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?

Food & Grocery

Related Stores

Coles
Coles

Comments

  • khell on 28/10/2018 - 13:27
    +102

    My local Coles close their self checkout first and make everyone use one or two single checkout counters. It’s really annoying. I wish I had your problem. Let’s trade.

      • khell on 28/10/2018 - 15:56
        +64

        I live by myself and make small shops. It's annoying (read: waste of time) having to wait for a person with a trolley full of items late at night when I could be done in under a minute at self-checkout.

          • khell on 28/10/2018 - 15:59
            +42

            @Savas: My time is worth more.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 14:49

          I live by myself and make small shops.

          Why do you make small shops when you have all the fridge, freezer and pantry space to yourself?

          You could buy in bulk and save time and money!

          • lightcn on 30/10/2018 - 08:49
            +3

            @Scrooge McDuck: I'm guessing because food wouldn't be as fresh if he bought in bulk and just stored it in the fridge/pantry. The food would eventually have to be chucked out if he/she didn't finish it in time.

            • Scrooge McDuck on 30/10/2018 - 14:36
              +1

              @lightcn: I mostly eat meat, dairy, frozen veggies and brown rice. Rice lasts for months if not years in the pantry and the others for the same time in the freezer.

              Not sure what normies eat, chips and biscuits?

              • khell on 30/10/2018 - 16:16

                @Scrooge McDuck: I am actually trying to make less shops lately. I've started vacuum sealing perishables and freezing them, and I already stockpile rice in the pantry, but I like to cook fresh food to eat because some of the food I like to cook does not reheat well and their raw ingredients get destroyed in the freezer. I've even started getting some fruit delivered because that lasts for ages. So, I'm getting there. 🙂

    • Diji1 on 28/10/2018 - 16:38
      +2

      make everyone use one or two single checkout counters

      That's what my local Coles do as a matter of routine. Meaning there's never any more than two checkouts open and it's usually one so if you want to pay with cash they make it super inconvenient.

      I remember when they bought self-checkouts in the PR line for idiots was that no jobs would be lost.

    • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 30/10/2018 - 02:24
      +4

      A few easy solutions.

      Shop at a different time when other checkouts are open.
      Go to a different store.
      Shop online and have the groceries delivered.
      Ask a friend or family member for help.

      "There is probably no point complaining to Coles is there?"

      No.

      • Godric on 30/10/2018 - 08:56
        +2

        Heyyy welcome back to the land of the living Mr Zed

      • enzso on 31/10/2018 - 09:06
        +6

        Absolutely you should complain to Coles. I complained to Woolies once by guessing the CEO's email. Within a week I was in a meeting at the store with the store manager, area manager and state manager. Steven Cain is boss of Coles so [email protected] is a good place to start. Variations of that should get you the right email address.

    • Herbse on 30/10/2018 - 23:06
      +2

      My local Coles started doing that recently.
      I stood in line for 15 minutes to buy one single item.

      I don't bother going anymore

      • khell on 30/10/2018 - 23:18
        +1

        Sometimes I go to Aldi and 9 times out of 10 people see that I only have a few items and insist I go first without me asking. Very courteous. Never seen/had it happen at Coles though.

        • gimme on 31/10/2018 - 00:34
          +8

          Happens to me at aldi all the time and i don't even have a friendly face.

        • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 31/10/2018 - 10:48
          +3

          I am one of those who always allow people to go in front of they have a couple of items at Aldi.
          I usually have a lot of stuff!!

          • Austaurean on 01/11/2018 - 08:18

            @darkmattersunB6c0MV: and we all appreciate it… well I do… but it gets hard as well,

            I have been let in front with only 1 item and then another couple of people came in line with 1 or 2 items,
            have to call it quits at some point to get your own shopping through..
            but we do thankyou,
            on the other hand I have been seen with 1 item by people with full trollies and they do not offer, which they don't have to, but its nice if they do.

            • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 19/10/2019 - 18:01

              @Austaurean: Almost an yr since the post. Coming back because was touched by the sincere thanks of an old lady today as we let her go ahead. ( Actually, had also let another man go in front just before her, but the numerous times she thanked was touching.)
              I do not let people pass for thanks, but just to be considerate as usually have more than 15 items- up to 30 on a major shop.

      • lysp on 31/10/2018 - 13:45

        I'll generally try to make eye contact with the person behind the service counter.

        They will often scan through small purchases between selling cigarettes.

    • Tejas57 on 31/10/2018 - 02:52

      yep, mine does the same. also in the morning they are slow to open the self checks. if i'm picking up one or two things in the morning after dropping the kids off i don't bother to go to coles as the self checks are not open until around 10:00, and they generally only have 1 checkout open meaning i'll be stuck behind someone doing a weekly shop

    • Name on 31/10/2018 - 21:42

      Mine does the same. Although I don't mind it. I like the random chit chat while they scan and pack my groceries for me.

      If the line is super long I just play on my phone while waiting. Gives me a break before heading back home to the kids.

    • lddv04 on 01/11/2018 - 14:23

      Same with my Coles, early morning and late night, no self service points are open, only the old "12 items or less" aisles. Annoying!

    • mrdevil on 01/11/2018 - 18:38

      Likewise - and it gives me the absolute shits when I go to buy a handful of things on the way home, get there, and they've only one or two checkouts open, and queues of people waiting typically with a trolley or basket full. Give me self-serve checkouts only any day!

      … and I wish I could go shopping after 9pm, but I live in South Australia where we're a nanny state, and the stupid small business do-gooders kick up a stink any time the government try to de-regulate hours :(

  • Savas on 28/10/2018 - 13:30
    +3

    last time I left my groceries at the front of the store for the ******* to put away

    • Hotfoot78 on 29/10/2018 - 11:11
      +1

      The thought crossed my mind - but I'd spent so long filling the bloody trolley!

      • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 14:01
        -3

        Next time you could bring cash, tabulate your total on your phone, and leave it at the checkout as you proceed through.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 14:28
          +7

          The staff were unprofessional for not offering to help. I've had the same conversation with them a few times and a staff member has come running to scan everything for me. This is despite me being visibly muscular. On reflection, perhaps I come across as a dumb helpless meathead…

          So if I was you, I would just ask politely for help (optional: wear skimpy gym attire). I'm pretty sure that's part of their job. And as I'm sure every Australian is aware, many people don't do their jobs properly, so they need prompting. Speaking of which, perhaps hubby should do the shopping for heavy stuffs next time. Particularly if he wants to maximise Mum & Dad time.

          • D6C1 on 30/10/2018 - 14:02
            +3

            @Scrooge McDuck:

            This is despite me being visibly muscular

            Not true for anyone on ozbargain. Waiting for brag photos!

          • Austaurean on 01/11/2018 - 08:22

            @Scrooge McDuck: this is so true now a days… people just dont seem to get what real work, customer service or professionalism means

      • ozbjunkie on 29/10/2018 - 17:02
        +5

        Just ask a staff member to do it for you.

        Explain your situation, they will scan them all. Maybe you could help by bagging if you feel bad.

      • nikey2k27 on 30/10/2018 - 19:53
        +4

        Hey, Can plz report this coles head office as they should have opened checkout for you. If a customer asks for manned checkout to they must do or put you good self-service for you well you watch they might call it to teach you. I take you were paying by Card or Cash some cash can be a problem but never card. Ex-Customer service team member.

      • LlamaOfDoom on 30/10/2018 - 20:56

        Take photos of your items on your phone and add them to online shop while watching an episode of your favourite TV show.
        Make sure to choose a different store incase the online order picker is also the put this abandoned trolley of stuff back on the shelves guy.
        Keep doing it until they blacklist you from the store.
        Also post about your issues on social media, every, single, time.

  • loulou1 on 28/10/2018 - 13:36
    +12

    I would make a complaint. On the news in qld recently there was mention of one of the major supermarkets banning trolleys from self serve.

