When Coles Self Serve Checkout Is The Only Option

LHotfoot78 on 28/10/2018 - 13:18
Last edited 28/10/2018 - 14:17 by 1 other user

Is anyone else peeved by the Coles self serve checkout being the ONLY checkout option late at night at their local store?

Last night after the kids were asleep hubby stayed home and I went out to do the shopping. I should mention I am visibly pregnant and at the end of the shop took my trolley to the checkouts only to find that the only one open was self serve. I asked the girl on it would she open a checkout as I had a full trolley but she said no they only have self serve open after 9. So there I was lifting and scanning 7kg bags of dog food, 5kg bags of rice etc piling them up on the ground after scanning them. I felt like I should have been paid for working there. After I was just about finished an old man came up with a trolley full and looked at the checkouts equally bewildered, and she told him the same line.

OK rant over. There is probably no point complaining to Coles is there?

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Comments

            • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2018 - 17:20
              +1

              @Scrooge McDuck: yes, but it could be the milkman

  • [Deactivated] on 28/10/2018 - 19:06

    Wait. Your Coles is open after 9pm? In Brisbane they're closed entirely by then :\

    Yeah, it's annoying when you have a heap of heavy things (eg cartons of soft drink) and have to try and take those through the self checkout. Even then on the off chance someone is at a register, it's rarely one with the conveyor, even in busier times. And the self checkouts are easier than the little shelves they have for the 10 items or less counters. Very very annoying. They've majorly cut staff, and those there aren't going anywhere near checkouts.

    • Gandalf the Thrifty on 28/10/2018 - 21:26
      +5

      2 million people in Brisbane and stores close at 9pm or 6pm Sunday.
      100,000 people in Launceston and they get to be open midnight 7 days a week.

      • altomic on 28/10/2018 - 23:05
        +1

        when i first moved to Brisbane "state capital" from Albury "large town" I went to a supermarket at 5:30 on a saturday afternoon. it was closed.

        Albury - 24 hour coles. Brisbane - closed at 5 on a saturday. (it's now changed and open till 9pm - but FFS).

        • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 15:18

          They like to take afternoon siestas in QLD.

          • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2018 - 13:11

            @Scrooge McDuck: It was originally to allow smaller independent supermarkets to compete with large chains. Eg, out in certain outer suburbs there have been large 24-hour independent supermarkets open 24x7x365 for more than a couple of decades. Was weird when I moved closer to the CBD and everything was shut :o

      • daanish on 29/10/2018 - 08:05
        +2

        You can thank QLD's ass-backwards retailing legislation for that. Most majors are open as long as they're financially viable to be but we aren't allowed to have midnight trading. Our liquor licencing also means we can't have alcohol in our Aldis.

      • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2018 - 17:17
        +1

        when i visited adelaide the coles and woolies closed at like 530-6pm on weekdays

    • cktftw on 30/10/2018 - 11:33
      +1

      Think that's bad?
      Adelaide it's 9pm close weekdays and 11am-5pm weekends!

      • [Deactivated] on 01/11/2018 - 09:38
        +1

        Yeah that’s the law written by the people you elect to line the pockets of the petrol station mafia.

    • Tejas57 on 31/10/2018 - 02:45

      just as a heads up the woolies at the airport is 24/7 as it's on federal land

    • Mitch889 on 31/10/2018 - 16:07
      +1

      They have a button to select heavy items from a grid without scanning them.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/10/2018 - 16:18

      :/

      As per daanish, Southerners/Mexicans (some apparently non-Spanish speakers, odd) still tend to be more shocked by the ongoing No Tequila For Sale in supermarkets, thing, up here.

      Well before any actual CBD supermarkets in Brisbane (not really that long ago), Coles New Farm, often-after-usual-closing-godsend, on a Saturday.

      7pm Saturday, then. 10pm now. Still some special dispensation/exemption going on for being in notional city/central shopping precinct. A useful situation to be aware of, and for weekdays as well.

