Shoppers are FURIOUS at supermarket self-serve checkouts — find out why!

These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

Screenshot_1.png
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

pexels-anna-shvets-3962285 (1).jpg
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as they have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!
 
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These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

View attachment 7010
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

View attachment 7011
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as self-checkouts have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jarred Santos
These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

View attachment 7010
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

View attachment 7011
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as self-checkouts have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!

Waiting in line for anything gives me the s___s but it's what happens these day's, at Macca's Kmart, self serve, that doesn't work won't accept your note won't accept your card , I now walk into takeaway food outlets go through manned checkouts there is something about the interaction, with the operator that's more relaxing, even at Aldi you can say gday .
 
These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

View attachment 7010
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

View attachment 7011
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as self-checkouts have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!

When they first came out I sent a message to Coles saying I refused to use them. A staff member wrote back to me, I might add, it was someone I knew from when my son had worked there many years previously, and said it wasn’t a case of doing people out of a job. It was a case of creating more jobs by needing people to monitor these checkouts, people to maintain them (techs) and people to clean which according to her (Michelle) meant 3 extra people had a job. I’m still not sure I believe this. Occasionally I use them however I prefer to go through an operator checkout. Amber I’m old fashioned.
 
Machines do not pay taxes, simple as that. My local Target only has self serve so I go to the lay-by dept. To be served by a real person. Will always use a cashier at the supermarkets, my choice.
I thought it was illegal for them to ask to see your receipt. Will have to check up on that.
 
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Hi JarredS, Yes I have had a pleasant experience so far,maybe because my local Woolworths is in a small town in country Victoria. 😀
 
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I would happily use a check out operated by staff however there are only ever two open at my Woolies and the line is too long. M time is valuable.
And that is why these big conglomerates only have a couple open. What it needs is for a group of people to go there on a busy day and all line up with just one or two items and refuse the offer to go through the self serve. I have said to that offer from the self serve person "No thanks I would rather wait and have a person serve me as they are not giving people the opportunity for a job". She replied that no one has lost their job ????
 
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When they first came out I sent a message to Coles saying I refused to use them. A staff member wrote back to me, I might add, it was someone I knew from when my son had worked there many years previously, and said it wasn’t a case of doing people out of a job. It was a case of creating more jobs by needing people to monitor these checkouts, people to maintain them (techs) and people to clean which according to her (Michelle) meant 3 extra people had a job. I’m still not sure I believe this. Occasionally I use them however I prefer to go through an operator checkout. Amber I’m old fashioned.
I think they were telling porkies. They do have 3 people per day on self serve but they didn't put new people on to do this job. Where did they get them from ? They took them from manned checkouts. That's why it's hard to find people on registers.
 
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I would happily use a check out operated by staff however there are only ever two open at my Woolies and the line is too long. M time is valuable.
Yes, I know, the long lines forces you to use the self check out. Got us over a barrel.
But………
I worked out early on that if I go through the self serve and ask for help, I’ve never been refused. And they pack my bags as well. 🤣 You should try it.
 
These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

View attachment 7010
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

View attachment 7011
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as self-checkouts have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jarred Santos
These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

View attachment 7010
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

View attachment 7011
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as self-checkouts have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!

Will not use them
 
These days, it seems like everything is self-service.

You can now pump your own petrol, check yourself in at the airport, and even buy your groceries without speaking to a single soul. And while this may be more convenient for some people, others are not so thrilled about it.


In fact, a lot of people are downright angry about self-serve checkouts – especially at supermarkets. A few days ago, a post written by a frustrated shopper voicing their displeasure with these newfangled machines went viral.

‘Dear Kmart, Coles and Woolworths,’ the post begins. ‘You are almost exclusively self-checkout now.’

View attachment 7010
The viral post calls out ‘almost exclusively self-checkout’ supermarkets. Credit: Facebook.com/Meanwhile in Australia

The shopper goes on to recount an incident where they were asked by a staff member to show their receipt as they were exiting the store. When they refused, the staff member allegedly called after them as they left.

In response, the shopper simply held up their receipt above their head and kept walking out of the store. Yikes!

‘You can either trust me to do self-checkout or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be,’ the post continues icily.


‘I'm not interested in proving that I did your job for you.’