  • spersephone on 28/10/2018 - 13:39
    +21

    I came across this at KMart the other week, at 9:30am. They told me that they didn't open the staffed checkouts until 10am. I dumped my stuff and left. I also contacted KMart and complained, and they told me that the staff would have opened a register for me, but they certainly did not.

    If the customers are there, and there are staff there (as there should be), at least one person should be on checkouts at all times.

    • pformag on 30/10/2018 - 16:08
      +1

      You must be fun at parties.

    • nikey2k27 on 30/10/2018 - 19:55

      if not opened checkout put customer self-service for them.

    • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 02:02
      +1

      If the customers are there, and there are staff there (as there should be), at least one person should be on checkouts at all times.

      True. Also supermarket's push to force us into self-service is to cut costs and reduced staff levels, by forcing us to do the job of checkout employee. If everyone self-serves, checkout workers lose jobs, supermarkets make more profit. Should never be forced into self-service, except in situation such as aldi, where we know we have to bag our own groceries, we get things cheaper because of this, and it is known before we go there that we must do some of the service work ourselves.
      To spring it on us unexpectedly and demand we do the checkout work, is kind of a breach of contract (not legally, but ethically and in the interest of fairness).
      Almost always, if I'm forced to do checkout workers job, well I mistakenly miss scanning at least 1 item, so ends up free If they were to catch me out and complain, I would tell them "well I don't know how to do this, I didn't choose to self serve, there should be at least 1 register open since store is still open".

      • bringbring on 31/10/2018 - 10:16
        +1

        reducing the manned working hours keeps prices lower for all of us (partially offset by people such as yourself using it as justification to steal)

        • Flying Ace on 31/10/2018 - 11:44
          +5

          Ahh I see you’ve fallen into the same lie that retail managers mislead their staff with. “Make more money and there’ll be more hours for staff”.

        • banana365 on 31/10/2018 - 19:21

          Yes, everything will be so much cheaper once they stop having to pay people. Shame there'll be few people around to buy anything because they're unemployed.

      • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 31/10/2018 - 10:50
        +2

        Missing to scan an item intentionally is stealing. Please do not try to justify the same.

    • lddv04 on 01/11/2018 - 14:26
      +1

      Don't get me started about KMart! Those stupid check-outs in the middle of the store and the poor 15 year old at the entrance / exit having to check bags. I usually just smile and walk straight past them.

  • tomsco on 28/10/2018 - 13:39
    +39

    Next time say you don’t know they work and scan everything through as carrots or something.

    • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 13:55
      +1

      Everything except the carrots, scanned as carrots ;)

      • Name on 31/10/2018 - 21:47

        Just steal the actual carrots?

        • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 22:08

          Only if there's 24 of em ;)

          • tomsco on 01/11/2018 - 07:17
            +4

            @Flanders: What is my perfect crime? I break into Tiffany's at midnight. Do I go for the vault? No, I go for the chandelier. It's priceless. As I'm taking it down, a woman catches me. She tells me to stop. It's her father's business. She's Tiffany. I say no. We make love all night. In the morning, the cops come and I escape in one of their uniforms. I tell her to meet me in Mexico, but I go to Canada. I don't trust her. Besides, I like the cold. Thirty years later, I get a postcard. I have a son and he's the chief of police. This is where the story gets interesting. I tell Tiffany to meet me in Paris by the Trocadero. She's been waiting for me all these years. She's never taken another lover. I don't care. I don't show up. I go to Berlin. That's where I stashed the chandelier.

  • Quantumcat on 28/10/2018 - 13:42
    -1

    "Forget" to scan a few things (probably the heavy ones like boxes of soft drink and pet food), that will recompense you for your time.

    • Hybroid on 28/10/2018 - 14:20
      +49

      Also known as "theft".

    • Zachary on 28/10/2018 - 18:45

      I think I saw someone do this….was funny too because another person tried to chase them down……..should have filmed it……oh well

  • thepigs on 28/10/2018 - 13:42
    +16

    no one at checkouts to help? just keep pushing your trolley out the door!

  • jelko on 28/10/2018 - 14:07
    +55

    How did you get the 7kgs of dog food into your trolley?

