The warehouse giant is reportedly overhauling its checkout process, piloting new automated stations that promise to process orders in under 10 seconds.

By blending employee productivity with high-speed tech, Costco is betting it can solve the retail industry’s biggest headache without losing the low-cost model that keeps its members loyal.

“In digital, we continue to make strides with our roadmap to deliver a more seamless experience for members in warehouse and online.

“In the warehouses, we are achieving meaningful improvements in the speed of checkout and employee productivity, both as a result of our mobile wallet enhancements, pharmacy pay ahead and the rollout of employee pre-scan technology,” Costco CFO Gary Millerchip said in the company’s second-quarter earnings call earlier this month.

A shopper uses a self-checkout station in a Costco store in Tigard, Oregon. Tada Images – stock.adobe.com

Under new CEO Ron Vachris and Millerchip, the warehouse club is pivoting from its traditional checkout roots to a high-tech pre-scan model and automated pay stations. At first, employees will expedite the pre-scanning process before customers reach the register.

Costco has previously tested self-checkout at select stores, but the system did not appear to stick.

“We are also piloting automated pay stations that will allow members to pay for their pre-scan orders seamlessly with an average transaction time of around eight seconds,” Millerchip added. “Early results show this is improving the flow of traffic, and we have received great member feedback.”

Costco said its automated pay stations are improving the flow of store traffic. Bloomberg via Getty Images

Leadership also discussed embracing AI and e-commerce shifts on the call that rivals have used to dominate the convenience shopping market.

“On our digital sites, we continue to roll out new personalization capabilities which are resonating well with our members and are starting to have measurable impact on e-commerce sales growth. As consumers embrace AI in their shopping habits, we believe our commitments to providing the best value on great quality items can make us a beneficiary of these shifts,” the CFO said.

New data from the NCR Voyix Digital Commerce Index reveals a generational divide in how Americans want to pay at the register.

The low-cost retailer has maintained its popularity with middle-class Americans, with recent net sales surging. Kenishirotie – stock.adobe.com

While 43% of all consumers now prefer self-checkout options, 53% of shoppers aged 18 to 44 prefer the DIY method, while those 55 and older stick to manned lanes, citing large cart volumes as the primary reason for avoiding self-checkout.

While many big-box retailers have passed on inflationary costs to consumers in recent years, Costco has maintained its popularity with middle-class Americans due to its roughly 14% to 15% cap on product margins. Traditional grocers typically have a 25% to 35% product margin, making Costco’s prices highly competitive.

Costco’s net sales surged 9.1% to $68.24 billion in the second quarter, with net income hitting $1.36 billion — a 13.6% increase year over year following a membership price hike.

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A New Mexico state court jury on Tuesday held Meta liable for nearly $400 million in civil damages after a trial where the state attorney general accused the Facebook and Instagram operator of failing to safeguard kids who use its apps from child predators.

The civil trial, which began with opening arguments in Santa Fe last month, centered on allegations that Meta violated state consumer protections laws and misled residents about the safety of apps like Facebook and Instagram. New Mexico attorney general Raúl Torrez sued Meta in 2023 following an undercover operation involving the creation of a fake social media profile of a 13-year-old girl that he previously told CNBC “was simply inundated with images and targeted solicitations” from child abusers.

Deliberations began Monday, and jurors were tasked with ruling in favor or against the defendant Meta. Jury members found that Meta willfully violated the state’s unfair practices act, and decided the company should pay $375 million in damages based on the number of violations.

Linda Singer, an attorney representing New Mexico, urged jury members during closing statements to impose a civil penalty against Meta that could top $2 billion.

“We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal,” a Meta spokesperson said. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.”

Meta denied the state of New Mexico’s allegations and previously said that it is “focused on demonstrating our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”

“The jury’s verdict is a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety,” Torrez said in a statement. “Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew. Today the jury joined families, educators, and child safety experts in saying enough is enough.”

When the New Mexico trial’s second phase, conducted without a jury, commences on May 4, a judge will determine whether Meta created a public nuisance and should fund public programs intended to address the alleged harms. The state’s lawyers are also urging Meta to implement changes to its apps and operations, including “enacting effective age verification, removing predators from the platform, and protecting minors from encrypted communications that shield bad actors.”

