Reasons I Dislike ALDI, They pissed me off today

thechemist on 01/07/2017 - 22:43
Last edited 02/07/2017 - 09:14 by 1 other user

I don't buy much from there outside of when they have special items e.g. Snow gear or some obscure gardening stuff.

  1. Parking usually a nightmare (No quick in and out especially with stand alone stores as they just do the bare minimum to fulfil council requirements)
  2. Everyone seems to have over 10 items (feels like a million)
  3. The checkout dudes seem to work really slow (or maybe just appears that way as they are seated and don't show sign of urgency)
  4. No free plastic bags
  5. Charge extra for VISA/Mastercard (come on guys I am sure you can afford the < 1% fee and I am sure there is plenty of profits to be sent overseas)
  6. No self checkout (I like them as I don't regard checkout persons as service and would rather have these staff members on the floor helping me find items)

The reason for my rant today is I couldn't get out of the Balwyn North store (one of the new stores) as you can only exit through the checkouts and the 2 checkouts aisles were so narrow that if someone had a trolley in the checkout you can't go by the side of it. I hope they haven't made it like a jail as they are too cheap to employ security guards (didn't notice any there)

Also the profits get sent overseas anyway being foreign owned unlike Woolies/Coles

Food & Grocery

Related Stores

ALDI
ALDI

Comments

      • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2017 - 02:09
        -1

        I don't know what this "Godwin's Law" twaddle is about, but i've spoken to my mates Theo and Karl and we reckon you sound like a Nazi.

  • Marrk on 02/07/2017 - 13:35
    +4

    ALDI is significantly cheaper than Woolworths and Coles, having to bring your own bags / wait a bit longer at the checkouts / pack your own bags is a small price to pay.

    Very few people go to ALDI for less than 10 items, and if anything, their checkout staff scan items faster than you can put them in the trolley. Also, self checkouts would only increase the amount of theft, putting prices up. Do you even OzBargain?

  • roundnumbersonly on 02/07/2017 - 13:38
    +4

    I used to get annoyed at how fast they scan your groceries through - I just couldn't keep up! I'm now pretty good at it though. Otherwise, Aldi is a get what you see type of store - and I like that.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 23:38

      My 10 year old daughter and I usually try to race the checkout op. We load our trolley with empty boxes ready to go. As soon as they start scanning we start packing. It makes the end of our shop a bit of fun for us, the operator and anyone else unfortunate enough to have to witness the show. We all usually have a bit of a giggle!

  • poboy on 02/07/2017 - 13:43
    +1

    Frigging hell, when did this Balwyn North label become a thing? It's North Balwyn!

  • MrMcHairyHead on 02/07/2017 - 13:49
    +2

    I have no problem with them having a credit card fee as they are just passing on the charge from the credit card companies. Why should I have to pay extra when I pay cash just so you can have no credit card fees? I don't want to subsidize that.

    I do find the lack of self checkouts annoying - since most people there seem to be doing a full trolly worth of shopping, it takes a very long time to line up to buy one or two things.

  • Yuri Lowell on 02/07/2017 - 14:24
    +2

    1. Parking at my local Aldis (there's about 3 nearby) is usually good and I have more trouble at Coles/Woolworths. Sounds like it's just your location.

    2. People usually do their weekly shop at Aldi. I guess an express lane would be nice or if they had more people manning the checkouts (I never see more than 2 open).

    3. I've never seen Aldi work slow at the checkout. In fact usually they're too quick and I'm struggling to get all my items in the trolley in time.

    4. Buy some reusable bags at Aldi or wherever they sell them. They're only 15 cents each.

    5. Use cash. Is it that hard to draw some out of an ATM if a small surcharge is that inconvenient?

    6. I dunno about your store but all the Aldis I go to aren't that big. There's no way they can fit a self serve checkout into the store.

    • Euphemistic on 02/07/2017 - 18:06
      +2
      1. I usually see one checkout open, but they tend to be very quick to open or close a new one or two depending on customer queues.
  • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 14:30
    +1

    I also really dislike the fact that Aldi did not provide this poor oppressed individual from Balwyn North a free plastic bag

  • itsdougie on 02/07/2017 - 14:36
    +2

    i dislike aldi too. They are small and stock nothing i need, I gave it a try and i still needed to go to coles or woolworths to get the rest of the items i needed.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 15:00
      +2

      Oh i dunno, i'm pretty sure they stock suppositories.

