How do you use multiple debit or gift cards at Coles/Wooworths self-checkout without looking suspicious?

As subject. I will try to use multiple payment methods (mostly 2, sometimes 3, seldom 5) to use up my remaining one or two dollar gift card balance or pay using multiple debit cards to meet the 5 debit card monthly transaction requirement for bank bonus savings criterias like many users on the forum suggested.

And the store workers will keep standing around to see what I am doing like I am trying to do something suspicious and look down at my bag after I am done checking out when I am in fact doing my task as a shopper. I feel like the "ambiguity" this has caused me warrants me a potential psychological consultation which will amount to $200 which is more than all the gift card balances or savings that I get by maxing out the remaining $1 or $2 balance in the gift cards or saving on few dollars with split payment to meet the 5 transaction bank criteria for bonus savings interest and using the HSBC Tap and Get 2% Cashback as my primary debit card payment. I think what I will do in the future instead is to opt for buying 5 one dollar Amazon gift cards online instead to meet the minimum 5x bank transaction requirement for my bank bonus interest rate instead of doing 5x one cent/ten cent/one dollar transactions at the Coles/Woolworths self checkout and then using the sixth debit card to fund the remaining purchase at Coles or Woolworths since that apparently is how you get flagged by the staff??? So how do all you frugal buyers deal with all of this drama?

Comments

  • +31

    who cares what other people think

    • 87 percent can't go any higher :)

    • -8

      That is part of the reason Africans in Yankee-land die earlier because of all the stigmatistion like being suspected of shoplifting or looting. I mean I want to live life to its fullest…

      • +1

        wat

  • +5

    How do you use multiple debit or gift cards at Coles/Wooworths self-checkout without looking awkward or suspicious?

    Think less

    • I mean I am still doing it but I think this warrants a $200 consultation with a shirk so cost-wise it is not beneficial so I think maybe I should stop doing it in the future in order save money so as not to be penny-wise pound-foolish.

      • +9

        Punctuation helps with breathing.

  • +3

    You need to come in hot and heavy, foot on the accelerator and take it to crazytown ASAP (I usually record myself with my smart phone on a selfie stick while screeching the UN Charter and referring to myself as a "free-travelling living person Really; Crow, not the corporation CrowReally indentured to the Magna Carta").

    You get a lot of heat and attention immediately but when they try to negotiate with the hot mess you are serving up they are relieved when you stop and go "Alright fine, but I'm paying with three gift cards".

    • +2

      Sometimes I go to the staffed check out instead and ask to do multiple purchases instead of doing self-check out, or when I am doing seperate purchases for certain items on promo which can't be put together in one receipt I will say "sorry I am doing multiple purchases, this might take a while" when in fact each transaction takes 30 seconds to process as to not look like I am doing one purchase and stealing the remaining items…

  • +1

    If u feel anxious, i'd just stick with the staffed checkout and just tell them up front that you need help with using multiple gift cards.

    They'll give you some guidance, and probably leave you alone.

    • True but pretty hard to do one dollar or one cent debit card transactions at the staffed checkout only plausible for using two gift cards or for doing two 99 dollar split payments for the HSBC Spend and Save below $100 for 2% cashback promotion. But when you have two or more gift cards and one debit card to simultaneously use and there are many people queing in the line it gets a bit hard.

      • +1

        tell them how you are doing this to cheese the system?

        Buy some items individually "for tax purposes"?

        Generally, these people don't give af so long as the cards in your name.

        I've done multiple gift cards at self serv plenty of times. Only issue I had was getting the barcode to scan from my phone so I asked for help. There's no rule that says you are only allowed to use 1 card so stress less mate.

  • +1

    Self-service? No care in the world.
    If using the cashier, I tend to use 2, first the lower value - when it doesn't cover the amount I then act "oh is the balance low on that one, wow", then request to use it and then use the next one..

    • Then they have to check the balance which takes a while. And redo the gift card payment part. Which is a pain in the arse. Especially when there are three people waiting in line.

      • +2

        If you're doing 1 cent debit card transactions during a busy time, the social cost (stares, etc) is on you. Pick a quiet time (such as closer to closing time etc) when it isn't busy and you're less likely to be inconveniencing others (and hence receive less negative attention).