During the trial, New Mexico prosecutors revealed legal filings detailing internal messages from Meta employees discussing how CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s 2019 announcement to make Facebook Messenger end-to-end encrypted by default would impact the ability to disclose to law enforcement some 7.5 million child sexual abuse material reports.

In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday before the verdict was revealed, Torrez discussed Meta’s argument that the prosecutors cherry picked certain materials to paint an unfair picture about the company, and that Meta has been updating its various apps with safety features.

Torrez said he didn’t think that the jury would “be convinced that they’ve done as much as they can or should have, and that they should be held responsible for it.”

“One of the things that I am really focused on is how we can change the design features of these products, at least within New Mexico, and that would create a standard that could then be modeled elsewhere in the country, and, frankly, around the world,” Torrez said during the sidelines of the Common Sense Summit held in San Francisco.

Torrez said that a similar child-exploitation related suit involving Snap, filed by his office in 2024, is still in the discovery stages and that his team was “able to overcome section 230 motions” in both the Meta and Snap case. The tech industry has argued that the Section 230 provision of the Communications Decency Act should prevent them from being held liable for content shared on their respective services, resulting in prosecutors testing new legal strategies focusing on the design of the apps instead.

Regarding Meta’s criticism that prosecutors are picking certain corporate documents and related materials, Torrez said, “What’s interesting is they accuse us of doing that, but all we’re doing is showing the world what they knew behind closed doors and weren’t willing to tell their users.”

The New Mexico case is one of multiple social media-related trials taking place this year that experts have compared to the Big Tobacco suits from the 1990s due in part to allegations that the companies misled the public about the safety and potential harms of their products.

Jury members in a separate, personal injury trial involving Meta and Google’s YouTube have been deliberating in a Los Angeles Superior court since last Friday. The companies are alleged to have misled the public about the safety and design of their respective apps. The jury must determine whether one or both of the companies implemented certain design features that contributed to the mental distress of a plaintiff who alleged that she became addicted to social media apps when she was underage.

A separate federal trial in the Northern District of California will commence later this year. Multiple school districts and parents across the nation allege that that the actions and apps of Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap caused negative mental health-related harms to teenagers and children.

WATCH: Would be surprised in Meta workforce cuts are as big as reported, says Evercore’s Mark Mahaney.

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“I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country,” Musk said in an X post on Saturday morning. 

Musk’s offer comes as a partial government shutdown passes one month, with lawmakers unable to reach a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the TSA.

The DHS shutdown has left TSA agents working without pay, triggering staffing shortages and long airport lines nationwide, while raising concerns about the ability to prevent attacks.

Republicans have pushed to fund DHS, while Democrats have sought standalone funding for agencies like TSA that would exclude immigration operations.

People standing in a long line at the Delta Terminal C check-in at LaGuardia Airport. Brigitte Stelzer

TSA officers are considered essential employees and are required to report to work even during a shutdown, though pay can be delayed.

Elon Musk offered to cover salaries for TSA personnel amid the ongoing government shutdown. Ella Pellegrini for NY Post

Musk’s offer appeared aimed at easing the strain as airport lines grow and staffing pressures build.

Major U.S. airports have experienced severe delays, with security wait times exceeding 3 hours in some cases, due to high TSA officer absenteeism. Hardest-hit airports include Houston (HOU, IAH), Atlanta (ATL), New Orleans (MSY), and Philadelphia (PHL). 

The DHS shutdown has left TSA agents working without pay, causing staffing shortages and long airport lines. AFP via Getty Images

Footage from PHL, shot early Thursday morning, showed hundreds of passengers waiting on elevators and escalators to clear a security checkpoint.

It comes as a top TSA union leader warned Thursday that airport security risks linked to the shutdown are set to “get worse,” given that TSA has been under a hiring freeze since last year.

It remains unclear how Musk’s proposed arrangement would work or whether it would be legally possible for a private individual to fund federal workers.