      Bargs, is your favourite song "Don't Cry for Me, Bargentina"? Just a thought…

      shudder

      :)

  • smux on 29/10/2018 - 10:30
    +11

    As someone who use to work at Coles HQ I can tell you that they take negative feedback seriously. Use the online form: https://www.tellcoles.com.au

    They've got TV's around the HQ displaying people's positive and negative feedback, as an example.

    My local use to ban trolleys at the self checkout. I guess after some complaints they've stopped doing that.

    • Hotfoot78 on 29/10/2018 - 11:15
      +4

      Thanks, I lodged an online complaint - we'll see if that helps :-)

      • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2018 - 12:36
        +1

        That's great. My advice would have been to lodge an online complaint and I'm happy you've done that. I've always received a good response when I've used that online form so I definitely think it is worth doing in those circumstances.

        I don't like shopping late at night but I would hate having to use a self checkout at that hour as well. Good luck with the pregnancy.

    • angusngon9 on 29/10/2018 - 12:54

      I used to do tellcoles for the flybuys points, they have this box where you tick if you want to be contacted by the manager, and if you don't tick the box you will be filtered out and don't get the points.

      Working for the points it was a 10/10 score survey (no negative feedback whatsoever) so I ticked the box, got the points and a manager called me after a couple days.

      That conversation went:
      Hi this is Coles manager xxx returning your call.
      I didn't call you?
      I've got your number down to call you.
      ??? I didn't???
      But I've got your number to call you back.
      (remembering the survey) Ok I guess its nothing important then bye

      why even waste time actually calling customers when its a perfect score…

      • kyoba on 30/10/2018 - 13:58
        +4

        The manager was probably wondering the same thing why you ticked the box…

  • eggles01 on 29/10/2018 - 13:47
    +2

    I would have requested a Coles worker to put your items through for you they will do that for customers in need,as far as your complaint about the rice and dog food that is nary anything as you would have to firstly pick them up to put into your trolley,take them out and put them onto the belt so they can be scanned and then put them back into your trolley then wheel the heavy trolley out to your car and finally take them out of your trolley and put them into your vehicle,that is quite a lot of taking out of and putting back in,:::wouldn't it be easier to ask a worker to help you scan your shopping for you?? they will do it BUT you have to "ask" with a please for the help,

    • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 02:45

      As someone with physical problems particularly with back, chucking something heavy on the belt, is much easier physically than holding heavy item over top of self service scanner, then carefully roatating heavy item round until barcode is in position and read, then placing back in trolley. I guess if you've used self-service alot, and know where abouts exactly all the barcodes are on every one of your items, it would be OK. Still more physical strain than just chucking onto the belt. The very few times I have used self-service, I often found myself holding items over scanner, item not scanning, turning item round every which way trying to get it to read package/barcode. With packet of lollies it's annoying with packet of 7kg dog food could be physically straining.

      • Antikythera on 31/10/2018 - 16:24
        +1

        i've never used self service, and never will by choice, however i don't understand why they wouldn't have corded or wireless barcode reader for large items. Bunnings had a wireless one when I was there yesterday which made scanning the bulky items much easier because I just left them on the trolley. Costco also leave the bulky items on the trolley.

        Probably a trust issue. They dont trust customers not the steal the scanners but its fine for them to steal groceries because that lowers overheads.

        Hell, i'd consider using self scanning if I had a wireless scanner on my trolley and I scanned each item as I picked it. Would only need to pay as I left the store. Similar to Amazon's stores.

        • tomsco on 31/10/2018 - 16:49

          Even Kmart that use to have the same POS software has the handheld scanners.

          Similar to Amazon's stores.

          This would be great, although I understand there would be a fear of theft.

  • Brendoo on 29/10/2018 - 15:53
    +2

    I would just never shop at Coles again after that behaviour.
    Supermarket staff in general at both Coles and Woolies have no customer service ethic whatsoever. Complaints also are typically ignored as the managers are the ones leading by example and are just as bad.
    Won’t be too long before all staff are replaced by automation and customer service will increase. You won’t be scanning then either, just walk out the store and your card will be charged for what is in your trolley.

    • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2018 - 17:19
      +1

      there is very little "service" in customer service these days, in almost all retail environments

    • smartazz104 on 30/10/2018 - 09:00
      +3

      Most people get by fine, it's the minority with complaints who make the most noise.

    • Mrbean007 on 30/10/2018 - 15:31
      +1

      The sad part is we are paying for the service with every product we buy unfortunately greed at it finest.

  • r2160 on 29/10/2018 - 19:01
    +5

    While I appreciate you needed to do the shopping, I refuse to support a system designed to put australians out of work. I would have left the full trolley there, gone home, and set aside another time at a supermarket that employs people.
    The only thing the self service checkouts benefit are the senior executives outrageous bonuses.

    • smartazz104 on 30/10/2018 - 09:00

      If you truly believed that you wouldn't be able to buy a damn thing from anywhere.

    • HighAndDry on 30/10/2018 - 10:59
      +1

      I hope you also don't buy anything that isn't hand-made either then.

    • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 17:23

      I refuse to support a system designed to put australians out of work.

      This is exactly the main reason I choose not to do automated self-service. Just puts people out of work and increases profits and bonuses for senior management and the owners. Everyone has a choice here, we don't have to do self-checkout, and it doesn't cost us any more as consumers to make this choice to be served by a human rather than a machine.

      Unlike foolish comments below to buy everything handmade or not buy anything at all, this is something where we have a cost free choice to make. To support a human system of checkout with human interaction and employment, or choose the computer/machine option, no human interaction, causes people to lose their jobs, and increases profit margins (which I'm sure they wont pass on to consumers, why would they, when they can increase their own bonuses and profits instead) .

      To offer a choice, then told after you get to the store that they have taken away that choice is not right. It's also against store policy, the worker at selve serve had an obligation to serve OP, as former staff member asserted in comments. If stores are going to shut down in last hour, for customers who choose to be served by a human, they should place large clear notices in store advising customers of this, and also similarly change all notices online of 'opening hours' to advise 'open only for automated checkout customers' then we can know ahead of time, and choose not to shop in these times.

  • LFO on 29/10/2018 - 19:28
    -1

    There is probably no point complaining to Coles is there?

    No, there isn't.

    In particular when there are other time slots available.
    AND … they offer home delivery as well. Probably free for a full trolley.

    Adapt and survive.

  • Micko179 on 29/10/2018 - 22:43
    +4

    I hate Coles simply because their self serve checkouts suck! You c a n scan 10 of the same item at Woolies in a flash but Coles makes you put each item in the scales, which is why I avoid Coles like the plague!

    • Quagles on 30/10/2018 - 06:55
      +1

      Not at my Woolies. Depends on the store.

      • El Grande on 30/10/2018 - 13:30

        Woolies have better service now. I only go to Coles for specials and do my regular shop at Woolworth's.

        I had switched from Woolworths to Coles many years ago because Coles was an Australian company. Funny how things change.

        • raymosaurus on 30/10/2018 - 23:55

          Yeah I only go to Coles for specials or if I can't get to an Aldi or Woolies easily.

          My local Coles has signage at the ends of the aisles, stating what major categories are in the aisle, like any other supermarket, but the signs are within the aisles and are perpendicular to the aisles. They can only be seen when you are standing at the end of the aisle. This seems pretty common for Coles stores in South East Melbourne.

          My local Woolies on the other hand, has signs that are hung outside the aisles, and are parallel to the aisles. You can see lots of signs at once, from a distance away. Means you can see which way to go without guessing and wasting your damn time.

          The Coles signage is totally flawed so for that reason in particular I don't go there.

