Search

Olympian's life "a living nightmare" after simple self-check out mistake

A former Olympian has spoken about how her life was ruined after she accidentally failed to scan to items at a self-checkout machine in Walmart. Canadian athlete Meaggan Pettipiece, 48, was arrested on March 28 in Indiana for theft, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. The charges have since been dropped, but Pettipiece lost her prestigious job as the head coach of the Valparaiso University softball team as a result and says her career and reputation have been ruined. The ordeal began when the self-checkout machine at Walmart reportedly failed to scan the asparagus and ham that Pettipiece intended to purchase. Walmart security saw that she failed to scan the items — worth a total of $67 — prompting them to call the police despite her having paid $167 for her other groceries. Pettipiece was arrested and when police searched her they found three disposable vapes in her purse, along with two unopened blister packs containing anti-nausea medication Zofran. The former athlete said the vapes did not contain any nicotine or THC, and the anti-nausea pills belonged to an assistant coach who had asked her to keep them in her purse during a softball game, days before her arrest. “We both forgot about them,” Pettipiece told the National Post. The outlet reported that earlier this month, her lawyer submitted an application for dismissal that included her account of the incident, proof of her assistant’s prescription, and character reference letters. After reading the application, her charges were dropped by justice officials on September 19, but the damage caused by the incident "changed everything". “It is bittersweet,” she told National Post. “I’m happy, obviously, the charges were dismissed. The sad part is the damage it did to my career. It has changed everything in my life.” Pettipiece resigned as head coach of the softball team shortly after the Walmart incident. "It's been five months, a living nightmare. I lost my career, I lost my job, the life I was building and it's been really difficult." Along with the damage to her career, Pettipiece said the effect on her reputation has been equally heartbreaking. “The softball community is a tight-knit group and it (the news) went through like wildfire,” she said. “You really do learn who the people are that really believe in you and trust you and are truly a friend for you." The former athlete is now living in Ohio with her family, and though the charges against her have been dismissed she is worried the damage "can't be reversed". “The tough thing is, how do you get out to people that you are innocent? And this damage was done for something so ridiculous,” Pettipiece told the outlet. “I’m not sure of the future. For now, I’m going to stay at home and focus on my kids. I’d like to figure out which direction I’m going to go in.” Image: Valparaiso University Athletics/ ZikG / Shutterstock.com

Legal

ALDI shoppers left fuming

An alert on ALDI’s self-serve checkouts prompting shoppers to only pay by card has left customers fuming. A photo shared to popular Facebook page, Aldi Fans Australia, shows the supermarket’s self-serve screen with the words “Card payment only” on it. The self-serve checkouts were installed in nine stores across New South Wales in June 2021 - but that’s not what’s got customers annoyed. Customers said they would not be shopping at ALDI if they did not accept cash options. “No cash, no buy - so bye bye. Cash only here,” one customer said. “I pay for everything with cash. Cash is king,” another wrote. “I'd rather use a human being, thanks, and keep someone in a job,'' one woman said. “I used to get paid to do that job, now they want me to do it for free,” someone else commented. “I would prefer cash any day, at least I know where it is,” another added. On the other hand, shoppers commended the introduction of the self-serve checkouts which will help them complete their trip quicker. “Now we can go at our own pace,” one commented. “This makes me super happy. Love self-serve,” another added. “'I never have cash, I have almost forgotten it's a thing, doesn't everyone just use their phone to pay for stuff now?” someone else wrote. Images: Facebook/Shutterstock

Food & Wine

Woolies employee reveals unknown self-serve checkout hack

One Woolworths employee has shown those who struggle with self-serve checkout one easy hack to get you sorted. A new clip shared to TikTok by the official Woolworths page, has shared with shoppers a simple way to stop calling for assistance at self-serve checkouts when scanning and bagging items. However, followers of the page were more excited to see the employee sharing the hack, rather than the hack itself. Woolworths' staffer Liam Kirley shot to fame on TikTok after his in-store videos went viral. In the video, Liam shows himself lining up the items to be packed in a single bag before scanning. "Press I've got a bag on the machine, then place the bag in the bagging area," he said. "Then place all the items you want in that bag on the parcel shelf. “Then do something called a power slide, you slide items across and the barcodes will scan easier." He shared that the green light will let you know when it's time to scan another item and when you can move your bag. Liam also revealed that pressing the new bag button on the bottom left-hand side of the screen will make it easier to start the process again with a new bag. The clip also shows shoppers how to scan heavy items without lugging them onto the bagging area or calling staff for help. "If you've got a bag item like the water, tap the heavy miscellaneous and then tap the item you want in," he shared. Liam rose to stardom on TikTok, by sharing simple secrets for the supermarket. <img id="__mcenew" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843801/woolies-checkout.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7cc9747b7b0d44038f29d4649ff80cc2" /> His viral videos have gained him more than 150,000 followers and seven million likes. Now, Liam says he will be running the new Woolworths account, as a content coordinator. Woolies launched their new account on TikTok during the week and delves to share recipe ideas, cooking hacks from food experts, shopping tips and sneak peeks into new stores. “We are pleased to be launching on TikTok and to give customers an even closer look at what it means to be Today’s Fresh Food People," Woolworths Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Hicks said. “TikTok is a great platform to share content and we hope can help make customers’ shopping easier through simple and fun tips and insights. “In planning the launch on TikTok, it was important we had an authentic voice of our team that would resonate with the channel's audience. "We’re excited to have Liam bring that same authenticity across a range of content to inspire our customers.”