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The case, brought by plaintiff Jaylynn Dean, was the first trial – known as a “bellwether” – of more than 3,000 similar lawsuits against Uber that have been consolidated in federal court. Bellwether trials are used to test legal theories and help gauge the value of claims for possible settlements.

The jury found that the driver was an agent of Uber, so the company was responsible for his actions. They awarded Dean $8.5 million in compensatory damages but declined to award punitive damages. Attorneys for Dean had sought more than $140 million in damages.

The case, brought by plaintiff Jaylynn Dean, was the first trial – known as a “bellwether” – of more than 3,000 similar lawsuits against Uber that have been consolidated in federal court. REUTERS

In a statement, an Uber spokesperson noted that the jury rejected Dean’s other claims, that the company was negligent or that its safety systems were defective, adding that the company plans to appeal. “This verdict affirms that Uber acted responsibly and has invested meaningfully in rider safety,” the spokesperson said.

Sarah London, an attorney for Dean, said the verdict “validates the thousands of survivors who have come forward at great personal risk to demand accountability against Uber for its focus on profit over passenger safety.”

Uber shares fell 0.5% in extended trading following announcement of the verdict.

Dean, an Oklahoma resident, sued Uber in 2023, one month after her alleged assault in Arizona. She said Uber was aware of a wave of sexual assaults committed by its drivers, but had failed to take basic actions to improve the safety of its riders. Such assertions have long dogged the company, drawing headlines and congressional scrutiny.

Alexandra Walsh, an attorney for Dean, said during the trial’s closing arguments that Uber had marketed itself as a safe option for women traveling at night, particularly if they had been drinking.

An Uber spokesperson noted that the jury rejected Dean’s other claims, that the company was negligent or that its safety systems were defective, adding that the company plans to appeal. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, above. Getty Images

“Women know it’s a dangerous world. We know about the risk of sexual assault,” Walsh said. “They made us believe that this was a place that was safe from that.”

Uber says not responsible for driver actions

Uber, which has faced numerous safety controversies, including allegations of lax driver vetting and a culture critics said prioritized growth over passenger protection, has argued that it should not be held liable for criminal conduct by drivers who use its platform, saying that its background checks and disclosures about assaults are sufficient.

Uber has argued that it should not be held liable for criminal conduct by drivers who use its platform, saying that its background checks and disclosures about assaults are sufficient. Diego – stock.adobe.com

The company maintains that its drivers are independent contractors rather than employees, and that regardless of their classification it cannot be responsible for actions that fall outside the scope of what could reasonably be considered their duties.

“He had no criminal history. None,” Kim Bueno, an attorney for Uber, said of the driver during closing arguments, noting that he had 10,000 trips on the app and a nearly perfect rating from riders. “Was this foreseeable to Uber? And the answer to that has to be no.”

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Dean’s lawsuit said she was intoxicated when she hired an Uber driver to take her from her boyfriend’s home to her hotel.

The driver asked her harassing questions on the ride before stopping the car and raping her, Dean alleged in the lawsuit.

Uber is also facing more than 500 cases in California state court. Rival Lyft is facing similar lawsuits in both state and federal court, Tada Images – stock.adobe.com

US District Judge Charles Breyer, who normally sits on the bench in San Francisco, oversaw Dean’s case in Phoenix. Breyer is managing all of the similar federal cases against Uber, which have been centralized in his court in San Francisco.

The company is also facing more than 500 cases in California state court. In the only one of those cases to go to trial so far, a jury in September sided with Uber. The jury found that while the company had been negligent with its safety measures, that negligence was not a substantial factor in causing the woman’s harm.

Uber rival Lyft is facing similar lawsuits in both state and federal court, although there is no coordinated federal litigation for those claims. Shares of Lyft were down 1% after the verdict.

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An arbitrator ruled Monday (February 2) that the NBA has to pay Rozier his salary, reversing the league’s decision to place him on unpaid leave after his arrest last year in a federal gambling investigation.

“Terry won today under principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle at issue is the presumption of innocence,” Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, told Front Office Sports. “Today’s arbitration ruling reminds the NBA that they can’t ignore that important concept just because it’s a high-profile case.”

Rozier is facing federal charges for what federal prosecutors say was his role in an alleged illegal NBA gambling scheme. Rozier was arrested and charged in October and has pleaded not guilty.