    • dcep on 28/10/2018 - 14:13
      +48

      same way as getting it into the car

      • altomic on 28/10/2018 - 14:32
        +23

        And from the car into the house?

        • dcep on 28/10/2018 - 14:33
          +25

          by yelling at the hubby

  • johndowy on 28/10/2018 - 14:20
    +56

    I don't know if I will neg'ed for this but maybe your husband should have gone out instead of you?

    • Hybroid on 28/10/2018 - 14:22
      +50

      There's certainly a sense of entitlement here where people think it's justified to steal or cause workers additional grief because things don't go your way… It's quite odd.

      • havebeerbelywillsumo on 28/10/2018 - 17:50
        -1

        Didn't think feeling "entitled" to get proper service was a bad thing?

        • HighAndDry on 29/10/2018 - 12:29
          +20

          Everyone else could use the self checkouts just fine. OP didn't mention that she was visibly pregnant for no reason - she expected special treatment.

          • R-Man on 30/10/2018 - 19:09
            +5

            @HighAndDry: I worked at Coles for 5 years on checkouts, I think it's reasonable to expect Coles staff to help out a pregnant woman.

            We'd do self checkout for the customer and even bring their trolley to their car sometimes.

            • HighAndDry on 30/10/2018 - 19:23
              -1

              @R-Man: I don't know why the fact you worked at Coles is relevant. I'm not married and I haven't had any kids, but I still think it's reasonable to expect the husband of a pregnant woman to be doing the shopping instead of being at home.

              In any case, my objection is that expecting OP to use self-checkout herself is also proper service.

              • R-Man on 30/10/2018 - 20:15
                +1

                @HighAndDry:

                I don't know why the fact you worked at Coles is relevant

                so edgy

                • HighAndDry on 30/10/2018 - 22:09
                  -3

                  @R-Man: I'm not sure if I'm just old, or you're way too old, but I've no idea how "edgy" fits in here.

          • raymosaurus on 30/10/2018 - 23:09
            +1

            @HighAndDry: Shouldn't she get special treatment? Why the hell not? She's visibly pregnant.

            • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 00:29
              +5

              @raymosaurus: Maybe. But Coles staff not giving her special treatment isn't wrong either. I mean - apparently her husband didn't think she deserved it…

              • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 02:29
                +2

                @HighAndDry: Its not 'special treatment' for us customers who never use self serve and always choose to use register and interact with a person rather than a machine. The normal, somewhat old fashioned checkout service is offered by all stores, and we go expecting this, not as a 'special treament' but rather as the way we choose to do our shopping.
                It is a special mistreatment to unexpectedly demand that we do the checkout persons job and self-serve when that's not what we came for. Sure, could put all groceries back, drive home, drive back another time, fill trolley again etc, but that wouldn't be fair. It is my understanding (as former coles staff mentioned already) that if a customer wants to be served and checkouts are all closed, then the employee at self-serve area has the job lf serving (using the self-service as their register). This has happened several times, when I have been shopping.

                • BartholemewH on 31/10/2018 - 14:24
                  +1

                  @Flanders: Agreed. How have the sheep forgotten what service is in a few short years?

                • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 17:39
                  -1

                  @Flanders: You want a service that everyone else doesn't receive - that's special treatment.

                  • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 17:53
                    -1

                    @HighAndDry:

                    everyone else doesn't receive

                    You are making no sense dude. You are not everyone lol, despite what you may feel.

                    Literally everyone has the choice of either support self-checkout or support human interaction and keeping checkout staff in a job. Just because you choose the former, does not mean "everyone else doesn't receive" the option of service by a human staff member rather than a computer.

                    OP' right to choose human service vs automated was changed at last minute, after already having done her shopping.

                    • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 17:56
                      +2

                      @Flanders:

                      OP' right to choose human service

                      What? You don't have a right to be served by a human. You might have the option, if a physical check-out is open. If none are, then your options are to use what's available or to walk-out. At that point, OP hasn't paid any money, they're not entitled to jack.

