Supermarket employee's response sparks backlash from customers: 'This is egregious'

In an age where technology is supposed to make our lives easier, it seems that not everyone is on board with the digital takeover, especially regarding shopping experiences.

This sentiment was echoed loudly by a disgruntled customer who recently voiced frustration over an encounter at Bunnings Warehouse, Australia's go-to destination for home improvement and outdoor living.


The customer's ordeal began with what should have been a simple shopping trip to their local Bunnings store.

They were on the hunt for three specific items but found themselves lost in the vast aisles of the hardware giant.

After a fruitless search from one end of the store to the other, they approached a staff member at the checkout in the garden centre for assistance.


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Frustration was expressed over downloading the Bunnings app for in-store item searches. Credit: Bunnings


To their dismay, the customer was advised to download the Bunnings app to locate the items.

The employee suggested asking another team member when they inquired about alternative ways to find what they needed without the app.

This response left the customer feeling exasperated and venting their frustration on social media, stating, 'I don't need a different app for every g****** store I visit. I just want to go to a store and find what I need, pay and leave.'


The customer's sentiment struck a chord with many, as they expressed their reluctance to be pushed into downloading yet another app, with the accompanying requests for personal details such as phone numbers and email addresses.

Social media chimed in with their own grievances about the proliferation of apps and the constant barrage of notifications that come with them.

One commenter lamented, 'The notifications are egregious. Every app on your phone will be sending you at least one useless spam every f****** day.'

Others shared their frustration with apps that seem to be nothing more than 'bloated website launchers' and the increasing dependency on smartphones for basic functions.

Bunnings Warehouse, owned by Wesfarmers and boasting 381 stores and over 53,000 employees as of 2022, introduced its Bunnings Product Finder app in 2020.

The app was designed to help customers navigate the large warehouses more efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic.


While many customers found the app useful, and it has remained in use, it's clear that not everyone is keen on this digital solution.

In response to the outcry, a Bunnings spokesperson stated that customers have various options when searching for products in their stores.

They can speak to team members, use the product locator boards at the end of each aisle, or look up item locations on the Bunnings website or app.

At the Seniors Discount Club, we understand that while technology can be a boon, it's not always the preferred choice for everyone.

Businesses need to cater to all customers, including those who prefer traditional service methods.

We encourage our members to voice their preferences and seek assistance in the way that suits them best.


In other news, BIG W shoppers voiced frustration over removing in-store price scanners, forcing them to rely on the store's app.

One shopper shared their annoyance on social media, highlighting the inconvenience, especially for those less tech-savvy. You can read more about it here.
Key Takeaways
  • A shopper expressed frustration with the expectation of downloading the Bunnings Warehouse app to locate items in-store.
  • The customer's social media post resonated with others who dislike the overreliance on apps and sharing personal details for shopping.
  • Bunnings introduced the Product Finder app in 2020 to help customers during the Covid pandemic. Its utility has led to its continued use.
  • A Bunnings spokesperson highlighted that customers have multiple ways to find products, including asking team members, using location boards, the website, or the app.
Have you had a similar experience where you felt pressured to use technology in a way that didn't suit your needs? Do you miss the days of simple, straightforward customer service? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below. Let's discuss the balance between convenience and comfort in the digital age.
 

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When QR codes were mandatory, I always doubted that the photo we were supposed to be taking was as innocent as we were told.
Yes they lied to us yet again. In the Sunday Mail of 12th January 2025, it mentions that as soon as you take the image of the QR code, malware can be downloaded on to your phone and in an instant, all your passwords and all your details are stolen.
One of the latest is that Scammers used fake Australia Post QR codes to target sellers on social media’s Marketplace, aiming to steal personal information.
Hence I am going to continue to do what I have always done. I refuse to use QR codes. I have managed to live my life without them so I will continue to do so.
 
This makes me so angry. People, businesses in particular, should learn that NOT EVERYONE HAS A MOBILE PHONE. I wish they'd never been invented. They have caused nothing but trouble. To many hundreds in this country they are just a useless piece of junk because we can't recieve a signal or WE ARE DEAF. Enough is enough . They call this progress but I believe we have gone completely backwards. By the way, what good is a QR Code? I noticed on a box of soft drinks that every can wins BUT YOU NEED A QR CODE. I suppose that's one way of keeping the number of winners down. By the way, yesterday I was looking for a book at a 2nd hand bookstore. They wanted your details but wouldn't accept my info because I had "an invalid phone number". Funny about that I HAVE A LANDLINE.
 
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My association with the local Bunnings has not been very pleasant over the years. I enjoy every other store I go to but the next closet one is 60km away.
They may be good for plants and general items but stock items in hardware, tools etc is nogo.
Empty shelves are a constant issue.
Even though I check stock availability and if it shows in stock I write down the isle and shelf numbers it doesn't help much. Sure I can locate where the item should be but zero stock has the same result. As a staff member for help they just say they havent got any and not to really go by their website. One item recently showed 10mm washers in stock. Actually when aI asked about the empty box and the girl looked them up she said there was a minus 300 stock level.
My feeling on this useless store is If I come home with 50% of the items on my list then I have had a win.
 
Some time back I started to use the Bunnings website before I went there. I would note the aisle number - they give you bin nubmers too but have never worked that out!! I too do not want to have more apps on my phone.
I do the same, but twice I have got there only to find there was no stock on the shelves.More fuel wasted
 
I went to Bunnings yesterday to get some top soil bags for the grass. There were no bags left. I approached a lovely assistant who checked stock stored above, checked for when new stock would be coming in which is late next week, and was able to tell me that if I did not want to wait, another Bunnings not too far away had over 100 bags there, if I didn't mind driving to that store. I always find that the Bunnings store I go to at Milperra (NSW), the people there are helpful and so courteous. I am lucky. Customer service means everything to me - if not evident I do not engage and go elsewhere.
 
The last time I shopped at Bunning I used their app to see if it would cut down the time finding what I wanted.

The very first item I went to buy was not present at the location that the app identified. On asking a staff member he laughed at my use of the app and stated that it "hardly ever has the correct locations". Then he told me that the item I wanted was at the other end of the store. After that I found two other items that were listed in the wrong aisle in the app.

From what I can gather from talking to staff, different stores have different amounts of items, because of local customer needs. So the amount of shelf space allocated for each item, by whoever plans what's reported in the app, doesn't work for every store.
 
I love the Bunnings app. I get to go straight to what I want. The thing is though, they are missing out as I now don’t wander round finding all these things I didn’t know I needed lol
 
Different experience for me , asked young msn on the door as to where I could find, something he called someone up who took me where I needed to go. Of course might have helped that I am ancient and have an assistance dog, still a good experience
 
It sounds, to me, that there was a gross exaggeration of the event. If the customer needed their 3 items then why walk the WHOLE store to find them by themselves. If it was a garden item then you go to the garden section, you don’t need to look in the paint section or the tool shop!! If an item was a laundry basket then the homewares section is where you would start, not electrical or landscape. In this persons defence though, asking someone at a register should have caused the operator to call for “customer assistance at garden register” using their PTT (push to talk earpiece) to get help from another team member, remembering that the register operator is not allowed to leave her terminal. This is a failing of the operator, or the training of the operator.
 

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