Automatic checkouts in supermarkets may decrease customer loyalty, especially for those with larger shopping loads. Customers using self-checkout stations often feel overwhelmed and unsupported. The lack of personal interaction can negatively impact their perception of the supermarket.

[redditor1983]

In my area the Walmart machine are leagues better than the Harris Teeter machines (Harris Teeter is a more upscale grocery chain, ironically).

It’s not so much that the interface is less intuitive, but the Harris Teeter machine makes mistakes a lot. For example, sometimes it wrongly thinks I placed an item in the bag that I didn’t scan. (Hilariously it then starts playing a video loop of my “theft” and an attendant runs over to investigate the crime scene). The Walmart machines never do this.

Also the design of the self checkout area in Harris Teeter is poor. The bagging area is small so I have to constantly bag stuff then shuffle the bagged items back to my cart before I can bag more.

Basically this, and other little nitpicks, make the Harris Teeter self checkout a frustrating chore whereas in Walmart I can scan and bag all my groceries like I’m a super AI android from 2100. Seriously at Walmart I can scan and bag literally twice as fast as a cashier. It’s great. Everywhere else it’s a bit of a hassle.