Cents and sensibility: Coles shopper's checkout ordeal sparks concerns about fairness
- Replies 9
In a world where every cent counts, especially for those of us who have bid farewell to the workforce and are living on a fixed income, the importance of vigilance at the checkout cannot be overstated.
This was made abundantly clear when a Coles shopper experienced a puzzling situation that left her—and subsequently, her social media followers—scratching their heads.
Amy, like many, was simply going about her day, ticking off items on her grocery list, when it came time to pay her bill of $126.98
She decided to split the payment—$100 in cash and the remainder on her card.
It was a straightforward transaction—one would think—but what transpired next was anything but that.
Upon handing over the cash, Amy expected the Eftpos machine to request the exact balance of $26.98.
‘You can pay the exact amount when you pay on your card but if I was paying cash I’d have to give her $127,’ she shared.
To her surprise, the machine displayed a total of $27.00, a seemingly small but significant discrepancy.
The cashier insisted this was correct, citing the need to round up the amount. However, Amy, with the precision of someone who knows the value of a dollar, questioned the logic.
‘I’ve never really paid attention before but does that always happen? Are we rounding on Eftpos transactions now?’ Amy asked.
‘I know it’s two cents but all of the two cents add up over time.’
The incident sparked a debate among Amy's social media circle.
Some dismissed the fuss over two cents, while others rallied to her defence, asserting ‘That’s wrong. Every cent counts it should have been $26.98.’
One commenter even suggested, ‘I feel this is new. Good pick up.’
Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Amy reached out to Coles customer service and the response she received was reassuring: the incident was an error, not a policy change.
The one she talked to said that the staff member should have processed the card payment first, and then accepted the cash, which would have avoided any need for rounding.
‘I feel a little better that this isn't a normal thing and just hope that others are now aware and confident enough to challenge Eftpos rounding also,’ Amy remarked.
Reports indicate that Coles does not round up on Eftpos transactions. In this case, it seems the staff member manually entered $27 instead of $26.98.
It is important to note that this appears to be an isolated incident.
The recent incident at Coles, in which a shopper was surprised by a manual price entry error, highlights broader concerns about the checkout experience at supermarkets.
This isolated case, where an Eftpos transaction was rounded up by mistake, highlights the importance of accuracy in transactions.
Similarly, another situation involving a cash-paying customer at Coles sparked frustration due to an exceptionally long checkout delay, raising questions about efficiency and customer service at checkout counters.
Have you ever encountered a similar situation at the checkout? How did you handle it? Share your stories in the comments below and let's help each other stay savvy shoppers!
This was made abundantly clear when a Coles shopper experienced a puzzling situation that left her—and subsequently, her social media followers—scratching their heads.
Amy, like many, was simply going about her day, ticking off items on her grocery list, when it came time to pay her bill of $126.98
She decided to split the payment—$100 in cash and the remainder on her card.
It was a straightforward transaction—one would think—but what transpired next was anything but that.
A vigilant customer faced an issue at Coles while splitting her payment, expecting to pay the exact amount without rounding. Credits: Shutterstock
Upon handing over the cash, Amy expected the Eftpos machine to request the exact balance of $26.98.
‘You can pay the exact amount when you pay on your card but if I was paying cash I’d have to give her $127,’ she shared.
To her surprise, the machine displayed a total of $27.00, a seemingly small but significant discrepancy.
The cashier insisted this was correct, citing the need to round up the amount. However, Amy, with the precision of someone who knows the value of a dollar, questioned the logic.
‘I’ve never really paid attention before but does that always happen? Are we rounding on Eftpos transactions now?’ Amy asked.
‘I know it’s two cents but all of the two cents add up over time.’
The incident sparked a debate among Amy's social media circle.
Some dismissed the fuss over two cents, while others rallied to her defence, asserting ‘That’s wrong. Every cent counts it should have been $26.98.’
One commenter even suggested, ‘I feel this is new. Good pick up.’
Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Amy reached out to Coles customer service and the response she received was reassuring: the incident was an error, not a policy change.
The one she talked to said that the staff member should have processed the card payment first, and then accepted the cash, which would have avoided any need for rounding.
‘I feel a little better that this isn't a normal thing and just hope that others are now aware and confident enough to challenge Eftpos rounding also,’ Amy remarked.
Reports indicate that Coles does not round up on Eftpos transactions. In this case, it seems the staff member manually entered $27 instead of $26.98.
It is important to note that this appears to be an isolated incident.
The recent incident at Coles, in which a shopper was surprised by a manual price entry error, highlights broader concerns about the checkout experience at supermarkets.
This isolated case, where an Eftpos transaction was rounded up by mistake, highlights the importance of accuracy in transactions.
Similarly, another situation involving a cash-paying customer at Coles sparked frustration due to an exceptionally long checkout delay, raising questions about efficiency and customer service at checkout counters.
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