Ikea Checks Out of Self-Service

Ikea stores, by design, are a destination shopping experience. The Swedish-based retail stores draw in consumers with modern home furnishings at an affordable price, while their massive store spaces and winding floor plans often keep shoppers inside for an hour or more. Spending that much time picking out a bookcase is one thing; waiting another 20 minutes to pay for it is another. And after a rash of complaints from customers who described just that kind of repeated delay, Ikea stores in the United States are yanking the self-service checkout systems that were causing the backups.