If You Have Been Using Woolworths Click and Collect or Delivery Service, Will You Continue Now with $1 Bag Surcharge?

SnoozeAndLose on 20/06/2018 - 17:06
Last edited 20/06/2018 - 17:56 by 1 other user

As now if you do online shopping from Woolworths, you are now need to fork out at least $1 for plastic bag or $3.5bag less deliver to bench service

I personally would either turn to Coles or not shop online if possible, there is only 2.5%(Cash reward) different and some time saved to shop in store.

It is unfair that if I buy stuff like toilet paper, nappies which doesn't require any bag for them or I may use less than 6 bags (most of my Click and collect are <=$50).

I am foreseeing people turning away from Woolworths online shopping.

what is your through?

Poll Options

  • 1
    I will turn to Coles for online shopping
  • 14
    I will still shop at Woolworths even with the new surcharge
  • 14
    i will go and shop in store(Woolies) instead
  • 14
    I will stop shop at Woolworths until they scrap the surcharge
  • 6
    i will go and shop in store(Coles) instead
Food & Grocery

Related Stores

Woolworths
Woolworths

Comments

  • moph on 20/06/2018 - 17:36
    +5

    You missed an option. I like the surcharge, and may now actually use Woolworth's delivery service, which I have never used before because I did not want to be responsible for excessive plastic bag usage.

    • HighAndDry on 20/06/2018 - 17:36
      +9

      Well, that makes…. probably 1 of you.

    • tooblue on 20/06/2018 - 23:03

      Well, that makes…. probably 1 of you.

      And a hypocritical one.

      Before the plastic bag ban, you can donate $1 for each plastic bag the merchants sent you. You can also put all plastic bags in the specific recycle bins in many Coles/Woolies store.

      • moph on 21/06/2018 - 11:34

        I nearly always bring my own bag when I go shopping. I am fairly skeptical of the 'recycling' facilities offered by the supermarkets. I never used the delivery service because I saw they deliver the shopping in an obscene number of plastic bags. I think that situation will probably improve a little now that they are using reusable bags, which are also larger and can hold more. The surcharge itself is a side issue, I'm more interested in the effect on plastic waste reduction. What's hypocritical about that?

        • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 10:51

          Okay, maybe you just have bad reading comprehension.

          or $3.5bag less deliver to bench service

          They charge you more for not using bags.

    • [Deactivated] on 25/06/2018 - 17:59
      +1

      Paying for something doesn't mean it's more ecofriendly suddenly.

  • Bad Wolf on 20/06/2018 - 18:14
    +5

    From July 1 Coles will charge $0.15 per bag used. I have previously been sent 20 x1litre almond milk each individually bagged and tagged.
    I would rather a fixed $1 then be at the mercy of supermarket staff.

    My issue is they are still using plastic bags rather then paper/cardboard box /just placing in the trolley.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 20/06/2018 - 18:33
      +1

      I have ordered few times(Coles top Ryde,NSW) and they push the trolly to the pick up bay and load it onto my car and I recycle the bag and hand it back to them.

      They should provide option for bag free purchase and they can just put it on the basket or trolley on pick up, then I may decide if I need bag or not.

      If I keep shopping onlin, I will end up getting too many reusable bag but I need years to reuse them all which it is even worst as I now pay for with extra cost.

  • c64 on 20/06/2018 - 20:29
    +3

    I personally would either turn to Coles

    seriously? coles online prices are marked up ~7% from in-store prices. woolworths' online prices are same as in-store. $1 extra per order from woolworths is not going to make jack difference

    aside, i've never understood why they have an aversion to cardboard boxes. they must pay to get rid of the things, yet they won't provide them at the checkouts or online so it seems

    • SnoozeAndLose on 20/06/2018 - 21:39

      i only buy stuff on 1/2 price so it wont make any different.

      Also some time online price are cheaper

    • kipps on 20/06/2018 - 21:51

      I keep hearing this. It doesn’t ever seem to stack up for me. I compared Coles vs Woolworths on various items last night. Coles online was cheaper, by a long shot, on a number of items. If Coles online is 10% more expensive than Coles in store then I can’t imagine anyone wanting to shop at Woolworths.

      • Savas on 20/06/2018 - 22:58
        +2

        You can literally search up any item and it will be 10% more expensive at Coles

        • mmd on 21/06/2018 - 09:01
          +1

          The only exceptions are sale items and everyday low price.
          I didn't know until we were looking at buying the ice cream cake.

