Hi,
I'm 30+ yo male, live in Sydney, work in Aldi Supermarket for about 3 years.
Probably any of you would like to know anything about Aldi' stuffs or general supermarket/Aldi related things.
Thanks
[AMA] I Work in ALDI, You Can Ask Me Anything
LKobee on 01/03/2018 - 17:37
closed Comments
well it's up to you which questions you choose to answer, but in my defence, I didn't ask about any details that you hadn't readily provided in the thread description.
Like if you didn't want to answer anything about being a 30+ year old working at Aldi - why mention you're a 30+ yr old working at Aldi? Could've just said you worked at Aldi. Adding these personal details about yourself indicates you're okay with talking about them.
Your "questions" are more like judgement and assumptions and very condescending. I'm surprised you can't see that. I hope you don't speak to your friends that way.
Nope, absolutely no judgment intended. I actually thought I was clear about that when I said I wasn’t trying to “sh!t on him” and that I was just curious.
I think the assuming is more on you. You’re assuming that the answer must be something bad but there could be many totally fine reasons for working at Aldi. I even offered a number of them.
In fact, when I worked at DJs, I knew a guy who had already worked there for 30 years. Probably still working there now.
When I asked him why - he told me that it was an easy job, he liked the flexibility and he didn’t want to move up higher because it would mean having to deal with managing people. That’s fine - it’s not for me - but he seemed happy so each to his own.
@witsa: nah I didn't make any assumptions at all because I don't care what Kobee does with his life (no offense Kobee). I just want to know about Aldi.
And I say this because you asked why you got down-voted: If you didn't intend on sounding so condescending, well, sorry but you did.
Perfectly valid question especially in the "ask me anything" post.
How do you handle the stress and the punch-ups that break out at 8am on Saturday mornings when hordes of
idiotsOzbargainers start fighting over the ski ware or whatever happens to be on limited sale that day?
Whatever's on special in the liquor section.
Just keep calm, we're used to it hehe..not only on saturday morning but any other times or day..:)
Have you ever had someone bring back a 0.15c bag for a refund?
No..hahah
What store do you work in, I want to be your first?
Can't tell :)
Don't say THAT… Now he'll go to ALL of them.
Has the 100K salary job that was posted in the news recently been filled yet?
I don't know, pretty sure they already grab some potential candidates
What's the best way of attack to buy those rare Wed/Sat special items?
Camp out overnight, using the tent you bought from the last wed/sat sale.
Come early morning and start queue i think?
The day before, an hour or two before closing. Somes stores I've been to are already bringing them out ready for the next day.
Is it true there is a high turn over of staff?
I see the checkout workers having to do 10,000 things - eg divide time between stock then checkoutsWhy does aldi have such a short counter ending? - as in the space after the scanner. Eg for other supermarkets its ample, but aldi's is like a tiny square, and you get all anxious trying to keep up and pack it away! I know its meant to be where your trolley slides in, but still.
Not sure where, some stores might have huge turn over but some don't. But i can't see the reason derives from that job responsibilities. There are many who've been working for such long time, some love the job cause it's a mix of everything (like we don't sit all day or lifting all day etc). The pay not bad too.
The counter is not designed for packing load of stuffs i guess :)
Is it worth going to aldi for shopping than to Coles or Woolworths. I live in a rural town with an IGA which is overpriced and the fresh produce are usually not that great
Well customers always say they have saved a lot in Aldi. The recently converts always compare how much they have to pay for a full trolley in Aldi compare to other supermarket.
For me as a customer, I always look for bargain too, anywhere it is. Some customers shop in 2-3 different supermarkets for the best bargain and luckily enough to live near a shopping area which has more than one supermarket.
It's considering the full RRP at Coles/Woolworths though. Most of the branded items have 30-50% off frequently offered in those stores. If you buy something for the discounted price, it can be either the same price as that offered by Aldi on everyday basis for its home brands or even cheaper at times.
