How Do Smart Gates at Coles Work?

swprofz on 22/12/2023 - 15:59
Last edited 22/12/2023 - 16:07 by 1 other user

Saw the recently implemented smart exit gate at local Coles.

I had few items in my trolley from another store. The gate opened fine.

Next time, just as an experiment I took a potato (cheapest item i could imagine) and did not pay for it, but paid other items. The gate opened fine this time too.

Just wanted to ask here, should I keep the receipts from other stores? As I don't know how the smart gates work, what to do if the gates don't open for some items (bought from another store) which the smart gate machine thinks as stolen? Did anyone face such scenario?

Food & Grocery

Related Stores

Coles
Coles

Comments

  • RED27APPLE on 22/12/2023 - 16:08
    +44

    Each gate has an employee that has a remote control that opens the gate as you walk up to it, they make the decision to open it or not based on what they observe.
    They are not smart gates at all

    • AndyC1 on 22/12/2023 - 17:07
      +10

      Smart controller gates.

    • Nalar on 22/12/2023 - 17:18
      +2

      are you sure? I had one close on me and the girl helping had to get the attention of the girl behind the service desk to open the gates.

      I think the real question is, was this a case of Deprivation of Liberty?

      • pennypacker42069 on 23/12/2023 - 17:18

        do they completely lock you in the area, or can you walk back into the store and out another exit?

      • FutureTech on 23/12/2023 - 18:06
        +7

        Yet nobody bats an eyelid when you had to queue to show the receipt and your trolley to staff at Costco check out - what's different?

        • lechuck123 on 24/12/2023 - 11:36

          I don't shop at Costco, but I hate it.

          Make me scan my own items and then I have to prove I scanned them?

          Pisses me off at bunnings and JB. I mostly just ignore them and walk straight past. They just installed gates at my local Coles, I will avoid them and shop at Woolies.

        • try2bhelpful on 24/12/2023 - 11:47

          My 2c.
          - Costco has the most efficient checkouts I’ve seen, this extends to the people checking the trolleys. You aren’t held up for a long time during the procedure.
          - Costco is a subscriber service. I’m sure if they weren’t happy with your behaviour towards their employees you would find yourself with a full refund of your fee and a “don’t darken our door again” message.

          Personally I don’t have an issue with the gates at Coles but the company needs to handle them efficiently. I like self checkout but the technology seems to need a lot of intervention from the people supervising. Stopping people exiting would be a tad of an escalation of that issue.

          • Hangryuman on 26/12/2023 - 14:08

            @try2bhelpful: last I looked it was reported that Costco made by far the most of its profits - not from the sales, but simply from the subscriptions - that $80pa or whatever does a long way thank you very much, especially when you don't shop there very often … ;-)

      • WatchNerd on 23/12/2023 - 23:56
        -1

        Did you give back the items you tried to steal?

      • berry580 on 24/12/2023 - 09:44
        -5

        If you don't want to be checked upon exit, then don't go in in the first place. It's a commonly accepted practice in any shop
        To be fair, the law protecting shoppers are already very strong. E.g. the employees will know they're not allowed to physically search your bag themselves. 100% of the time, they ask you to open it and they just peak like as if they're the criminal.

        If you're still concerned despite all of this, it sounds like you should only shop in the shop that you own.

        • Champ888 on 25/12/2023 - 07:54
          -1

          Worst comment of the day contender.

            • Champ888 on 25/12/2023 - 09:24

              @Clear: Oh clear is here with a zinger well done sport!!!!

    • El cheepo on 22/12/2023 - 22:19
      +11

      I was sitting out the front of a coles with these gates waiting for my wife and saw a lady get stuck. Was pretty funny.

      Poor thing, she was so confused but saw the funny side.
      She kept saying “I promise I haven’t taken anything, I’m innocent” to anyone that made eye contact with her.

      It ended when the team member used his remote to open the gate and apologised.

      When she walked passed me, she made a point to tell me “I’m innocent”

      Gave me a good laugh.

      • Flying Ace on 23/12/2023 - 08:14
        +69

        Yeah I love being treated like a criminal every time I go shopping, hahaha!

          • ripesashimi on 24/12/2023 - 19:21

            @El cheepo: I would get ultra mad if it opens for someone else and not me. I'm fine if it just stays shut and locks everyone in.