        • kipps on 21/06/2018 - 11:29

          Again this is not true. Sparkling water is 75 cents on Coles online. Same in store. Woolworths brand also 75 cents. It might hold out for some items but definitely not all.

        • Savas on 21/06/2018 - 12:06

          @kipps: I don't they ever added the 10% to coles brand. but just in general it seems they have recently removed the premium on a lot of products.

      • [Deactivated] on 25/06/2018 - 18:00

        Coles is usually good on paper, but I go to my Coles and they don't stock the half price stuff or it scans up as full price frequently.

        Scammy behaviour.

        • kipps on 25/06/2018 - 21:53

          If something scans at the wrong price, pay for it, then go back and demand a refund of the first item for free under the scanning code. They'll soon stop their rubbish when stock starts walking out the door for $nil as a consequence.

        • [Deactivated] on 25/06/2018 - 23:00

          @kipps: That happened once. I went back and replaced some products I bought because they scanned wrong today. Took a while and they thought I made an error, but nah I knew the price.

          Glad we live in a country where I can go back and get refunds though.

  • singingwolf on 20/06/2018 - 22:42
    +2

    No I will not.

    What they should have done is charge the $1, but offer the money back if you return the bag(s). That I would go for.

  • Savas on 20/06/2018 - 23:00

    If they want to do things properly, you should at least be able to bring reusable bags for click and collect. But they don't because they would rather pollute the environment with high resource intensive plastic bags so it doesn't inconvenience them.

    Also why would it cost $3.50 for a bagless delivery? It should be cheaper lol

    • SnoozeAndLose on 21/06/2018 - 10:29
      +2

      This is how Woolworths trying to rip people off

    • moph on 21/06/2018 - 11:35
      +1

      I guess the charge is for the time of the delivery person to bring them into your house.

      • CacheHunter on 26/06/2018 - 23:41

        Except they charge the $3.50 fee even if you collect your delivery at the front door. Before they introduced this bag nonsense, the delivery guy always brought the delivery though to the kitchen for us anyway. Now that we're paying the $1 bag fee, they've stopped.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 21/06/2018 - 21:02

    I did do a click and collect in store of nappiesb instruction said no bag please and refund the $1 surcharge.

    They did not give me any bag and provided me a $1 refund as well, so it isnt that bad

  • CacheHunter on 24/06/2018 - 20:51
    +1

    I'm furious and have lodged a formal complaint with NSW Fair Trading.

    I purchased a $99 Delivery Saver in January. Before subscribing, I tried Woolworths delivery several times. Each time, my groceries were brought into my kitchen and placed on my bench or on the floor where I asked them if the bench was too crowded. Some items were in plastic shopping bags, some weren't. On the basis of this sample of their home delivery service, I decided to sign up for 12 months so that i wouldn't need to pay more than the cost of the groceries to get my orders home delivered. Up until this week, this service has continued.

    Now, Woolworths is refusing to honour the delivery saver contract by insisting on an additional fee of $3.50 extra for each delivery to provide the service that I've already paid for in the Delivery Saver fee. By doing this they are effectively extorting $1 fee per delivery for plastic bags that I don't want or need. Even if I choose to meet the deliver person at the front door and pack them into my own bags to carry inside the house, Woolworths still charges $3.50.

    I can accept that Woolworths could have a leg to stand on for Delivery Saver contracts entered into since it changed its terms and conditions to incorporate the new fees. What I find unconscionable is that they are applying the change of contractual terms retrospectively.

    For what it was worth, I tried calling their call centre while trying to place an order today and was told by the call centre worker that Woolworths is aware that it is breaching the ACL but doesn't care.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 24/06/2018 - 21:58

      I did more online shopping with click and collect,now even nappies they put bag on, for $100 worth of order they use 6 bags which only 1 bag is needed for all lose item I bought.

      And i am told that the manager is advising their staff(personal shopper) to give out as many as bags as possible because the customer has been paid for.

      I told them to take all the bags back and I can wheel my stuff on the trolley to my car and refund me the bag cost. they refused as they said this can not be done by them.

      Then i did a live chat with online team on woolworths.com, they said they cant refund too, only the store manager can call them and progress the refund of $1. and they said that the $1 is everyone need to pay for if they order online no matter how many bags been used. I told them I have already given the bag back and $1 is just profit.

      I did a facebook message to them and see what they say and will decide if I go to fair trading too.

      It is not the $1 problem, as an ozbargainer I will not pay for something that I dont need.

    • Underlord on 29/06/2018 - 07:47
      +1

      Same issue here. I bought a delivery saver in January and I have asked for a refund due to the changed delivery terms. So far they have refused to provide it, but it is my opinion that this is in breach of ACL. Delivery saver was advertised as covering the delivery costs, whereas now there are compsulsary additional charges.