PriceHipster is the tool which works in favour of Coles/Woolies for the above reason. Since Aldi doesn't have the full catalog online, it doesn't track Aldi prices I guess. Also, it doesn't make much sense since most of the Aldi's items are home brands and won't be comparable to prices elsewhere and no much variation in prices over the time either.
Can i get Aldi Catalogue as pdf? and sent pdf to my email
Technically not a PDF and you don't need to send it to yourself, but ALDI can send you their catalogue by e-mail:
Thanks
You have a child that you dearly love and also has the cure to cancer. However the child needs to be dissected in order to get the cure available on an infinite mass scale. Do you let the child go and cure cancel forever or do you say screw you you can't touch my child at all?
Do you let the child go and cure cancel forever or do you say screw you you can't touch my child at all?
Canceling cures forever sounds like a dick move. Letting the child be a prude seems a better call.
HEARTLESS!
Definitely let the child go cure cancel forever. Then we cam all stand by our initial decisions. First thought is always the best thought. Cancelling always sucks. Get rid of it.
Do employees get first dibs at the specials that come in? Ie keep one out the back until you finish the shift, or buy before the store opens?
We do but we don't go crazy about it. Normally we keep one and pay later.
Working in Aldi we always be tempted by so many interesting things then we eventually have to be realistic than just waste something we don't really need :)
Just wondering if any of the Aldi foods (i.e Tuna) will ever have the health star rating like Coles does?
Not sure about this, maybe someday
Why are they bloody asking for my postcode every visit now.
It doesn't matter why they need the information so I take it that you have the good sense to answer the request by saying 'my answer comprises of two words, the second of which is off' - lol
Your terrible muriel.
It happened in my Aldi before. This is just a way for Aldi to know where their customers are from mostly, and for any potential areas that might need Aldi (say you actually live within 10 km from the Aldi you usually shop, Aldi might build new store around your place later)
It's okay, this process might just take only couple weeks.I know that supermarkets do this 'market research on the cheap' from time to time but if, as you say, they do it to find where else they can build their stores then there are plenty of places from which they can assemble information from to reach a conclusion. Looking at where their competitors have built their stores might be a simple and cheap place to start!!
Unlike in the UK where a Postcode can actually pinpoint a street, even a building in some cases, Australian Postcodes do not seem that accurate, the number just seems to cover a whole large area, so one may ask why Aldi in Australia are asking the question.What is more important is when are Aldi Australia going to cease the practice of charging their customers to use plastic to pay for their shopping. If 'it's only a small amount so why worry' that some might say why don't Aldi and others like them absorb the cost - they make enough profit after all!
Really mate, that is more important?
15 cents amount is so small for both Aldi and customers isn't it? Why would it matters so much to you ? 15 cents.
Part of it also to encourage people to less use plastic, bring your own bag. I know most big competitors in Australia started to reduce the use of plastic too by charging bag.This whinging about charging plastic bag is so beyond tiring for us staff, really (move on people).
You should calm down, MATE, and learn to read what people write before going off half-cocked about something that wasn't said.
I was writing about Aldi charging customers an extra if they PAY by plastic, that's by the likes of a Credit Card to you!On YOUR point - I have no problem with Supermarkets charging for plastic bags if it reduces their use. In fact, I would like to see all plastics that aren't recyclable or bio-degradable banned, and supermarkets should be at the forefront in making that happen.
@cockneylondoner:
Sorry mate.
About this credit card fee thing, this also a never ending complaint (from certain people, but still keep coming to Aldi). This is between Aldi management & banks. Would you rather go to much more expensive supermarket without any card fee? It's a free country.In case you don't know, this charge also only applies if you pay by CREDIT CARD or TAP & GO (Paypass).
So if you pay by SAVING /CHEQUE you won't get charged, you need to insert/swipe your card and choose that method instead. Do you have Saving account ?
