My local Lowe’s store has updated their front end with new self-checkout stations, a move I wasn’t sure was ever going to happen.
A nearby Home Depot store did the same last year.
I have had frustrations with this particular Lowe’s checkout lines in the past, and how long the wait could be.
Advertisement
I typically prefer to checkout with a cashier, at the least out of habit. For a few years I usually shopped with my kids, and it was always difficult to spare both hands and my full attention to scan things myself.
Plus, self checkout lines are often slowed down by people who aren’t sure of what they’re doing, or don’t read or heed signs and instructions.
When a checkout station says “card-only,” no, you can’t pay with cash!
The registers in the photo above only accept payment cards, and in my opinion the “card only” signs aren’t noticeable enough to catch the attention of cash-paying customers.
Whereas my local Home Depot has a single line for multiple registers, Lowe’s went in a different direction, with a couple of banks of registers which will presumably each have their own lines.
My go-to Home Depot store usually has the same number of cashers as before, and they help people across a greater number of checkout stations.
Advertisement
This Lowe’s location had a single associate at the checkout station, although the store wasn’t busy. On a regular day, before this shift to self-checkout, the store might have only had one checkout stations open at the same time.
There is still a manned register at the far end of the store, at the Pro checkout area.
Robert
The local Lowes have had the self-checkouts for years. The machines are not working about a quarter of the time. The Lowes employee at the exit of the row of machines can’t get them to work, just shakes their head. It seems strange after this long the bugs aren’t corrected. But to be fair, the ones at Home Depot have trouble reading cash if the bills aren’t pristine.
Scott chilcote
I refuse self checkout. I will make them man a register if they want to sell me something.
How about a discount? They’re asking me to do their work
Mark M.
Our local Lowes and HD are the same. I know Lowes doesn’t get a lot of love, but I’ll say that at least for ours, the self checkout is very smooth. The terminals work as they should and there’s always an attendant cashier within a few steps if there’s an issue or you’re buying spray paint or whatever. AND (drumroll): you actually check yourself out. Fast and easy.
Compare that to the experience at Home Depot where it’s supposedly self check-out, but then there’s this disorganized group of employees who kind of awkwardly hover off to the side, “Oh, let me help you…” barge in and scan without asking and then flutter away. To me it’s super annoying- either let me do it myself or you do it for me, but don’t barge in. I’ve cut way back on my HD purchases just to avoid the checkout hassle.
Patrick T
HD around me is the same. There are two equidistant to my place. One only has self-checkouts in the center of the store. Usually with one worker there to help. At this store, the person on duty is usually friendly and helpful. Usually.
The other HD still has some manned checkout lines. It’s a cluster-f anytime I go though. It always seems like there are 3-6 employees handing around, blocking access to the registers. No help from them though. Barging in would be an improvement. At least then there would be some sort of acknowledgment that I exist. lol. It always make me feel like spending money is an inconvenience for them.
My closest Lowes just got a few self-checkout lines. They still have the manned lines and one of them always seems to be staffed. Plus a person helping the self checkout. This is a new setup for them but, seems to be working better than their old system of two manned lines.
Dave P
I went into my local Lowe’s last week and had about $800 worth of EGO power equipment stuff on a flatbed cart. When I got upfront, all they had open with self check out. The type of contractor card I have won’t work at the self check out. They had plenty of help standing around, just no checkouts open. I left my car seat and went to Ace hardware and got help there.
eddie sky
Zing! This! I usually go to the Pro Checkout because I have cart with 5gallon buckets of paint or sealer, along with lumber. Think again if I’m using Self Checkout. (I would if there was room, and I can use a scan-gun for items (that someone else picked their ass/nose/both and wiped on the gun- NOT).
Do we get a discount for self-checkout? Talk about fools…
I am a Lowe’s card carrier. I expect a cashier, courtesy and my income handed over in return.
When Lowes/HomeDepot whine about loss, and start layoffs, only they (Management) are to blame.
