Buying a Carrot at The Self-Checkout - Machine Called for an Attendant

Cabbage_enforcer on 03/06/2023 - 19:21
Last edited 04/06/2023 - 16:41 by 1 other user

So I was at the self checkout at Woolies today and bought a carrot. The machine called for an attendant who came over and checked a photo of the carrot to make sure it was actually a carrot I put through and then authorised it with their code. Is this a new thing now? Are people entering more expensive fruit and veg through as carrots and onions?

I would just go through the normal checkout if I'm going to be treated like a criminal….except some supermarkets I go to only have one checkout open with usually a long line up. What a sh*tshow

Food & Grocery

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 19:23
    +65

    You purchased 1x carrot?

    • foxmulder on 03/06/2023 - 19:34
      +45

      Still better that one buy one grape.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 19:50
        +1

        Maybe someone was trying to cheap out on a double grape martini ?

      • payless69 on 04/06/2023 - 03:15
        +9

        I buy 5 grapes on every first
        in 5 transactions to hoop Ing!

        • jonathonsunshine on 05/06/2023 - 16:47
          +2

          Surely in this day an age, paywave etc, no one is having trouble getting their 5 transactions a month?

          • Charity on 05/06/2023 - 20:55
            +1

            @jonathonsunshine: many idiots do this. And then they use another bank's card for every other transaction. (which is issued by their old bank that has been ripping them off for years). Rewarding the bad bank and punishing the good bank. They actually think putting through a grape, 5 times, is saving them time. lol

            • payless69 on 06/06/2023 - 10:24

              @Charity: I feel like an idiot doing it.
              But losing 2 months for 1 hoop fault at Ing let them have the pain.
              Mornings where there are plenty of unused selfcheckouts.
              Not rewarding cba, they tell me every transaction right away unlike StGeorge who takes days. Comsec is also usefull and easy, quick to log in!

    • bdl on 03/06/2023 - 20:29
      +4

      One carat carrot

    • MS Paint on 03/06/2023 - 20:33
      +5

      It's vegetarian next week at jv's.

      Maybe they got an invitation.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 20:51
        +1

        lol - I've decided to gate-crash the next ceremony since jv appears to have sent my invite via snail-mail.

        1 carrot is a start, I suppose. I trust that the ceremonial guests understand that 'bring a plate' doesn't mean just catering for yourself!

        • GnarlyKnuckles on 04/06/2023 - 18:36
          +19

          Here's a funny true story …

          About 1000 years ago back in my uni days I was invited to a BBQ for cup day, along with a bunch of other dudes including a guy from India who was new to Australia/an international student. I picked him up on my way there, and was amused to note that he was bringing an empty plate with him. I realised exactly what had happened, and had to (between fits of laughter) explain to him that 'bring a plate' meant 'bring a plate of food to share'. He was a bit embarrassed, but explained that he had assumed the host did not have sufficient crockery to cater for the number of peeps she'd invited! Granted, that was not such a zany assumption back then in those 'crazy group-house days'.

          • payless69 on 06/06/2023 - 10:26

            @GnarlyKnuckles: I remember the first Vietnamese arriving in Perth. Buying dog food thinking this is cheap human food!

    • bobbified on 03/06/2023 - 23:54
      +16

      OP forgot to mention the 12-pack of rubbers.

    • JIMB0 on 04/06/2023 - 08:52
      +15

      Maybe it was a more expensive banana that identifies as a carrot.

    • DazMon on 04/06/2023 - 10:36

      and 1x cabbage.

    • markathome on 04/06/2023 - 14:00
      +2

      You purchased 1x carrot?

      How many carrots are you buying Bugs Bunny? And what are you doing with them all?

      • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2023 - 14:46
        +1

        I'm getting the distinct impression that carrots are being referred to as a euphemism here ?

    • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2023 - 21:47
      +2

      OP wanted to play carrot in a box.

    • cameldownunder on 05/06/2023 - 11:21

      Should have bought a cucumber or a banana

    • Piranha2004 on 06/06/2023 - 09:21
      +1

      Reminds of those Vodafone ads with Kramer in the 90s. "I just want one egg"

      https://youtu.be/qHWE7XkyvzU?t=178

  • Cabbage_enforcer on 03/06/2023 - 19:30
    +63

    They were $2.50 a kilo! Bought some other stuff but just needed one carrot for dinner as I Iive alone and I wasn't going to stock up at that price.

    • Savas on 03/06/2023 - 19:41
      +8

      should've gone to coles..

