A Major Change Is Coming To Costco's Checkout Technology

The next time you visit Costco, you may encounter a very different checkout experience than you're used to. Costco is moving away from self-checkout and going in a new direction in an attempt to make paying for your items more efficient and clamp down on theft. It is not doing what Amazon stores are by using digital cameras and AI technology to eliminate the checkout experience altogether. Instead, it has employees scan items in a customer's cart while they are waiting in a traditional checkout line. Then, once the customer moves up in line to get to the cashier, they will then make a payment like normal.

This new process means you will not actually be unloading anything from your cart and onto the traditional conveyor belt to be scanned by the cashier. This may also mean you won't get your items bagged and will have to bag them yourself once you reach your car. However, at this point, this new system is just in the testing phase, so things may change.

This change was announced in early March 2026 by Costco CEO Ron Vachris. Early trials were slated for just certain stores, rather than being deployed at every Costco. The idea behind this is to improve checkout wait times and give the customer a better overall experience. Perhaps it will also improve the problem with a lot of self-checkout operations, which is shoplifting.

There are some clear pros and cons for stores that use self-checkout counters. For the store itself, it could mean having to hire (and pay) fewer cashiers. The argument could be made that it is an example of technology replacing human labor. However, these self-checkout counters do provide more convenience and independence for customers who prefer them. Introverted shoppers who like to avoid conversations with strangers at the store whenever possible may find the self-checkout counter a big stress relief. Someone extremely extroverted, though, may feel differently and enjoy sparking conversations.

The biggest issue often talked about with self-checkout cameras is shoplifting. Without a cashier physically scanning each item, customers may attempt to put items in bags without actually scanning them. To be fair, there is usually still a scanning system you go through when you exit the store that could catch theft. Also, some stores use cameras on ceilings to help detect and deter theft. Not everything also scans correctly through a self-checkout counter, either. Certain medicines may require an employee to scan and approve them, for example. Technical issues can also lead to frustrated customers when items don't scan correctly, which is why there is often one very busy employee helping everyone at the self-checkout area.

Customer conversations online show mixed opinions about this move by Costco. One person on a Reddit forum complained that the items in their carts were all scanned once by one employee, then counted individually by the cashier, and then recounted a second time by someone else while exiting. This customer didn't find the experience at all faster or more convenient. It does make you wonder how effective an employee is at hand-scanning when someone's cart is overflowing with piles of items. On the other hand, others have voiced opinions about how this system will help minimize theft by avoiding self-checkout.

When discussing the usefulness of self-checkouts, some customers mention how they avoid them because of all the technical issues that can come up. Others praised them, saying they are a better experience for people who have social anxiety, who want to be able to clearly see the checkout screen with all the details, or who rely on food stamps and want privacy when using them.

Time will tell if Costco keeps using this new system and spreading it to different stores. Perhaps we will see some changes that improve on the inefficiencies customers have complained about online. Next time you are in Costco to look for some of the best new electronics of 2026, be prepared –  you may be in store for an entirely new checkout experience.