* Also went to Ace for EGO stuff. So much nicer staff but the local one has a cattlechute line and most of the “local Ivy League” residents are idiots. No, they are. Watch them shop like they drive…
Coach James
Our local Lowes added six self-checkouts a couple years ago. I use them if they’re not busy and I am at that end of the store. They seem to be as fast for me as a manned register.
Sometimes they will be slowed by someone that hasn’t used them before or the people that scan an item then talk to their spouse/friend or take forever to decide which item to scan next.
The manned checkouts sometimes also get slowed by contractors that get in a checkout line and want to do a return or have some other commercial business that should be done at the pro desk or pro checkout.
fred
My local Lowes has had 4 self-checkouts for many years. The HD – in a stone’s throw from that Lowes upgraded to 8 a year or so ago. I’m sure that they have these as much to save on staffing as to help speed the checkout process. The Lowes puts an employee on the exit checking receipts, the HD does not. At my local Lowes – finding anyone to direct you or unlock a display is a big challenge – with wait times longer than any checkout line. The HD is much better – and is certainly much better with ship to the store items – where our Lowes is a nightmare.
Bill
Around Christmas time I was stopped a couple of times because the self-checkout doesn’t deactivate the security code. Someone actually had to stop me at the door and deactivate the security code from the item I had just bought before I went out the door.
AnonEmoloyee
That is frustrating for everyone involved, including employees. We think it’s dumb too, but it’s protocol and we could lose our jobs otherwise 🙏
MtnRanch
Our Lowes and HD have had self checkout for years and it’s just a source of frustration. There’s been several times I’ve just left merchandise there and ordered it on Amazon for next day delivery. I’ve also learned to go down to the Pro checkout or to go to Garden to see a real human.
Both companies would do well go over to Walmart and see how to do it right. Their system seems to work flawlessly.
Betty Jones
Watch out for Walmart self checkouts. My sister was accused of stealing days later after buying over $400 worth off goods. She still had her receipt, still had to go to court just ofr the judge to dismiss it plus she hired a lawyer. The lawyer said never to use self checkout for this reason.
Mopar4wd
The walmart self checkouts are a nightmare near me. Huge lines lots of issues with machines breaking. Last weekend I was near the local walmart and needed a charging cable I almost walked out when I got to the registers. 30-40 people waiting in line to enter the self check out corral which has 20-25 machines each one full half of them with attention needed lights blinking and 3 staff running between them. I got lucky and a in person register opened up just as I was about to walk out.
MM
My local lowe’s have had the self-checkouts for a few years now, at least two, I think? They seem frequently out of service or and they’re slow. I avoid them as much as possible.
When HD first put in their self-checkouts I actually liked them, it was very fast to take the barcode gun and scan larger items without having to remove them from the cart. However, the last two times I was there the employees essentially took over checkout duty and that only made things worse: a self-checkout station is not efficiently arranged for a store employee to do the work and thus it’s slow. I assume they started doing this due to concerns about theft–people not scanning all the items in their cart–but it’s just a hassle for everyone.
Gary Gaskill
Yeah I only use the pros desk.
Cody
They never have a regular lane open anymore and I like to buy things with digital gift cards that these machines don’t accept.
AnonEmoloyee
Lowes employee here! I’m not sure if your store got the new machines yet (all stores are transferring to those) and they will be able to take your gift receipts. The frustration is real for us, I’m sorry you’re going through that :/ we miss the registers, too! Thankfully the lawn and garden as well as lumber still have at least 1 or 2 cashiers! I hope they start putting more of us on registers soon.
Bonnie
All the Home Depots around me have has self-checkout for ages now, I believe the closest Lowes does as well, but it’s farther away and no better so I rarely go there. They tend to move pretty fast and there’s always at least one attendant there, typically 3-4 regular registers (including the pro checkout) staffed, and 1-2 separate open registers for the garden area.
Unless I’m buying a bunch of lumber or something similarly bulky that necessitates the pro checkout I’ll prioritize the self-checkouts first. They’ve always been pretty reliable and much faster than the regular checkout lines.