      • capslock janitor on 04/06/2023 - 14:55

        are u still coles affiliated

      • bluesky on 04/06/2023 - 15:44
        +6

        Actually, we went to Coles due to the recently posted carrot deal - 1.5kg for $1, and the checkout display also insisted on a check by the attendant :-)

        • kaleidoscope on 04/06/2023 - 20:22

          I bet you paid more for everything else while at Coles

      • CrowReally on 05/06/2023 - 17:06
        +18

        If you buy shredded cabbage, carrots and mayo from Coles in the same transaction then you're caught by Coles' law

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 19:48
      +19

      Non-packaged carrots have been $2.50 kg for a long time.

      Anyways, self-serve supermarket machines are prone to hiccup every now & then for various reasons so don't take it personally. Earlier this week, I had just scanned a trolley full of groceries & the stoopid machine froze when I placed the last item - a cut watermelon - to weigh it for pricing. The attendant told me that it usually takes a couple of M I N U T E S to un-freeze & I would be on my way but it wasn't so. I had to follow another attendant & unbag every item (6 bags) so that they could scan it all over again. It was not fun.

      • GnarlyKnuckles on 04/06/2023 - 18:39

        It's a shame one of the bags wasn't full of monkeys. Then it would have been a lot of fun.

      • spy on 05/06/2023 - 20:26

        Cut watermelon always needs to be authorised at Coles

      • awdavgds on 06/06/2023 - 19:46

        See that infuriates me. Thats when I walk off and say "see your stupid self serve machine has now mean your staff are tied up putting all my groceries back. Imagine if a human had down it from the get go" I'll take the small wins

    • Nedward on 04/06/2023 - 16:20

      aldi bags of carrots are about $1.50 if i remember correctly

      • PVA on 05/06/2023 - 14:38
        +1

        99 cents, bought a bag yesterday.

    • PVA on 05/06/2023 - 14:38
      +2

      99cents a kg at ALDIs at the moment.

    • ATangk on 06/06/2023 - 17:42
      +1

      I'm not going to go through all the comments, but items like 1 x carrot may not register properly on the scales, hence why an attendant may have been called.

    • DangerNoodle on 07/06/2023 - 18:47

      They've got three cameras in the scanner to take photos of the product and compare it against the photos it was trained with and there is a camera above in the self checkouts now that is supposed to scan your trolley as well to make sure you're scanning everything. I suspected that this was one of the reasons for the recent shift to green trolleys? Possibly easier for the camera sensor to check products on green trolleys compared to the old metal ones.

  • The Value on 03/06/2023 - 19:43
    +10

    I would just go through the normal checkout if I'm going to be treated like a criminal

    Relax, dude. Now you know, next time line up at a normal checkout.

    • cookie2 on 03/06/2023 - 21:26
      +6

      How is that a fix?

      • The Value on 03/06/2023 - 21:36
        +19

        There's nothing to fix.

        • cookie2 on 04/06/2023 - 14:19
          +2

          If the customer experience is negative due to the store design (including technology), then that's a problem. Problems have fixes. Just whether or not you it's a problem to a lot of people and if it negatively impacts the business (which ofcourse it doesn't in this example).

          • lookingforTV on 05/06/2023 - 11:38

            @cookie2: I am sure they have done pros and cons charts - and determined that the problem is worth having.

    • Drpepper666 on 04/06/2023 - 10:12
      +3

      Normal checkouts don't exist anymore

      • capslock janitor on 04/06/2023 - 14:56
        +10

        they do, thats why better use them to show thats what consumeres want

        • WhyAmICommenting on 04/06/2023 - 16:06
          +1

          Need to stand there like a fish out of water for a minute or so to get staff to use a register for you. I usually don’t bother, which is what they want.

        • Antikythera on 04/06/2023 - 18:43
          +7

          Chadstone Coles had a single checkout operating at 4:30pm on Friday. there were about 5 staff within sight dedicated to other roles that mostly involved just standing around.

          the cashier then proceeded to take a 5 minute phone call while ringing up the full trolley of the lady in front of me with one hand.

          i actually considered leaving my items on the conveyor belt and walking out. I wont return.

          • Jimmy13 on 05/06/2023 - 16:15
            -1

            @Antikythera: Maybe they were on the phone trying to get more staff in?

        • whyisave on 07/06/2023 - 00:13

          I have started to stand and wait in the queue
          for human check-outs and to pay ca$h too.

          We can all do this.

    • SpicyStew on 04/06/2023 - 12:52
      -2

      get it delivered. fixed.

      • Chandler on 04/06/2023 - 16:25

        And then get threads like this?

      • Tleyx on 04/06/2023 - 19:26

        Then they would substitute for a Capsicum as carrots were oos

  • kerfuffle on 03/06/2023 - 20:11
    +19

    Username doesn't check out

    • McFly on 06/06/2023 - 16:15
      +2

      Ironic. Owner of that user name couldn't check out (until attendant fixed it.)