      [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 15:00 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
      • itsdougie on 02/07/2017 - 19:11
        -1

        you would know

        • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 19:44
          +5

          Your Mum told me.

        • itsdougie on 02/07/2017 - 19:46

          @AngryChicken: she was the one that put it up in your ass. she said you squealed with delight.

        • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 19:50
          +3

          @itsdougie: I thought that was our little secret.

        • smux on 03/07/2017 - 00:35

          @AngryChicken: 😂

  • Gronk on 02/07/2017 - 14:52
    +1

    1.Minimal parking is the new norm when you build a new building nowadays, did you miss the memo? If anything developers are looking for ways to further reduce the amount of parking spaces they need to create when putting up a new building.
    2. It's a supermarket, not 7-11.
    3. It's all in your head, they have quotas just like every other supermarket.
    4. So?
    5. Ahhhhh, the old "I'm sure you make enough money" argument…. No…
    6. I suppose you've crunched the numbers and can prove that this would be a more financially efficient operating model?

    If you don't like it, shop somewhere else; last I checked Aldi weren't sending out groups of paramilitaries to round up bus-loads of customers.

  • Empharand on 02/07/2017 - 15:12

    I thought they only charge a fee when using Mastercard / Visa if you pay using paypass / paywave?

    • AS2035 on 02/07/2017 - 21:54

      On all credit card purchases and they only use MasterCard & Visa

  • gpsnomad on 02/07/2017 - 15:30
    +5

    This must be a troll from a Coles/Woolies marketing company. Aka fake news! ;-) Declining profit margins of the big 2, and lower real grocery prices over the past several years will show the impact that Costco/Aldi (i.e. decent competition) have had on what used to be the fattest supermarket profits in the developed world. Re. local - as others have pointed out - there is no restriction on anyone outside of Australia buying Coles (Wesfarmer) or Woolworths shares. This attitude is a throwback from the 70s to justify establishment extortion. If you have a better product or a better price, then customers will come your way. That's how the free market system works. You can't have it both ways…

    • AS2035 on 02/07/2017 - 21:53

      fake news? Seriously? You must be a would be Trump supporter as you don't know when and how to use 'fake news'

  • l005e on 02/07/2017 - 15:46
    -4

    i dont shop at aldi ever since they refused to refund for a faulty item

    • hashtagbargain on 02/07/2017 - 20:35
      +1

      I've never had a refund refused by aldi.

    • JimmyF on 04/07/2017 - 21:06

      did you have the receipt?

      • l005e on 05/07/2017 - 08:46

        Yes I had the receipt. They gave me the run around telling me I had to return to the manufacturer. After being refused by the manufacturer and a complaint to aldi, the regional manager contacted me a month or so later to offer a refund but too little too late in my opinion. Thats just my personal experience and why I dont shop there.

        • JimmyF on 05/07/2017 - 09:13

          Thats very unlike aldi on returns. At least you did get a refund in the end.

          What had you been returning?

        • l005e on 05/07/2017 - 09:51

          @JimmyF: It was one of those $50 Action cams (like a cheap go pro) that I bought for my uncle as a present but never worked.

        • JimmyF on 05/07/2017 - 13:58

          @l005e: Hmmm bugger…. You must have just gotten a bad aldi manager it seems. I've seen TVs returned and they didn't blink at doing a refund!

          So not sure why they would be so pissy over a $50 item!

  • taser on 02/07/2017 - 16:05
    +1

    I don't shop at aldi since most of the food taste like s—t
    Only been twice and only got a few items to replace the staples I normally get from Coles and ended up binning the lot (yogurt, margarine, ect) the wife bought some sausages once that see liked though.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 16:18
      +2

      the wife bought some sausages once that see liked though.

      Your taser needs recalibration.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 16:41
    +5

    Who needs bags.
    I grab a box and stack some shelves while I'm there

  • furys12 on 02/07/2017 - 17:05
    +1

    i don't shop at aldi because they don't consider tasmania worthy of a store

    i'm sure ill get hate for this but what exactly in your life is being ruined by having to spend 15 minutes in a store instead of the 2 you think it should take, its like those idiots who drive like monkeys to be the front of the line, only to arrive at maccas 30 seconds before you, congratulations.

    the only thing on your list that's actually stupid is the eftpos charge because your right they don't need too and their competition doesn't

    • CandyMan on 02/07/2017 - 19:28
      +2

      Um, we are talking about Australia here!