Mike
The two Lowe’s and two H-D’s I shop at all have had self-checkout for a number of years, and I use them religiously. I’ve never gotten in a line behind a slow customer, and I’ve never been held up by a non-working register. That’s not to say I haven’t seen them, I’ve just never been there when there wasn’t a free self-checkout. There’s always at least one manned register lane as well, but those are usually taken by people with lots of stuff or big stuff. Card-only is fine for me because I always charge everything; I carried the same $20 bill in my wallet for two years during the height of the pandemic.
William Butler
Isn’t self checkout a significant contributor to shop lifting? I generally prefer self checkout, especially if I only have a handful of items. I’d rather have fewer self checkouts and fewer locks on things in store. Stores are locking up both wire and tools. They are actively making it more difficult for me to shop there.
John Fleisher
Digital gift cards work fine for me at HD or Lowes. Just bring up the bar code on your phone and type in the PIN #. Fast and easy.
Steve
I generally like /prefer self checkout. HD’s process is smoother with a military discount as they have a QR code I can scan from the app., but there is a limit to the discount that I hit last year. Lowe’s has no limit, but I have to flag an associate every time as they have no QR code.
Lowe’s typically has a better supply of inventory an is generally cleaner/more organized. If they carried Milwaukee, I”d probably shop there exclusively. Wish we had Menard’s as they seem to have even more inventory. They haven’t made it to Nashville yet though…
Brandon
Menards is definitely convenient to shop at, but some of their selection is really lackluster. I will give Menards credit though, they have ZERO self checkout registers and quite a few staffed registers going simultaneously with staffed departments throughout the store.
Big Richard
And if there are ever more then 2 customers in line at those staffed registers, the front end manager will call over the store PA for “flex cashiers”, which are staff in other departments (flooring, hardware, electrical, etc.) who are also trained as cashiers, to come up and open a new checkout lane.
MT
Menard’s does have a lot of inventory, but except for consumables most of it is third-tier brands or store brands. Not a great place to buy tools, but a great place to buy fasteners, spray paint, caulk, etc. You can save a lot of money (don’t forget to send in the rebate), but shop around and make sure the quality is up to snuff.
ITCD
I dunno man. They have a decent selection of Knipex in stock unlike the one single item at Lowe’s that I’ve seen, they have Halder hammers, they have Wilde punches and chisels (the best IMO, or at least equivalent to Mayhew), there was some other stuff that I was like wow they have that? But I can’t remember what all it was, it was quite a drive to get there. But they do have some good stuff.
HConnor
If you are set up as a Veteran in the Lowe’s app and click on Account >> mylowes Card, a barcode pops up that you can scan with the checkout gun, similar to the QR code at HD. The registers even announce “Thank you for your military service” as a bonus sometimes!
Scott Davis
My My Lowes on my phone does not work at self checkout. I refuse to use it.
Chris Thompson
My Lowe’s has eight self checkout registers. Four are usually cordoned off. A clerk oversees the active ones and has to intervene quite a bit to override them. If a security tag triggers the sensor at the door you just get waved through.
The Home Depot probably has twelve self checkouts and probably one clerk for each two or three machines. It’s in a rougher neighborhood so they are more eagle eyed.
Wayne
Our local stores have had SC’s for quite some time, and for the most part, they are ok.
I generally prefer them to the clueless high school twits that most of the stores use as cashiers.
But I usually shop early in the morning when stores are less busy and therefore have less chance of encountering long lines or bumbling yahoo’s who don’t know how to operate the scanners….
Lowes seems to be aware of the importence of having someone there to assist if needed, HD not so much.
Sometimes I will go to a regular register on the rare occasion when the cashier appears a tad older though, since they usually do a better job & have more training & experience in customer service.
Having said that, I am also of the opinion that people who use self checkouts should get a discount or rewards points or something, since we are saving the stores money in the long run.