  • morse on 03/06/2023 - 20:26
    +7

    Yeah, it’s a thing, they checked my mushrooms recently, luckily I was being honest.

    • cookie2 on 03/06/2023 - 21:27
      +9

      But mushrooms aren't cheap? Why would you pretend to have mushrooms? Crazy thought, lets go back to actually having humans conduct the checkout! Crazy yes but possible.

      • GrueHunter on 03/06/2023 - 21:44
        +9

        They're looking for people who ring up portobellos as buttons.

        • morse on 03/06/2023 - 22:46

          Yep this, I buy the Swiss browns or portobellos, they are usually more expensive than than the flats or buttons.

          • cookie2 on 04/06/2023 - 14:21
            +4

            @morse: Ahhh. Well next they'll just put all their R&D into making clear paper bags. Or they'll just get rid of bags and make you put them in plastic.

            • morse on 04/06/2023 - 16:47
              +3

              @cookie2: If people were going to sneak stuff into the paper mushroom bags they should probably aim higher and go for ginger or something. I do like the mushroom bags so not too fussed if someone checks, whether at self or staffed checkout. The staffed ones they usually open the bag and look

      • morse on 03/06/2023 - 22:47
        +7

        I like having both humans and self check out. It makes it quicker for both groups, and accessible for most.

        • CacheHunter on 04/06/2023 - 07:46
          +16

          @morse, It used to.
          Unfortunately the self check machines now presume that every customer that uses them is a criminal. When it's busy you can get stuck waiting ages.
          Just last weekend i gave up waiting for an attendant to authorize my groceries at the self check, so i walked away, leaving $80 of groceries behind in my trolley and the self check machine out of action. Presumably they had to throw most of what I was going to buy in the bin as it was mostly fridge and freezer items. The same things came to about $5 less at Aldi.

          • morse on 04/06/2023 - 08:13
            -1

            @CacheHunter: Maybe a Sydney thing? When I see photos and news with Sydney supermarkets it gives me anxiety how busy it is, and not just during times when there’s some sort of shortage.

            I’ve never waited more than 1minute for assistance on the Gold Coast. Even when there’s a large line for the checkouts, it’s only ever a couple of minutes wait. It is kind of annoying that they are now treating everyone as a potential thief, but the stock loss must be such that it makes it worth the investment. Having said that the real issue is people just walking out with whole trolleys of stuff our stashing expensive items in their jumper/pram/bag, not someone trying to pass off portobellos as cups.

            And yes it’s not a nice feeling when they play back a video of you for a staff member to review, I get the ‘have you left something in your trolley?’ Thing a lot, as for quite a while I pretty much use the trolley as a pram, have kid, kids things, shopping from various stores, then they’ll play back a video of me moving items in the pram for a staff member to check.

            I’d still rather have both self check out and staff member check out as I think overall it is faster.

            • CacheHunter on 04/06/2023 - 15:03
              +4

              @morse: A canberra thing. Way too few staff.
              To others who question whether what i did is rational, it is the principle of being treated like a criminal with their self check registers needing to constantly verify items.

              We (customers) are expected to trust the stores that food is safe, that what's in the fridge/freezer section has been stored at the correct temperature, that the store will abide by it's ACL responsibilities if something goes wrong etc. But the trust doesn't seem to go both ways.
              Yes, i know that unfortunately some customers do try to steal or rort the system. But that is no excuse to treat every customer as if we're criminals by wasting our time, storing video footage and taking our photos. Talk about letting the tail wag the dog!

              So yes, i could have wasted 5-10 minutes waiting for the convenience of a store that disrespects it's customers, or spending 20 minutes to pop into the Aldi that's in the same center. My dignity is worth way more than the 10-15 extra minutes.

          • Motek Benzona on 04/06/2023 - 08:33
            +1

            @CacheHunter: Exactly what i would do. If they want to have staff "authorising" your shop then OPEN THE CHECKOUTS! My day is short enough already without this kind of bollocks. Would be sort of fun to just walk away too al la Armin Tamzarian 'Up yours Krabappel"

            • dtc on 04/06/2023 - 12:07
              +1

              @Motek Benzona: Just what you would do? Give up after waiting a couple of minutes and then go to another store and do your entire grocery shopping again? Your time must be incredibly valuable if that is the more efficient solution

          • capslock janitor on 04/06/2023 - 14:57

            @CacheHunter: and unbalanced, theyve really been trynna get rid of manned checkout lanes

          • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2023 - 16:55
            +1

            @CacheHunter: So, you couldn't be bothered to wait for the attendant to authorise your purchase & walked-out yet you were fine to waste your time doing another grocery shop at ALDI ?