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 02/07/2017 - 17:08

    If you dont like it dont shop there?

  • JimmyF on 02/07/2017 - 17:14

    I love that 'Baysew' edited the OP post to add a full stop…. haha grammar people.

    But Gee OP, just don't shop at aldi and move on!

  • adam149 on 02/07/2017 - 18:44
    +2

    Balwyn North median house price is 1,799,500. I bet you can afford to shop elsewhere.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 02/07/2017 - 19:29

      Unless they bought it 10 years ago when it was $100k

  • OzzyOzbourne on 02/07/2017 - 19:22
    +1

    You last sentence seems to imply that having security guards would make it feel less like a jail.

  • CandyMan on 02/07/2017 - 19:25
    +2

    Try your next closest aldi. Everyone loves aldi.

  • davislukes on 02/07/2017 - 19:37

    I can't stand Aldi either, all of their packaged food tastes awful! If I ever go there, it's for the special (non food related) items.
    The only things I ever bother with are those special items and rarely fruit and veg, etc, the things they can't get wrong! lol

  • bobbified on 02/07/2017 - 19:56
    +3

    You're such a sook!

    Also the profits get sent overseas anyway being foreign owned unlike Woolies/Coles

    Why do you even walk in there if where the profit goes is one of your main concerns?

  • Mattec078 on 02/07/2017 - 21:16

    Dont Like it Dont Shop There…. pretty simple Really

  • AS2035 on 02/07/2017 - 21:51
    -4

    Aldi aren't cheap.

    They were selling printers and I couldn't get near the store, so I left and came back few hours later. The store wasn't as full. Printers were gone.
    Asked one of the staff and got a lecture about missing items I need by arriving late.

    Called their customer service and left my feedback… they said they will take into account not putting all stock out at same time and taking it out a bit at a time.. the woman apologised for the staff member.

    People rave about their cheeses and I tried a few and they were vile.

    Have been meaning to get one of their wines to try but with only 2 people serving and taking forever haven't gone in. They need a self serve check out.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2017 - 02:20

      I'll grant that they're getting a little more pricey with some of their irregular items.

      But look, it works like this: some of their prices are very good, but they wouldn't be able to do that with (a) a deli; (2) huge stores; (3) massive product lines; (4) meeting your every delayed need.

      In terms of their irregular items, they are rotating on fixed space which is a very cheap way of doing it. Don't expect to buy a printer every day of the year. But i'm cool with that, as i don't need to buy a printer every day of the year.

      I shop at Aldi, and then go to WOW/Coles for the residual - i'm lucky as they happen to be in the same complex.

  • Shame on 02/07/2017 - 22:07
    +1

    I want SSW supermarkets to come back because nostalgia.

    "What does mother kangaroo do? She shops at SSW"

  • Hikey on 02/07/2017 - 22:28
    +3

    I love Aldi and really like to shop there

  • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 22:32

    I'm getting mixed up between the 2 threads as they both have positive and negative feelings in them towards Aldi.

    I'm happy to put up with the Aldi faults occasionally. I can usually get better deals elsewhere but my family really likes their spreadable butter and Wheat Biscuits so I go there about once a month.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2017 - 23:34
    +3

    Glad you hate Aldi … More parking spots/bargains for the rest of us.

    As for Woolworths/Coles they can get stuffed. Self checkouts should be renamed Shareholder bandits as they are the only group benefiting from customer labour and reduced staff numbers.

    Woolworths cares so much about supporting Australians they get that Jamie Oliver w*nker to promote their Supermarket.

    Loads of products on the shelves at Woolies/Coles are all being made in cheap Asian countries with a premium price tag. Aldi's vine leaves cheaper than Coles/Woolies are made in Greece compared to Coles/Woolies which are expensive and made in China.

    Stuff loyalty in Australia. Look at the banks, FoxTel and a lot of other businesses… Good deals/freebies for new customers and nothing for loyal customers.

  • Pacify on 03/07/2017 - 00:04

    No free plastic bags

    Now if only all stores did this.

    Also the profits get sent overseas anyway being foreign owned unlike Woolies/Coles

    Aha, ahhahaha

  • hahaboy on 03/07/2017 - 00:11

    i don't know if this post is trolling or just the ceo of Woolies/Coles? The arguments for hating aldi are so weak.