The customer terms of payment, as I'm sure you know (if not check the Aldi Australia website) says there is a 0.5% 'administration' charge for using a Credit Card, yes that huge amount that they say they can't absorb because prices would have to increase. Are they for real? How much bollocks do they think people believe!
Aldi and the other large German supermarket Lidl (which you haven't had the pleasure of yet down there) use to apply restrictions on the use of Credit Cards until they finally realised that a large number of possible customers in the UK pissed them off for doing so.
What you have to understand is that whilst Aldi prices can be competitive, but only on their own brand labels I've found, this isn't always an incentive when one has to drive many km to reach the store when perhaps there's a Coles or Woolworths 'on the doorstep', both of which have a greater selection of products then Aldi.You will not be surprised to learn that Aldi prices in the UK are vastly cheaper then they are in Australia, and please don't give me the usual excuses it's because Australia is bigger than the UK with a smaller number of people - this is just something the Australian companies say to justify ripping off the Australian customer - but you may be surprised to learn that Non-Food items can be bought 'online' at the same prices they are in store (not Managers Specials of course) and delivered FREE.
I was interested to read on the Aldi website of their boast about sourcing Australian made products where possible. It would seem that they sell 100% Australian GROWN fresh meat and 100% Australian GROWN (chicken) eggs. Personally, I've never known meat to be GROWN, but I'm open to being educated, and the only eggs I know that are grown are 'eggplants' which do not look like anything I crack open to cook for my breakfast - lol
@Kobee: CC fees are charged everywhere. Big supermarkets just build it into their stupidly high prices!!! It's a stupid customer that thinks they aren't paying for all and every cost of a supermarket..fom CC fees, to marketing to packaging, trolley recovery etc etc etc!
I was asking Kobee why Aldi charges an extra 0.5% for a customer to pay by credit card and so, I'm sorry, but I cannot see how your posting has any relevance on the matter.
@cockneylondoner: Aldi charges a CC fee…but has stupidly low prices on their products. Big chains have stupidly high prices on their products but don't "charge" a CC fee…work it out cockney!
Aldi is a discount grocer. They do not sell goods at stupidly low prices. The small selection of goods they do sell is their own brand, some of which come up reduced as weekly specials. This week there is one item with a 25% discount hence my original question of why do they charge 0.5% for paying on a credit card when even at a 25% discount they are still making a profit on the item. You'll be unlikely to find much of a selection of branded goods in any Aldi and if you did they wouldn't be much cheaper than any other supermarket.
The big chains as you call them i.e. Coles and Woolworths have more stores than Aldi, have a vastly better selection of goods on offer, are sited in convenient areas and sell mainly branded goods. This is why you pay more and one of the ways they 'entice' you to shop there is by not applying an additional CC charge.
If you have ever travelled beyond your shores or even bothered to price check items from another country you will have known how stupidly expensive Australia is.
I don't think it's a matter of me working things out but more that you should apply more thought to what you're writing before posting it.
Being someone resident outside of Australia I am only allowed five postings a day, and currently I'm up to the limit, so if you're looking for a reply from me you'll have to wait until tomorrow.
Las time I checked there's no point comparing to other countries as we only shop in Australia. Oh great…Nigeria has apples for $0.02 and don't charge a CC fee….how exactly does this help ME…or US in Australia! Relevance is great!
Happy to wait for a reply…but why on earth do you feel the need to complain about a country you dont reside in?
CC fees are either absorbed or charged. Most companies that absorb CC fees build them into their running costs. Much like theft, damage, etc. COMPARATIVE to other big chain supermarkets…aldi is CHEAP! I reackon it's great you live in a country that has much cheaper groceries…but then perhaps the quality is also lacking?> Or you have a population to be able to afford it, where supermarkets can still make bucket loads from lower margins.
We pay more for foor, internet, mobiles, power, fuel, schools, cars and the list goes on. Not sure what your point is.
I shop at Aldi for certain things because they are cheaper. I don't need them to put on multimillion dollar ads, and hire has been pop bands, or advertise on every bus shelter, newspaper, billboard, app, website, I come into contact with. I don't need fancy shelves, trolleys, plastic bags.
