Coles and Woolworths fire back after customers unleash over annoying feature
A frustrated customer slaps Coles after she was left with no choice but to use a self-service checkout.
She said the supermarket only had one of its two checkouts open, forcing customers to use the self-service checkouts.
The customer, who used to work as a ‘checkout girl’, explained that at one open register a customer was served, another unloaded his groceries onto the belt and a third patiently waited in line.
She opted for the self-service checkout with only one basket of items, but was frustrated by the chaos that followed.
A frustrated customer knocked down a Coles supermarket because he had one of the two checkouts open, forcing customers to use the self-service checkout (stock image of Coles employee)
“Red lights went off everywhere and people had to wait for help,” she wrote in a post shared on social media this week.
“I know some people like these things, but what about people who don’t? I love being served because I don’t have to wait for someone to come over and scan a tag to make sure I’m not a thief.
“Self-service is also so much slower in processing a cart, especially if someone is unloading/packing that same cart.”
The customer said she was considering sending an application as a cashier “partly as a joke and partly seriously.”
When she visited the supermarket giant’s website to fill out a job application, she claimed the site did not have a customer service feedback section.
“How can they say the majority of their customers prefer self-service when they have nowhere to leave feedback,” she wrote.
The customer asked fellow Aussies what they thought of some Coles and Woolworths stores opting for more self-service checkouts.
The customer claimed that the self-service area was full of “red lights” while other customers needed help. She added that the process was further slowed down by customers who had a full shopping cart full of groceries (stock image, Coles customers using self-service checkout)
More than 500 customers responded, with many expressing frustration after being forced to use self-service checkouts.
“Weird how shit keeps getting more expensive while their operating costs are skyrocketing,” one person wrote.
“I hate it because not only do you have to do the work yourself for free, you also get the added bonus of a store clerk breathing down your neck and staring at you while you do the work yourself,” another commented.
“Nothing worse than when I only have two items and all the self-checkouts are taken up by people with full carts,” a third person added.
‘I do not like it. I think there should always be the possibility that someone is checking on you.
‘Two small children in the trolley arguing/holding/preventing them from getting in the way, I don’t feel like having to check out then too.
A fourth person chimed in, “I despise self-checkout times 10. There are 15 people trying to put trolleys in the room when they don’t have enough space to put your bags of groceries.”
‘Then you removed a bag’, ‘unexpected item in the luggage compartment’, ‘Do you use your own bag’. If you let us do it ourselves, at least make sure it’s practical.
Others argued that they like self-service checkouts for convenience and when doing small shops.
“Personally, I prefer self-checkout because I generally do small shops, so I’m in and out pretty quickly and prefer to do my own bags,” one person wrote.
“I like self-service as my wife prefers to organize and pack the groceries at checkout, and self-service allows for that pressure-free time,” another person added.
A third agreed: “I really like the self-checkouts and rarely have problems scanning, but I tend to do a few small shops a week, so it’s easy and quick for me.”
A fourth said: ‘It doesn’t matter what their customers prefer. They don’t care. They know they’ve cornered the market, and that’s all you have to do.”
Another added: ‘It doesn’t matter what their customers prefer. They don’t care. They know they’ve cornered the market, and that’s all you have to do.”
I agree with all points except the last. We don’t have to put up with it. Do not use the self-checkout; everyone is in line at the manned one.
‘Woolworths have more manned checkouts than Coles, which is why I use Woolworths. Coles are more arrogant, Woolworths test the water,” said a fifth.
The post received over 500 comments, with many customers expressing frustration after using both Coles and Woolworths (pictured) self-service checkouts
Woolworths told Daily Mail Australia that customers love self-service checkouts, but they offer assisted checkouts to customers who prefer to be served by a member of staff.
“We have been operating self-service checkouts for many years and we know that customers love the convenience and speed they offer,” said Woolworths.
“We also realize that some customers prefer to be served at the checkout or require assistance, so we offer a mix of self-service and team-operated checkouts.”
Coles told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Self-service checkouts are a preferred checkout choice for many customers, offering convenience and efficiency.
“If a customer prefers to be served by a team member, he is of course still available to happily serve him at the checkout.”