  • idonotknowwhy on 03/07/2017 - 00:32
    -5

    I asked for a plastic bag when buying an avocado form a fruit shop. The guy said "That's a lot of plastic for one avocado"
    What a douche. It waa expensive too.

    Surcharge at Aldi is annoying too. They didn't even tell me I was being charged a fee for my card (against the law here). As if it costs them more to pay visa 0.05% than it does handling coins, taking them to a bank, etc…

    I always assume tax evasion when cards are discouraged.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2017 - 02:34
      +10

      That's a lot of plastic for one avocado.

      • bdl on 03/07/2017 - 16:07
        +1

        That's not enough avocado for the plastic. :(

    • Ughhh on 03/07/2017 - 06:30

      Every also store I've been to have signs about the surcharge all over the ceiling above checkout. On top of that, another small sign on the EFTPOS machine. No offence but…

      • idonotknowwhy on 03/07/2017 - 08:37

        I knew about the surcharge already, but I believe they are supposed to tell you verbally.
        One thing I'll say though, the plastic bag they sell to you there is awesome!
        It's only 15 cents and it's lasted me a month so far.

        It's actually more annoying that some Coles supermarkets have started using smaller plastic bags, which can't line the bins.

        Want to guess where they end up based on the amount of plastic I request for one avocado?

        • WreckTangle on 03/07/2017 - 09:10
          +1

          I use Aldi bags to pick up my dogs poo. Nice and stong and avoids incidents unlike those thin WW bags.

        • JohnHowardsEyebrows on 03/07/2017 - 17:21

          I knew about the surcharge already, but I believe they are supposed to tell you verbally.

          Do you have any idea how tedious that would be for the rest of us who understand how the world works? Not to mention the poor cashier who has to repeat the phrase like a parrot, all for people who can't cop 50 cents in a dollar for interest free cycles and rewards points?

          SMH

    • bobbified on 03/07/2017 - 19:15
      +1

      You should have asked him if he wears condoms…

    • supaderp on 04/07/2017 - 12:39
      +1

      Aldi charges you the surcharge at the check out.
      Meanwhile other supermarket already includes the cost of the CC surcharge in their products. Oh and not to mention that you are paying for the "free" plastic bags, items that get stolen at self serve check outs, staffs sitting at the back and cashiers doing nothing in an empty store.

      Aldi is making shopping fair.

      • idonotknowwhy on 04/07/2017 - 14:19

        Actually, I don't mind paying for plastic bags at Aldi, and the plastic bags there are actually very good quality. I just don't like douches commenting on the plastic:avacado ratio.

        Regarding surcharges, there are costs associated with cash as well. I'm skeptical as to whether or not Visa and MasterCard costs are higher than cash handling costs.

        • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2017 - 14:41

          That's a lot of plastic for one avocado.

  • pyramid on 03/07/2017 - 03:42
    +1

    I love Aldi.

    • bdl on 03/07/2017 - 16:06

      I LOVE LAMP

      (when they are on sale at Aldi)

  • Thaal Sinestro on 03/07/2017 - 04:14

    The real reason why people execrate Aldi is that they are middle class snobs, and Aldi is perceived by them as catering to the proletariat they despise so much (minimum wage earners, welfare recipients, decrepid retirees). The bourgeoisie feel defiled when having to shop in the presence of such 'untouchables'.

    Aldi is cheaper for groceries, but middle class people are rich and can afford to pay more for their beloved kale sourced from Coles or Woolworths. Whole Foods in America ought to open stores in Australia, they would make a fortune marketing their massively overpriced food to the Australian middle class.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2017 - 18:13
      +2

      execrate

      verb

      1. [with object] Feel or express great loathing for.
        'they were execrated as dangerous and corrupt'

      2. archaic [no object] Curse; swear.

      Origin: Mid 16th century: from Latin exsecrat- ‘cursed’, from the verb exsecrari, based on sacrare ‘dedicate’ (from sacer ‘sacred’).

      Nice.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2017 - 06:53
    +1

    Must say this is true.
    Coles/ Woolies act like they're for the more discerning customers now.
    They seem to think their Tesco's, as board level management are refugees from a long lost era of boarding school snobbery
    I go into a new local Coles and it's empty of customers with staff outnumbering you 2:1
    And woolies old staff seem to think that if you haven't made the effort to dress up then your there to steal all their grapes and take all their crappy $50 disposable razors
    They're just driving customers away with their , take them for everything you can get attitude.