          Ultimately I shop at Aldi for the value. They don't have signs and don't need them as the stores are so damn small! 👍🏻

    • skid on 31/10/2018 - 00:28

      Yeh, too many scales and too many questions from the Coles self checkout. I want to scan, tap and leave. I don't want a machine telling me what to do. I have sent Coles this feedback so hopefully it changes for the better.

      • ak47wong on 31/10/2018 - 23:55

        Probably not. I complained to Coles once about that too, the need to put each item in the bagging area before you can scan the next item. They replied with a pro forma email all about the benefits and convenience of self-service checkouts (or "Assisted Checkouts" as they insist on calling them), completing missing (or ignoring) the actual point of my complaint. Waste of my time.

  • El Grande on 29/10/2018 - 23:46
    +4

    I went to coles at about 6:30. None of the checkouts were open. I make it a point to not use self serve checkouts. I know grocery store checkout clerk is a low paying job but its a job and I don't want a machine to put someone out of a job.

    • smartazz104 on 30/10/2018 - 09:01
      +3

      In your lifetime you mean, plenty of people have lost jobs to machines but I bet you don't boycott every damn thing.

      • HighAndDry on 30/10/2018 - 11:00
        +1

        But those poor buggy-whip makers! How dare carmakers put that entire industry out of business?!

        • abb on 30/10/2018 - 14:26
          +2

          OP better start smashing some looms!

      • El Grande on 30/10/2018 - 13:26

        But I have a say in this. If there is a line they open additional checkouts.

        Say if a store has regular demand for 3 manned checkouts they will ensure that staff is available to cater for that. My local Woolworth has 3 quick checkouts and all are manned most of the time. That's because people are using them. Coles on the other hand is stubborn in their approach.

        • HighAndDry on 30/10/2018 - 14:45
          +3

          No… that's not how that works. It's not a fully un-manned shop - they already have staff there. If someone needs a physical checkout, they'll just grab a staff member who's trained on it, and add that to their duties for the day. You're just making extra work for a member of staff.

        • smartazz104 on 30/10/2018 - 17:40
          -1

          Yeah, and when OP went shopping there wasn't any actual demand for a manned checkout. She should let us know how many people were waiting around with full trolley who were somehow incapacitated and couldn't use a self-serve checkout.

          • spersephone on 31/10/2018 - 13:21

            @smartazz104: It is not necessarily that someone cannot use a self-service checkout. It is that out of principle they may choose not to. To be honest, having untrained people use a self-service checkout is far less efficient than someone who is actually trained in scanning and recognising errors. If they force everyone into this system, and most of us are bringing a trolley load of goods, we are all simply going to make the lines to use the self-service checkouts much longer and more people will walk out in despair.

            It's one thing to use self-service for a couple of small items. If they want us to fill our trolleys, they need to provide the service to get through the checkouts as quickly and painlessly as possible, or people will just stop going there to shop, choosing to use the IGA supermarkets that provide more service.

            Even Aldi's success is not built on us scanning our items. I am not a fan of their system as once again I think we're a lot slower and less efficient at packing our bags than a supermarket employee who's learned how to do it quickly. But at least their system provides ample space to take our items out of our trolleys.

      • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 17:36
        +1

        In your lifetime you mean, plenty of people have lost jobs to machines but I bet you don't boycott every damn thing.

        This a situation where we have cost-free choice though. Sure we cannot boycott say foreign made televisions, because there are no jobs making televisions in Australia.
        This is clearly different, costs nothing to choose a human checkout, and is savings someones job, so in a way it is a bargain. Save someones job, get better service, and it's a freebie

        • smartazz104 on 31/10/2018 - 21:01

          Unfortunately the supermarkets don't see it that way.

  • THICKnSLOW on 30/10/2018 - 01:41
    +1

    Typical Colds and their down down….

    I like to shop at Warmworths.

  • bullzyee on 30/10/2018 - 03:14

    Get hubby to do the shopping

  • GourmetFoodie on 30/10/2018 - 04:38
    +2

    I'd do a formal complaint.

