Michigan: Walmart is Ready to Crush Your Self-Checkout Struggles

If you've ever fought with the self-checkout kiosk at Walmart - or any store for that matter - life is about to get better, as the giant retailer is introducing game-changing software.

A Special Note to Shoplifters:  You're not going to like this new technology, as Walmart has also found a way to thwart theft from self-checkout kiosks.

Speeding Up the Self-Checkout Process

Walmart has teamed up with digital watermark company Digimarc to create what it's calling "invisible barcodes." The technology will drastically speed up the checkout process.

Ever struggle to find a product's barcode during the checkout process? The new system essentially creates an invisible barcode that wraps around and completely covers grocery items. The entire item becomes the barcode, so customers can quickly speed through the checkout process without wasting time searching for products' barcodes.

SEE ALSO:  These Are the 10 Most Frequently Stolen Items at Walmart Stores in Michigan

Since the new system embeds barcodes across the entire surface of product packaging, products are simply moved across the scanner, greatly improving efficiency.

Thwarting Theft During the Self-Checkout Process

Since products can be read and scanned from any angle, the new system also thwarts customers trying to hide items from the scanner or attempting to scan a cheaper item in place of the actual item they're placing in their bags.

Walmart in Michigan

According to its website, Walmart has 94 locations in Michigan, excluding smaller discount stores and Sam's Club locations. About 35,500 people are employed by Walmart in Michigan.

While the new tech has only been tested at a few locations, it's expected to be a major game changer in the world or retail.