  • bargainy on 03/07/2017 - 08:23
    +1

    I buy specials from Aldi but don’t do a full shop as they just don't carry enough range of product. That has improved since our local refurbished and expanded. My local Aldi is right next to a Coles which helps but I find I’m going to a local green grocer more now as the prices are only a little higher for most fresh produce and often better looking product.

    I live in Canberra so used to no plastic bags. After watching the War on Waste I’m horrified that some States have yet to ban these bags. Now I try to find produce with less packaging and recyclable if possible. That includes local butcher so I buy less product on non recyclable polystyrene trays.

    Like most I’m not wealthy enough to have boundless altruism but I am making an effort to leave a smaller environmental footprint.

  • vicosads on 03/07/2017 - 08:52

    i buy my own bags to use at the supermarket https://goo.gl/iZynfa

  • Chubbsmcfatflabs on 03/07/2017 - 09:52

    I dont like Aldi. in general most products are not to my taste. Find their stuff a bit bland.

    Their paper goods are ok, but past that you get what you pay for and most of it is sourced OS.

    Food production standards are different OS.

    • WreckTangle on 03/07/2017 - 10:07
      +1

      Most Aldi products are actually sourced from Oz suppliers. And all food products sold there have to meet FSANZ food standards

      • Chubbsmcfatflabs on 03/07/2017 - 10:35
        +1

        Hmm really ? Not trying to be sarcastic..

        I'd be interested to see the %'s on that applied to their total product line. Perhaps it was just the products I wanted to buy were all produced OS..

        Didn't like the quality of the fruit & veg. Found their meat average. Prefer to go to a butcher and a local grocer for my staples.
        **Found the answer to my queires on the Choice website. They did a comparison on teh major brands value on a basket of goods on the 5th of June. In reference to australian products they say :

        "A resounding 91% of respondents in our latest Consumer Pulse survey told us that buying Australian products was important to them.

        Coles and Woolworths report that 96% of their fruit and veg is Australian sourced – for Aldi that figure is 91% – and certainly all the fresh fruit and veg that we priced was grown in Australia. But supermarkets aren't so forthcoming about what proportion of their own brand packaged food is locally sourced.

        To get a rough idea, we looked at the country of origin statements for all the food items in our survey, to see which supermarket basket offers the most in the way of Australian produce.

        Sadly the labelling provided little clarity around the source of some or all of the ingredients in many cases – just two products, both from Coles, displayed the new country of origin labels. But if you want a basket with as many Australian ingredients as possible, and the least amount of non-Australian products, then – for our shopping list at least – you're probably better off buying leading brands, or the equivalent Coles and Woolworths brand products. You end up with fewer items made from Australian ingredients if you substitute cheaper Coles and Woolworths brand items or shop at Aldi. "

  • imahapyboy on 03/07/2017 - 09:58
    +1

    how can I neg this topic?

  • narcoleptic-haze on 03/07/2017 - 11:18

    I can understand the no free plastic bag thing, but there are a few annoying things. Like whenever I go in with my own (ALDI) bag, I always have to convince the guy at the register that I brought it from home and I'm not trying to steal a new one. I also don't understand why they don't have hand baskets.

    • bobbified on 03/07/2017 - 11:31

      Try stitching your name into your bag (or something that you clearly couldn't do in the shop) and that should stop any further suspicions.

      Actually, instead of your name, you could stitch a middle finger into it to show anyone that asks! haha

    • roundnumbersonly on 03/07/2017 - 17:45

      Most of the aldi's I've been to in Bris have baskets.

  • ssyl9 on 03/07/2017 - 12:10
    +1

    As ridiculous as this post I think theres 2 things he said is correct which people are just counter arguing because they can

    1. Visa and MasterCard surcharge.

    Like seriously are we trying to promote this since I keep seeing people reply with:

    Why are you restricted to these payment methods? Get your finances in order or pay the surcharge.

    Cash? EFTPOS? Poor finances? Choose one.

    Are you guys like old generations that always use cash? Get out of this site as this site frequently gives deals on credit card points.

    We should stop organisations charging for this thing. Why are we counter arguing this fact?

