An Australian customer has said he is tired of using self-service checkouts in supermarkets and department stores because he is ‘not interested’ in the job of a cashier.
The man re-shared a post on Facebook that went viral last year from a customer who complained that staff checked her receipt after she used the self-service checkout.
The woman who made the original post said a female employee stopped every customer who had used a self-checkout machine and made them stand in line to have their receipts viewed.
The irate customer skipped the line and left, arguing that if the store didn’t trust them to scan their items honestly, they should bring back staffed cashiers.
‘Dear Kmart, Coles, Woolworths etc and all other self checkout stores. You can now almost exclusively pay yourself,” read the message that resurfaced earlier this month.
“You can trust me to do the self-checkout, or you can put your cashiers back in place like before.
“I’m not interested in proving that I did your job for you. If you want me to be a cashier without training, that’s your problem, not mine.
‘You don’t pay me to scan my own groceries. You don’t give me an employee discount because I work for you.’
The angry tirade, which also said stores should bring back manned checkouts to create more employment for young and old workers, is making the rounds on social media.
The man who shared it this month said he “agreed 100 percent” and asked others to share it.
“Yes I work at Bunnings and hate them there and I feel like this just creates more unfairness,” one person wrote.
An Australian customer has said he is tired of using self-service checkouts in supermarkets and department stores because he is ‘not interested’ in the work of a cashier
Pictured: An employee checking customer receipts at a Kmart store
“I’ve got ALL my stuff delivered now,” said another.
Supermarkets such as Woolworths, Coles and Aldi all offer self-service and assisted checkouts, as do stores such as Kmart.
A Kmart spokesperson previously told Daily Mail Australia: ‘At Kmart we strive to provide all our customers with an enjoyable and convenient shopping experience, whether they shop in-store or online.
‘Since late 2015, we have begun introducing self-service checkouts in our stores as part of our commitment to customers to give them access to a more efficient service, especially during peak trading periods.
‘The conversion of our staffed registers to self-service adds to the speed of transactions, but we will always have a Kmart team member available to support customers through transactions if they wish.
‘In common with many retailers, it is also a condition of entry into all our stores that customers can, if requested, present any bags and receipts for inspection before leaving the store.
“We look forward to continuing to serve all of our customers in the many different ways they enjoy shopping.”
However, Aussies voiced their support for the angry shopper online.
One wrote: ‘I hate them and have refused to use them for a long time but it has gotten to the point where sometimes there isn’t a manned till open so you have to use them. Then there are the mistakes and the wait for someone to fix them.
‘Bring back manned cash registers. Or at least more open to those who can’t or don’t want to use it. Keep people employed and help people who physically can’t use or perhaps understand the stupid things.’
Another said: ‘Self-service stresses me out. Half the time I place the item in the packing area and it doesn’t work.
Furious online shoppers claimed they were forced to use self-checkouts before being stopped and having their receipts scanned
‘The other annoyance is that there is no room to pack your cart. And I feel rushed because it’s always a huge line-up. I stand by the fact that a human serves me, thank you.’
A Woolworths spokesperson previously said: ‘We want to offer our customers multiple ways to shop with us, given their ever-changing needs.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, many customers turned to safer and more convenient ways to complete their stores, including self-service checkouts.
‘However, if customers prefer to be served by a team member, this is always possible via our service desk or other manned cash registers.
‘We’ve seen a big increase in customers using Direct to Boot and home delivery, while others decided to streamline their shopping experience using Scan&Go and self-service.’
A source highlighted that Coles has no policy of checking a customer’s receipt when they leave the self-checkout area.