Like any other bargain hunters, we Seniors Discount Club members get giddy whenever Woolworths announces that it will be discounting some of our favourites and most often purchased items in the store.

But it seems like not everyone is as thrilled as us whenever the supermarket giant announces its latest moves. In fact, many shoppers are downright angry – and for good reason!

You see, in order to keep costs low and remain competitive in this current market, Woolies have been forced to make a change that's rubbing customers the wrong way.

Instead of fully staffing their checkouts like they used to, the supermarket is now relying heavily on self-serve technology – meaning there are often long queues with only a few manned checkouts open.

A man from Queensland went to Facebook to complain about the long line at his local Woolworths store. Credit: Facebook.

One Queensland man took to Facebook recently to vent his frustrations.

Standing in a long line at the Kippa-Ring store, he snapped a photo of the scene and shared it on Woolworths' page with an angry message attached.

'Just your average Sunday afternoon at Kippa-Ring, standing in a queue because you insist automation is the answer,' he wrote in his post on social media.

He mentioned that Woolworths had just posted record profits yet was still skimping on manpower during their busiest times. 'Just put a 15-year-old on already!' he demanded.

The man then went on to criticise the lack of competition in the Australian supermarket space before informing Woolies that he would be taking his business to a soon-to-be-opened IGA from now on.

'I wish there was more competition in Australian groceries,' he said. 'I've just come back from the UK on holiday, and not only was it cheaper, but it was also so much better. Can't wait for our new IGA to be open next week. Every chance I get to avoid this particular Woolworths going forward, I will take it. This is a constant issue, and I've raised it before.'

Supermarkets are encouraging customers to use self-serve checkouts. Credit: Getty. (Stock photo)

Reactions to the post were mixed, with some shoppers from Queensland saying they've had the same experience at their local store, while others from the UK denied the man's claims that queues were shorter there, placing the blame on the customer instead.

'Had the same issue at our local Woolies yesterday,' one woman said in the comments section, adding: 'Only ever one register open at their busiest times, it seems.'

'This is pretty standard on a weekend, and shock horror, we pack our own bags too,' wrote one UK resident, while another commented, 'Automation is the answer if you're not too feckless to work out how to use it.'

When self-checkout technology was first introduced more than a decade ago, most of the other registers were still staffed. This gave customers the freedom to check out in whatever way was most convenient for them.

But recently, though, there seems to be a trend of supermarkets intentionally not having enough people at checkouts to encourage customers to use self-service – this has led to a growing number of customer complaints on social media.

Woolworths reminded customers that if they wanted to use the manned checkouts, they could do so at any time. Credit: iTnews.

Speaking to a news source, a Woolies representative confirmed that the company acknowledged the complaint about the Kippa-Ring store and reassured customers that there are always people working at the checkouts if they want to use them.

'We're aware of the customer's social media feedback and have passed that onto our Kippa-Ring operations team,' the spokesperson said.

'Customers can always expect service at our manned checkouts and are encouraged to speak with their friendly local store team directly should they have any questions.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths customer has taken to Facebook to complain about the long queues caused by a lack of checkout staff at his local store.
• The customer blamed the increase in self-serve checkouts for the queues and said that he would be avoiding the store in future.
• Reactions to the post were mixed, with some fellow shoppers agreeing while others argued that the situation always depends on the location and customers.

What do you think, folks? Do you agree that supermarkets need to reopen more manned checkouts in their stores? Or should customers get used to the growing number of self-service checkouts? Please share your opinions with us in the comments section!

 

[Gsr]

My local Coles has removed all but 4 manned checkouts and put in self serve instead. Usually 1 checkout is manned and another checkout doesn’t open until 5/6 customers are lined up waiting. The times I have used self serve I always have at least 1 issue that needs to be resolved by staff, and as there is only ever 1 staff overseeing all the self serve there is always 3/5 minutes wait for help. Very poor customer service, which I always complain about in the surveys they send me. Woolworths has less self serve and usually have 2 manned checkouts open so is often quicker, but I always have at least 1 issue needing staff to resolve it when I use self serve as well. I tried online shopping but found I received almost out of date dairy products, crap looking meat, bruised and over ripe fruit, and no care was taken in how goods were bagged resulting in squashed fruit and bread products, broken biscuits etc. this from both Coles and woolies. Good customer service has been overtaken by greed, probably so CEOs and top management can try and justify their salaries and top up bonuses which is all they care about

 

[Gsr]

I work at my local Bunnings, we do not have any self serve checkouts and unless team members are on a break we have registers open at service desk, tool shop, and at least 1 more front end register open as well as the 2 registers in the nursery open to customers who exit through the nursery. We also have 2 registers available at the trade desk, 1 being open all day and the 2nd one open as required so customers aren’t kept waiting. When we are really busy extra team members are called to assist on front end registers and we also have team members serving customers on the floor with mobile pos payment devices. At my store we put value on great customer service from entry to exit for our customers. On occasion we don’t always get it right but the majority of the time we do, we know from the positive customer feedback we receive.

