Ok Fess Up.. Who Has Stolen Something Through a Self Serve Checkout?

kriddy on 22/01/2016 - 09:05
Last edited 22/01/2016 - 09:23 by 1 other user

So I was shopping at Woolies the other day.

I saw this chick weighing a leg of lamb on the self serve scales and pressed onions.

The self serve attendant was about 16 and completely oblivious.

I told him as she walked out and he wasn't really too fussed and he casually walked off to tell someone else.

Got me wondering..

How does Woolies and Coles even make a profit with these things??

Have any of you guys ever accidentally or intentionally forgotten to pay for something? (weighing something as onions is stealing)

What are your thoughts on self serve?

Poll Options

  • 75
    Yes I have forgotten to pay for something
  • 78
    Yes I have intentionally stolen something
  • 631
    No I am absolutely honest
Food & Grocery

Comments

    • nanonoise on 22/01/2016 - 15:36
      +1

      I should add, this was through a normal checkout, not a self-serve checkout. Overlooked the self-serve reference.

      • dbun1 on 23/01/2016 - 12:17

        So when you see the item never show on the screen nor do you see them scan the item you don't say anything. Interesting…..

  • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2016 - 16:59
    -7

    I intentionally mis-price some things - separate avocados and apples if they are super expensive. I scan them as the cheapest fruit.
    Yes, I think it's wrong but I also download movies.
    It's like friends sharing staff discounts etc.
    Good thing I don't believe in Hell.

    When I was in Israel the supermarket pastries and nut/dried fruit sections are separate from the rest of the aisles. So you can either pay at the respective counters or at the front check out with everything else. If you don't pass over the bag at the front checkout they assume you paid for it.
    It is SO easy to steal yet everyone I saw handed it over or paid for it when they selected what they wanted.

    I remember watching some diet show that said that people exhibit higher moral standards when they feel directly monitored. Like if you paste eyes over a cake people eat less than if it was some other picture. Irrelevant comment but I remembered that.

    • owli on 23/01/2016 - 03:20
      +3

      Copying movies is not theft, breaking IP law is not the same as stealing physical goods.
      You can believe in hell or not, secular universal morals exist regardless of religion.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 16:16
        +1

        How is it not the same? You aren't paying for the service. It is exactly the same as walking into the cinema without paying, stealing a book from a shop etc.
        Stealing is stealing is stealing.

        • owli on 24/01/2016 - 00:11

          Sneaking into a movie theatre and using their property without their permission is trespassing, yes it is wrong.
          Stealing a book, which is a rival good, again their property, yes it is wrong.

          When I use my property a computer, to create a bunch of 1's and 0's that happen to create an mp3 file that happens to be a copy of Justin Bieber - Love Yourself

          It is copying, NOT stealing.

          When I use my property a guitar, to play the same chords as Black Sabbath - Electric Funeral am I stealing IP from Ozzy Osbourne?

        • stonkered on 25/01/2016 - 07:09

          @owli:

          Semantics, semantics, semantics.

    • [Deactivated] on 25/01/2016 - 16:19

      Avatar Incognito since Israel, can't conceal a mugshot reveal.

      Once a slightly confused, but innocent, Baby Giraffe

      Now…

      Will you, one day, be OzBargain's answer to Lindsay Lohan, with multiple mugshots to show?

      Time will tell, Beethoven.

      Time will tell…

      [Deactivated] on 25/01/2016 - 16:19 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
  • hedonistic on 22/01/2016 - 17:05
    +1

    Never done it. I love a good bargain and cheap prices but what's the point in being dishonest about it? May as well start stealing from electronic stores and so on in that case if it's easy to.

  • OzJD on 22/01/2016 - 17:07
    +1

    I try and avoid self service, but one particular Kmart I used to frequent often only has self service (no operators).

    I scanned a set of jumper cables (~$40) and it came up $3.50. I figured it was an error as the description didn't seem to imply jumper cables, but I bought it like that.

    When I got home, I realised that someone had placed a seat belt cover inside the transparent pack. I was upset I wouldn't have warranty, but figured it was worth the risk.