        • I don't do one cent or one dollar debit card transcations at serviced checkout at all at most two 90 dollar transactions for the HSBC spend and save 2% bonus under 100 dollar promotion, or alternatively use a combination of ONE gift card and ONE debit card as my split payment method. Even at self check out during non-peak hoursthe staff will still come to see what's going on sort of giving impressions like why are you taking so long to buy your stuff or using so many payment methods if I do more than 2 split payments.

          • @thecheapcarp: Doing things with 2 payments is simple ("Some of this is for work so let me know when it gets to $90 and I'll pay that on my card first and get the receipt, then the rest can go through like normal").

            If you're trying to do more than 2 split payments, then yes, you are being weird. Wear the social cost (in this case burning social dignity to earn an extra $2 cashback).

            You were the one referring to "1 cent debit cards" above. I didn't make that up.

            • @CrowReally: I only do 5 split transactions (1 dollar each, with the rest of the amount on my normal debit card) when there is no customers at the self checkout, and only did that once in my entire life to figure out that this act warrants attention!? But all the other OzBargainers are suggesting it which makes me think that 1) I am doing it too weirdly or 2)The staff brings warranted attention to them but they don't care anyways or 3)Those people who are suggesting 5x one cent payments are just theorists and wouldn't do that in real life (which I truly doubt)

              • +5

                @thecheapcarp: I've done my share of HSBC/giftcard splits. Much like dealing with a pet or a child, the staff will react to the energy you bring with you to the event.

                I think you're over-thinking it and internalising a lot of social anxiety. The reason staff are checking on you when your process is taking longer is they are concerned something is wrong (receipt paper out? eftpos machine not working?). They're trying to help you, not judge you. (And as others comment, you can also choose to grow a thicker skin and decide it's not important to you how they think. The reality is 90 seconds later they've forgotten you).

                There are legitimate ways to do multiple payments (like the "receipt for work" comment above). Figure out a narrative you are comfortable with and stick with that.

                Then use it when it is convenient for everyone. If you're nuts enough to do these sort of things when you're in a busy queue then you have misread the situation and the social cost is working as intended. Those stares and awkwardness would be earned.

                • @CrowReally: Yeah I wouldn't be doing that in a busy queue. And when there is no queue, it's so much work for so little savings (not the process itself but all the warranted extra attention from staff that I don't think is warranted at all :). I think what I'll do from now on is I'll let you do all the savings instead and buy 5 one dollar Amazon gift cards even though I don't use Amazon at all.

              • @thecheapcarp: I did 5 transactions first time last week at Coles. I just scanned and paid each item individually to meet bonus interest terms. And it really felt weird as the staff would keep coming to my counter to glance at what's happening or may be it's just in my head.
                Anyway, I did this alternatively at Coles &'Woolies in the same month to prevent awkwardness.
                Do you scan all items first and then do split payment? how do you split them in 5 $1 and then remaining through main card?

          • @thecheapcarp: I guess its down to your area. I use 1 GC and HSBC regularly and yes the staff usually hang around but I've never felt pressured. For me it seems 1) They may think you are struggling or need help as you are taking longer than a normal customer and 2) They have to hang around as their job is to take the basket as soon as you are done. And maybe sometimes they are bored of their monotonous routine and wonder what you are doing - but I've never felt they think I'm stealing stuff or paying with fake cards.

  • +2

    i think you should buy cucumbers, condoms, duct tape, garbage bags, and rubber gloves.. they won't even care how you pay

    • You forgot WD40, butter and some antiseptic mouthwash.

  • +2

    You are overthinking it.

    I've used upto 15 gift cards of $1 or less in the same transaction and don't care. Its self check-out and I'm not really blocking anyone else as there are plenty of other terminals for others to use. Let the staff members look; what does it matter.

    In terms of checking whats in the bag; I've had them do that even when I've used no cards and just made a single payment on a credit card.

    Again, you are just overthinking this. If you still feel anxious; just send all the low value cards to me and I'll use them :)

    • I think I'll send my gift cards to you instead and save on the $200 I'll potentially spend visiting a psychologist. What a win-win!
      And yes, how do you carry your Coles shopping bag to Woolworths without having the staff double checking your bags or asking for your receipt. That is another question…

      • +1

        It's easier to use a Coles bag in Woolworths, staff will not think you have not paid for the bag.

