U.S. News
Target Fights Rising Self-Checkout Theft with New Technology
Clear Facts
- Target’s self-checkout system is increasingly being scrutinized due to growing theft rates.
- These self-service stations, while offering convenience, pose significant financial risks to the retail giant.
- Target is reportedly preparing to deploy new anti-theft technology, known as Truscan, to combat these issues.
In the span of the last year, Target has been making headlines for imposing stricter measures at their self-checkout lanes. These changes involve item limits, enhanced security, and shorter operating hours for these lanes.
While these changes are aimed at reducing theft, they have led to dissatisfaction among customers. Despite enhancing the shopping experience, these kiosks have turned into a financial liability for Target due to escalating theft rates.
According to Cory Lowe, Director of Research at the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC), while self-checkout is “very desirable” for customers, it does carry a significant “risk of shopper error while using the systems.”
Indeed, a man from Florida was recently accused of swapping barcode stickers on Pokémon trading card packs at a Target self-checkout station. Richard Reppert, the accused, is facing over two dozen charges of theft and fraud for abusing self-service kiosks at multiple Target stores in Florida.
Reportedly, Reppert paid $4.99 for items typically priced over $50 each, repeatedly for three months before his arrest.
“It is a major issue,” said Lowe, commenting on the case.
Lowe explains that there are several methods to fight retail shrinkage, many of which Target is already implementing. These measures include systems to monitor and confirm purchases at the self-checkout areas, receipt checks, and limiting the number of items that can be scanned at a self-checkout station.
In more intricate cases like that of Target, a self-checkout loyalty membership could prove beneficial. Lowe added, “Restricting self-checkouts to only people who have identified themselves…It’s a value exchange, right? I’m trading personally identifiable information for reduced friction, shopping.”
Although Target hasn’t announced such a membership program, it’s conjectured that the retailer could introduce new anti-theft technology in its self-checkout lanes later this year.
The innovative security system, dubbed Truscan, is designed to detect unscanned items near a kiosk and alert customers through audio and visual prompts. Additionally, Truscan maintains a record of customers caught improperly scanning items in the past.
The launch of Truscan is expected to take place at some point this year, according to reports.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Will Steinberger
June 18, 2024 at 8:11 am
Target no longer exists! As far as I am concerned!
Dr. Calagari
June 18, 2024 at 9:36 am
Elimination of theft is impossible. Reduction is possible. People will spend an endless amount of time trying to figure out how to “game” the system!
Robert Cymraeg
June 18, 2024 at 9:46 am
Target has lost its moral and ethical code values. However why is it supposed that the average customer wants self checkout?. A large majority of people I speak to dislike the process, particularly older customers. There is no discount given and it seems now the cost of security measures and people no longer going to Target may well start exceeding the savings in staff wages.
Adrian Kiel
June 18, 2024 at 9:59 am
There will always be dishonest people. I think that it certainly is a correct move on the part of Target!
Sterling Pennington
June 18, 2024 at 10:31 am
Keep in mind that the reason for self-check and all this technology was done to eliminate a couple of workers. We could just admit that self-check does not work because there are too many scumbags among us.
Elizabeth Butler
June 18, 2024 at 4:10 pm
Companies will do anything expensive to eliminte labor expense. It comes back to bite them. Self-checkout was never about customer convenience.
the traveller
June 18, 2024 at 10:10 pm
If it detects unscanned items near the kiosk, the honest people will be the only ones humiliated by all this, as there are items still in the cart that have not been scanned, and yet to BE scanned, by the person doing the actual scanning, with CS standing RIGHT THERE watching the whole thing. This will not work. The technology will raise all kinds of heck about items still in the basket!!!!
Jimmy Killian
June 20, 2024 at 2:39 am
Target went Sotluth with the Woke Dressing Rooms and the Gender identification Rest Room.
Go Woke, go broke 🎯