In the constantly evolving retail landscape, where efficiency and cost management are king, Target has boldly stepped out from its competitors with a checkout change that’s turning heads.

Unlike the more conventional path tread by Walmart and Kroger, Target is taking a definitive step towards changing how customers finalize their purchases. For years, the conversation around checkout innovation has revolved around robots and automation—a future where technology minimizes labor costs and maximizes efficiency. The narrative is often painted with broad strokes of robots taking inventory or cleaning floors, inching toward an automation utopia (sans any “Terminator” style rebellion, of course).

However, automation, particularly in customer-facing roles outside of warehouses, hasn’t quite hit the mark it was expected to. We’ve witnessed Walmart retracting its in-store inventory robots and dismantling automated pickup towers after unsuccessful runs. This has nudged retail giants, including Kroger and Walmart, to lean towards self-checkout systems, arguably the simplest form of automation that shifts the scanning and bagging responsibilities onto customers.

Target, carving its own path, has traditionally not offered “10-items-or-less” express lanes, a staple in many grocery stores. But recent whispers from select Target locations hint at a shift—self-checkout lanes specifically catering to those with 10 items or less, according to Parade.com.

This decision is far from benign. It’s a calculated pivot that’s elicited mixed reactions from the public. On one hand, it’s a move that could streamline the checkout process for shoppers in a hurry, funneling bulkier carts to human cashiers. On the other, it has spurred some dissatisfaction amongst the Target faithful, with social media buzz noting the already scant staffing on regular checkout lanes.

The catalyst for this change could be myriad, but many speculate that it’s a tactical response to an issue Target’s leadership has openly wrestled with shrinkage—the retail term for loss due to theft or error. Both CEO Brian Cornell and CFO Michael Fiddelke have addressed the shrink problem, acknowledging the unsustainable levels that they are striving to mitigate.

The correlation between self-checkout and theft is not new; there’s a documented rise in both accidental and deliberate thefts at stores with self-checkout systems. But so far, Target’s leadership signals only tentative optimism that loss rates may plateau, though a clear downtrend has yet to emerge.

Financially, Target is feeling the pinch, reporting a 4.9% dip in total revenue this past quarter. Blame circles around sluggish sales in more expensive items and a backlash over their Pride merchandise. Moreover, the stock price paints a picture of concern, trailing with a 28% dip this year following a 35% slide the previous year.

For the discerning entrepreneur or investor, Target’s new self-checkout strategy is a testament to the complexities of retail innovation. It’s a balancing act between customer experience and operational efficiency, and only time will tell if this checkout chess move will pay off for the red-and-white giant.