Money & Banking

“It warmed my cold heart”: Coles checkout worker praised for helping struggling senior

A young checkout worker’s kind act towards an elderly customer has almost brought an onlooking Coles shopper to tears. Shopper Lyn shared the story on Facebook, revealing how she was blown away after watching how the cashier reacted when the elderly woman became confused while paying for her shopping at Coles in Medowie, Port Stephens. “I really wanted to share a beautiful thing I witnessed today,” Lyn wrote. “While waiting in line at my local Coles supermarket, the elderly lady in front of me was having trouble paying with her debit card. It declined twice and she was confused at why it wasn’t working. “A beautiful young boy working on the checkout told her it’s OK, I’ll fix it for you, and proceeded to pay for it using his own phone to access his account. “The elderly lady just thought he had fixed the technology somehow, not realising he had just paid for her $73 groceries. He didn’t look for thanks or acknowledgement in any way. “I wanted to cry at witnessing the absolute care and generosity of a fabulous young man called Michael. Lyn concluded the story by assuring everyone that she had told the store supervisor of Michael’s kindness. “It warmed my cold heart,” she said. Hundreds responded to the story, sharing how touched they were by the cashier’s generous act. “Some people are just winners. Awesome work young bloke. You’re going places,” one said. “His parents would be super proud,” another added. “OMG there still is good in this cold, mixed-up world. Michael from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You have restored my faith in the younger generation,” a third wrote. A Coles worker from the Medowie store said: “Reading through this I was thinking it was Michael, then saw his name. He is a lovely young man and he is an asset to our store. I will be giving him a praise up!”

Food & Wine

"In your face, ALDI!": Shopper shares hack to slow down checkout

An ALDI customer has shared a hack for beating the fast pace of the store’s checkouts and has received a mixed response from others online. ALDI staff are known for their high speed scanning of groceries at the checkout, and a shopper has shared an image of the simple thing she does to slow them down. The photograph shows a series of grocery items spaced out along the conveyor belt, with around 30cm between each item. She claims this trick ensures she has enough time to pack items into her trolley or bag at the other end of the checkout. “In your face ALDI! Just so we got time to pack!” she captioned the photo. <img style="width: 351.4548238897397px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842759/56af82373d000fbf58e0cc7cf01a0e13364e9926-161x229-x0y67w459h653.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/53b9ae1571cb47468cd7c6896aa0f03f" /> Image: Facebook While many have praised the technique, others were angry and accused the shopper of being “selfish” and “annoying”. “Stop trying to pack your bags at the checkout. Put your groceries back into your trolley after they’ve been scanned and pack them at the packing area like you’re supposed to. You don’t need to do stupid things like this if you just follow the rules,” one person said. “People like you packing their bag at the register is so annoying and selfish. Try packing them at the bench like everyone else,” another added. “If you are selfish enough to do that I hope they really throw them at you,” a third wrote. “How childish,” another said. A former ALDI worker also contributed to the debate, saying she had come across this tactic in the past. “When I worked at ALDI and people did this, I would hold the first item back from the sensor with my arm until everything piled up,” she said. Meanwhile, others praised the idea and told people “to lighten up”. “Great idea. Might try it next time I don’t feel like taking on the ALDI ninja fast cashiers lol,” said one. Image: Facebook

Food & Wine

Why this self-serve checkout “hack” should never be tried in store

A self-serve checkout hack video has gone viral, amassing almost over a million views; but supermarket chains have warned customers against it. The video posted to TikTok was shared by a Woolworths customer who revealed that machines have a coin slot flap that can be lifted, which can allow shoppers to dump multiple coins at once instead of inserting them one-by-one. “Oi Aussies, did you know that at Woolworths you can pull this up to insert your coins when you have too many?” she said in the video. However, supermarket chains are asking customers not to try out the “hack” as it is not intended for customer use, and shoppers can risk jamming the machines. Woolies staff commented on the video, writing “Noooo don’t do this, the machine will jam then we gotta fix it.” Another said: “You’ll end up waiting longer … great way to jam the coin slot they have to individually go on a belt to be sorted so the machine knows what’s been put in,” another added. A Coles spokesperson told news.com.au it is not a simple hack shoppers should ever attempt. “The purpose of the coin flap is to prevent debris, food and other small objects from getting into the machine which could cause jams. “However, we do not encourage customers to put an excess amount of coins, i.e. piggy bank full of coins.”

