Kmart Shoppers in Uproar After TikTok Exposes 'Ridiculous' Store Detail
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Kmart is an essential shopping destination for many Aussies, but lately, the store has been copping flak for a 'ridiculous' policy that has absolutely baffled customers.
We bet that many of you have experienced the frustrating situation of not being able to leave a store without also having to deal with a staff member asking you to review your receipt…
This process has long been implemented at Kmart stores as part of the company's policy, and apparently, it's caused quite a bit of frustration among customers who no longer feel that they have any privacy when exiting the store.
It should be noted that the rule was introduced along with the implementation of a new standard store layout back in 2017 which saw the checkouts moved to an area that customers could no longer easily access (or see).
While the change has been in place for almost 6 years and many customers are already accustomed to it, a TikTok video revived their resentment of the 'new' policy.
Aussie TikTokerMille Ford has recently raised the issue of Kmart’s often ‘ridiculous’ store layout on social media, sharing a clip of her imitating Kmart workers who check customer receipts as they exit the store.
In the clip, she was seen standing, looking bored as she checked the receipts being shown by the customers to her.
The clip went viral, amassing over 1.3 million likes and 47,000 comments.
Several viewers agreed that the portrayal was so accurate and that they felt the same 'annoying' feeling they felt whenever they passed by a staff member to have their receipts checked.
One person wrote: 'As someone who did the door shift at Kmart, this is so accurate.'
'The most spot-on thing I've ever witnessed,' another added.
A third agreed: 'WOW… you are a good mimic.'
The clip also brought back anger about the store layout, with some of the shoppers commenting about how unnecessary the placement of the checkout is.
One user asked: 'Honestly, whose idea was that? Was the person high when they suggested that?'
'Most ridiculous store layout decision ever!' another raised.
Some shoppers took the opportunity to mock Kmart and pointed out that the rule of checking the receipts should have never been put in place if the layout hadn't been modified.
'They could have just left the checkouts at the front of the shop,' one person wrote in the comments section.
Another added, 'I've pretty much lost the receipt somewhere in my bags by the time I get to the door!'
Many customers also claimed that their local Kmart store employees never carefully check their receipts upon leaving and suggested that some of them even handed over Woolworths, JB Hi-Fi, and old Kmart receipts by mistake.
Meanwhile, others pointed out that the layout change might have been done to encourage customers to 'see more stuff on their way out' and influence them to purchase more.
'I legitimately believe they did this so anxious people would buy something small so they wouldn't feel like a criminal walking out,' one user went on to say.
Customer engagement is an integral factor for retailers, as it can directly impact a store’s bottom line. A significant change that has to be taken into account when assessing store design is how shoppers are likely to feel, as this has a direct bearing on how likely they are to make a purchase.
For Kmart shoppers, having to queue at the back of the store in order to pay could mean that they are less likely to purchase additional items on their way out, or are more prone to feeling anxious or annoyed before they even reach the checkout.
The placement of checkouts at a store has a huge influence on customer engagement, as it can affect consumer behaviour and shopping patterns.
Studies have found that when checkout counters are placed at the back of a store, customers are more likely to travel the full length of the store and be exposed to more products on sale thus increasing their chances of making additional or impulse purchases.
Considering the popularity of Mille Ford’s video, it is apparent that Kmart customers remain frustrated about the current store layout.
It undoubtedly has affected customer engagement, as it can taint the overall shopping experience and even discourage customers from returning to their local store.
Despite the criticisms, many Kmart customers asserted that they are still lovers of the store and will continue to shop there.
'If I need it, Kmart is my go-to, and I have no issues. They give you the receipt regardless – no check-out required, unlike all bigger stores now,' one customer wrote in a post explaining why they still love Kmart.
'I love Kmart and always have, embarrassing or not. They generally have good prices, and I can find most things much cheaper there than other major stores,' another said.
What are your thoughts, folks? Is it reasonable for Kmart staff to check customers' receipts as they leave the store or is this practice just another unnecessary inconvenience we have to deal with? Let's discuss in the comments!
We bet that many of you have experienced the frustrating situation of not being able to leave a store without also having to deal with a staff member asking you to review your receipt…
This process has long been implemented at Kmart stores as part of the company's policy, and apparently, it's caused quite a bit of frustration among customers who no longer feel that they have any privacy when exiting the store.
