Costco tests new ‘automated pay stations’ to ease checkout lines

WASHINGTON — Costco is testing a new “automated pay station” in stores as it seeks to ease long lines at checkout. 

In an earnings call last month, Costco CEO and President Ron Vachris said the new program, which allows customers to have their items pre-scanned before they pay for their orders, was being piloted at some warehouses.

“We continue to make strides with our road map to deliver a more seamless experience for members in warehouse and online,” Vachris said in the call on Mar. 5. “In the warehouses, we’re achieving meaningful improvements in the speed of checkout, employee productivity, both as a result of our mobile wallet enhancements, pharmacy pay ahead and the rollout of employee pre-scan technology.” 

“We’re also piloting automated pay stations that will allow members to pay for their pre-scanned orders seamlessly with an average transaction time of around 8 seconds,” Vachris said. “Early results show this is improving the flow of traffic, and we’ve received great member feedback.” 

The feature rolled out in some Costco warehouses during Easter weekend, some employees noted on Reddit. The transition was not quite as seamless as promised, with employees calling it a “disaster’ and complaining that lines are worse after the new pre-scan checkouts. 

“That’s the setup we have just implemented and it’s awful. We don’t have two people for it, though. It’s very slow and unnecessary,” one user wrote. 

Some customers offered mixed reviews on Reddit about the new checkout system, with some saying it saves time while others feel it has contributed to confusion among customers. 

Costco operates 640 warehouses across the United States. 

Other wholesale clubs have rolled out pre-scan features, including Sam’s Club Scan & Go.

Sam’s Club Scan & Go allows users to scan items as they shop and pay in the app. Customers can skip the checkout lines and head to the door with a digital receipt.