      The delivery driver always brought the food into the kitchen in the past. Why should I pay more for it now, or pay for an excessive amount of reusable bags?

      I'd be happy to pay a deposit on a couple delivery crates and save everyone the trouble.

      • Underlord on 01/07/2018 - 09:18

        Response from Woolworths as follows when they again refused to refund my delivery saver pass:

        Whilst we have created additional fees for our plastic bag options, these are actually packaging fees. We have not altered our delivery saver pass terms and conditions or altered our delivery fee pricing in relation to the recylable plastic bags.

        Doesn't match the promise on their website:

        Enjoy unlimited deliveries with a valid pass - as long as you spend over $100 on each shop, you’ll never pay more for delivery.

        I'd say $1 or $3.50 is paying more.. Seems obviously misleading to me.

        • Underlord on 05/07/2018 - 10:38

          Update: I contacted Fair Trading Victoria who contacted Woolworths. Woolworths have now issued me a credit equivalent to $1 a week for the remaining period of the delivery saver. The system works..

        • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 10:48

          @Underlord: Nice. And thanks for the update. Should publicize this more widely because I don't doubt Woolies are only giving refunds to people who make a fuss and otherwise rorting the rest of us.

        • Underlord on 05/07/2018 - 10:51

          @HighAndDry: The person from Woolworths was receptive to the fact that I purchased the delivery saver before they introduced the additional fees. She said she'd issue updated direction to the customer service staff, so hopefully she follows through on that.

  • tooblue on 25/06/2018 - 13:07
    +2

    In the letter from Woolworths, they says "We are continuing to trial and review new ways to pack online orders …". They are trialing it so there still be room to change.

    I think we the unhappy customers should all lodge complains against this new C&C policy to Woolworths and Office of Fair Trading. If there are enough complains, Woolworths will have to change it.

    I myself will stop shopping at Woolworths until it changes. Hope this happens before all my Wish Gift expires.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 25/06/2018 - 13:09
      +1

      you will as nowaday wish gift card never expiry

    • CacheHunter on 25/06/2018 - 14:25
      +2

      As well as my complaint about breach of the Delivery Saver contract, I've now also lodged a complaint with Fairtrading for 'misleading and deceptive conduct'.

      The Woolies online website boasts 'Same prices instore and online'. The 'reusable' bags are 15c each instore. This is demonstrably untrue if you have an order that requires less than 6 bags, which was my case because I use online for bulky goods, such as boxes of nappies that simply won't fit into the bags.

      Also, if anyone gets an order where one of the bags is damaged (hole or handle broken), then you should be entitled to a refund because they are sold as 'reusable', which they wouldn't be if damaged.

      By the way, there's research showing that each bag has to be reused between 20 and 100 times before it is better for the environment. My experience with similar bags from another retailer suggests that they don't last that long. There's also research showing that the amount of produce diverted to landfill due to damage during transport home, people driving further because they turn around to go home and get their bags, etc means that bags have to be used more than 500 times before there's a net benefit for the environment. That's roughly equivalent to reusing each bag once a week for 10 years. There's definitely no way that the bags are that good, so Woolies claim that this change will reduce their impact on the environment is also a lie.

  • CacheHunter on 25/06/2018 - 22:44
    +2

    Update - while talking to the online people, I found out the online order bags are different from the in-store 15c ones. The online ones look like they've been ripped from a bulk roll and are larger, but inferior quality and strength to the instore 15c ones. There's no option to get the 15c ones with an online order. I suspect that someone in head office thought that they were going to save money this way.

    The problem is that because the online bags are bigger, their packers put more produce in them, so soft fruit and veg gets squashed under a heavier weight of other items. I guess this is good for the environment because I had to put part of my order straight into the compost bin, but can't be good for woolies' bottom line or customer satisfaction if they have to process refunds for damaged items as a result.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 26/06/2018 - 05:52
      +1

      i will go through Fairtrading path soon.

      • KupoHo on 14/07/2018 - 18:22

        Did you have any success? I placed an order for a few small items and was charged for the stupid crappy bag. I spoke to live chat but they just palmed me off. It's only $1 but I feel super jipped and was anticipating that I was receiving the fabric bags they sell for the same price in store! On principle I really want to give the bag back for a refund of my $1!!! I would never reuse this bag….what a rort 🤦

        • SnoozeAndLose on 14/07/2018 - 18:29
          +1

          Still pending FT to take action.

