A recent trend at Walmart shows that employees are using their phones in creative ways to get to locked items. Someone on TikTok named Lee (@leesbby) posted a video showing how this new method works.
The video quickly went viral, getting 2.1 million views and thousands of comments. Lee seemed hopeful when she said that this method might cut down on wait times, but not everyone agreed with her.
Lee says, “We got a new system,” in the video. “The phone,” as a Walmart worker opens a store cabinet with what looks like a smartphone. This new way of doing things is meant to make shopping easier.
This Walmart change poses questions
But this change makes me wonder about how much employees should be paid. Through a text overlay, Lee asks if Walmart pays workers for using their own phones at work.
She asks, “Does Walmart pay workers to use their own phones at work?” Is it possible to get a discount for using your own phone for work? For using their own phone, do they get a check back?”
Lee’s video shows how the company’s operational strategy has changed by saying, “UPDATE…Walmart has a new system where everyone has a key and doesn’t have to wait for a team member. “PHONES.” This new technology is meant to make things more efficient, but it also makes us think about what that means for employee resources and pay.
During this part of the video, it looks like the device starts to beep, which gets the TikToker’s attention. “It doesn’t look like it wants to open,” she says.
These worries are quickly put to rest, though. The worker is able to turn the knob, which releases the locking mechanism. Finally, the cabinet door opens, letting the shopper get to the things she wants to buy. She says, “Okay, there you go,” as the worker gets the item and gives it to her.
Advertisement: Can Customers Do It Too?
A post from November 2024 on Bloomberg Law says that Walmart might soon let customers use this feature on their own. The news source says at the start of the piece that “some staff can use mobile devices to unlock display cases.”
However, this ability to come up with new ideas might not just be found in employees of the big store. It’s possible that if you have Walmart+, you can unlock display cases on your own. Bloomberg says, “Technology could be given to Walmart+ members who are loyal.”
A recent article says that there are now “a few hundred stores” where employees can easily use their phones to open cases. The goal of this new approach is to improve the shopping experience by cutting down on wait times and making things run more smoothly.
No More Waiting Games
The Daily Dot says that shoppers at Walmart often get angry when they have to deal with locked items. One customer talked about their choice to leave the store because they had to wait too long.
They couldn’t believe that a $4 battery would need such strict safety measures. Their anger was made worse by the lack of staff, which made the wait for a key seem like it would never end.
A lot of people have said bad things about the retail giant’s use of lock-up tactics. One customer was shocked to see that the store’s laundry supplies were locked up behind barriers.
Reports from The Street say that Walmart shut down dozens of stores in 2023 and 2024 because of a lot of theft. This happened months after Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon said the company would rethink where it did business if crime kept getting worse.
Some shoppers are upset about the recent news that the ability to unlock your phone is tied to a Walmart+ subscription. There are a lot of people who are unhappy with the rise of self-checkout “paywalls.” Since some stores have gotten rid of self-service kiosks, customers need a Walmart+ membership to be able to scan their own items and pay for them.
Shoppers Share Their Thoughts
In response to Lee’s video, one commenter said it was strange that Walmart only offered some phone features. They said, “But can’t get Apple Pay.”
Another customer said they didn’t want to have items unlocked in the store and said that the phone verification method wouldn’t change how they normally shop. “I just leave and order something on Amazon when I see that it’s locked.” “Don’t have time for games,” they said.
Insights from Walmart Employees
A Walmart worker also spoke out about the problem, saying that they like physical keys better. “As a Walmart worker, I can tell you that not all workers can use the phones.” Access to different areas needs different levels of security, and the system doesn’t always work right. “Keys are much better,” they said.
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