Walmart's 10-Foot Rule Aims To Promote Better Customer Service And Community Values (But Is It Working?)

According to Numerator, 95% of households have shopped at Walmart, and 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of one. In an effort to make shopping there a more pleasant experience, Walmart has something they call the 10-foot rule. Any employee who comes within 10 feet of a customer is supposed to greet them and engage in conversation. They should ask how you are, offer any assistance they can, and thank you for shopping there. That sounds very friendly and helpful in print, but with so many customers, the reality is that this practice may not be feasible.

Many Reddit threads discuss the 10-foot rule, and not every employee is happy it exists. "10-foot rule is a full-time job. I could spend all day greeting customers and walking them to what they're looking for," said one Redditor.

Other employees understand the purpose of the rule, but feel it may go too far. "I find it so difficult to hassle people every time they enter the department," one said. Another Redditor added, "When I was a new hire, my grocery DM made me stay 30 minutes extra to finish a cart, because I took the 10 foot rule too literal and I was chatting up every customer instead of working." As a result, you may notice that not all Walmart employees will follow this policy.

There's more to the 10-foot rule than it seems at first. That employee who didn't want to hassle people? They said they were coached, which is Walmart-speak for discipline. If you do something wrong, you get coached on it. However, this employee said they were coached for not using the 10-foot rule on a customer who was later caught stealing. That's an added stress and responsibility if employees are expected to talk to people and somehow know they are stealing or deter it while also going about their regular duties.

Shoppers also have issues with this rule. One shopper gave the example of talking on the phone and being interrupted by an employee. Most of us understand phone etiquette and would never interrupt a stranger on the phone unless it was necessary. In a store, requiring employees to follow this rule could be considered rude. Another concern, noted in a Facebook discussion, is that some shoppers prefer to be left alone unless they request assistance. They'd rather ask for assistance than have someone approach them. Some go so far as to say they hate any policy like the 10-foot rule.

Target, like Walmart, has similar 10-foot rules for employees. The idea is based on research suggesting that customers who feel seen and acknowledged enjoy a better shopping experience. This positive experience leads to increased sales. This is ironic since Walmart does not have a good customer service reputation. Although many individual customers report disliking the rule, little research shows that it is genuinely unwanted or unhelpful. As a result, the policy is likely to continue, so keep that in mind the next time you shop for some underrated Walmart gems.