WalMart often touts its ability to offer low prices because of its ability to purchase in volume and the efficiencies that drives. How they handle merchandise, how they stock stores, etc.

So, standing in line at WalMart today (yes, I do shop there) I wonder why they can't seem to improve the efficiency of their checkouts at WalMart and Sams Club stores. The lines always seem long. Movement slow. Frustration high. Even in the 12 items or less line. Sams Club compared to Costco is always a huge difference - same type of store and while the lines at Costco can be long and slow, it doesn't seem to be nearly as consistently long and slow as Sams Club.

Yes, I know that low-paid possibly-less-than-motivated cashiers will play a role. But for all of WalMart's abilities to be more efficient, you'd think they could apply some of that at the checkout....