            Consistency is the key.

            • El cheepo on 25/12/2023 - 01:33

              @ripesashimi: I would prefer they just dropped a small perspex box over every customer at check out to establish dominance and remind everyone that they are in control.

              We can only wait and dream though.

        • arcticmonkey on 23/12/2023 - 11:28
          +5

          Good old scummy Coles. Disgusting brand. Can't even find a human serving when I have a trolley plus huge greed / margins

        • digitalbath on 23/12/2023 - 12:12
          +24

          Maybe if people didn’t steal potatoes we would have to resort to gates.

    • Shada0071 on 23/12/2023 - 14:08
      +3

      I don't think this is completely accurate, there must be some degree of automation. Earlier this week at a Coles I saw the gates didn't open for a customer, and the employee told them it was because they didn't press yes or no on the "do you want a receipt" at the end of the purchase, customer went back and pressed it and when they went back to the gates they opened just fine.

      You can also see a bunch of cameras/sensors on the gate, I wouldn't be surprised if it communicates with the self checkouts to see when a transaction has been completed. let you out, with a backup remote control that employees can use to override and let you out.

      • juki on 23/12/2023 - 18:33
        +3

        my guess is it matches your face from self checkout to face at the gates, if you pay at self check out and it recognises you voila!

        i'll have to try masked and mask off

      • bonezAU on 25/12/2023 - 16:19

        Pretty sure I saw a video the other day and it said the gates were connected to a whole in store AI system that tracks what items you pick up off the shelf and put in your trolley, then compares with what you scan at the checkout. I don't know how much truth there is in this, if it has been turned on yet or if it's something coming in the future. They'd really wanna make sure they get this kind of thing right before switching it on.

        Some of the comments on the video were "The gate wouldn't open for me, there was 1 item in my trolley that I hadn't scanned. It was my baby, I was so embarrassed"… similar stories about women's hand bags not letting them out of the gate.

        Obviously I don't know how much truth there is to these stories but they are out there.

        It's bad enough when I go to Woolies first, then to Aldi and then to Coles. I always get funny looks because when I'm at the self service checkouts at Coles with a trolley full of shit but only scan the 4 items I bought from Coles, it must look suspicious. I am yet to try this since these new smart gates have been installed though, so it's going to be interesting when I next do.

        • Kozhutki on 01/01/2024 - 07:15

          Pretty sure I saw a video the other day and it said the gates were connected to a whole in store AI system that tracks what items you pick up off the shelf and put in your trolley

          Yeah nah it's not that deep. There's a bunch of new cameras on the ceiling above the SCOs, they're what's tracking you. There aren't 500 new cameras in every store tracking your movements.

          • bonezAU on 02/01/2024 - 18:32

            @Kozhutki: How do they work? Are they just making sure that everything in the trolley gets scanned? What if I've been to another supermarket first and have a bunch of stuff in the trolley?

            • Kozhutki on 02/01/2024 - 19:45
              -1

              @bonezAU: When you enter the SCOs, you're given a 'digital id' (each check out has its own perimeter, which is your id) when you pay for your items you're allowed to exit. There's no facial recognition or anything like that (any loose 'facial recognition' is done through Aurora which is a separate platform), the cameras also work with the cameras that are directly on the SCOs (weighing incorrect items will be noted), if you have other items in your trolley that weren't scanned then you will also be pulled up, which then will need to be checked by a team member.

              • bonezAU on 02/01/2024 - 21:31

                @Kozhutki: Thanks for the info, appreciate it.

                Whoda thunk we'd be treated like criminals every time we go to the shop.

                Welcome to 2024, where you scan your own groceries and are treated guilty unless proven innocent while existing the shop.

    • HeWhoKnows on 23/12/2023 - 19:51
      +1

      And you cannot detain anyone legally without good reason.

      The store must prove (eye witness) that you collected the item in thier store and furthermore that you did not pay for it.
      Buy that time you have left the store. Too late. bye bye.

      So very difficult to prosecute anyone for theft these days without the good old store detectives thet hired years ago..

      These days they simply price pilferage into to cost of thier goods and accept that it happens.

      • Drakesy on 23/12/2023 - 20:29

        And you cannot detain anyone legally without good reason.