 

[Ezzy]

I work at my local Bunnings, we do not have any self serve checkouts and unless team members are on a break we have registers open at service desk, tool shop, and at least 1 more front end register open as well as the 2 registers in the nursery open to customers who exit through the nursery. We also have 2 registers available at the trade desk, 1 being open all day and the 2nd one open as required so customers aren’t kept waiting. When we are really busy extra team members are called to assist on front end registers and we also have team members serving customers on the floor with mobile pos payment devices. At my store we put value on great customer service from entry to exit for our customers. On occasion we don’t always get it right but the majority of the time we do, we know from the positive customer feedback we receive.

Not sure which Bunnings store you work at but mine is in W.A., a Warehouse, has Self Serves & l mentioned only the front end. I know 1 other check-out at the Service Desk is open & when the Cyclone gates to the Nursery are open to the carpark, 1 of 2 check-outs are also open.

 

[DebbieC62]

Like any other bargain hunters, we Seniors Discount Club members get giddy whenever Woolworths announces that it will be discounting some of our favourites and most often purchased items in the store.

But it seems like not everyone is as thrilled as us whenever the supermarket giant announces its latest moves. In fact, many shoppers are downright angry – and for good reason!

You see, in order to keep costs low and remain competitive in this current market, Woolies have been forced to make a change that's rubbing customers the wrong way.

Instead of fully staffing their checkouts like they used to, the supermarket is now relying heavily on self-serve technology – meaning there are often long queues with only a few manned checkouts open.

View attachment 7920

A man from Queensland went to Facebook to complain about the long line at his local Woolworths store. Credit: Facebook.

One Queensland man took to Facebook recently to vent his frustrations.

Standing in a long line at the Kippa-Ring store, he snapped a photo of the scene and shared it on Woolworths' page with an angry message attached.

'Just your average Sunday afternoon at Kippa-Ring, standing in a queue because you insist automation is the answer,' he wrote in his post on social media.

He mentioned that Woolworths had just posted record profits yet was still skimping on manpower during their busiest times. 'Just put a 15-year-old on already!' he demanded.

The man then went on to criticise the lack of competition in the Australian supermarket space before informing Woolies that he would be taking his business to a soon-to-be-opened IGA from now on.

'I wish there was more competition in Australian groceries,' he said. 'I've just come back from the UK on holiday, and not only was it cheaper, but it was also so much better. Can't wait for our new IGA to be open next week. Every chance I get to avoid this particular Woolworths going forward, I will take it. This is a constant issue, and I've raised it before.'

View attachment 7921

Supermarkets are encouraging customers to use self-serve checkouts. Credit: Getty. (Stock photo)

Reactions to the post were mixed, with some shoppers from Queensland saying they've had the same experience at their local store, while others from the UK denied the man's claims that queues were shorter there, placing the blame on the customer instead.

'Had the same issue at our local Woolies yesterday,' one woman said in the comments section, adding: 'Only ever one register open at their busiest times, it seems.'

'This is pretty standard on a weekend, and shock horror, we pack our own bags too,' wrote one UK resident, while another commented, 'Automation is the answer if you're not too feckless to work out how to use it.'

When self-checkout technology was first introduced more than a decade ago, most of the other registers were still staffed. This gave customers the freedom to check out in whatever way was most convenient for them.

But recently, though, there seems to be a trend of supermarkets intentionally not having enough people at checkouts to encourage customers to use self-service – this has led to a growing number of customer complaints on social media.

View attachment 7922

Woolworths reminded customers that if they wanted to use the manned checkouts, they could do so at any time. Credit: iTnews.

Speaking to a news source, a Woolies representative confirmed that the company acknowledged the complaint about the Kippa-Ring store and reassured customers that there are always people working at the checkouts if they want to use them.

'We're aware of the customer's social media feedback and have passed that onto our Kippa-Ring operations team,' the spokesperson said.

'Customers can always expect service at our manned checkouts and are encouraged to speak with their friendly local store team directly should they have any questions.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths customer has taken to Facebook to complain about the long queues caused by a lack of checkout staff at his local store.
• The customer blamed the increase in self-serve checkouts for the queues and said that he would be avoiding the store in future.
• Reactions to the post were mixed, with some fellow shoppers agreeing while others argued that the situation always depends on the location and customers.

What do you think, folks? Do you agree that supermarkets need to reopen more manned checkouts in their stores? Or should customers get used to the growing number of self-service checkouts? Please share your opinions with us in the comments section!

Happy to use self checkout - but clearly not designed for trolleys. At our local Coles, using the self serve checkouts with a trolley usually involves blocking at least one other checkout, and you are constantly having to wait for staff to correct a mis-read or mis-weigh of items. The only checkouts worse for this are Kmart

 

[Evol P]

At least Aldi has service and their products are cheaper. If Woolies and Coles were cheaper I wouldn't worry too much about myself replacing their staff.