Why Costco's Self-Checkout System Leaves A Lot To Be Desired

Among the expectations busy shoppers hold dear is the seamless checkout process, where speed and convenience go hand in hand. Once your cart is loaded to the brim, all you want to do is make your payment and go home — however, this final step in the supermarket warehouse leader known as Costco is becoming increasingly difficult. Recently, frustrated customers have been using Reddit to voice their opinions on Costco's self-checkout process. Members are now required to show two forms of identification when using self-checkout. Another point of contention revolves around the use of hand scanners, which are restricted to employees only.

Before these changes were implemented, Costco members were often able to use self-checkout as a fast track to finishing their shopping experience. While you still had to wait for some customers who would occasionally hold up the line, self-checkout allowed you the benefit of not having to interact with employees. You could skip the longer lines, along with the banter, once you got to the register. Now, the complete opposite experience awaits you. Costco's new rules for members and constant need for employees during the self-checkout process are becoming more of a burden on its members' patience and time, leaving a lot to be desired.

As you line up for the self-checkout at Costco, there's a new consideration you must keep in mind before scanning your items: Do you have all the necessary identification with you? Not only do you need your membership card, but you also need photo identification if you want to make it home with the items you intend to purchase. Costco sees this as a necessary precaution to curb membership card-sharing, as well as shoplifting. Many Reddit users who claim to be Costco members are voicing their opinions on having to show their IDs. One user said, "It's not the rules that are the problem, it's the overzealous enforcement of them. Costco workers are being extremely disrespectful to members about it. It's completely uncalled for."

Another major problem with Costco's self-checkout involves the hand scanners. Costco restricts the use of these devices to its employees, which can pose challenges, especially when you have bulky items in your cart, and there is a shortage of staff available to assist with your checkout. If you try to use a hand scanner yourself, you may be met with pushback from its workers. One Reddit user with nearly 400 upvotes commented on this process, saying, "I don't have many complaints about Costco but yeah, not a fan of the self-checkout experience either. I started going through the regular checkout lanes again and it's faster and easier."

With a membership base exceeding 124 million, Costco undeniably has enough members willing to embrace the challenges of self-checkout for its purchases. There are plenty of great benefits that outweigh the negatives. But are there any alternatives to make this process go smoother? One way around this is by changing the times in which you shop. You can go first thing in the morning or later in the evenings on weekdays to avoid the crowded lines that would keep you from having access to employees with hand scanners. Don't go on weekends, as that is when Costco is most busy. And you want to avoid holidays like Thanksgiving, even if it's open.

When it comes to showing your ID and membership card at the self-checkout, you'll have to wait for Costco to change –- if it ever does. The company has taken a similar approach to what Netflix implemented earlier this year when it discontinued the practice of allowing members to share their subscriptions. If it's looking for models to follow, Costco may want to take a lesson from its competitors, such as Sam's Club, who've gotten much better customer reviews regarding its self-checkout.