bag it and bring out to you.
I refuse to self check out. Laugh at people asking all day if something is made in China but don’t think twice about keeping actual American human beings employed.
eddie sky
I agreement with most here: Not happy with SelfCheckout. There is no “speedy” savings when items have damaged bar codes and need a clerk, and there is no financial reward. Trying to self-check out large items like big tools or lumber just means waiting in one of two line at Pro Check Out (which by me, has one always closed).
When it comes to lumber, I now go to a real lumber yard. And I started using Ace Hardware more over the big boxes. I don’t care if I have to pay a dollar or more for an item when its a human that is employed.
Worse now is remembering to bring bags. Nothing like getting some small brushes or parts and … bags aren’t just for groceries now.
J.C.
I’ve pretty much stopped shopping at Home Depot when they stopped staffing the regular check outs a few years ago. The local hardware store has most things I need so, that’s my first choice.
Stevens & Sons
Which store did you see this at?
SteveP
All the HDs I frequent here in Maine have four self-checkouts with one minder and then the “Pro” line which has the potential for multiple clerks but has only one checkout ever open. That means if you are buying a couple of 2X4s but are behind the guy (like I was) with a zillion gutter bits to be scanned, it is way faster to drag your lumber through the self-check-out – although be careful with the 12-footers as they obviously hadn’t considered that in the layout
Lowe’s is worse – they open one checkout but the self-service pair are often offline
David VandeBerg
Belton Mo. Contractors end is still manned, but the other end of the store is all self-check with 1 or 2 people there that ask if they can check you out.
James
Meanwhile the Depo here in Galveston,,TX still looks like a flea market. You can’t push a basket without hitting products on displays everywhere.
There are employees, but none of them know where anything is. It’s like a dvd bin at walmart.
Frank D
Oh boy, …
You know, with all that ails NA, we’re just doomed for failure with all the selfishness … from the I’m not trained as a cashier, over demanding a 25% discount for self checkout, to walking away with stuff you intentionally did not scan.
Guess what folks: self checkout lets you get out the door faster ( based on 4 – 8 self checkout stations versus just one or two manned checkouts ) and keep the price at the level that you want to pay.
All staff has to get paid for with benefits.
You want a cashier to ring things up for you? 27/7/365?
… maybe you want to pay 10 to 20% more for everything you buy?
Right, I did not think so.
Fm2176
I actually prefer self checkout, most of the time. I can bag what I want to, leave large items in the cart, and usually do not have to wait in line behind someone with a cart full of small items, a lack of proactively and/or pay system (waiting for the total before slowly pulling out a wallet, then struggling with the card reader), and who might have to wait for an override or approval (I’ve been the last one myself, usually with clearance items or cull lumber).
As for purposefully stealing, big no-no there. I try to scan everything, wait for permission if the alarm goes off as I leave the store (employees almost always wave me on), and patiently wait if there is a receipt checker. I’ve forgotten to scan some things, usually catching something small that wasn’t bagged as I load my vehicle. If it’s truly small, like a Slim Jim, I might decide that it’s not worth going back in and waiting in line to spend $1, but I generally do so anyway. If it’s something expensive I take it back in. A Sam’s Club employee “caught” me once after I legitimately forgot to scan two bags of frozen chicken wings (about $60 worth). They were on the bottom rack and the cart was full of boxes and other large items. I immediately turned around and went back to checkout.
I know some people who regularly shoplift, take the “self checkout discount” or otherwise steal. One relative, for example, is someone I refuse to walk into Lowes or Home Depot with, as his first stop is the drink cooler followed by the snack stand. He eats and drinks while walking around the store and I’ve rarely seen him pay. Of course, this same guy is one who will take the cart and start walking out as you are paying. What if there’s an issue with payment?
Mike I
Same here. Not impressed. They have 6 self service registers but most times have only 2 open, presumably so a clerk can be watching them. Thus, you wind up standing in a long line while everyone grumbles about the additional self serve checkout kiosks staring back at them yet closed. I get that HD does not want to pay for humans, but putting in kiosks and leaving them closed is not customer friendly at all.
Brian Ortego
Big Box Building Materials, Home Goods, and Grocery Stores have been conditioning customers for two decades with the introduction of self-checkouts and recently Walmart and Home Depot have converted much of remaining checkouts to 100% self-checkouts, so obviously both Walmart and Home Depot are committed to this change.
Walmart has a few self-checkouts with conveyor space for multiple items that is often needed by shoppers, but Home Depot has self-checkouts with little space to set items for checkout and this is a problem as many HD shoppers don’t use shopping cards and carry multiple items in hand, so there’s no way to easily check out.
Another issue is that shoppers require assistance for plumbing items or other items without SKUs that must be looked up and verified, so it seems to be a flaw that there’s not different checkout options for shoppers with entirely different needs.
Home Depots states that they have assisted checkouts, not self-checkouts but I dislike the aggravation of employees trying to take over self-checkouts from customers not asking for help, as usually some employees just run through and don’t bother to ask preference before hitting buttons to complete transactions. My favorite is that they usually bypass option to email/print receipt versus print only.
Home Depot’s biggest mistake is not educating customers in how HD wants system to work on as assisted checkout , so all the employees standing around to tell customers to wait for next register to open, why not introduce new assisted checkout so system to customer versus saying nothing.
Also, on Saturdays and every day when parking lot is full of vehicles, why doesn’t HD just open up all ten assisted self-checkouts versus only six?
Bud
I quit going to my Home Depot. Cant seem to get my military discount to work and still stand in line for 10 to 15 minutes. Pro is backed up with 5 to 8 guys with a ton of lumber, etc so the wait can be 20 minutes. Lowes is an extra 5 minute drive but worth it to me for time saved. Not happy with change. Plus, at 81 years old, not happy standing around waiting to get help. Sorry Home Depot.
Joe K
The local Home Depot switched to self checkout so I switched to on-line shopping. If I do self checkout then I may as well get the items delivered to my home and save gas.
Kannapolis NC.
Donna
I am going to stop trading at Hone Depot.
It’s corporate greed snd a lie. They are getting rid of all cashiers and going to self chevkout.
They may think their saving money but they are not. They will be psi g for these folks food stamps and many people will become homeless.
People need and want to work.
All the big stores are doing it. No more people, what a horror.
The employees need to protest. However they will never win. Corporate always wins. They hold the power.
Sad and sick. We are helping g them buy another Mercedes’. Wake up Workers.