        • +1

          That is very true at least they do not have to check my receipt to see if I bought the Coles bag

        • While checking out, we use Coles bags at Woollies checkout and vice versa, just for fun :D.

  • Is this a spam post or for real ?

    • +5

      It’s a reflection of modern society…

      • I think you just hit the nail on the head :)

  • +1

    The moment you stop worrying about what other people think, the happier you'll be.

    • -2

      I don't care really but it makes you reflect when you're the only shopper that warrants the attention of the staff…

  • +2

    You're over thinking it. The more you try to not look dodgy, the more you may come across as or feel dodgy.
    Have everything prepared before you get to the checkout.

    • Yes. I do tap and pay 5 times which makes 5 beeping sounds and 5 taps. Apprarently that warrants attention.

  • +6

    How many times have you paid attention to what other people are doing in the supermarket?

    Most important lesson in life is that you are nowhere near as important as you think you are and no one really cares what you're doing.

    • -1

      Well then the staff must think I am an important person then :)

      • +3

        Not really, they're seeing someone swipe 5 different cards and are probably wondering if you need help. Or if you're going to Woolworths, if you're scamming rewards cards.

        The assumption that minimum wage staff really care what you are doing is a big leap.

        • Not that they care about me but about upholding the company's policies (to earn profit that is) and to train what they are taught to do when someone acts all sus

          • +2

            @thecheapcarp: Just let them do their job, don't worry about them and go about your life.

            It still seems much more likely that they think you need help more than anything else. But if they aren't stopping you, I wouldn't worry about it, it's not that you're being "flagged" or anything like you're suggesting.

  • +3

    One day you'll realise that no-one cares. Everyone is so involved in their own lives and their own troubles that they aren't looking at you scanning multiple gift cards.

  • +1

    I feel like the "ambiguity" this has caused me warrants me a potential psychological consultation which will amount to $200 which is more than all the gift card balances or savings that I get by maxing out the remaining $1 or $2 balance in the gift cards or saving on few dollars with split payment to meet the 5 transaction bank criteria for bonus savings interest and using the HSBC Tap and Get 2% Cashback as my primary debit card payment.

    Holy long sentence Batman

  • +1

    I just do it, at the end of the day I'm spending my money there and a self checkout is the only place where I can use up my 20c, 5c etc balances. I've also been checking out at $10 lots at Coles so that I can redeem my Flybuys now

  • To help with your trauma I suggest doing as I do, I save the coins from previous shopping trips for "rainy" days - those days when the $50 notes run out….. all of these coins become valuable currency at the self service checkouts as my partner and I spend 5 minutes feeding the machine with all the small change collected from home.

    People watch us but they don't know the joy derived from being able to actually make colesworth deal with the problem they started….. Otherwise I shop at Aldi (without as many coins) because that would cause a disaster at the checkout.

    • +1

      Interesting I've never seen anyone deposit coins into the machines before. Good on you? What problems did they start may I ask?

  • +2

    Woolworths Everyday Pay is a great solution for the gift card challenge. It allows you to "load" all your gift into the app and then with a single scan pay using the remaining balances. If there is not enough available in gift cards you can then nominate a credit/debit card as back up. Great for those who pay regularly using discounted gift cards.

    Unfortunately this will not help with the multiple low value debit card purchase issue…

    • I will do that for all my subsequent shopping at Woolworths to avoid drawing attention to myself for making multiple transactions. Too bad Coles don't have them. I guess I will forfeit the HSBC 2% cashback cards and just do normal shopping with the crappy debit cards with 5 different purchases instead of doing multiple transactions in the same purchase. I usually spend 40 dollars per purchase, which totals to $200 over five purchases, so am losing 200*2%cashback=$4 total which sucks. Or maybe I'll try buying 5 one dollar Amazon giftcards with them so I won't lose $4 by forfeiting my HSBC card.

  • +1

    I do 5x$0.01 transactions per month on my debit card for my 5 transactions and I've learnt that the Coles self serve checkout is faster than Woolies for entering the $0.01 amount because there's fewer touch inputs required.

    I also mute the self serve checkout so I don't keep hearing the checkout give me the same instructions over and over again. Personally I just find it annoying but it definitely stops you drawing attention to yourself too.

    • I will do that for all my subsequent shopping at Woolworths to avoid drawing attention to myself for making multiple transactions. Too bad Coles don't have them.

