Woolworths customers are outraged after beloved service gets the axe
- Replies 14
Purchasing groceries has always been a bit of a balancing act, somewhere between finding quality produce without spending more than we should. Luckily, we’ve got our favourite local supermarkets to help us save money through the use of their sales and promotions.
But how will you deal with things when a popular service from your local store gets the boot?
One of Woolworths’ most popular services is their 'raincheck' service, where shoppers can purchase an item that is currently out of stock but at the sale price.
These vouchers allow customers to come back and buy whatever it was they wanted at a later date, even after the actual sale is over.
However, when the supermarket giant announced that they were axing ‘rainchecks’ for good, shoppers were understandably upset.
The news was shared in a Facebook group by one shopper, who said she was ‘shocked’ to see that her local store no longer offered ‘raincheck’ on sale items.
‘Since when do supermarkets NOT give out rainchecks?’ The customer wrote in their post.
They added: ‘I just tried to get one for coffee at Woolies and [was] told they no longer give them out.’
This isn’t exactly a new announcement, since Woolies stopped issuing ‘rainchecks’ during the height of COVID-19 in 2020 because of supply chain issues. But no one expected the retailer to stop issuing them for good.
Coles, on the other hand, has continued to offer ‘rainchecks’.
The shopper’s complaint prompted social media users to share similar frustrations over the news.
‘I asked for a raincheck at Woolies and they said they stopped doing [that] during COVID. So annoying,’ one wrote.
Another commented that while the news ‘sucked’, at least Coles still offered the same service. ‘I got a raincheck today for muesli bars,’ they added.
Someone else commented: ‘Also if you buy something at Woolies [and] take it back, no refunds either – only exchange I found out last week.’ The user continued to say that Coles still offers refunds and rainchecks.
‘So, forget about shopping at Woolies now for me,’ they added.
Woolworths’ website confirms this:
‘Until further notice, we will not provide a refund where you have changed your mind about products purchased from Woolworths.’
Others defended Woolies’ decision, however.
One shared: ‘Woolworths manager told me they stopped it during COVID due to people misusing rainchecks by going to multiple stories and doing them. They were buying heaps to resell.’
‘We still can’t guarantee supply of items so we’re no longer issuing them,’ one Woolies staff admitted.
According to Woolworths returns policy page, they said ‘rainchecks’ will be unavailable on any advertised stock until further notice. ‘”Advertised stock” includes any product advertised for sale, or which is on promotion in a Woolworths store or online,’ they added.
A spokesperson for Woolworths told reporters that the ‘supermarket works hard to make sure there’s enough stock in store to meet demand on reduced buys’.
The spokesperson said that the supermarket still offered ‘5,000 specials a week’ in their stores. ‘We continue to collaborate with our supplier partners to have sufficient stock to meet customer demand for our very popular promotions,’ they concluded in their statement.
Do you use ‘rainchecks’, members? Did you notice this change at your local store? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
But how will you deal with things when a popular service from your local store gets the boot?
One of Woolworths’ most popular services is their 'raincheck' service, where shoppers can purchase an item that is currently out of stock but at the sale price.
These vouchers allow customers to come back and buy whatever it was they wanted at a later date, even after the actual sale is over.
However, when the supermarket giant announced that they were axing ‘rainchecks’ for good, shoppers were understandably upset.
Customers were frustrated over the announcement. Credit: Woolworths AU
The news was shared in a Facebook group by one shopper, who said she was ‘shocked’ to see that her local store no longer offered ‘raincheck’ on sale items.
‘Since when do supermarkets NOT give out rainchecks?’ The customer wrote in their post.
They added: ‘I just tried to get one for coffee at Woolies and [was] told they no longer give them out.’
This isn’t exactly a new announcement, since Woolies stopped issuing ‘rainchecks’ during the height of COVID-19 in 2020 because of supply chain issues. But no one expected the retailer to stop issuing them for good.
Coles, on the other hand, has continued to offer ‘rainchecks’.
The news sparked a lively discussion between social media users. Credit: Lum3n/Pexels
The shopper’s complaint prompted social media users to share similar frustrations over the news.
‘I asked for a raincheck at Woolies and they said they stopped doing [that] during COVID. So annoying,’ one wrote.
Another commented that while the news ‘sucked’, at least Coles still offered the same service. ‘I got a raincheck today for muesli bars,’ they added.
Someone else commented: ‘Also if you buy something at Woolies [and] take it back, no refunds either – only exchange I found out last week.’ The user continued to say that Coles still offers refunds and rainchecks.
‘So, forget about shopping at Woolies now for me,’ they added.
Woolworths’ website confirms this:
‘Until further notice, we will not provide a refund where you have changed your mind about products purchased from Woolworths.’
Others defended Woolies’ decision, however.
One shared: ‘Woolworths manager told me they stopped it during COVID due to people misusing rainchecks by going to multiple stories and doing them. They were buying heaps to resell.’
‘We still can’t guarantee supply of items so we’re no longer issuing them,’ one Woolies staff admitted.
According to Woolworths returns policy page, they said ‘rainchecks’ will be unavailable on any advertised stock until further notice. ‘”Advertised stock” includes any product advertised for sale, or which is on promotion in a Woolworths store or online,’ they added.
A spokesperson for Woolworths told reporters that the ‘supermarket works hard to make sure there’s enough stock in store to meet demand on reduced buys’.
The spokesperson said that the supermarket still offered ‘5,000 specials a week’ in their stores. ‘We continue to collaborate with our supplier partners to have sufficient stock to meet customer demand for our very popular promotions,’ they concluded in their statement.
.png){kind=icon}
