Coles Delivery "Missing/Damaged Items" Policy?

Djiordje on 18/02/2025 - 16:08

We typically get our weekly groceries through Coles delivery and lately I've been having a lot of missing or damaged items.

The process to refund is pretty easy though, it's just a page on the app that shows your recent purchases, and you tick what was missing or damaged, it gets sent off to be authorised and usually within the hour you get the money credited to your account (or full refund of you don't mind the wait).

I am wondering though where the limit is? I''m finding myself having to do this every other order lately, usually it's just one or two things totaling $5-10 (Although I've specifically contacted Coles chat in two cases as entire bags of groceries weren't delivered). At what point do they say "too many times" and cancel your account? Surely there are people scamming this system as it seems like for the most part it's a no questions asked policy?

Food & Grocery

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Coles
Coles

Comments

  • keeperofthegood on 18/02/2025 - 16:17
    +1

    I have had this issue, as well as a lot of produce that comes with off/rotten bits etc. Last week I contacted them via chat to ask what I should do about seeking refund for produce that had rotten elements (such as a box of peaches, where only one is actually rotten). The agent told me to just list it as 'damaged' for a refund. I've done it for ~$50 of produce in one shop so far, and haven't had any issues. I am also honest, but have a very low bar for what I will report as damaged (because I have no love lost for Coles) and so far I haven't had any pushback. It has got to the point where I've stopped taking photos of the rotten produce in case I need evidence, because they don't seem to care.

    • jv on 18/02/2025 - 16:33
      -1

      they don't seem to care.

      they do seem a bit careless at times.

  • brendanm on 18/02/2025 - 17:28
    +3

    If I have repeated issues with a service, I generally stop using that service.

    • keeperofthegood on 19/02/2025 - 08:54

      The benefits of groceries delivered to my house make up for a vast amount of the frustrations, with my current circumstances. And the fact that, so far, they've not pushed back on my (reasonable) requests for credit for things I'm not satisfied, means that at least in some way they've made things right. It's annoying, but also still worthwhile.

      • brendanm on 19/02/2025 - 09:43

        It's garbage, you get the worst fruit and veg, short expiry on everything perishable, they don't pick things that are available, then tell you they weren't available, then you have to muck around getting them to sort it out.

        • keeperofthegood on 19/02/2025 - 10:08

          I don't disagree with you on any of those points. But in my current life circumstances, cutting a 2-3 hour shopping trip our of my weekend is far favourable to dealing with the frustrations of this system

  • freefall101 on 18/02/2025 - 17:39

    I did it once for over $100 of stuff that was missing, although after that order I switched to woolworths (it was 20+ items, half the order). They also delivered to the wrong house once (although they could confirm via the photo it was the wrong house, probably just looked at my place on google street view).

    I imagine they have some common sense behind it. Check what types of items, check how many bags were delivered in the photo, match it up to commonly damaged items, percentage of overall sales they lose on you, keep track of who is packing it and causing the most damage, etc. I doubt there's one number that gets someone booted. Unlike Uber, where I know people who received 3 wrong orders in a row and were booted off the platform.

  • JenPat on 18/02/2025 - 18:26

    With click and collect I often find cold/frozen or large items missing. I rang about a slab of soft drink as I was concerned that basically every order I was requesting a refund for missing items. The operator said don't worry, we believe you, it happens all the time.

  • horseshoe on 18/02/2025 - 19:51

    Keep in mind all your transactions and claims are tied together into the one account. That should make it easier for them to prevent fraud, compared to in-store from randoms. There's also the fact that they can see you're a regular customer spending however much per week.

  • 82norm on 18/02/2025 - 20:13
    +1

    We’ve raised multiple complaints and so far all have been accepted. Missing items, substitute items not quite substitute, damaged goods (fruit). On occasions we let things slide as we’ve had similar concerns about them cancelling us. That said, we’ve spent thousands with them. We also noticed recently that when it’s delivered by a private vehicle vs Cole’s delivery truck, less things have gone wrong. If anything what is more annoying are sale items not delivered as they’re supposedly out of stock.

    • keeperofthegood on 19/02/2025 - 08:56

      Yea I always find it frustrating to lose out on the half-priced items, but I try and shop on the weekend so if I miss something, I can swing in on my way home from work and pick it up before the sale cycle changes.

  • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 18/02/2025 - 22:42
    -2

    back in the old days, we would throw a rock at wall and say OOOGA.

  • AlienC on 19/02/2025 - 17:41

    I have been using Coles delivery almost weekly definitely monthly for the past 5-6 years very consistently.

    I think I have only had to use refund process less than 3 times total.

    Every time it's been pretty great but the last one I think was over 2 years now so they must have implemented better procedures or something since then.

    Only one time I got a wrong order they sent me someone else's definitely because it had feminine hygiene products and I honestly thought it was some form of prank or joke at first but realised much later they must have mixed up the orders I think I was also missing something that one time.. But this was I think even before covid time.

  • keeperofthegood on 20/02/2025 - 13:27

    After my comment yesterday about their not following up claims with requests for photos… I submitted a claim today and received this email just now. So apparently it's still worth taking the photos before you throw out off produce, etc.

    Dear (me),
    Thank you for your email regarding your recent Coles Online order XXXX.
    We’re sorry to hear of the condition of how your recent Coles Online order was delivered to you.
    As part of our investigation, kindly provide us a photo of the damaged items from your order.
    Thank you for choosing to shop with Coles Online. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
    Kind regards,
    Jim
    Customer Service Agent | Coles Online

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