        Not paying for your groceries would be enough ;)

        • Eeples on 23/12/2023 - 22:44

          Not paying for 1 potato might not be enough.

        • HeWhoKnows on 24/12/2023 - 00:11
          -1

          Even that Drakesy.
          As I pointed out, the store must follow a specific procedure which they dont any more.
          I speak with retail experience!!!!!!!\
          I will say it again.
          They cannot legally detain anyone…FULL STOP!

          All they can do is ask for a receipt.
          and even then, you can say you purchased the goods elsewhere Or even opted not to print out a receipt.
          And bag searches mean nothing.
          Its just a deterrant. You can always refuse. its your legal right to do so.
          And self service checkouts have made it easier than ever to just walk out with stuff you havent paid for.

          Its up to the store person to prove you stole the goods - as in an eye witness saw you put it in your bag or trolly, followed you to the checkout and then can confirm you didnt pay for that/those specific item(s) BEFORE you leave the store.
          Then they must nominate exactly what you took without paying.
          Even then they cannot legally detail you. They cant touch you at all because its assault !
          Its just too complicated for them
          So pls dont go on about things you dont know Draksey mate

          • try2bhelpful on 24/12/2023 - 00:42
            +1

            @HeWhoKnows: They have cameras trained on the checkout so that could act as the eye witness. They can’t detain you but they can ban you from entering the store based on previous behaviour. It depends on how attached you are to grocery shopping if you burn your bridges in your neighbourhood.

            The cops do use store footage to identify and track down shoplifters of stuff in department stores. Whether this extends to supermarkets will be interesting to observe.

            Whatever they think they are doing with the gates they need to make sure they don’t impede people who haven’t done anything wrong. We got trapped by one yesterday and it took a few minutes, and us having to talk to another employee, for the lady with the remote to come back.

            • HeWhoKnows on 24/12/2023 - 10:46

              @try2bhelpful: yes modern technology being used as deterrants
              Cameras at the checkout dont follow you around the store so ACTUALLY NO…TOTATLY INCORRECT!
              They are not an eye witness.

              The law is the law and the correct procedures must be followed.

              Just because you didnt pay for something at the checkout, doesnt prove you picked it up there or stole it.

              The every day thieves know this.

              Even if you are banned from the store, who is looking out for you LOL LOL LOL
              Again another useless deterrant

              And they must release you from the gates no matter what.
              They cant hold you there. Its illegal detention

              • try2bhelpful on 24/12/2023 - 12:13
                +1

                @HeWhoKnows: They don’t need to follow you around the store. I suspect there are quite a few cameras around the stores. However, if you habitually steal things from stores they, probably, will start following you. The issue pf people weighing avocados and saying they are potatoes can be detected at the till.. Also these stores would use face recognition technology to identify people of interest across multiple stores. There are many ways they can make these people uncomfortable including following them around.

                They can’t stop you leaving but I wonder if they can stop you, actually, removing goods you can’t prove you paid for. Yes there will be some argy bargy if people have bought things from elsewhere but I, suspect, anyone trying to walk out with a trolley of goods they haven’t paid for will just abandon it and leave.

                I have a friend who works for Coles and she knows who the problem people are in her area. It upsets her a lot that nothing seemed to be done about them. I have no idea how effective the gate will be but theft is a big problem with Supermarkets. We all pay for that with higher prices. It will be interesting to see how the experiment pans out. If not the next step might be the Costco no personal trolley and the goods in your trolley are checked against the printout on the way out.

                Me, I just wish people would stop stealing stuff.

                • HeWhoKnows on 25/12/2023 - 11:15

                  @try2bhelpful: Dream on..seriously

                  You think they have an army of security guards in every store watching 20 cameras and waiting to follow you…LOL LOL LOL LOL

                  Even so, how would they know if you intend to pay at the checkout or intend to steal the goods

                  BOOM - there goes your assumption - blown out of the water.

                  as you stated yourself:

                  "I have a friend who works for Coles and she knows who the problem people are in her area. It upsets her a lot that nothing seemed to be done about them."

