There is change in the layout of Kmart stores and the cashier`s desk has been moved to the store central, which makes many customers feel very unhappy. But why did Kmart make these change? One possible reason has been revealed.
In a private group on Facebook (fb), one woman said she was sad about the change at the cashier`s desk, while another commentator gave the exact reason why supermarkets had made the change since 2016.
"I was on Sunshine Coast, Queensland, and they told me that all Kmart stores would be checked out in the middle to prevent shoplifting," the woman said.
"I looked at my friends and thought it would obviously not work."
On their first launch, other shoppers shared their anger on social media, explaining that the move would allow them to "boycott" the store.
One user said, "Hey, Kmart Australia, if you want to put the cashier in the middle of the store, that`s good, but don`t treat everyone who comes out like a criminal."
Another added: "Kmart is not as good as it used to be. Putting the cashier at the store central is the last thing I can stand."
Others argue that their change may have been made to "tempt" shoppers to spend more money.
Shoppers must pay in the middle of the store, then go to the exit, show their shopping list to the front door staff, and the staff will check their bags.
Steve Mann (Steve Mann), senior manager of Kmart affairs, said the project had been successful despite initial reservations.
But this change is from an aesthetic point of view, not for security reasons.
"it`s been around for a long time, and people are used to it, and because there are many similar stores with this layout, people are used to seeing the cashier in the middle; it`s very familiar to people."
"the reason for this is that we hope that the entrance of the store is not messy and more attractive, and that our products can be displayed instead of a cashier."
"We noticed that without putting the cashier in front, the layout is now more open and spacious, and at busy times of the year, such as Christmas, the cashier tends to be crowded."
He also believes that Kmart is not the only supermarket with this layout, and stores, including JB HIFI, have adopted the same model.
Retail analyst Barry Earkhart (Barry Urquhart) added that the reason is simple: "they want you to spend more money. It`s about productivity and profit margins."
Of the 228 Kmart stores in Australia and New Zealand, more than 150 have been transformed into new layouts.