    But also you should definitely consider shopping online. I set foot in a Woolies supermarket on the weekend for the first time in about a year and was reminded how horrible they are. Such time wasting soul-less environments where it's painful to find anything, you have to queue to pay and you have to bring your own bags now! Awful. Also money suckers as they get you on the unplanned purchases.

    With online shopping you can easily price compare across brands and ensure your trolley sticks to a budget with no impulse purchases.

  • Quagles on 30/10/2018 - 08:03
    +1

    Whats worse is the card only machines. I have staff telling me its card only. Its plastered with 100 signs about being card only. The machine then prompts me to confirm its card only before i start using it. Drives me nuts!!

    • ThithLord on 30/10/2018 - 08:51
      +6

      To be fair, a huge amount of customers still don't realise that it's EFT only on some machines. Lots of times I've gone through the self-serve there's been a customer looking absolutely flabbergasted trying to locate the slot to insert their notes, even after all the warnings of that particular machine being EFT only.

      • abb on 30/10/2018 - 14:27
        +1

        The design could be made much better. It's very well known in UI design that people click through warnings without reading them.

        • ThithLord on 30/10/2018 - 15:40
          +8

          It's very well known in UI design that people click through warnings without reading them.

          There is very little more that can be done to bring attention to a user that the machine is only EFT. If you don't see the signage around the shroud of the device, the message on the screen before you start saying it's EFT only, and the prompt before you begin - you're beyond saving, dude.

          • abb on 30/10/2018 - 16:07

            @ThithLord: There are a TON of ways it could be improved by a skilled designer. Here's some ideas I quickly thought up, and I'm not even very good:
            * require the card to be presented before starting
            * have a picture of a credit card as the splash screen (maybe with a crossed out bank note)
            * make the question "How are you gonna pay? [Card] [Cash]"
            * have some method to transfer transactions to another till for the inevitable failures

            You can never stop human error entirely, but "Are you sure: yes/no" pop-ups are widely known to be all but useless.
            I've made the mistake myself - "yeah yeah it's a card machine I get it… (process items) hmm where's the cash out option".

            The supermarkets (and their software vendors) appear to do the absolute bare minimum work on UI design. Although I think the new Coles one added a good feature where you can save your volume setting to your Flybuys profile.

            • DiscoJango on 30/10/2018 - 18:15

              @abb: have the prompt for card only at the very beginning? what are you trying to do, design a simple, easy to use system that actually works? pffft.

            • ThithLord on 31/10/2018 - 08:52
              +3

              @abb:

              • require the card to be presented before starting

              This is a terrible idea - I understand why you think it may help, but UI needs to be as quick and seamless as possible for customer satisfaction. This experience rates way higher for importance than getting the message across that the machine is EFT only. This sh1t is studied and surveyed about. Trust me, companies do care about this stuff.

              • have a picture of a credit card as the splash screen (maybe with a crossed out bank note)

              Have you used a Bunnings self service unit? They have a CARDS ONLY heading that takes up a whole lot of real-estate on the screen, maybe about a third if I remember correctly. I've still seen plenty of people amble up to the machine with cash in hand. There's signage hanging off the cabinetry itself as well as on the lane way signs stating it is EFT only.

              • make the question "How are you gonna pay? [Card] [Cash]"

              When was the last time you used a Coles Self Check Out machine? It has this. I go to Coles a few times a week and exclusively use these machines - again, still plenty of people walking up to the EFT only machines that have signage ALL over them. Plenty of machines with signage saying they are cash/EFT - but it doesn't matter.

              I know this is hard to understand, but there is sometimes simply not enough you can do to stop human error or lack of paying attention. Ya just can't account for it.

            • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 17:48
              +1

              @abb:

              require the card to be presented before starting

              This will just confuse literally everyone who's used to presenting card for payment at the end, not to mention slowing people down, or confusing someone who has a credit card but might want to pay in cash anyway.

              have a picture of a credit card as the splash screen (maybe with a crossed out bank note)

              There are already signs exactly like this though.

              make the question "How are you gonna pay? [Card] [Cash]"

              Also already exists, though if you give people the option and then say "NO", you'll just piss people off.

              have some method to transfer transactions to another till for the inevitable failures

              I…. don't want to think about the logistical difficulties of this - because the person has to also move all their groceries to that other till, etc.