          I did have some success to claim back $1 on the online order recently. I just leave comment to ask the store not to bag the item and refund me $1. It is what the online chat told me to do. And on pick up i bring my bag and they hand me $1. I have done it at least 3 time no problem.

        • KupoHo on 14/07/2018 - 23:15

          @LoveBargain15:
          Oh but you are still waiting on the claim for the initial online order? I did query why I paid $1 for a plastic bag and the guy was like yeah the instore ones are 15c and looked confused but that was about it…so I left. Should have stood my ground. Feel a bit silly going back to do it now but really annoyed me because it's not a bag I would reuse but if it was the fabric one I would. I am the same as you, it's not the $1 but the principle! And also misleading because if you usually shop in store you would assume reusable $1 bag to mean the fabric one.

        • SnoozeAndLose on 14/07/2018 - 23:23

          @KupoHo:

          i still waiting FT to raise it with Woolowrths so that they will call me and settle it.

          If you talk to the manager and said why you pay $1 for bags that is selling for 15 cents in store, he will say it is the way how it works. then you told him that online chat advice to talk to the store manage and returning the bag and get $1 refund or you can communicate with him that every time you make an order you will leave as comment and he will give you/refund $1 back to you. your picker can enter 0 bag used for your order and the system will refund you the $1 which it was happens to me once as I ordered 5 nappies.

        • KupoHo on 14/07/2018 - 23:36

          @LoveBargain15:
          I really don't see what's so hard about including a no bag option like Coles! I will ring and speak to the store tomorrow and had I known I could leave a message to take the bag off the order I would have. Thank you for the advice but doubt I'll be using click n collect again until they provide that option or the option for the fabric bags. They wonder why people are so annoyed about the bag ban…they ban them in store and then charge you more for it for online orders! Thee plastic bag I received doesn't even look any bigger than the old bags lol

        • SnoozeAndLose on 14/07/2018 - 23:42

          @KupoHo:

          I believe it is the profit behide this drive people angry.

          Think they spend on 90 billions bags and now they charge people 15 cents or cost of 9 cents bag.

          The profile is talking about millions.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 29/07/2018 - 18:42

    Update, after going to Fair trading, woolworths contacted me and give me back all the bags cost on all my online order(5 of them) as good will.

    Told me next time communicate with store manager when placing order.

    • blehgg on 30/07/2018 - 12:17

      They should just change the rules across the board…

      Apparently there's a "Crate" option for online orders. I couldnt work out how to do it.

  • jwsc on 30/07/2018 - 11:17

    What I don't get is, this whole paid-plastic bag thing is meant to be more eco-friendly because it isn't single use anymore.
    (disregarding the fact that now people are just going to buying single use bin liners anyway, and the new 15c plastic bags can probably be used maybe 5 times before they start getting holes in them and will likely take more than 10 times as long to degrade.)

    Shop and Collect is now charging $1 for plastic bags, that have a level of quality half way between the in-store bags and the single use ones, and will only be used once if you only shop through click and collect.
    So how is this $1 bag better for the environment?

    All it does is line Woolworths pocket with these 'reusable bags' and the bin liners.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 30/07/2018 - 11:21

      I saw people now use the new bag as their bin liners,people just dont care

      • blehgg on 01/08/2018 - 22:47

        The thing is ~ every time I click and collect now ~ I dont want more bags!!!

        I'll try with my next order.

        "No bags with my order. Just load it up on a trolley and I'll bag it myself. Please refund me the $1."

        • tooblue on 02/08/2018 - 00:07

          If you choose "No bag" option, you will have to pay $3.50 instead of $1.

        • SnoozeAndLose on 02/08/2018 - 07:28

          That is what I have been doing now.the store refund me $1 cash

  • SnoozeAndLose on 08/08/2018 - 13:41

    Shopping online with us instead? We’ll add 30 Rewards points to your online Pick up order if you choose to ‘BYO bags’ at checkout. Alternatively, if you’re placing a Delivery order we’ll add 500 points if you select the ‘crate to bench’ service. Please make sure your Rewards card is linked to your online account at the time of checkout to receive the additional points.

    From Woolworths

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2018 - 14:16

    The bag charge is $1 total for all the bags you need. Not for each bag.
    Woolies is seriously cheaper than Coles overall, so suck it up I think.

    Coles is 100% better to shop with I've found for years. They leave groceries now without bags (not an improvement).

    I will be buying bin bags and chucking the same amount out, and using Woolies bags for bin also. Where's the advantage/sense?

    Vote Trump!

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