                      • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 18:18
                        -1

                        @HighAndDry: Still not making sensei very clearly said we have the right to choose . I never said anything about "You don't have a right to be served by a human" so I think I figured what your user name is about, cos you got high, then decide to post response reply to comments you have imagined.
                        Points for creativity :)

                        At that point, OP hasn't paid any money, they're not entitled to jack.

                        Money paid is irrelevant. It not a requirement to make payment before driving to grocery store.
                        By your logic, you and mates could book tickets at cinema (without paying yet) to see a movie, buy munchies, drive half an hour to cinema, then cinema tells you, we have decided to force you to sit facing the wall, in seats usually for blind people, so they don't mind as long as they can hear film. Would you be fine with this ? Would you think think is a fair and decent way to treat customers ?
                        Or would just be happy and say thankyou, pay for your tickets and sit facing the wall for the movie. And tell them they "don't owe you Jack" .
                        I doubt there is any information at all stating in advance of checkout closure, and certainly OP had no prior notice that choice/option was taken away. Similarly if the situation of cinema had occurred to you and your' party.
                        Maybe technically someone or some business does not owe you (or any customers) jack as you suggest. A bit of manners and common decency doesn't go astray though, especially if a company wants to remain profitable in a competitive market such as coles vs woolworths.

                        I am sure that coles marketing and related customer service, higher ups, would not share your' attitude towards customer service :)
                        You treat customers badly, entire business looks bad, terrible marketing, then lose customers and therefore lose profit.

      • boostpak on 30/10/2018 - 09:16

        It's not odd- It's Australia ..

    • cktftw on 30/10/2018 - 11:25
      +6

      Careful what you say.
      She's a strong independent woman….

      • HighAndDry on 31/10/2018 - 18:00

        Who don't need no man! (But needs a check-out girl).

  • [Deactivated] on 28/10/2018 - 14:22
    +27

    Just buy it online and have it delivered. They'll carry the bags into your Kitchen for you.

    No queues, no checkout, no lifting anything.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 14:46
      +10

      Sounds great!!

      Can they cook it, feed it to me and rub my belly afterwards?

      *Here comes the aeroplane. brbrbrbrbrbr…*

      • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2018 - 07:46
        +4

        "aeroplane jelly for me"

  • Fier2 on 28/10/2018 - 14:25
    +1

    Maybe make a formal complaint ?! I guess it depends on where is your coles. You should have ask her to help you scanning as i noticed that staff are quite helpfull at coles or woolies.

  • Richardc on 28/10/2018 - 15:02
    +5

    I do believe you can search heavy item on their checkout machine, you can also ask them to input those item for you, I did this few times.

  • redforever on 28/10/2018 - 15:08
    +3

    Did you only ask them if they have any check out open and they tell you no or did you ask them to open one and she said no.

    I understand that they might not have one open all the time but if you asked and they said no, i would ask for the store manager or note their name and lodge a complaint with head office.

  • wordplay on 28/10/2018 - 15:40
    -1

    like others have said, if you don't like the options they give you just start stealing stuff.

    • cloudy on 28/10/2018 - 16:12
      +10

      Yea, and if you don’t like the people you work with just…. end sarcasm

      Seriously the encouraging stealing coz you don’t like your options? Lol, what next?

    • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 15:07

      like others have said, if you don't like the options they give you just start stealing stuff.

      notsureifsarcasticorgenuinelystu… 🤔

  • Godric on 28/10/2018 - 16:34
    +5

    If you condition your self to be less mobile than perhaps you shouldn't be the one doing the shopping.

    • HighAndDry on 29/10/2018 - 12:30
      +21

      There needs to be more awareness that pregnancy is self inflicted.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 29/10/2018 - 15:10
        +12

        Not sure what they teach in school these days but pretty sure hubby is partly responsible.

        • HighAndDry on 29/10/2018 - 15:11
          +6

          Didn't say OP is solely responsible, but still fully self-inflicted. I mean - if I decide to blow $100,000 on the pokies and end up broke, divorced and homeless, that's self-inflicted too, even if the RSL club took my money.

        • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2018 - 17:15
          +1

          we don't know that for sure

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join