It should be noted that the rule was introduced along with the implementation of a new standard store layout back in 2017 which saw the checkouts moved to an area that customers could no longer easily access (or see).
While the change has been in place for almost 6 years and many customers are already accustomed to it, a TikTok video revived their resentment of the 'new' policy.
Aussie TikTokerMille Ford has recently raised the issue of Kmart’s often ‘ridiculous’ store layout on social media, sharing a clip of her imitating Kmart workers who check customer receipts as they exit the store.
In the clip, she was seen standing, looking bored as she checked the receipts being shown by the customers to her.
The clip went viral, amassing over 1.3 million likes and 47,000 comments.
Several viewers agreed that the portrayal was so accurate and that they felt the same 'annoying' feeling they felt whenever they passed by a staff member to have their receipts checked.
One person wrote: 'As someone who did the door shift at Kmart, this is so accurate.'
'The most spot-on thing I've ever witnessed,' another added.
A third agreed: 'WOW… you are a good mimic.'
A TikTok clip has reignited the 'annoyance' that many shoppers felt over the changes in Kmart's store layout. Credit: TikTok/@Millie.
The clip also brought back anger about the store layout, with some of the shoppers commenting about how unnecessary the placement of the checkout is.
One user asked: 'Honestly, whose idea was that? Was the person high when they suggested that?'
'Most ridiculous store layout decision ever!' another raised.
Some shoppers took the opportunity to mock Kmart and pointed out that the rule of checking the receipts should have never been put in place if the layout hadn't been modified.
'They could have just left the checkouts at the front of the shop,' one person wrote in the comments section.
Another added, 'I've pretty much lost the receipt somewhere in my bags by the time I get to the door!'
Many customers also claimed that their local Kmart store employees never carefully check their receipts upon leaving and suggested that some of them even handed over Woolworths, JB Hi-Fi, and old Kmart receipts by mistake.
Meanwhile, others pointed out that the layout change might have been done to encourage customers to 'see more stuff on their way out' and influence them to purchase more.
'I legitimately believe they did this so anxious people would buy something small so they wouldn't feel like a criminal walking out,' one user went on to say.
Customer engagement is an integral factor for retailers, as it can directly impact a store’s bottom line. A significant change that has to be taken into account when assessing store design is how shoppers are likely to feel, as this has a direct bearing on how likely they are to make a purchase.
For Kmart shoppers, having to queue at the back of the store in order to pay could mean that they are less likely to purchase additional items on their way out, or are more prone to feeling anxious or annoyed before they even reach the checkout.
The placement of checkouts at a store has a huge influence on customer engagement, as it can affect consumer behaviour and shopping patterns.
Studies have found that when checkout counters are placed at the back of a store, customers are more likely to travel the full length of the store and be exposed to more products on sale thus increasing their chances of making additional or impulse purchases.
Considering the popularity of Mille Ford’s video, it is apparent that Kmart customers remain frustrated about the current store layout.
It undoubtedly has affected customer engagement, as it can taint the overall shopping experience and even discourage customers from returning to their local store.
Despite the criticisms, many Kmart customers asserted that they are still lovers of the store and will continue to shop there.
'If I need it, Kmart is my go-to, and I have no issues. They give you the receipt regardless – no check-out required, unlike all bigger stores now,' one customer wrote in a post explaining why they still love Kmart.
'I love Kmart and always have, embarrassing or not. They generally have good prices, and I can find most things much cheaper there than other major stores,' another said.
Key Takeaways
- A popular Aussie TikToker has poked fun at the ‘ridiculous’ layout of Kmart stores and mimicked the behaviour of door staff.
- Many shoppers have been angered since the layout change was rolled out in 2017.
- Many mocked the entire process of checking receipts upon exit and speculated it was designed to get customers to purchase more.
- Several customers recently noticed a new practice where their receipt was scanned when exiting the store.
What are your thoughts, folks? Is it reasonable for Kmart staff to check customers' receipts as they leave the store or is this practice just another unnecessary inconvenience we have to deal with? Let's discuss in the comments!
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