  • kwbvstum on 22/01/2016 - 17:29
    +4

    Interesting. Over 10% of respondents so far admit to intentionally stealing. Bit of a shame.

    • Baysew on 22/01/2016 - 18:40
      +1

      Perhaps they are lying.

    • syousef on 22/01/2016 - 22:42

      This is an intelligence test for thieves…reminds me of world's dumbest criminals where they show you footage of someone trying to conceal their face with cream that melts off as they start sweating.

  • msmhw on 22/01/2016 - 17:31
    +9

    I once went to Featherdale Wildlife Park with my family on the weekdays. It was our first time and I wasn't sure if it's free or there are fees to enter and there wasn't anybody in the counter. After waiting around 5 mins and no one showed up, we decided to enter as we saw a lot of people entering so we thought its free. When we are leaving I noticed there is someone in the reception. I asked him if there is fees for entering the park, he said yes. I explained what happened and how sorry we are for entering the park without paying and we want to make the right thing and pay for it now. He surprised how honest we are and refused to take any money and told us how rare this is (sad to know people avoiding to do the right thing) we decided to leave some money in the donation box for the park. we saved some money and we did the right thong :)

    • raj koothrappali on 24/01/2016 - 11:10
      +7

      that is being mean to the left thong!

  • PR0r on 22/01/2016 - 17:43
    +1

    I usually swap a few banana from my bunch with the more expensive lady fingers. Self serve or not. Especially when the cheaper regular bananas are all green and the only ripened bananas are lady fingers.

    • GregRust on 22/01/2016 - 22:28
      +3

      That's stealing.

    • PVA on 22/01/2016 - 22:56

      what a crook.

      • mousie on 23/01/2016 - 17:43
        +4

        Such monkey business

    • 777 on 23/01/2016 - 10:08

      That must be your cousin around my area mixing ginger with potatoes
      Not setting a good example for your kids

    • pernunz on 25/01/2016 - 14:59

      You should go to a fruit and veg shop. They have bananas usually around half the price of the supermarkets. Sure, they don't look like what you'd find in a magazine, but they are still bananas.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2016 - 17:51
    +5

    I do it all the time.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 16:12

      Thank you for your honesty.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 18:20
        +2

        … Not like you can do anything about it lol

    • barginsarelife on 23/01/2016 - 19:26

      Ur the police

  • BartholemewH on 22/01/2016 - 18:08
    +4

    Never have and never will.

  • Doggiie on 22/01/2016 - 18:35
    -1

    I "accidentally" stole a $2 birthday card because it wasn't scanning through the reflective plastic. Blame the system, not the person.

  • Cluster on 22/01/2016 - 18:52
    +2

    I use self checkouts whenever possible. I like to pay with egift cards at Woolworths group stores and some staff are confused by them, or even offer to type in the numbers for me (haha, no). Self checkouts are often quite fast if the operator is any good.

    I've never stolen or 'misscanned' anything, but did once walk out of Bunnings with an unscanned product in my trolley. I actually returned back to the store with product in pocket, walked to the appropriate aisle and then back to the checkout to scan and pay.

  • EmCKay on 22/01/2016 - 19:00
    +15

    I don't understand the 'it all evens out in the end' comments or the 'the supermarkets still come out on top anyway' comments. Theft is theft. Ultimately, dishonesty makes everything more expensive. I work at a returns counter/service desk and the dishonesty that I see daily is so disheartening. The next generation has no chance of having an ounce of morality if we continue to portray stealing as normal or the 'thing to do' if you can get away with it.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2016 - 19:12
    -2

    I voted Yes

    • Food on 22/01/2016 - 19:27
      +4

      Nice try AFP

  • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2016 - 19:30

    Never intentionally. Left something in baby seat accidentally, and saw it while unloading at car. Price went down. No one's perfect.

  • PVA on 22/01/2016 - 19:32

    nope, not me.