      • Coles don't have what? Both of them can be muted.

        • I was replying to another post about combining all the giftcards into everyday pay which coles don't have. But good point I'll mute the self serve checkout next time since that is annoying as (profanity) and draws warranted attention.

    • How do you do 5x$0.01 transactions ? Is there an option to manually enter the amount you wish to pay with each tap once you've done scanning all the items?

      • +1

        Split payment by card and then enter $0.01. Repeat 4 more times.

        • Thanks. Never done split payment at Coles or Woolies before so I will give it a try next time. Until now, I was scanning and paying each item separately for first 5 items and then scanned all the remaining items.

        • Tried this today at Woolies, easy and quick. I did $1 transactions. Do you really do 5 $0.01 transactions and bank never flagged those ? Asking because I'm keen on doing $0.01 as well in future, so can use my rewards card for remaining grocery.

          • +1

            @SuperLate: Yep, I do 5x $0.01 transactions but I do them at Coles.

            The Coles interface for keying a partial payment is more efficient as it fills the numbers automatically from the right most side. ie when I key "1" the payment amount shows as $0.01.

            At Woolworths you have to key the numbers starting at the left side so to key the same $0.01 I have to enter "." then "0" then "1" to set up a $0.01 payment.

            Over 5 payments this is just slightly more ergonomic to do at Coles IMO.
            I can also mute the Coles self serve checkout so I can carry out my transactions without constantly being prompted by the instructional voice.

            I am currently doing the 5 transactions for a Westpac HISA account and they've never contacted me about it. My statement for the transaction account is literally just a $2.00 deposit when I opened it and then just 5x $0.01 Coles transactions each month slowly chipping away at the $2 deposit. I think I'm down to about $1.25 or something now.

            • @daanish: I was looking to mute Woolies self service but couldn't find the volume button, now I know why.
              Thanks for the tip I'll do 1¢ transactions at Coles next time, today I split $1 each transaction so it was easy to do at Woolies I suppose. Went to Coles afterwards but they're closed by that time, no more 12AM stores unfortunately !

              For O.P.: When I did this today there were 4 staff members present inside self service station but didn't bother me a bit and they cared least .

          • @SuperLate: I have been doing 1c transactions for years for Bank of Qld, ING, myState, and Virgin. Most months I do 20. I do them by Paypal in the privacy of my home. I have never had any problems with any of them however there have been reports of ING arbitrarily closing people's accounts and this being the suspected reason. So I try to do a few transfers as well. As ING consistently has the highest rates that would be a hit.

            • @Yola: With PayPal do you buy something and then split payment or send money to someone ? I don't have a good feeling about ING already , not happy with their customer service.

              • +1

                @SuperLate: I send the money to another person. Has worked for over a year.

  • +2

    Carry a clipboard, they'll think you're a mystery shopper and either leave you alone or go above and beyond

  • +2

    I feel like you have a choice, whether you experience discomfort here or not.
    When I'm using up residual credit on multiple e/giftcards, I'll just tell the attendant straight up, that's what I'm doing. They're then ready to assist if needed. Half the time, they have to come over and help with some aspect anyway. I think they appreciate the heads up. Also, most attendants really don't care as much as we assume. So, I wonder if they really are "suspicious", or if they're noticing your transaction is a little different and getting ready to help. I'm suggesting you try to work with the additional attention, rather than let it bother you.

    • Good point. I will try doing that next time. But it makes you wonder why do I have to explain it to them before the process or be apolegetic beforehand? That implies that you are doing something that they might find unusual, hence you explaining the situation to them. Why can't people just carry on their usual business without doing things in a roundabout way?

  • +1

    OP, what did the staff say to you that showed that they were suspicious of you?

    How do you know that they were putting all of their focus on watching you while ignoring the others customers?

    Is it possible/more likely that they were watching you because you were paying them a lot of attention instead of simply checking out your shopping, like the other customers?

    You haven't seen a psychologist or other mental health professional yet are adding a consult with them into your story and the calculations. I'm curious, if you do go to see one, what will be your reason for consulting them?

    • -1

      Standing behind me even after they helped me with the checkout error messages on the machine for one.

      • +2

        Could they have been seeing if you needed any more help? I'm not buying that they thought you were doing something dodgy as the most likely scenario. The evidence so far is that after coming to help you, they stayed close by. Its Friday night, enjoy your weekend.