              Honestly they should just have two lines - cash/card, card-only.

            • ak47wong on 31/10/2018 - 23:59

              @abb:

              make the question "How are you gonna pay? [Card] [Cash]"

              That's not mucn better than OP's original complaint though, which was:

              The machine then prompts me to confirm its card only before i start using it

              • abb on 01/11/2018 - 11:34

                @ak47wong: @ak47wong : Maybe not by much, but it is better. They usually read the button they're pressing. So the mental process is often "yeah, yeah, whatever, let me do my thing". If the button itself says "CARD", it's more likely to trigger them to think. Note how (well designed) software pop-ups usually have an action verb as the button. "You have unsaved changes… [Discard] [Save]" rather than "Are you sure? [Yes] [No]".

                @HighAndDry :
                Yeah the card at start is probably not feasible - as I said, "some ideas I quickly thought up", not "A thoroughly user-tested consulting report which I have charged thousands of dollars for and am delivering to the client". (It might be a nice fix if the system could cache the card details and use it for payment at the end though)

                There are already signs exactly like this though.

                My local has words, not pictures. Words are easier to ignore.

                you'll just piss people off

                Before they have wasted their time. They were gonna get even more pissed later.

                I…. don't want to think about the logistical difficulties of this

                It's relatively simple. Let them scan all their shit and re-load their trolley, then print out a slip that can be taken to another till. The manned checkouts can already do this for "suspended transactions".

                @ThithLord :

                When was the last time you used a Coles Self Check Out machine? It has this.

                No Coles at my local shops. I've seen their new design once, some time ago. Will keep an eye out.

                I know this is hard to understand, but there is sometimes simply not enough you can do to stop human error or lack of paying attention. Ya just can't account for it.

                yawn Human error is a widely studied field, a lot can be accounted for. It is certainly possible to reduce the error rates and provide graceful recovery mechanisms.

  • belongsinforums on 30/10/2018 - 08:35

    She should have put them through for you. Company policy

  • happirt on 30/10/2018 - 09:10
    +6

    go shopping before 9. solved.

    • salmonroe on 31/10/2018 - 06:25

      Or shop somewhere else after 9.

  • boostpak on 30/10/2018 - 09:20
    +4

    Maybe have one worker push your trolley around and pack the items into the trolley.

    Make them walk to the self service and put it all through for you lifting 7kg bags.

    Then get the trolley boy to get another trolley to put you in so you don't have to walk back to your car as that would be an inconvenince after 9.30pm where there are limited staff numbers.

    Once at the car get them both to load up your car with all the items.

    If you can't be stuffed driving home, get one of them to drive while you relax in the passenger seat on your smartphone scrolling through instagram baby photos.

    Once at your house get him to unload everything into the fridge/pantry/cupboards and fold your shopping bags up. The worker can then proceed to walk back to the Coles.

    P.S make sure the worker has a license

    • smartazz104 on 31/10/2018 - 17:27
      -1

      That's what the husband is for…

  • pao2x on 30/10/2018 - 10:37
    +3

    If they refuse to open a checkout on a full trolley after speaking with them politely, leave the trolley and make a customer service complaint

  • jno on 30/10/2018 - 11:31
    +4

    No point complaining to coles but complaining to here is a better idea? Okay..

    • El Grande on 30/10/2018 - 13:32

      I have complained to Coles about this. They just say we'll pass on your feedback to the store manager and that's all that happens.

  • AlanHB on 30/10/2018 - 12:09
    +3

    If you need assistance shopping and can't leave the house because kids are sleeping, send hubby instead.