But if you want to pay for this….and find reason to justify other supermarkets charging so much fine. You realise the big supermarkets make hundreds of millions in profit?
I digress.
CC fees are built in. If you think they aren't you are kidding yourself.
Even the SME I work for builds in costs into every product. Office staff, internet, services, repairs, r&d, advertising etc etc etc.
When a client doesn't want to do a direct bank deposit we charge them a CC fee because that's a cost we are incurring because they choose to pay a certain way.
Imagine if your work starting writing you cheques each week or fortnight you had to cash..and the bank charged you a cheque deposit fee. You'd be pretty pissed wouldn't you…and if you could, you'd charge that back to your work so you don't loose money for providing a service.
This is exactly what Aldi does. Different cards have different fees.
Heck, even petrol stations here have CC fees for certain cards that have higher % fees.
Given the lateness of the hour that you posted your comment and the drivel that it says I am of the opinion that grog is playing a major part in its content.
Once you're capable of stringing a couple of meaningful sentences together perhaps you would like to share them with us.
@cockneylondoner: I think you sir actually need to have a drink! If your only rebuttal is not to rebut then you can't claim the higher ground.
@cockneylondoner: And if you think 11pm is late then I pity your prudish life. Live a little! Stop whinging about tiny CC fees. But then you're from the UK right? All you people do is complain and mop around living a miserable life.
I guess cheap food is one way to suppress the people and make them think they have a better life than those in other countries.
Give me CC fees over living in England any day! Tis a small tax to pay for overwhelming happiness!
It's a great pity that you decided not to act upon what I suggested but chose instead to post yet another load of drivel.
I'm going to leave you with whatever it is your on and trust that you remain sublimely happy in your own little world.
Having seen that you had posted a comment on this subject, albeit late in the proceedings, I was curious to see how earth-shattering your remarks might be but, unfortunately, I am underwhelmed by your effort as I consider it unintelligible.
Did you not proofread it before you submitted it?@cockneylondoner: Well considering that the growth of an animal is unintelligible to you I am not surprised that you have difficulty comprehending.
verb: grow; 3rd person present: grows; past tense: grew; gerund or present participle: growing; past participle: grown
1.
(of a living thing) undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically.You clearly didn't understand anything of what I wrote, now did you? - lol
Your answer shows a total lack of understanding of the English Language but I will help you out by suggesting that the next time you pass a farm, stop by and ask the farmer how he GROWS his animals.
If you're lucky he might just tell you where you're going wrong.@cockneylondoner: So hormonal growth promotants do what? Never mind, you've never seen a farm. If you think a dictionary definition shows 'a total lack of understanding of the English language' (please note that language should not be capitalised) then you are talking shite. (there's a farming term for you)
So grow up, good sir.Ain' vat righ' Gov'na?
can u bring back that low carb kornig bread?
We still and have it on sell now. Probably your Aldi just run out of it
Why do some products don’t have a use by date? Like the small corn tins. Annoys me as I don’t know how long it has been in the psntry
I think Aldi products just meant to be sold for short time (not gonna stay on the shelves long time) and for people to use within a year at least (so you won't leave in the pantry for longer than a year).
I'm sorry i don't have any detail info about this. I might get back to you later :)
Plenty of cans don't have dates. I once made inquiries about the lifespan of canned food. Basically, cans don't have to be labelled if the food inside has a minimum shelf life of 2 years. And obviously it can keep much longer than this, but taste may start to suffer. So if a can is labelled with a date, it's either because it's made in another country that has different requirements, or, it may be a food that spoils sooner than the 2 year minimum.
It has been shown in the UK recently that canned products can still be eatable after 10, sometimes 15 years (although quality might have suffered) so it would be difficult to have a realistic 'use by' date printed on the label.
What might be useful to the consumer would be to have the manufactured date printed on the label for them to make an educated decision about using the contents.