                  As I said, theft is priced into the goods already.
                  Thats why they do nothing. The cost of theft is paid by everyone

          • El cheepo on 24/12/2023 - 01:46
            +1

            @HeWhoKnows: You are just simply blocked from leaving an exit point, no one is physically stopping you from walking back out another way.
            If you really think it constitutes an illegal detention, sue them…

            I would say Coles argument is that they are not detaining people, just making deterrents for shop lifters or probably more likely- stopping people from walking out with full a full trolley of unpaid groceries - as happens regularly in some locations.

            Again… I don’t like it, but just being realistic about what it is.

            Yes they are damn annoying, I don’t like them.
            But welcome to the future…

            People are just over dramatic.

            • Drakesy on 24/12/2023 - 01:57
              +3

              @El cheepo: Dw this is classic amayzingone ;)

              • El cheepo on 24/12/2023 - 02:00
                +1

                @Drakesy: But but but…

                I speak with retail experience!!!!!!!\

              • JIMB0 on 24/12/2023 - 09:40
                +1

                @Drakesy: What did you expect with a user name like that.

              • HeWhoKnows on 24/12/2023 - 10:55

                @Drakesy: yes, when amayzingone knows better via "real life" experience and others like you dont.
                You just dont like being corrected

            • HeWhoKnows on 24/12/2023 - 10:53

              @El cheepo: I never mentioned anything about being blocked by a gate??????????????

    • Xxmilker69xX on 24/12/2023 - 16:00

      They are smart gates mate, they have cameras watching if you don't scan items

  • payless69 on 22/12/2023 - 16:13
    +19

    Brother! You stole a potato?
    Quick bring it back tp save us all.

    If you don't : Your heist might grow up and perhaps one day become PM ?

  • djsweet on 22/12/2023 - 16:14
    +19

    Not sure why you thought a potato might trigger the gate not to open? Its not like potatoes are going to be undertaking communications with the gate.
    Well not unless they microchipped the potato, but that seems like a whole other discussion to have over a few beers late at night.

    • iforgotmysocks on 22/12/2023 - 16:51

      Too late we already have microchips inside us

    • trex on 22/12/2023 - 17:07
      +32

      there are chips in the potato

      • spal on 22/12/2023 - 18:34
        +4

        They make chips out of potatoes

      • Dreamcast on 23/12/2023 - 08:44
        +3

        Hmm, the Dreamcast memory card has potato written on the chip.

        There's some sort of conspiracy going on here…

        https://ibb.co/0JGrxmf

    • tooblue on 23/12/2023 - 02:29

      Its not like potatoes are going to be undertaking communications with the gate.

      You never know. 5G chips are now everywhere before you know. The potatoes may already have a few booster jabs too.

    • GaryQ on 23/12/2023 - 08:43
      +1

      Was Peter Dutton there?

      • ribze1 on 23/12/2023 - 11:03
        +2

        Nah, no dogs allowed.

    • nikey2k27 on 23/12/2023 - 09:29

      tags on meat will set them off to not open.

  • Sye on 22/12/2023 - 16:16
    +26

    I took a potato (cheapest item i could imagine) and did not pay for it

    This should be in the deals section "Free potato@Coles"

    • nocure on 22/12/2023 - 17:03
      -1

      I don't think reindeer eat potatoes though

      • GordonD on 22/12/2023 - 20:43

        They can't eat carrots. They don't have the incisors - cutting teeth - on their upper jaw required to. Don't know about potatoes. But they can and do eat apples.

      • DogeConomy on 22/12/2023 - 23:05
        +1

        …. but you can make a roast dinner with it (excluding the chicken) so the deal after that should be "Free Roast Chicken @ Coles" oh wait that deal already exists, nice :)

    • USER DC on 22/12/2023 - 17:10

      pretty sure if you go to woolies with a kid, your kid can have apple or other free fruits for kids

      • DogeConomy on 22/12/2023 - 23:05
        +1

        same with coles, just depends on the store

        • Daabido on 23/12/2023 - 20:29
          +1

          Any store. No employee gets paid enough to stop your kid chomping on a banana.

          • tooblue on 23/12/2023 - 21:13
            +1

            @Daabido: Wrong.
            A Woolworths staff actually stopped my 3 yo and demand her finishing her banana in store or leave without it. This happened a couple years ago in Qld.

      • GaryQ on 23/12/2023 - 08:44
        +5

        My 36yo fiance thinks she qualifies as a kid

        • jollibot on 23/12/2023 - 11:57
          +2

          Sounds like she has the mental capacity of one.