  • tessel on 30/10/2018 - 12:14
    +1

    Go to a different supermarket? Yes, I understand your point, but we have a choice. Either shop earlier when the checkouts are open, take or get someone else to buy the heavy stuff or shop at IGA?

    • boostpak on 07/11/2018 - 08:26

      IGA are super expensive

  • Kamsi on 30/10/2018 - 12:53

    Bought grocery from Coles online, when to collect it in the afternoon and was told there is no pickup because I was 30 min late. Call customer service they too was disbelief and couldn't understand why the operator wouldn't allow me to collect the grocery.

    So what can you do.. Don't think you will get anywhere by complaining.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 30/10/2018 - 13:52
    +8

    "I should mention I am visibly pregnant "

    I stopped reading at this point.

    • DiscoJango on 30/10/2018 - 18:17

      "I should mention I am visibly opinionated unemployed feminist white female with ugg boots"

    • raymosaurus on 31/10/2018 - 00:03
      -1

      Why?

      • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 17:49

        Does OP think she's better than everyone else and deserves different treatment because of this?

        • raymosaurus on 31/10/2018 - 21:51
          +1

          Oh my god. It's not about "better".

          Do you realise that people give up their seat to pregnant women on a bus or train for the same reason they give up their seat for the elderly?

          Get real.

  • souleaterX on 30/10/2018 - 14:34

    Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't Coles machines allow you to enter heavy items through the touch pad without scanning the item?

    I am sure I have had bottled water in my trolley in the past and not needed to take it out.

  • OldSchoolHarry on 30/10/2018 - 14:41
    +1

    You could have asked one the friendly team members to lift the heavy items for you. Also, at some places they have handheld barcode scanners so that you don't have to lift the heavy stuff. Moreover, you can also input the code manually.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 30/10/2018 - 15:57
    -2

    Generally prefer self serve but there has been occasions when the self serve has gone down for what ever reason and the lines have been huge! with minimal staff about to help at the checkout.

    I think there needs to be a 10mins of less policy where if you are waiting more then 10mins you should be given your total shop free, the amount of $$$ they are saving on self checkouts would far out weight any costs. it would also hold them accountable to ensure adequate staff numbers!

    I do feel for you because you are pregnant and if you ask me all this done is justify theft for people who steal, i actually not no sympathy for supermarkets when they complain about theft considering how mercilessly they are happy to toss staff to the curve to save a couple bucks!

  • Mike88 on 30/10/2018 - 16:44
    +6

    Maybe ask your husband to do the shopping next time if you are unable to shop at a selfserve checkout without complaining online

  • DiscoJango on 30/10/2018 - 18:14

    dont worry guys, this is only the beginning. soon you will walk into coles, only to find all the shelves empty. when you finally find an employee, they will give you a disgusted look, point to the loading bay and be "like, duh, unload the truck yourself fool"

    • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 17:50

      Think of it as pre-loaded groceries with free truck hire…?

  • lostn on 30/10/2018 - 18:48

    That's pretty tight. I've never heard of a store that does only self checkout. There's normally at least one person at a counter.

    But Coles and Woolies have been involved in an aggressive price war, and everything that can be cut from costs has been.

    The cost of your cheaper groceries is less spending on wages. That's just the world we live in, and it doesn't end with Coles.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/10/2018 - 07:49

      It's always been like this. Even before self-checkouts. During quiet periods sometimes staff are completely missing on the shop floor. In the past you'd sometimes have to wait up to 8 to 10 mins for someone to come out after repeated calls over the PA as the line grew. They are either busy with other duties out back or being a checkout chick is a very undesirable task which no one wants to volunteer for.

      • lostn on 31/10/2018 - 14:10

        It's not that no one wants to be a checkout chick. It's that the business doesn't want to spend on them in quiet times. They will get people who do other jobs within the store, train them up on the checkouts, and when there's a customer, call them to the counter and have them stop what they're doing, serve customer, then go back to what they were doing. The reluctance to go to the checkout is because it's coming out of their own time. They are not given extra time to do their job to make up for the time they spend on the registers. Every customer they serve puts them behind schedule, so no one wants to actually go when called which is why it takes a while to respond. Because of cuts, the already struggle to get their own jobs done without having to help other departments.