  • aerona on 22/01/2016 - 21:31

    This thread is a bad idea as it will only influence more people to steal. Not sure if the result of stealing is correlated with what state you are from. But this is really shows how much dishonesty goes on around people trying to save extra bucks community. Even though Coles or woollies is a retail giant gives no one the right to steal from anyone. No one here is Peter pan

  • gimli on 22/01/2016 - 21:49

    next…

  • belongsinforums on 22/01/2016 - 21:54
    +5

    Nobody steals and nobody pees in the ocean.

  • tinmancactus on 22/01/2016 - 21:55
    +12

    Sometimes I buy just a single grape. The weight doesn't register on the scale so they give it to me for free.

    • minksta on 22/01/2016 - 23:51
      +3

      That's nothing. I buy a single grape and get given it for free, go back 30 times for the same..in the end I've got a whole bunch :)

    • 777 on 23/01/2016 - 10:04

      Gold

  • syousef on 22/01/2016 - 22:41
    -2

    This is an intelligence test, right? Are you a thief who is stupid enough to confess on an internet message board? Hint: You might be ozbargaining from prison.

    I imagine theft would be very easy if you did it once but if you are silly enough to make a habit of it eventually you'll get caught…and yep if you have any good job prospects kiss them bye bye. (Plenty of people with no such prospects though.)

  • edy4eva on 22/01/2016 - 23:03
    +2

    The opposite happened to me, I scanned an item and forgot it at the checkout register. Happened twice, the first time the bag scale kept throwing an error so the attendant removed the last scanned item (a bag of dried fruits worth about 20 dollars) and placed it on top of the register screen. The second time it was a pack of toilet tissues that wouldn't fit in the bag so I placed it to the side of the register.

    Woolies refunded me the dried fruits and gave me a free replacement on the first instance (despite several days had gone by). On the second occurrence I returned about an hour later and the attendant gave me the rolls as she had placed them at the check out desk.

    Also once I saw a couple forget their 60 dollar cash out at the register despite the yells of the attendant, I ran after them outside the store and told them they've forgotten something.

    And once I got to a register to find that the previous shopper didn't pay for the items. The attendant doubted me at first when I asked him to clear the items, so he went through my stuff instead of catching the bloke with a cap that he just stepped out of the door (I pointed the guy to him).

    • Hirolol on 24/01/2016 - 23:09
      +2

      Wow its all happening at ur supermarket.
      Sounds line you live in the bronx

      • edy4eva on 25/01/2016 - 07:51
        +3

        Close. Dickson ACT :)

  • Sweet3st on 22/01/2016 - 23:03
    +3

    While I am (mostly) 100% honest, I feel that Woolies steals from me! The number of items that regularly scan higher than the shelf, the sneaky and dishonest misadvertising… I remember once buying some lady finger bananas because they had a sale sign on them; when they scanned at double the price, I checked with the attendant, who said he would check. Came back said he couldn't see the sign, so I went and it was gone! I put them back, but really… no wonder people are tempted to steal.

    • edy4eva on 22/01/2016 - 23:07

      Something similar happened once in the distant past so learned my lesson. Always walk with the attendant back to where the item was brought (in addition to a photo with the phone).

    • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2016 - 23:43

      You aware of their policy? If it scans higher than shelf price, it's free. Take a photo of the sign next time if that's happening because that'd be a major ACCC claim right there. For them to advertise it at that price is bait advertising, then for then to advertise their policy on incorrect shelf prices is even more so. It's literally "hey look how cheap this is, and as extra security if it's wrong, it's free." then having NONE of it honored.
      I mean, if Kogan got fined $33k for advertising 20% off when it came to around 10% after factoring in their price increases, Woolworths would be fined a killing for doing anything like that. I know the fine still wouldn't be much for Woolworths when you consider most stores gross over $1m on good weeks, but it would be enough to surely send the manager a wake-up call.

      Just a note, I'd say the employee stuffed up when putting the price sign out so wanted to cover up their mistake, but if a manager was alerted chances are they'd be told not to, to avoid any kind of compliance failure, as mentioned above.