  • +2

    I do this all the time, if the employee thinks you’re doing something dodgy, why worry? Ur paying legitimately for ur purchases.

    • -3

      Well to put it simply is a human's natural tendency to not want to be seen doing something dodgy. Just because you have the right doesn't mean you should exercise it you know what I mean?

  • +2

    As a super market worker, people do this all the time and I don't care that they do this, it's literally 5 seconds worth of extra work on my part. I think it's more embarrassing when there's 3 shoppers behind them and they haven't put any money on their cards and then have to pull their phone out and spend 10 minutes transferring money. Why don't people do this before they start loading up the register with their shopping or while they're waiting for it to be scanned and bagged?

    In the case of self service, staff are just making sure people are scanning everything and standing by in case people need help, while so many people use self service, so many of them struggle to actually use the self service machines. It's their job, they're not doing it out of suspicion.

    • -1

      Fair enough so do you actually care if someone shoplifts or do you do it because it is the company's policy and you are trained to do it? Just curious.

      • +2

        Trained to check people's bags/receipts/trolleys, it's actually a condition of entry for bags to checked if they're bigger than a purse and we do check outside shopping via receipts, especially if we also sell those items (you can get in trouble from managers if you don't check). Most people comply without question or even offer at the start of their shop, I've only had a few people scream and kick up, and some of those people have bought in stuff we sell or brought massive travel cases into the store, I don't understand why people bring massive wheeled travel cases in and expect staff not to check it.

        Personally, if I have to pay for groceries that I want to buy, I think it's fair that everyone else does too, although I don't think self serve should be a thing. I'm sure we lose alot of money/stock that way, and it messes up the stocking system which is mostly automated via what goes through registers (e.g. people scanning potatoes as mandarins or genuinely not knowing/caring what specific variety of fruit they've selected on display). Having said that, I'm not paid enough to violently hunt down someone who sprints through the register with a trolley of stock, the manager/police can handle that one.

        It's not uncommon for people to pay with multiple cards, and I'm not checking them unless it's one of those rare ones that require a signature, frustratingly most people don't even sign the back of the card anyway, so it's best of the banks just dump that form of owner verification.

        • Thanks for the analysis. I'm surprised don't sign their cards being a major problem. I've actually been told to sign my card when doing a purchase I think once or twice surprised I thought it was common sense to sign your cards if you want your payment method to be accepted by shops who knew you can still get away without signing cards nowadays. Fair enough not like you own the store so it's not your interest to actually track people down.Exactly how I imagined.

          • +2

            @thecheapcarp: Yeah, signing the cards was a really annoying one when it used to be a big thing and happen alot, because technically, you shouldn't allow the transaction, but so many customers never sign them, it blows my mind. I always signed my cards as soon as I get them for security reasons, bank tellers and the letter the cards get posted with tell you to sign it for security. If we actually turned them away like we should have, we'd be losing about half of our customers/business, and it's probably be a big security issue for banks, so glad that we rarely have to do that anymore. Having said that, I'm not surprised that so many people get scammed or lose money when they're so careless, especially with credit cards, I just have less sympathy if they didn't do the bare minimum to try and protect themselves.

    • +2

      Ultimate Gattai And the people who forget their passwords numerous times.

  • +3

    How do you know the staff are looking at you? When I'm doing multiple cards I'm so engrossed in tapping the screen and checking the PINs on my phone that I wouldn't even notice the staff looking at me.

    Anyway, I go even more suspicious. I use multiple cards and then I use the 2c rounding trick at Woolworths to get 2c off every purchase. I don't care if anyone is watching.

    • Thanks for diverting the attention.

  • If you don't want to come across as cheap, just tell them you participated in a bunch of medical trials and they paid you in gift cards. It's such a pain using multiple in one transaction.

    • Well you know I'm enroled in a sociology experiment and the only way I can buy stuff is via gift cards.

  • +1

    Maybe you could stop assuming the staff members are there to block you somehow, because they are actually there to help. If someone spends 30 mins on a self checkout, I’d assume they have been outsmarted by the system and likely to need some help but might be too proud to ask for it.

    Never assume intent. Your life will be so much easier that way.

    • Especially if you are assuming malice.

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