Jim Trusty, Rozier’s lawyer: “Terry won today under principles of contract law and the… https://t.co/ihRS3Q2U3d

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) February 2, 2026

NBA withheld Rozier and Billup’s salary amid ongoing gambling probe

Rozier was arrested in October as part of a federal probe that also included Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former player and coach Damon Jones. Prosecutors charged Rozier with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, both serious charges that can carry sentences of up to 20 years.

All of this unfolded during the final year of Rozier’s four-year, $96.3 million contract with Charlotte, which he signed in 2021. A few months later, in January 2024, he was traded to Miami in a deal that sent Kyle Lowry and a 2027 draft pick the other way. This season, Rozier is on the Heat’s books for $26.6 million, with $25 million of that guaranteed.

“We are pleased with the arbitrator’s ruling and remain committed to ensuring that Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process,” an NBPA spokesman said.

In October 2025, we reported that the NBA and the Heat planned to park Rozier’s salary in escrow while the investigation continued. The idea was that if Rozier was cleared, he’d get the money. Billups, meanwhile, was not being paid during his enforced leave. Now, with the arbitration decision finalized, Rozier’s escrowed salary will be released.

Billups reportedly made around $4.7 million during the 2024–25 season and signed a multi-year extension earlier this year for an undisclosed amount.

ReadWrite has reached out to Terry Rozier’s legal representatives for comment.

Featured image: The Financial Express via YouTube

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The 63-year-old’s pay packet is up 21% from $38 million in 2024. He was paid $31 ​million in 2023.

Solomon earned a base salary in 2025 of $2 ‌million and $45 million in annual variable compensation, Goldman said in a regulatory filing.

It means he bests JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, who picked up a compensation package worth $43 million for 2025, a 10.3% increase from the previous year.

Solomon’s pay for 2025 of $47 million was released by Goldman in a regulatory filing on Friday. REUTERS

Solomon and his right-hand man, Goldman president and chief operating officer John Waldron, each agreed to $80 million stock-based retention bonuses last year to keep them at 200 West St., Goldman’s main HQ, until January 2030.

Waldron, 55, is widely tipped to take over from Solomon when he eventually decides to call it a day as the bank’s chief executive.

The announcement follows blockbuster Q4 results, boosted by a revival in M&A activity, announced at 200 West Street last week. Christopher Sadowski

A Goldman spokesperson directed The Post to statements made by the bank’s compensation committee.

Executives said they had considered several factors, but stressed that Solomon had overseen a “strong performance in support of our clients across global banking & markets and asset & wealth management.”

The Wall Street veteran also saw the price of Goldman shares increase by just over 53% in 2025.

Solomon announced financial results last week for the fourth quarter of last year that beat analysts’ expectations.

He said that he was upbeat about the prospects for M&A and IPOs this coming year, pointing to a more favorable regulatory climate under the Trump administration.

“CEOs definitely believe that ‘The Art of the Deal’ – scaled consolidation – is possible now,” the 63-year-old said on Jan. 15 in an apparent reference to President Trump’s book on business negotiations.

He joined the bank as a partner in 1999 after leaving Bear Stearns and rose through the ranks ​to eventually succeed Lloyd Blankfein, who ‍led Goldman through the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath.

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A federal court order in the case involving Disney Worldwide Services Inc. and Disney Entertainment Operations LLC also bars Disney from operating on YouTube in a manner that violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the department said.

Disney has been barred from operating on YouTube in a manner that violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Department of Justice said. REUTERS

The order requires Disney to create a program that will ensure it properly complies with the privacy law on YouTube in the future, it added.

The law requires websites, apps and other online services aimed at children under 13 to notify parents about what personal information they collect, and obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting such information

“The Justice Department is firmly devoted to ensuring parents have a say in how their children’s information is collected and used,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said in a statement.

Disney will be required to create a program that will ensure it properly complies with the privacy law on YouTube in the future, the DOJ said. AP

Disney could not immediately be reached for a comment.

The order finalizes a settlement reached in September in a case referred to the DOJ by the Federal Trade Commission.

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