      • Sweet3st on 23/01/2016 - 00:13
        +3

        Yeah, I'll have to start using the phone, but what do you do? Photograph everything? It's a bit difficult to run off and do it mid way through doing a self check out. I always alert the attendant, and mostly they offer to give the item to me at the price I say was on the shelf… not FREE… sometimes they go and check, leaving me standing around. Occasionally I'm pissed off enough to demand the free item, well, they treat you like a criminal, the manager has to come to approve it, which takes ages, they give you dirty looks. The treatment is supposed to put you off in future…

        • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 04:12
          +3

          I've had the same here a lot, they just type in the correct price rather than it being free until you say anything, beyond that I've never had any problems locally. Woolworths is usually the more difficult one, if Coles is an option I'd stick with them. Anytime I've come across a price error at Coles they've instantly given the item/product for free, no questions asked. I simply say "that's not the price which was on the shelf", someone will check while they continue scanning and if it's the wrong price they instantly remove the cost completely.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2016 - 23:33
    +1

    I have once, I legitimately didn't have enough money at the time to pay for everything I was getting so I "accidentally" scanned a single energy drink rather than the barcode for the 4 pack. It came to only a few dollars rather than 7 or 8. The next week when I did my shopping I felt guilty so "accidentally" scanned a pack twice to make up for it. (Well, make up for it AND the ~$2-3 extra singular price ontop of it from the original payment)

    This was a few years ago, I wouldn't do it today. (partly because morals, partly because I now have an overdraft allowance on my account and wouldn't even need to.. I was 16 or 17 at the time)

  • Multiverse on 22/01/2016 - 23:56
    +12

    I'm over honest and often scan onions as lamb.

  • ChickenTalon on 23/01/2016 - 00:14
    +4

    I typically avoid the self checkouts like the plague.

    More than 1 item or any fresh fruit and I'm going to the staffed isle, it's almost always faster. I'm just so slow bagging things or finding the correct type of red apple that it always takes me longer. A few "unknown item in bagging area" and I was done with the stupid things forever. Leave it to the pros.

  • UFO on 23/01/2016 - 01:08
    +13

    I'm not sure I believe in heaven and hell, but regardless of your personal beliefs you know in your heart if you're being dishonest.

    Whether you get caught or not doesn't change the fact that deep down, you know you stole.

    Being dishonest like that is a character flaw. If you don't have that internal drive to be good and do good, then trying to justify it by saying "oh, but it's Coles they earn billions of dollars so they wont miss it", or "well its a computer error so its not my fault I got a freebie" isn't fooling anyone but yourself.

    You're a thief if you knowingly steal something that belongs to someone else. Wearing a business suit and stealing 1 item out of 10, or not scanning the right quantities on purpose is no different to going into a shop and putting something in your pocket.

    "I only steal a little so that's ok"

    "I only steal the bags because they used to give them for free, and I refuse to pay 'on principle"

    "It's not really stealing if I've bought $150 of other things"

    "I never steal big things, just little things"

    Thief.

    Your own personal justification of being a dishonest person is something you have to live with. Whether there's a heaven or hell shouldn't come into it. A nice person doesnt steal from another person. So dont kid yourself by trying to make excuses and pretend its ok. It's not.

  • Timothy-Mineworker on 23/01/2016 - 01:13

    never done it my self, but lazy staff who are usually standing there scan items as different things, usually cheaper, and dont care,

  • TRENT86 on 23/01/2016 - 02:58
    +4

    Happens all the time at my local coles and the staff couldn't care less prob because they know the self serve have stolen their jobs and hrs

    • 777 on 23/01/2016 - 10:03
      +1

      Agree except where there is security guards next to checkout counters like 24 hrs Coles. I found the Burwood Coles in Victoria the staff is over suspicious, saw the staff so many time openly accusing someone at checkout counters of not scanning some items even though they haven't even finished yet. At one Occassion staff was loudly accusing someone that they been watching them for weeks , so unprofessional

      • Brick50 on 23/01/2016 - 20:55

        I don't think it's unprofessional if they had accused someone after watching them for weeks…. They would have to have a pretty good idea what they are doing

  • luffyex2010 on 23/01/2016 - 05:13
    +5

    Just saw this post thought I would share my experience.