    1. No self checkout

    we get answers like this

    Why do you like machines replacing jobs so massive corporations make even more profit anyway?

    Boo hoo jobs are being replaced by machines. Isnt this the norm? I personally like self checkouts as I can be in and out pretty fast.

    I like corporations to use machines to replace people as labour always cost more. This means they have to capacity to charge lesser and give better discounts. Bare in mind, all savings might not be reflected in the price consumers face, but all extra costs will definitely be passed on to the consumers. Why are you a wanting a company to hire someone that a machine can easily replace with?

    • idonotknowwhy on 03/07/2017 - 14:04

      And nobody addresses the fact that there are costs associated with accepting cash too.

      • ssyl9 on 03/07/2017 - 16:11

        yep so true

        The only reason ALDI is cheaper is because they do not have contracts with the well known brands.

        I mean if you buy coles brand or homebrand you can get roughly the same price in coles and woollies.

        Other things are jacked up in price to cover for the contract pricing of other products.

        So this means ALDI can be even cheaper if they follow coles and woollies footsteps (free card transaction, self check outs, etc…)

    • D C on 05/07/2017 - 23:02

      Cash? EFTPOS? Poor finances? Choose one.

      Given I wrote that, I don't use cash or a credit card when shopping, I use a debit card - ie EFTPOS, from a savings account.

      You can get debit Visa/Mastercards cards easier enough, dunno if they attract the 0.5% fee though. They should…

      I should have put cheque in the list, there's gotta be someone who'll agree to that.

  • daft009 on 03/07/2017 - 12:10
    +1

    love aldi, i remember the first time i went to Aldi in Germany in 2004 and thought it was awesome!

    little easier for me as my local shopping centre has all 3x under the one roof and parking is a non-issue.

  • chickenchipsgravy on 03/07/2017 - 12:32

    my gripe is the opposite, they scan shit like theyre superman but scan the bloody 15c plastic bag last so all your shit is just sitting there… you finally get the bag and youre trying to put the shit away but pay at the same time.. meanwhile everyone in line is like COMMON MAN… haha (profanity) aldi

    • highdealer on 03/07/2017 - 13:01
      -1

      Have you ever thought of physically giving them the bag first? Like every other sensible person i see does this at Aldi. If i was at the line behind you, it would be you getting the profanity.

      • chickenchipsgravy on 03/07/2017 - 14:32

        wow, that is insightful - i cant believe i hadn't thought of it.

        • WatchNerd on 04/07/2017 - 14:24

          So doesn't that make your first comment pointless then?

        • chickenchipsgravy on 04/07/2017 - 15:35

          @WatchNerd:
          thanks for posting, have you got thursday's powerball numbers?

        • WatchNerd on 04/07/2017 - 15:56

          @phat-dave: So you put the bags first on the conveyor belt, but somehow they scan them last, how is that possible?

          Pro tip - get some of the polypropylene bags & keep them in the car, problem solved.

        • GregMonarch on 04/07/2017 - 22:54

          @WatchNerd: I do that… and always forget to take them in, LOL.

  • zerocents on 03/07/2017 - 13:04

    My experience has been:

    • Checkout person usually crazy fast, the design where they are sitting and don't need to bag makes it much faster
    • Meat - minced beef at least - seems cheaper and better quality than Woolworths
    • No issues with parking

    I still end up shopping at my closest Woolies though, so go figure.

  • likang-c on 03/07/2017 - 16:07
    +1

    Aldi stores have about 10 checkouts available to use, only the middle 2 are ever open….

    • idonotknowwhy on 03/07/2017 - 16:53

      I got screwed by that recently. Was Queued up for 5 minutes at the single open checkout, and then they opened another checkout to the right, and invited the couple behind me to join it.

  • nickj on 03/07/2017 - 16:12
    +2

    OP, it's all in the preparation & state of mind.

    Coming from usually shopping in a typical Australian supermarket, when I first shopped at Aldi when they were fairly new, it felt quite hostile. For example, the first store I went to was a standalone store and not in a very convenient location for me so I had to drive much further than usual, I had to deposit a coin for a trolley, I didn't recognize most of the brands, they didn't give out bags which I wasn't prepared for, the whole checkout experience felt super-rushed, and I didn't have enough time to pack everything up, and I had to shove everything loose into the boot of my car, and I didn't expect the credit card surcharge. Basically it just felt painful, not worth the savings, I couldn't understand why people liked shopping there, and I didn't go back for several years.

