Target "Self Checkout Hours" 11 AM to 7 PM

[storewanderer]

Maybe more that people don't want the printed version, figuring it is easier to keep track of a bunch of emails or whatever then have to hold on to the paper copies if they are needed (which is actually fairly rare for many things).

True but I rather see what I was charged at the point of sale (or at least review in my car if not walking) rather than later and away from the retailer.

Target got rid of the optional receipt because it made it impossible for the LP folks to monitor the self checkout. "Oh yeah I didn't want my receipt for this Playstation 5 and this TV, it's not like I'm going to return them"

All the other retailers that followed are just drones who think if Target did it, they need to as well without understanding why.

I don't remember ever seeing the optional receipt at Target but heard about it. The anti waste groups are big on this paperless thing and receipts with BPA thermal paper are some kind of a problem. I don't know the details and maybe it is all made up. I think that was a test that was not rolled out everywhere. Or I didn't buy anything there during whatever period they did that.

[ClownLoach]

True but I rather see what I was charged at the point of sale (or at least review in my car if not walking) rather than later and away from the retailer.

Target got rid of the optional receipt because it made it impossible for the LP folks to monitor the self checkout. "Oh yeah I didn't want my receipt for this Playstation 5 and this TV, it's not like I'm going to return them"

All the other retailers that followed are just drones who think if Target did it, they need to as well without understanding why.

I don't remember ever seeing the optional receipt at Target but heard about it. The anti waste groups are big on this paperless thing and receipts with BPA thermal paper are some kind of a problem. I don't know the details and maybe it is all made up. I think that was a test that was not rolled out everywhere. Or I didn't buy anything there during whatever period they did that.

Probably was a California only test from back when they were talking about banning paper receipts as if they would have any meaningful impact on the environment. There was an issue with BPA though and long term exposure concerns.

There is BPA free paper available now which pretty much nullifies that argument. Supposedly it is like micro plastics where they could do tests and find significant amounts of BPA in the bloodstream of people who work as cashiers.

I think Costco already switched to BPA free register rolls, and I know I've seen boxes of rolls labeled "BPA free" at other retailers laying around the front end. BPA is pretty much a non issue now. Of course, the BPA free paper goes blank over time faster, but realistically past a year even in heat.

[storewanderer]

Some countries banned thermal receipts entirely and forced everyone back to ink printed receipts. It was due to the BPA thing but they used the argument the receipt is an official document and the thermal and fading issue is not okay for an official document. I tend to agree about the fading but wish there could be a better solution than going back to slow, noisy, costly, inefficient, easier to break printers, ink.

[BillyGr]

Interesting that people do not want their receipt.

Maybe more that people don't want the printed version, figuring it is easier to keep track of a bunch of emails or whatever then have to hold on to the paper copies if they are needed (which is actually fairly rare for many things).

True but I rather see what I was charged at the point of sale (or at least review in my car if not walking) rather than later and away from the retailer.

Makes sense to me too - I guess I was thinking that if someone got it emailed or similar, it would show up immediately (or almost so), in which case they could review it if they had a device along to see emails or text or whatever.

Probably the best way is what some stores do, where you can get it printed AND sent email. That way, you have the proof in hand if needed (if something rang up wrong or someone wants to question if it was paid for), and then the emails are there in case you need it later (vs. keeping a big pile of papers).

[Alpha8472]

Walmart self checkout in the San Francisco Bay Area has been print or text for a while now. The machine asks you if you want a printed receipt or a text, or both. If you choose nothing it will wait 30 seconds and then print a receipt.

Everyone complains that their receipt is not printing, but the machine is just waiting for you to choose a receipt option.

Not all thermal receipts fade over time. I have a Walmart receipt from 2003 and a Kmart receipt from the 90s that never faded. If you keep them in a cool place, they can last.

[storewanderer]

Walmart self checkout in the San Francisco Bay Area has been print or text for a while now. The machine asks you if you want a printed receipt or a text, or both. If you choose nothing it will wait 30 seconds and then print a receipt.

Everyone complains that their receipt is not printing, but the machine is just waiting for you to choose a receipt option.

Not all thermal receipts fade over time. I have a Walmart receipt from 2003 and a Kmart receipt from the 90s that never faded. If you keep them in a cool place, they can last.

I've noticed this too. I have seen 15-20 year old thermal receipts that look as good as new but then some that are only a few years old are very faded. They seem to be from the same printers. Also folding them in seems to help (so the back of the receipt is facing out).

[storewanderer]

That didn't last long. Self checkout only at Target tonight.

[ClownLoach]

That didn't last long. Self checkout only at Target tonight.

I have not seen any signs of this alleged policy to reduce self checkout rolling out. Target denies it's a national policy, they do state that some stores are doing tests. Unfortunately they do a very bad job these days of informing their employees, which leads to the low information responses we see on Reddit and elsewhere. I have yet to see self checkout closed or reduced in any manner. What I have noticed is more staffed registers, messier sales floors, and nobody on the sales floor helping except for uniformed asset protection. Clusters of people screwing around and chatting over a pile of reshops has stopped because they can't leave their assigned cash register. The rule that cashier payroll can't be taken away is clearly in place and as I predicted the bad managers are struggling to hold their stores together, stock the shelves, etc. And even then it would still make sense for self checkout only late night or early morning but with a employee there to supervise or assist.

Target customer service training and standards must be non existent these days. All of their "guest" promise behaviors are not getting to the employees, or they're not being held accountable for them. I really think they need to get the store manager out of the cushy office they promised them they could sit in when they recruited them at their MBA graduation ceremony.