    Sometimes it happens…some influence..but mostly not intentionally

    Primary Age:-8/9
    When I was young I do steal my parents shillings to buy junk food (to get the freebies in the packaging) got caught as I over bought the stock and stash at the wrong place, got caning and learned my lesson, ….to me its just plain greed as I never had money before and didn't know the value or hardship of earning it.

    Early Teenage Age:About 13/14
    I was a problem child always Mixing with the wrong bunch of friends, we did all kinds of foolish things (but mostly are to impress the opposite sex as I am from a all boys school). In the group we got a charismatic friend whom influenced us in taking things for free (stealing) and told us its very easy, we got soooo tempted. So we got keen and I have created a list of things to steal (wrote on a paper lol) and we started out our agenda the next day….luckily I was the one born with ….sharp senses and knew that we are being watch and didn't do anything but couldn't warn my friends on time as I told them we have to leave and one of the friend started to put things in his bag like shopping spree (petty stuffs ..sling shots,display figures and etc) which we all got caught and went to the police station lol true story, police drop charges on me and my another friend as we didn't steal anything (no evidence and nothing in my bag except for the master plan) but the unlucky one had to get his mum a DR… to come and pick him up and pay for the goods he has stolen. Funny thing the good news is that the store didn't press charges on my friend and we got lucky because the "master list" was not readable ( I wrote it) as my hand writing was so bad lmao. Valuable lesson for me during that event.

    Adult Age:-30+
    walking out of the supermarket with goods on hand not paid but I will walk back and paid for it, its a morale decision that I have learn through my life until today, you just know what is right and wrong at a certain age when you grow up, usually your parents have to tell you what is right and wrong but I was not so privileged as I was from an Asian family whack first and let them figure out by themselves ….I really do envy caucasian parents explaining everythings to their kids which I am trying to emulate to my kids :) .

    Another incident is when I was pumping gas after a hard days at work and was day dreaming and drove away after filling up, done it before. Gas station manager reported to the cops lol, A few days later when I visited the gas station to refuel and the station manager told me what I have done (I paid for the outstanding of course)
    it's just the stress and things that goes in the head when you do these routine things and totally forget about it.

    There are many reason why one would steal , here are a few that I can think off.

    Some steal because they are influenced, addicted and think its ok (its not really)
    Some steal because they want the shortcut in life (you must have the "master plan list" lolz)
    Some steal because to survive e.g food (I don't blame them and it will get worse with Sydney prices going up)
    Some steal because they think they can get away or its cool….(matter of time before you get caught)
    Some steal because nobody never tell them that it is wrong their entire life (sad huh)
    Some steal because they can pawn them, resell on ebay and gumtree…..(get a real job please)
    Some steal because they want their kids to look good….
    (True story as I once saw a caucasian mum (well dress like upper class) took her two kids in the toy area to change…..with some cloths she has selected for them and dumped their old cloths at the toy area and walk out like nothing happened - chatswood area which I was speechless too but pity her kids)

    The morale of of all of these is if you are going to steal make sure its for a damn bloody good reason and you might face the consequences of committing the crime. (Its a material world with lots of temptation but you just need to know what you actually need and what you can afford based on your affordability and not steal everything that you don't really need and can't afford….as it will never ends and the worse of all your kids will also do it)

    Other than that…parents its your responsibility that your kids know what is right and wrong for certain things in life but before you correct your kids you need to know yourself what is right and wrong and if you don't know
    YOU CAN ALWAYS GOOGLE IT :)

    Forgot to add….sometimes its the other way round coles/woolies stealing from you if you don't check your receipts properly due to human errors or not punching the right products correctly, price not changed.
    So always scan your receipts people which this is ozbargain site everybody does it right?

    • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 20:54
      +5

      Go write a book

      • gimli on 23/01/2016 - 22:30

        you really are trying hard to protect JV from negs.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 22:40
          -1

          you really have nothing else to do

    • franco cozzo on 24/01/2016 - 14:10

      tldr?