The sentiment seems to be one that many Aussies share, as a glance at social media reveals an avalanche of similar opinions.

‘I f***ing hate self-checkout,’ one user fumed. ‘You always have to ask for help and then the staff give you s**t.’

View attachment 7011
Self-checkout: the new shopper’s dilemma? Credit: Pexels.com/Anna Shvets
Another irate customer said, ‘Is it too much to ask that someone pack my groceries for me? I'm so over self-serve checkouts.’

And one disgruntled shopper even threatened to boycott supermarkets that have self-serve checkouts. ‘I'm not shopping at any store with self-checkout,’ they wrote.

‘I'll go to a store that uses cashiers. They need the job.’

On the note of jobs, one wrote: ‘I refuse to use (self-checkouts) as it encourages job losses for others.’


In response to the outpouring of reactions, a representative of Woolworths told Yahoo News that customers ‘always’ have the option to be served by a cashier and that they remain focused on providing shoppers with many ways to buy goods.

The advance of self-checkouts might not be so clear cut as self-checkouts have one rising enemy: theft.

In the United States, grocery store chain Wegmans ultimately scrapped the use of its self-checkout app — until further notice — citing losses over shoplifting.


Back home, a report citing a Finder National Survey revealed that around two million Aussies admitted to stealing at self-service checkouts amid rising prices of goods.

The reality is that self-checkouts are not always faster or easier to use – in fact, they can be a cause of frustration and delays.

If the recent furore is anything to go by, they are certainly not always providing the level of customer service that shoppers expect.


So, what do you think? Are self-serve checkouts more trouble than they're worth? Or are they a convenient addition to supermarkets?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!

I don't mind the self serve checkouts when I only have a few items. But, if I am doing a big shop then I need a manned checkout. If all of the checkouts were manned then there would not be so much of a queue and I would use them all of the time.
 
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I fully agree with everyone else, I hate the selfserve check-outs. We have a nice new COLES near us, and they seemed to only have two manned (person) checkouts and usually only one has someone there. They want you to use the selfserve ones. I always have something go wrong, or the stupid machine keeps asking silly questions. K'Marts selfserve ones seem to be the worse for this. Where possible I will always used a checkout with a person manning it. Another pet hate is COLES having a twelve or less aisle, which 9 times out 10 is blocked off. GGrr.
 
I fully agree with everyone else, I hate the selfserve check-outs. We have a nice new COLES near us, and they seemed to only have two manned (person) checkouts and usually only one has someone there. They want you to use the selfserve ones. I always have something go wrong, or the stupid machine keeps asking silly questions. K'Marts selfserve ones seem to be the worse for this. Where possible I will always used a checkout with a person manning it. Another pet hate is COLES having a twelve or less aisle, which 9 times out 10 is blocked off. GGrr.
God forbid they take manned checkouts out entirely!
 
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I was not a fan of self-serve when they began, but over time I’ve changed my mind. Some of the advantages, from my perspective, include:

a) it’s usually way faster than the old check-outs
b) I can pack my bags how it suits me. For example, not putting bottles of coke in the same bag as my soft, squishy loaf of bread; not putting fresh fruit in with meat; not adding bulky items on top of clothes that will then need ironing again, etc.
c) if I’ve inadvertently collected an item sans barcode, the self-serve staff can usually sort that immediately.

As for showing receipts on the way out, I’m happy to hold the relevant one in my hand. door staff usually have a good idea of what is sold in their store and what isn’t, and I’ll start by opening the bag from that store & showing the receipt. It rarely costs me more than a slowed step, or a single halted step. I’m rarely asked to show more. If that’s the store’s current system, why not work with it? That costs me less (emotionally) than railing against the system.

My thinking is:
a) these systems are about cost-saving, which we all appreciate
b) I always try to do the right thing, as I was raised that way, so why not let the staff see openly that I’m trustworthy?
c) many years ago, we ran a small business. Back then we were praying for the rent money to come in every week, and we learned quickly just how many things could affect our bottom line. I’m not suggesting that today’s conglomerates are doing it tough like we did, but my open-ness may help a front-line worker here and there to retain their job, and keep feeding their family, instead of having to rely on Centrelink (which isn’t much).
 

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