A WALMART shopper has vowed to turn to rivals to buy some items after struggling to access what she calls basic necessities.
The furious customer called on the supermarket chain to have more workers on hand to help.
AFPShoppers continue to fume over anti-theft policies rolled out at Walmart[/caption]
The shopper, known only as Maritza, was stunned following her experience at the supermarket in Union City, California, according to a post on X.
She claimed she had waited 15 minutes for help but said none had arrived.
“Shame on you for not having enough people to help to unlock basic necessities,” the shopper fumed.
Maritza said she tried to grab the attention of three staffers before a fourth claimed there wasn’t any help on hand.
She also said that there were 10 other customers waiting for assistance in the store.
Maritza slammed the number of workers who were apparently manning self-checkout stations.
“This is why I will only buy certain prods at Target now instead of here,” she said.
A Walmart spokesperson responded to the shopper and offered to launch an investigation.
“This is something we’d like to look into,” they said.
The U.S. Sun has approached Walmart for comment.
Putting items under lock and key is just one anti-theft tactic rolled out by Walmart workers.
Store bosses have put up signage warning shoppers about the risks shoplifting has on consumers.
Surveillance systems are already in place to monitor customers’ behavior.
However, the issue of locked cases has sparked division and aggrieved some shoppers.
Shoppers have blasted the chain over how long it has taken items to be retrieved.
Target’s anti-theft measures
Target has implemented multiple anti-theft measures to combat crime in the store.
The retail giant has placed some items behind locked cases, which has resulted in customer backlash.
In April 2024, reports surfaced that it is planning to add TruScan cameras to its self-checkout registers.
Target also added weight sensors to its self-checkout registers in another move to combat theft.
The U.S. Sun reported how one shopper simply ended up abandoning her shopping trip after a 30 minute wait just to buy some soap.
Another customer was disillusioned after experiencing problems buying a tool kit.
Other shoppers have claimed they turned to online platforms like Amazon to avoid the anti-theft policies.
Locked cases have become a feature in Target stores and CVS drugstores.
NEW STRATEGIES
But Walmart is reportedly looking into the possibility of allowing shoppers to open cases via their cell phones, according to Bloomberg.
The technology is being trialed in a “few hundred” outlets, per the outlet.
Walmart had no further comment when approached by Bloomberg.
In 2020, Schnucks chiefs started installing cabinets that require customers to enter a code to open, as reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Customers enter the code they’ve received on their cell phone into a keypad, and then the case unlocks.
Other anti-theft strategies include shopping carts that lock and security tags.
The policies have proved controversial, but Target CEO Brian Cornell raised eyebrows when he seemed to welcome their impact.
In September, he claimed he was feeling better than one year ago, per Yahoo News.
But he reiterated that he didn’t like locking items up.
Customers have complained how such policies make the shopping process inconvenientAFP
https://www.the-sun.com/money/12915785/walmart-probe-shopper-wait-store/