      • Baysew on 24/01/2016 - 16:38

        Perhaps the morale (sic) of the story

        you just need to know what you actually need and what you can afford based on your affordability and not steal everything that you don't really need and can't afford.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 08:45
    -2

    Laughs at all the honest people on here. Naturally I will rort their self checkouts. If Woolies/Coles want to save money by cutting down staff then naturally I should be entitled to some discount. I usually choose the cheaper variety of fruit/vegetable so I can act dumb if caught out. Life is unfair - Woolies/Coles screw the suppliers so it is fair game. If they don't want this to occur employ more staff and don't have self check outs

    • Lichen6420 on 23/01/2016 - 17:09
      +2

      lol… if only you knew the ACTUAL markup from a wholesale market/farm to the consumer. They can't loose.

      • James1976 on 25/01/2016 - 08:56

        Exactly, scan $6 Pink Lady apples as a $3 variety, and you are still paying way more than colesworth pay their suppliers for those apples. And we are the ones being called thieves.

  • RojoMojo on 23/01/2016 - 08:46
    +2

    So the OP told the staff someone else was stealing
    What a great fella…. I'd be more concerned about that, then the person shafting the Supermarket!

    I suppose you have the Police on Speed dial if the Music is too loud
    And a Dash Cam in case someone drives out of their lane without indicating too.

    On the Self Check Out front, i witnessed a guy with an arm full of groceries once waiting in line at a normal Check Out.
    Staff were asking him to use the Self Check out
    He refused and waited in line
    Staff once again really pushed him to use the Self Check out

    It was at that point he explained what he did for a job, essentially he was employed by the Government to get long term unemployed off the dole
    Went on to explain how the Self Check Out took away so many jobs etc
    Staff then said, Well you can put the items back if you are not happy Sir.

    To which he just opened his arms and they smashed on the floor, then he walked out saying words to the effect "Now you have a job to do"

    As for Stealing, plenty of people still steal the old fashioned way, without the need to cheat the Self Serve system.
    But you have given everyone the idea to know swap out Onions for Lamb
    So i might try and buy a Bottle Irish Whiskey as Tomato Sauce now.

    • Untameable on 23/01/2016 - 14:47

      It's okay to call the police if the music is too loud.

      In one place I knocked on the door, no response, a few hours later police knocked it down and the dude had passed out with a giant bag of mixed drugs.

      In another place I knocked on the door and it got answered by a bunch of thugs who apologised and turned it down - then straight back up again until 2am the moment I walked away; on top of climbing over the roof while other neighbours were screaming at them to turn it down.

      In a different place my brother did the same thing. The people inside were druggies, beat him unconscious, walked over to his house next door and stole everything. He ended up in hospital for a few weeks over Xmas.

      I'm through dealing with these people; it doesn't seem to be "by accident" it's pure not giving a damn about others, and nobody says they have to but nobody says I have to knock on their door either. If you've got music that's disturbing me at night then the police are going to come knocking. Frankly, what's the problem? The police don't normally just barge into your house and start arresting people, they just ask you to turn it down and be considerate, and THEY are the ones allowed stun guns to protect themselves. It's not a big deal.

  • Kempe on 23/01/2016 - 09:54

    I know a woman who is a gambling addict and has lost everything house and declared a bankrupt and she will not be able to contain herself to fiddle the checkout and go straight to the pokies and lose it.

    I really do hope she gets caught but she has become very street wise in covering things up

  • 777 on 23/01/2016 - 09:56

    Haha Stealing is stealing no matter how people perceive it .
    Happened to me so many times the staff will charge less -correcting them is right thing to do, mostly been extra cash .
    Also happened few times that when I wanted to return discounted things without receipts, they will give only option to refund at full price or not refund at all , best thing to do is donate the difference to a poor/ charity

  • TrendyTim on 23/01/2016 - 10:04

    My daughter stole some clothes while her grandma was shopping, just grabbed it off the rack on the way out, she was around 9 months old at the time, grandma had to swing back when she noticed.