            You either need to get help or perhaps just stop lying.

            • CacheHunter on 05/06/2023 - 06:53
              +1

              @[Deactivated]:

              need to get help

              That was the problem. Woolies self check wouldn't let me pay without having an attendant to help but there didn't seem to be any attendants around.

              What would you have done?

              Lying?

              Yes, you caught me out. I still have the Aldi receipt in my wallet. I suspect that i was planning to go to Aldi anyway as i bought coffee capsules for my Aldi machine during the same shop.

          • Kazzilla on 04/06/2023 - 19:20
            +3

            @CacheHunter:

            Presumably they had to throw most of what I was going to buy in the bin as it was mostly fridge and freezer items

            Great. Well done. Strange that you're proud of yourself.

            • CacheHunter on 05/06/2023 - 06:41
              +2

              @Kazzilla: They designed a system where people self check, but need an attendant because they presume that all of their customers are criminals. Then, if for whatever reason they don't have any attendants in the self check area, that's not my fault.
              On previous occasions i have gone to the service counter to get them to page someone to come and check that I've done everything correctly. I think that you're victim blaming if you're implicitly arguing that i as a customer are responsible for their staffing and rostering decisions.

  • Godric on 03/06/2023 - 20:27
    +1

    Wow

    • DazMon on 04/06/2023 - 10:39
      +3

      slow news day…

  • Protractor on 03/06/2023 - 20:31
    +1

    Busted?

  • WreckTangle on 03/06/2023 - 20:32
    +9

    One carrot is pretty much all you can fit in a paper Woolworths bag without it ripping.

    • wisdomtooth on 03/06/2023 - 21:41
      +4

      Is that a carrot in your pocket, or…?

    • bobbified on 03/06/2023 - 23:55
      +3

      They're useless. I f'n have to buy garbage bags separately now.

      • Murdrum on 04/06/2023 - 18:47
        +3

        My Woolies must have different bags. They hold several kilos for me and work well as garbage bags. They even survive reasonably with a bit of bin juice.

        • bobbified on 04/06/2023 - 19:29
          +2

          Dry rubbish is okay, but as soon as there's liquid (like from a small meat tray), the whole thing's going to rip through. It's definitely not suitable for the kitchen where there's water splashing and dripping.

  • USER DC on 03/06/2023 - 20:43
    -1

    hmm I wonder is it a new tech by woolies to catch people scanning cheaper fruits instead of more expensive real fruits ??

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 20:54
      -1

      Old tech that has been around for a while. The camera recognises fruit/veg items & either automatically adds it or offers a refined list from which to choose from.

      • USER DC on 03/06/2023 - 21:04
        -4

        yeah but what you are talking about is old tech of scanning barcodes on the F&V,

        cameras are only useful in evidence against the person or like to stop person from entering the store. otherwise cameras dont prevent the stealing.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 21:25
          -1

          No barcodes on all non-packaged fruit/veg though. I had it auto added on loose garlic/onions/capsicums.

  • Cabbage_enforcer on 03/06/2023 - 21:26
    +34

    If they start start taking photos and confirming every carrot and onion purchase I put through the machines that then to be verified by a staff member, then theres actually no benefit for me to use those machines. I would rather just go to Aldi and use their airport runway length conveyer belt and be served by an actual person

    • cookie2 on 03/06/2023 - 21:29
      +24

      The more ppl that do this the better.

      • TEER3X on 04/06/2023 - 14:58
        -2

        How so?

        • WhyAmICommenting on 04/06/2023 - 16:07
          +5

          Duopoly ensuring minimal competition in this bend-over inflated market.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2023 - 21:29
      +2

      ALDI also have self-serve machines.

      You have a choice as to whether you want to be served by a person or not.

      • capslock janitor on 04/06/2023 - 14:59
        +2

        i recently made a decision to only physically/walk-in shop at aldi
        and only pick-up orders at colesworth, unless the odd items arent there

      • whyisave on 07/06/2023 - 00:16
        -2

        We all need to choose to be served by human counters and pay ca$h,
        so that more of our freedoms don't just erode away…

    • seannami on 03/06/2023 - 21:38
      +10

      AT Woolies its the trolley camera that annoys the heck out of me- if you have shopped anywhere else, moved your bags into the trolley, have a handbag or whatever it has a go at you. If you don't put your trolley under the camera the workers do it for you. If they are gonna go trolley cam, it should just ring everything up in-trolley (similar to the library where you just stack the books on the machine). I like using self checkout, its convenient and (at Coles) quick, and when I was working at an IGA I would have loved them to be in there, but if you need someone to verify everything, put the regular registers back.

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