        Having said that, I have not visited a place where the checkouts are completely deserted unless it's a 24 hour store past midnight. The self checkouts usually close early.

        TLDR: Supermarkets are tight and greedy. Customers in exchange for cheaper groceries are getting worse service thanks to an ill advised price war that doesn't help either supermarket.

        • [Deactivated] on 31/10/2018 - 15:47

          I wouldn't know about today. I prefer the ease of self-checkouts. I was describing situations from around 15 years ago.

  • rolypoly on 30/10/2018 - 18:52
    +1

    Is anyone else peeved by the Coles self serve checkout being the ONLY checkout option late at night at their local store?

    Not peeved. My work hours only permit me to go to the shops very late and I suspect that if not for the self checkout then the shop may not even be open at all. My parents don't like the self checkout though, they may be peeved but they just go to the shops earlier.

    There is probably no point complaining to Coles is there?

    I think there is a point. I'm not sure what their company policy is but maybe it should be known among staff (or changed) that an assisted checkout can be available on request. Companies may have huge policies and not everyone would know all the rules. Or maybe they could put it up on their website along with their opening hours when their self/assisted checkout hours are. You might be able to help the next pregnant person that comes along.

  • serpserpserp on 30/10/2018 - 20:03
    +3

    OP next time ask the staff to help. They usually do.

  • p1 ama on 30/10/2018 - 20:21

    There is probably no point complaining to Coles is there?

    There are plenty of other options available. You could shop somewhere else (e.g. Aldi doesn't have self-serve). You could use their free delivery service, which is pretty convenient…etc.

    I think you're coming at this emotionally. You're used to having someone do this job, so when you have to do it, it doesn't feel "right". Where does the buck drop, though? Should someone take your shopping to your car and load it into your boot for you too?

    • lostn on 31/10/2018 - 14:12

      Should someone take your shopping to your car and load it into your boot for you too?

      They will do this if you request it.

  • bobbified on 30/10/2018 - 23:03

    So there I was lifting and scanning 7kg bags of dog food, 5kg bags of rice etc

    Without wanting to come across as mean, if you're pregnant and the weight of the items is a problem, how would you have then got the items into the car by yourself and then out of the car when you get home?

    • raymosaurus on 31/10/2018 - 00:08

      Certainly less lifting is better than more lifting.

      Baby daddy could surely unload the heavy stuff at home.

      • bobbified on 01/11/2018 - 10:59
        +1

        But if heavy lifting is bad for pregnancy, then why risk it at all?

        The smart thing would be for the pregnant wife to go shopping for the smaller and lighter items and let the husband go and get the heavier things. Or just let the husband do the shopping altogether. But I suspect OP would rather do the shopping because she thinks she knows better.

        Even with the current "assisted" check-outs, they ask you to put your items on the bench so that they can scan it.

  • Seedy seed on 31/10/2018 - 00:08
    +2

    You put the dang things in the trolley, its really not that much more to scan them. In any case just refuse to buy it unless she scans it for you.

  • Sage on 31/10/2018 - 01:08

    That's bad, but they don't owe us anything. They could just close the whole store instead.

    I haven't seen it where they don't have someone at the checkout to scan your items, but at Target they've done this and when I pointed it out the attendant offered to help. I think it's not too much to ask for the attendant to do all the work and scan the items for you if there is no one at the check out.

    Like others I generally do small shops and prefer to scan and bag the items myself. But I do agree with large amounts of shopping it's better for the trained employees to do it.

    This must be a rare occasion where they close the registers in favour for the machines.

    • Seedy seed on 31/10/2018 - 07:33

      Its late night procedure before shutting

  • [Deactivated] on 31/10/2018 - 07:42

    Coles should offer a concierge service for a fee. They'd get less complaints as people would be more happy to take the free option.

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