    One day when on no sleep (due to newborn baby), i scanned brushed potatoes as washed potatoes without realizing, copped a scalding from the attendant after i called her over to fix an issue with it not detecting an item put in the bag, but i was too tired to care.

  • figarow on 23/01/2016 - 10:36
    +2

    How does Woolies and Coles even make a profit with these things??

    By not employing people to run the checkout. You see 99% of people do pay properly and won't steal. They know this.

  • CCDee on 23/01/2016 - 10:38

    The cost of shoplifting has been studied extensively by the chains and it does not outweigh the cost of employing the five or so checkout attendants required if self-serve was removed.

    "I'm sure most of those who now admit to stealing via self-service checkouts didn't initially set out to do so – they may have forgotten to scan something and quickly realised how easy it could be to take items without scanning them."

    I'd like to raise the question, if Woolies came to you for management consulting advice, what would be your method of theft deterrent at minimal cost?

    • leakysub on 23/01/2016 - 13:37

      Employ the 5 or so kids and wear the labour cost. I doubt the whole economic benefit of self checkout.

      • Untameable on 23/01/2016 - 14:49
        +2

        Agreed. When they're turning a large enough profit that those 5 kids are inconsequential, then we need to include "social good" as something on the books.

    • fantafox on 23/01/2016 - 23:30

      First thing would be to remove self scan checkouts. Its shoplifting is an issue, and this is fuel for the fire. I think it would be hard to charge someone for scanning a product incorrectly (even if it was intentionally). Woolies and coles "assume" customers are competant in the operation on the checkouts. It push comes to shove I think a plea of "I wasnt aware on how it worked" or "I thought it was an onion" would probably get you off. Especially if money was paid. I believe the law would always be on the consumers side. Even though some people deserve being charged. I see it was a gray area that the supermarkets ware because of savings reaped from having one attendant for up to 20 checkouts.

  • marty64 on 23/01/2016 - 10:46
    +7

    I take the plastic bags for bin liners……

    • silverrat23 on 23/01/2016 - 21:32
      +1

      Heck, even Coles have bins that suit the size of their plastic bags!

  • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 23/01/2016 - 11:17
    +1

    I am absolutely honest, and never ever cheat, as feel it is stealing. Also, even in regular counters, if someone undercharges me, I return the money. Similarly, if I am over charged, I request my money back. Sometimes, I have received items free because of this- esp. Coles. I usually remember the price of what I have bought, and am absolutely sure what should be the price at the time of scanning. If there is a discrepancy, usually it is incorrect pricing by supermarket. Or someone putting a price list on the wrong item, when I simply don't buy the item. I have also returned 20 Aud at a Coles self checkout at Epping, NSW Coles, and did not even hesitate for a second.

  • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 23/01/2016 - 11:24
    +2

    And how many of you download movies? That should be interesting ;-)

    • 2Poor4Ozb on 24/01/2016 - 04:30
      +3

      A better question is HOW MANY OF YOU STOLEN A PEN AT WORK?

    • NBAD25 on 24/01/2016 - 13:43
      -1

      How many of us are utilising land stolen from an indigenous peoples?

  • Icecold5000 on 23/01/2016 - 11:24

    I almost always use checkout so have never mis-scanned anything. Once I was buying a kg of ham marked down at my local woolies in Surry Hills and it didn't scan so the operator just threw it into my bag and didn't give a flap. I was faced with a moral conundrum, make sure he scanned it properly and possibly cause him to lose his job or just roll out so I chose the latter option.

    I have a professional job and am planning to work overseas in the UK so having a shop lifting conviction for something I can pay for is just idiocy.

  • altomic on 23/01/2016 - 12:29
    +8

    I once stole a grape and now I'm a heroin addict.

    Be warned kids.

    • EmCKay on 23/01/2016 - 18:30
      -4

      Ridiculously stupid thing to say.

  • CandyMan on 23/01/2016 - 13:05

    I was once in a hurry, scanned items at woollies payed with pay pass and walked out. I realised something unusual so turned around and the card didn't scan properly. The attendant was daydreaming but i returned, payed for the items and walked out again. The attendant was still day dreaming and didn't notice the whole thing!

