Self-checkout has become the default for many American shoppers, and retailers are paying for the convenience.

New research finds that more than half of transactions go through self-checkout wherever it is offered. In a separate survey, 83 percent of U.S. shoppers said they had used it in the past six months. Among those who prefer it, 77 percent cited faster service.

The cost lands on the stores. A study of participating retailers found that losses rose an average of 22 percent in the first year after they introduced self-checkout. Missed scans were the most common source of loss, while walkaways, shoppers who leave without paying, caused the highest average loss per incident.

It remains unclear how much of that loss is outright theft. Retailers’ estimates ranged from 6 percent to 80 percent, suggesting many businesses cannot say where their money is going.

The machines also create work for the staff they were meant to replace. For every additional 10,000 transactions, the survey projected 1,000 more help calls, 100 card payment problems, and 90 walkaways, along with slower staff response times.

Shoppers gain speed, but stores absorb the shrink, and it is fair to ask who ultimately covers it.

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