Agreed, the lentils tins still don't have a use-by date.
Any halal products in aldi? I’m Muslim and always wonder if some meat or chicken products are halal but not labeled due to stupid backlash
I don't have any confirmation about this, I'm really sorry.
Aldi meats come from many butchers, I guess customers have to trace back to the suppliers.I hardly think abhorrent halal slaughtering methods could be considered 'stupid'. I know something else that certainly is stupid though.
That's not nice mate, not funny too.
What happens to items that get returned?
If it was returned due to fault, it gets written off. If it's by change of mind, it gets chucked back on the shelves (assuring it's not damaged, etc.)
(…at least at Coles. I imagine it'll be similar to Aldi)
The non damaged ones are back to the shelf
The warranty ones are to be returned to the supplier
The specials are written off
Foods are going to the binWhat if the item has been used? I’ve bought Aldi special buys before and used an item, found it to be crap so i returned it. Only reason why I buys Aldi special buys Is because the return policy.
If it is been used we can't sell it anymore. If it is under warranty we return it back to supplier
So if it’s used, and u can’t sell it, what do you do with the item? Also, I’ve heard that some aldis keep a register of the person details when they return an item. Do you do that, also what would this register be used for if u know.
The warranty ones are to be returned to the supplier
The specials are written offIs this as much as you know, or can tell me? How are they returned? Who covers cost? When you say written off, do you put them in the bin yourself?
This is how much i know. We do donate some stuffs for charity for the written offs
A few points any lazy or tight bargainer should do
As a true cheapskate I always buy special buys when first released then return the full priced one if I score a reduced one within 60 days.
Secondly why have they changed the trolley locks as the original sliding ones are easy to unlock with just a piece of cardboard.
As for questions why do stupid customers stack multiple identical items on the belt. Why don't staff educate them that it unnecessary.
As for staff they are all great apart from the cows that work in the Carrum store who think they get paid to be rude and talk amongst themselves whilst serving customers without even greeting the customer in front of them.
As for those thinking Aldi staff get a staff discount. They do not (was told that by a friend a few years ago). So if you are only interested in dating someone for a discount look elsewhere.
Damn I had my eye on a hottie from my local store, all for nothing.
Is there anyway of finding out the fresh food specials of that week without stepping into the store? They used to be advertised but no longer show on the website
I'd also like to know what are the top 3 best selling products in aldi
Not sure why it's not on website. If you look into online catalogue you can see it.
Top 3 in general? that will be so difficult to answer. I don't have any info about this, sorry.
Bring back sprinters sweet chilli sour cream chips.
I'm pretty sure we still have it now
Why do some special buy items which have a large number in stock, and aren't moving particularly fast seem to "disappear" suddenly, never to be seen again.
I've noticed this sometimes even happens in unison across a few stores i frequent ( on the same item).
Highly unlikely theyd sell out suddenly, so are they being all moved off to another store? If so would staff know where?
I'm pretty sure if it is very slow it is moved to other stores or in any case it is sold very low price and customers bought straight away.
Yes you can ask the managers.
How is the sale of Caprilac fresh milk go? does it sell well?
Yes people love goat milk
Who's the major supplier for beef/chicken in Sydney stores?
If you go to Aldi, you can see where the meat comes from, Beef : brannans, highland; Chicken: broad oak and willowton
Aren’t they just the names aldi give them, pretty sure it is
Probably yea, sorry I have no info about this. Might need to call customer service
Does Aldi still make employees wipe down the conveyor belts, sweep and mop the store floor including around the toilets after closing time? Or do they employ real cleaners now?
Yes we do all that now, but we don't clean toilet.
We still employ regular cleaner to clean in general (not daily), like toilet, nook and crannies etc.
Did your store sell the latest Xbox S bundle and how long did it take to sell out?
We did before but not the latest i guess, a bit slow when it first came out
This question is not about Aldi, it's about my personal life and decision ..so..