    Fast forward, and now I do 90% of my shopping there, and just use the usual supermarkets as in-fill for the things that Aldi doesn't sell (e.g. larger zip-lock bags, and lavazza coffee), or where their products are inferior (e.g. their chicken stock is not as good as massell's, their home-brand tea is not very good, my son prefers the Yumi's hommus to their hommus, and my wife says their vitaweat clone is not as good as real vitaweats + their women's deodorant is not as good as rexona women's black & white).

    The differences:
    * I moved, so now Aldi is just as convenient a Coles for me. They're almost next to each other in my local shopping centre.
    * I know where to park, so I'm close to where I want to be.
    * I know where people put the empty Coles trolleys near the entrance to the centre, so I just use one of those and don't have to use a coin.
    * I know their products now, and what's good for us, and what's not.
    * I have a collection of good reusable canvas bags + a chiller bag that I always have with me in the car.
    * Their products seem better, maybe?
    * I can do a fairly quick shop at Aldi now, and know where things are.
    * I think I'm more conscious of money now than I was (blame OzBargain! :-] ), and I can see that they're definitely cheaper.
    * I know what to expect at the checkout, and I have my bags ready, and just shove stuff into the trolley if it's going too quick.
    * I have my payment method ready to go.
    * I no longer worry about too much about the surcharge. I realized that the rewards return from my credit card was ~ 0.5% (spend $19000 and get a $100 Coles gift card - pretty sure it's decreased since with the recent reforms coming into effect), so a surcharge of ~ 0.5% or less was fine with me as it was basically a wash.

    The majority of those things are just a change in my perception and preparation and familiarity.

    That said there are things where Aldi could improve. E.g.
    * Longer areas for packing up items that have already been scanned, or those old-style checkouts where they had a barrier than could be flipped from one side to another. That way I wouldn't be as held up by people who are unfamiliar with the process.
    * More registers that can sell alcholol. Limiting it to only 2 or just 1 open register, sometimes makes it slower if you just want to buy a few bottles of wine with your shopping.
    * I would be happy if they allowed pre-tapping your card, so that the payment of the total was even quicker.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2017 - 18:18
      -1

      Unless reading all that is going to get me laid, it's just not going to happen.

    • greatlamp on 04/07/2017 - 18:44

      FYI Their vitawheat clone is literally wheatbix in a different box.

      Their home brands are mostly repackaged name brands, although they do sometimes alter the recipie ( eg red bull vs flying power)

      I haven't worked out who makes their tea, but it is very cheap, certainly cheaper than the name brand version that would be sold at wollies. I would like to see some higher quality teas there.

      Overall their home brands are better than coles and wollies home brands, but none of Australia's major supermarkets cater to the high quality segment. That is expected to change when Lidl arrives here.

  • Elnato on 03/07/2017 - 16:55
    +4

    No baskets
    Having to put $2 coin in trolleys
    Stressful checkout
    Shameless brand copying on groceries
    Lack of staff on the floor for assisstance
    Exiting the shop is ridiculous if not buying anything
    Majority of profits go offshore
    No self selve checkout
    Bags cost money, groceries arent packed
    Credit/debit card fee

    There my major gripes, doesnt stop me from checking out the sweet special buys though

  • Mx2 on 03/07/2017 - 19:10
    +5

    My moral Reasons to like German owned Aldi over Woolworths and Coles:

    • Aldi sells booze. However the other two (and their various brands) outsell every other booze retailer in Oz.
    • The number #1 and #2 retailers of cigarettes in Australia are the Fresh Food People (thanks Jamie) and Coles fresh (Thanks Curtis).
    • They each own thousands of pokies…… yet they distance themselves from these shareholder pleasers to the public. I would love to see big signs out the front of their pubs saying "ANOTHER COLEs/WOOLIES pokies den". I once read that in Woolies partnership, they own more pokies than the top 5 Vegas casinos (by size) combined. Nothing against pokies, but how does Australia's largest retailer get away with claiming "financial hardship" to allow most of their local venues to trade from 9am to 4-6am daily in my area?

    The fresh, wholesome, warm and fuzzy family images they both try to project could not be further from the reality. Aldi on the otherhand is a German owned supermarket that has kept these two "honest" when the local competitors couldn't (or were bought out by the big two to gain further market share).

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join