Walmart’s recalibration mirrors a larger trend across U.S. retail. Many major chains — from Kroger to Target to Dollar General — are quietly rethinking the automation-first strategy that dominated the 2010s. For years, the assumption was that customers preferred independence over interaction. But recent consumer research paints a different picture: people may like convenience, but they still crave connection.
Retail psychologist Dr. Kelly Marks calls it the “illusion of convenience.” “Technology can simplify transactions,” she explains, “but it can’t replace empathy. When a cashier helps you bag groceries, answers a question, or simply smiles, that moment of human acknowledgment reinforces loyalty. A machine can’t do that.”Continue reading…