  • DarkOz on 23/01/2016 - 13:11
    +2

    I have never stolen from the self checkouts. Never have and never will. I don't feel sorry for those companies though. That's the price they have to pay for getting rid of human jobs.

    • NBAD25 on 24/01/2016 - 13:42

      Yes you are right, self service technology has been around for years and years, like it's not sophisticated. It was only a matter of finding an acceptable price-point with increased loss insurance.

      Woolworth and Coles aren't run by idiots, they understand that theft is gonna be an issue and they have contingencies for that. Don't mess with their ledger, do the right thing and steal.

  • leakysub on 23/01/2016 - 13:21

    Kriddy is a narc :)
    In my opinion it's a duty to steal during self checkout. Not for personal gain, but to discourage supermarkets from the practice of reducing jobs and placing the onus on consumers to spend even more time and effort.
    But you say…If supermarkets reduce costs by employing less staff we will get cheaper prices!!! NO…. It just means the shareholders get bigger profit.
    I earn about $55 an hour. So my time packing stuff in bags is a cost. I would rather the supermarket pay $15 an hour for someone to do it for me and pass the cost on (if that's the case).
    The bean counters factor theft in, thus the more people steal from self checkout the better.
    Many young Australians get their first job at supermarkets. Why deny them?
    So Kriddy, the kid you informed showed no interest. Good for him. :)

    • Untameable on 23/01/2016 - 14:53
      +1

      I earn about $55 an hour. So my time packing stuff in bags is a cost. I would rather the supermarket pay $15 an hour for someone to do it for me and pass the cost on (if that's the case).

      I know you're being downvoted and I'm against everything you've said to justify stealing.

      But I don't think there's anything wrong with this part of the argument. Considering that specialists can pack the bag faster for less than most of the people who shop there; it does make sense for the cost to be offloaded.

      What makes it difficult is determining whether, once machines were installed (and paid for from unpaid wages), whether any of the ongoing cost savings were really passed onto consumers or not. I suspect not, in which case the supermarkets have shifted part of the money equation onto consumers. As bargain hunters that's something we should be aware of.

      On the other hand I don't care about a few cents.

    • NBAD25 on 24/01/2016 - 13:40
      +1

      I feel that, and it urks me out when a shop has no counter staff, but only self service.

      On the flip side, i'm glad we're moving away from paying some slow, useless, self-entitled kid to scan my apples.

    • phluffed on 24/01/2016 - 19:06
      +1

      My time is important to me, however I prefer the self serve because my bags are packed the way I want and I'm often done with a full trolley shop quicker than when I have to line up and wait for a "normal" checkout. So for me, it's more effective doing it myself.

  • CCDee on 23/01/2016 - 13:26

    I would so much rather this conversation talked about technological improvements to self-serve checkouts in reducing theft rather than a kiss and tell of shoplifting.

    https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/63322/36684/untitled.p…

    Because stealing is a recreational lifestyle choice

    • Food on 25/01/2016 - 01:08
      +2

      Tubby! Any bargains on Fujitsu aircons?

  • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 13:28
    +1

    Don't consider it thievery, consider it a wage because now you are en employee at the grocery store.

    I haven't stolen as much as I have been unable to find the product when weighing so I choose a substitution that is cheaper.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2016 - 16:27
      +1

      Absolutely agree. Customer service is a cost. If they are not going to offer it by making you scan and pack your own bags. Then tough titties to Woolies and Coles.

  • leakysub on 23/01/2016 - 13:29
    -2

    Oh and most posts above re: bogans are factually incorrect. 'Aspirational bogans' (also known as Howard's battlers) are different to 'traditional bogans' but most posts above confuse bogans with houseoes. A aspirational bogan would find stealing offensive, a traditional bogan would brag about it if it was beer or smokes, a houseo may do it for necessity.

  • imahapyboy on 23/01/2016 - 14:23

    stealing is an offense~ we all did and still doing it~ gift card buy gift card~ cheating~

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