Grumpy
While I accept the inevitability, and sometimes the advantage, of self-checkout, the thing I HATE about Lowe’s particular version is that it insists on trying to weigh every single item, even if it’s unweighable like a small ziplock containing three nylon washers. Then I have to wait for “assistance” from a non-existent “assistant”. A little logic regarding the package size and minimum detectable weight would go a long way here.
MrS85
My closest Home Depot started it before covid, in 2018 or 2019. Inner Chicago suburbs. It is really nice for a quick trip for a few small things. The funny thing is, they still have 3 employees sitting around to help people check out on 4 registers.
bob
The comedian Rodman has a hilarious routine about being unwittily, (and unwillingly) being “drafted” into Walmart service via self checkout.
IMO, just another example of a company foisting it’s responsibilities onto consumers with zero benefit to the consumer.
ITCD
Shucks I thought they all had at least some by now! Out here in the boonies we’re like the last to get anything, the Lowes has had theirs for I dunno at least a couple years or more by this point, and the HD has had theirs long enough that they were one of the ones potentially affected by that hacking way back in the day, I had to get a new card as a precaution.
I’ll use them, I don’t mind all that much because I would prefer get in get out and no small talk
Joatman
These have been in our Lowe’s for quite some time. Regardless of what store you’re at, sometimes you’re going to experience some hiccups. The worst are the self checkout lanes that don’t have a scan gun…..like our local Costco stores. You have to pick up every item and slide it over the scanner.
The thing that has annoyed me the most lately is the inaccuracy of prices when checking out. I cannot tell you how many times in the past year I’ve had to prove that a price rang up wrong. I’ve had to hold up the line by walking back to the isle and taking a picture of the price tag and then showing the cashier…or attendant. I’ve also had to, on several occasions, pull up an item on their own website and ask them to match their own price. The online prices are sometimes lower than the in-store prices. Home Depot and Rural King are notorious for this. While checking the availability of something online before I drive to the store, of course I look at the price, too…..but when I get to the store, it’s like…..”wait a second……here we go again”. Just venting here……
Charles
I absolutely hate self checkout anywhere and refuse to do it! It cuts jobs and is a pain in my butt. I don’t want to be a cashier.
bob
My sentiments exactly.
Different Bob
Same here. Although the quality of cashier has really started to decline at least near me at HD and Lowes.
Recently a Lowes cashier scanned an item in wrong. Couldn’t fix it because I used store credit. Pro desk wasted 45 min of my time to fix their mistake.
I’d have been better off using the stupid self checkout.
I think my main gripe is I’m required to do more for no personal gain. It’s like stores that charge for bags. I see it as just another way to nickel and dime me. I’m already being gouged just bake the cost of a cashier or a ten cent bag into the price. What’s another $1 per item when I’m already paying $8 for a freaking 2×4.
A 3rd Bob
I hate self-checkout in general, but Lowes’ is easy to use except we have to get the associate to verify our discounts. What’s the point if the associate has to help every time?
Potato
Agreed. Profits keep going up but the people at the bottom keep getting squeezed.
Virgil
My wife and I have always shopped Lowes for what we needed in plumbing and building needs. We went to the Lowes that we have always used for almost 38 years now. We got what we needed and went to check out only to find two lines that were backed up down the isles in the store. Why were they backed up because they were self checkout…. Everybody in the two lines were NOT HAPPY with this. We have spent several thousands of dollars in Lowes in the past but NOT ANYMORE. Lowes has just LOST my business for good as long as they force these self checkouts on us. I DO NOT work for Lowes. If I have to check myself out I want to be PAID for it. I’m already giving them my hard-earned money to them to buy thier merchandise… I don’t want to have work for them for free to check my stuff out. So as of now I’m no longer going to Lowes as long as they are forcing me to check myself out PERIOD. See you later Lowes. Ace hardware will get all of my business from now on. They still have people checking you out… FRIENDLY people.
Franco
Years ago when the first self checkout cashes started, some (small minded) people started with the …I should get a discount for doing their job. I can’t believe there are still people that make these comments. Just get in line at a cash with a cashier and be done with it.