this post was submitted on 11 Feb 2026
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I live in a rural area without a lot of brick and mortar options, so hate me if you must, but I do end up shopping at Walmart more often than I'd like.
Prior to last year, they had the most practical and efficient self checkout systems of any major retailer in my area. I could use the hand scanner to scan every single item in my cart, literally as fast as I could click the button on the scanner. Didn't even have to place a single thing in the bagging area, just boop-boop-boop to my heart's content then I could pay and move over to one of the 60% or greater self-checkout machines that were mysteriously always out of order to bag my groceries and get out of other peoples' way so they could get out of the store quicker.
Then, Walmart decided to add the AI cameras. I can look you straight in the eye without so much as a molecule of doubt and tell you that I've never willingly or purposely stolen anything from a store in my life. But this AI bullshit makes me question my morals there. It's so slow. It seems to constantly assume I'm stealing. It simply does not work. It literally infuriates me and doubles or triples the amount of time it takes me to check out. And the worst part is, it doesn't even work. I literally walked out of the store one time without paying for an item, only to realize it once I got out to my car and had to go back to pay for it.
My take is that they killed mom and pop shops. They dont really leave people options in rural areas. If you can move beyond them to something local, you should. I used to be staunchly anti-Wal-Mart. Then I got laid off and prices went higher. I still do my best to shop local, though.
Agree and I do try to support the local mom and pop places -- when I can and within reason.
The other unfortunate aspect of living in a rural area is that the mom and pop places are also a landmine in terms of politics. I hate supporting Walmart and big business that donates heavily to conservative organizations and Republican candidates, but that money is mostly going to national politics. Local places in rural areas are often run by conservatives who use their donations to support local conservative candidates and policies that often have way more negative impact on my day to day life than national politics. And I'm saying that as someone whose layoff was literally and directly due to national politics.
I understand that issue. It has been frustrating seeing some of my local haunts go mask off and I have to take my business elsewhere.
You went back to pay for it?????