    • camr00 on 23/12/2023 - 16:02

      I saw in my Coles this morning that they had a bunch of carrots where you could 'take one for free for rudolph'. Didnt think it was worth a separate post though?

  • freefall101 on 22/12/2023 - 16:16
    +23

    I'm definitely more interested in your logic around the potato than how the gates work.

  • AustriaBargain on 22/12/2023 - 16:22
    +10

    Won't be too much longer before an AI watches you like a hawk from multiple angles the moment you step into the store and will trap you the moment you try to unknowingly leave with a grape stuck between the treads on your shoe. Your potato experiment will work one day soon.

    • c64 on 22/12/2023 - 18:53
      +6

      Won't be too much longer before an AI watches you like a hawk from multiple angles the moment you step into the store

      apparently they already have, coles have installed overhead cameras which track your movement throughout the store and everything you pick up

      everyone's a criminal at coles

      • franco cozzo on 22/12/2023 - 19:04
        +2

        so many reasons to not shop at coles!
        i love it!

      • Big Blue on 23/12/2023 - 12:58
        +2

        A big hat will fix that.

        • juki on 23/12/2023 - 18:35
          +1

          mexican dress up ! but i'm sure someone will think its offensive

    • vt on 23/12/2023 - 16:02

      Sounds like this unmanned store in Japan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dG1IfsQLqw

    • Daabido on 23/12/2023 - 20:30
      +1

      How will I steal my grapes then?

  • Protractor on 22/12/2023 - 16:31
    -8

    Trying to shoplift via forum advice.You are confusing bargains with proceeds of crime. If yu were genuine you'd just keeo the receipt like most law abiding citizens do, not ask for the blueprint to escape justice.

    • crentist on 23/12/2023 - 16:07
      +3

      If law abiding citizens choose not to keep the receipt, do you consider them guilty?

      • Protractor on 23/12/2023 - 19:09

        Nope, and that's a stupid assumption.
        I'm saying if you intend to go into shop A, with groceries from shop B and don't have a receipt you wilfully deserve to be delayed, if shop B wants to reduce shoplifting. And add to that if you have to ask if that's OK on a forum after stealing a spud to test the limits, then you are the reason with have the systems in the first place. Dicks begat dicks, ditto for dick behaviour.
        Dick behaviour is why businesses pass the extra cost of security,losses and tech onto YOU. And everyone else.

        • coffeeinmyveins on 24/12/2023 - 07:08
          +3

          I love how you're blaming someone stealing a potato as the reason these things are here and not the billion dollar profit making machines

          They really did well to make everyone subservient and blame each other rather than them

          • Protractor on 24/12/2023 - 09:53
            -1

            @coffeeinmyveins: Loving how you somehow think shoplifting doesn't cost billions per year and how any company driven by profit won't use THAT as part of a suite of shit forced on consumers.
            It takes all kinds,eh?

            Nothing to say about the easy peasy act of keeping a receipt?

            • crentist on 24/12/2023 - 20:26

              @Protractor:

              Nothing to say about the easy peasy act of keeping a receipt?

              Some people prefer not to keep receipts. Simple as that. It doesn't make them any more or less law-abiding.
              And it doesn't give retailers the right to unlawfully detain customers.

              Individual rights don't magically disappear because a company is losing money.
              As eager as you may be to prove your non-criminality, the suite of shit forced on consumers can't prevent anyone from simply walking out of a store without answering questions.

              Which means that this whole thing only amounts to a request for polite cooperation.
              But the request itself is getting less polite, more assertive, and coerces a more subservient response from customers.
              Whether or not a person gives them the response they want has no implication on how law-abiding they are, and as the request becomes more demanding, it also has less implication on how polite they are.

              • Protractor on 24/12/2023 - 21:03

                @crentist: Some people steal. That impacts on all supermarket customers. There's already enough price gouging without giving them legit reasons to screw us via losses to crimes.

                If you don't keep the recpt expect to be held up if you drag woolies crap into voles. What do you expect them to do FFS? Let ppl run amok

                • crentist on 26/12/2023 - 21:20

                  @Protractor: That isn't the point. They can ask whatever they want. And we can be nice and give it to them.