[storewanderer]

That didn't last long. Self checkout only at Target tonight.

I have not seen any signs of this alleged policy to reduce self checkout rolling out. Target denies it's a national policy, they do state that some stores are doing tests. Unfortunately they do a very bad job these days of informing their employees, which leads to the low information responses we see on Reddit and elsewhere. I have yet to see self checkout closed or reduced in any manner. What I have noticed is more staffed registers, messier sales floors, and nobody on the sales floor helping except for uniformed asset protection. Clusters of people screwing around and chatting over a pile of reshops has stopped because they can't leave their assigned cash register. The rule that cashier payroll can't be taken away is clearly in place and as I predicted the bad managers are struggling to hold their stores together, stock the shelves, etc. And even then it would still make sense for self checkout only late night or early morning but with a employee there to supervise or assist.

Target customer service training and standards must be non existent these days. All of their "guest" promise behaviors are not getting to the employees, or they're not being held accountable for them. I really think they need to get the store manager out of the cushy office they promised them they could sit in when they recruited them at their MBA graduation ceremony.

The Carson City Target is no longer operating self checkout during many hours (extremely low volume store, could get by with 1 cashier and no self checkout much of the week, but needs more help on weekends).

The Sparks Target is allowing the self checkouts to be open during all hours still but they are following some sort of corporate formula where for every 3 self checkouts they have open, they have to have 1 register open. This store has 12 self checkouts and 6 registers. To get to the self checkouts, most customers will walk past the regular checkouts. The hope is more customers will choose regular checkout, and not even get to self checkout... problem is I stood there and watched as they had 2 idle cashiers standing there with no customers and yet the self checkouts constantly had 5-6 people using the self checkouts. I'd watch say 15 customers walk to front end and 3 of those 15 would go to the regular cashiers and the others passed them up and went straight to self checkout. So I don't think they'll hit their 50% quota like this.

One thing I have noticed is there is zero mention of Red Card or Target Circle by these cashiers... They are polite and seem positive though.

[ClownLoach]

That didn't last long. Self checkout only at Target tonight.

I have not seen any signs of this alleged policy to reduce self checkout rolling out. Target denies it's a national policy, they do state that some stores are doing tests. Unfortunately they do a very bad job these days of informing their employees, which leads to the low information responses we see on Reddit and elsewhere. I have yet to see self checkout closed or reduced in any manner. What I have noticed is more staffed registers, messier sales floors, and nobody on the sales floor helping except for uniformed asset protection. Clusters of people screwing around and chatting over a pile of reshops has stopped because they can't leave their assigned cash register. The rule that cashier payroll can't be taken away is clearly in place and as I predicted the bad managers are struggling to hold their stores together, stock the shelves, etc. And even then it would still make sense for self checkout only late night or early morning but with a employee there to supervise or assist.

Target customer service training and standards must be non existent these days. All of their "guest" promise behaviors are not getting to the employees, or they're not being held accountable for them. I really think they need to get the store manager out of the cushy office they promised them they could sit in when they recruited them at their MBA graduation ceremony.

The Carson City Target is no longer operating self checkout during many hours (extremely low volume store, could get by with 1 cashier and no self checkout much of the week, but needs more help on weekends).

The Sparks Target is allowing the self checkouts to be open during all hours still but they are following some sort of corporate formula where for every 3 self checkouts they have open, they have to have 1 register open. This store has 12 self checkouts and 6 registers. To get to the self checkouts, most customers will walk past the regular checkouts. The hope is more customers will choose regular checkout, and not even get to self checkout... problem is I stood there and watched as they had 2 idle cashiers standing there with no customers and yet the self checkouts constantly had 5-6 people using the self checkouts. I'd watch say 15 customers walk to front end and 3 of those 15 would go to the regular cashiers and the others passed them up and went straight to self checkout. So I don't think they'll hit their 50% quota like this.

One thing I have noticed is there is zero mention of Red Card or Target Circle by these cashiers... They are polite and seem positive though.

Zero training investment these days. From what I hear that is a hallmark of the current CEO, gutting of training/development programs. Target used to run quality leadership development programs for potential promotions (although they were always hesitant to promote from within, especially Store Managers). Now they have eliminated the requirements for a 4 year degree to be a Manager, probably a good change considering how many experienced candidates would be excluded. But they seem to have eliminated all training and development which is why we see less effective leadership in their stores and the vast inconsistency in execution that was never this bad prior to the current CEO. They basically have the new employees sit and watch online training and made a new POS system that is touch screen and styled like a phone app to require less training. They're hired and on a checkout, alone, before the end of the first shift.

For the self checkout staffing, they never should have had only one person supervising a large bank of self checks as they spend all their time helping, overrides, etc. and zero time preventing theft. I've noticed that now there are two people at my local store for self checkout plus the Asset Protection person in a neon yellow vest is nearby. Seems to be 2 people for 6 self checkouts and now the line doesn't wander and block traffic, someone is watching and someone is helping. Seems like an improvement there. But the sales floor is a disaster area probably because they were dependent on taking three or four cashiers off the front end so everyone could recover and restock at a leisurely pace. Now that isn't an option so the place is a mess. Even found several endcaps mostly empty with pages of new price tags sitting on the shelf, someone obviously didn't finish the job and just left it there. Target standards usually demand no empty endcaps so I'm sure someone would be in big trouble if a visitor showed up. Problem is Target announces all the visits so upper management doesn't see the reality their customers do.