                  But just because someone asks you if you've stolen something, doesn't mean the answer is yes if you don't respond.

                  The only reasonyou're accusing people of being less law abiding because they didn't keep a receipt is because some shop has decided to impose more legally unenforceable rules on the rest of us.

                  And real shoplifters will know they can simply walk away, so it's just a guilt trip and inconvenience for decent people.

                  As a deterrent, that's plenty. Reducing opportunistic petty theft by raising the social bar is a good idea. But we are all still well within our rights to walk right out of the store with our purchased items, without turning on each other

                  • Protractor on 27/12/2023 - 09:38
                    -6

                    @crentist: Bla bla bla, something, something, why are my groceries so expensive,?

                    • crentist on 27/12/2023 - 13:38

                      @Protractor: I’ll take that non-response as an admission of shame. Ergo you must also be incorrect

  • USER DC on 22/12/2023 - 16:32

    I tried to walk out of smart gates when I didnt buy anything (like i took some stuff in my bag, did some look around, Put the item from bag back on shelf) went out to make way to exit (so I took nothing from store). AND THE GATE didnt open for me, it was an annoying 2 mins wait, made think i should just buy some dam bag or something so i dont have to go through this insanity. But its very anonoying. So yea, I'd be interested to know their AI or may be human based this smart gate feature working (and letting me go without waiting annoying 2 mins again if I didnt buy anything from store)

    • jollibot on 23/12/2023 - 11:58
      +6

      You can just push through them. I wouldn't have waited.

  • ihfree on 22/12/2023 - 17:01
    +6

    More discussion here - https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/820899

    They probably do their job in preventing some amount of major theft such as trolley loads. I would imagine they'd have minimal effect on petty theft, especially if the thief doesn't look suspicious.

    Personally, I've just found them annoying. In my local Coles, I've had to wait to leave the store due to staff being busy. If I had to wait too long, I'd probably just walk out another entry/move a trolley aside.

    Both Coles and Woolworths need to have more staff in the auto checkout area as they add more responsibility.

    In the meantime, enjoy your occasional free potato OP.

    • AustriaBargain on 22/12/2023 - 17:05
      +6

      How strong are the gates? I can't imagine waiting two minutes, I'd try to pry them open.

      • ihfree on 22/12/2023 - 17:07

        Haven't tested. In the Coles I was in, there was a trolley blocking the exit which I would have moved. The person working in the self service area was down the other end helping someone. I managed to get the attention of the person in the customer service desk and they let me out.

      • Unorthodox on 23/12/2023 - 00:02
        +1

        The bases are on swivels so you can easily push it open.
        The clear plastic doors themselves can be pushed too but less effective.

        The gates are more to prevent people running out with trolleys full of stuff.

        • CocaKoala on 23/12/2023 - 23:47

          The gates are more to prevent people running out with trolleys full of stuff.

          Wait, this happens?!

          • Unorthodox on 24/12/2023 - 00:04

            @CocaKoala: Yeah a very common occurrence. A lot of the kids will run out but the adults and those who are repeat offenders will just walk out with it.

            Staff aren't meant to stop them so the gates are more to make it difficult and the youths etc will just jump over it.

            There was a pretty widespread case where a lady would hit multiple stores and pretty much walk out with a trolley full of meats to resell.

            • CocaKoala on 24/12/2023 - 00:43

              @Unorthodox: Wow, I'm both furious and speechless! 😶

              • try2bhelpful on 24/12/2023 - 00:51

                @CocaKoala: In fact store staff are told not to confront anyone who is shoplifting. Probably the risk to the store for workers compensation is too high. I saw a guy at a self checkout hit an employee then grab what he had without paying for it and leave. The security guys took pictures of this guy but didn’t stop him.

    • c64 on 22/12/2023 - 20:51
      +4

      need some eshays to start snapping selfies of themselves jumping the gates

    • Hansi on 23/12/2023 - 08:22

      Same! Took a min for them to open the gate, as the attendant was helping other self-check outs with red lights. I hadn't seen the gate before, so asked: "Are these supposed to open automatically?" the Coles lady answered: "No, ok? Here you go", and away I went!

      Definitely enhanced my shopping experience!

      • Daabido on 23/12/2023 - 20:32
        +1

        When the gates open, do your best Crofty. "Lights out and away they go!"

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