Retirement Life

"I cried so much": Woolies shopper floored by stunning staff gesture

A Woolworths shopper has shared the unexpected act by a staff member while she was paying for groceries. Posting the story on Facebook, Victorian shopper Sammy said the kind Woolworths checkout worker left her in tears while she was going through the self-serve checkout. The customer said she was in a distressed state while out shopping at her local store following the death of her dog earlier that day. When the employee asked if she needed help at the checkout, Sammy shared what had happened and the worker went and picked up a box of Cadbury Favourites chocolates for the grieving customer to take home. “Today I lost my beautiful German shepherd, I had to duck into [Woolworths] for dinner,” she wrote. “We still need to wear masks in Ballarat, Victoria. I’m at the self-service checkout and I’m asked if I was OK, my eyes must’ve said it all. “I told her my dog passed this morning and she came back with these and gave her condolences. I cried so much in my car. “A beautiful act of kindness from your staff.” A Woolworths representative replied to Sammy’s post, saying the supermarket was proud of their worker’s kind actions. “We wish to extend our sincere condolences to you and your family during this difficult time,” they said. “We’re glad to hear that one of our team members at our Ballarat store could see that you weren’t OK and give you a box of Cadbury Favourites. “We’ve already provided your feedback to the Ballarat Store Management team so the team member in question receives the recognition she deserves.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

ALDI shopper shares genius checkout hack

An ALDI shopper has shared a grocery hack he says will save time at the checkout. In a video shared online, TikTok user 1980sgamer revealed how using two laundry baskets rather than waiting to stack your purchased goods at the checkout can save you time. "I was able to modify my grocery hack to make grocery shopping an even better experience," he can he heard saying in the video as he pushes a trolley around a supermarket. He begins the process by selecting food and grocery items as usual, before placing the items on the checkout belt and paying. "Now, you see all these people wasting their time bagging their groceries? Yeah, skip that," he can be heard saying. "Just head to your vehicle with all your groceries loose in your cart like this. Now, for this hack to work, you're going to need two laundry baskets." He then places the cold food items at the bottom of the basket before filling the baskets with the remaining items. "So now you can just drive home, and I just saved you a tonne of time by skipping the bagging process with this great grocery hack," he said. The video has been viewed more than 40,000 times, with it reaping much praise. "Oh my god, yes. I have been doing this for some time now," one Tiktok user wrote. "Omg so genius, I never thought of laundry baskets," another said.

Food & Wine

ALDI shopper's plea after distressing incident at the checkout

Customers have requested for ALDI checkout staff to scan items at a slower pace after a woman witnessed an elderly shopper become overwhelmed trying to pack her groceries. The scene unfolded at an ALDI store in NSW last week when the elderly customer battled to keep up with the quick pace of her cashier. The woman watched on as the shopper, who refused her help, struggle with what she described as ALDI's "rush in, rush out" approach. “Once her goods were beginning to scan the cashier was going so fast, I could see the poor lady struggle to put it back into her trolley, by the time she walked a short distance to the end of the cashier table, a third of her goods were sitting there already,” the observer wrote on ALDI’s Facebook page. “The cashier had to stop scanning as there was no space left... the queue had built up so far, despite this the cashier didn't call for another register to open.” The woman revealed the cashier began putting the shopper's items into her trolley to clear space for more items to be scanned. “The lady was visibly upset by how rushed she was. At the end she paid for her goods as the cashier loaded up the last of her goods into her trolley and told her to use the bench to sort it out,” she wrote. She added while she usually has no issue personally with using the separate bench to pack her groceries, seeing the older woman struggle changed her mind. “It was complete chaos and now the poor lady had to spend more time getting pushed about trying to sort her trolley after the cashier just threw things everywhere (eggs under milk cartons, bread loaf under tins, toilet paper squashing everything).” The woman implored ALDI to consider a re-evaluation of its “rush in, rush out” attitude, revealing she struggled with anxiety each time she approached the registers to check out. “I know the cashiers scan things as fast as possible and will then try to throw all my stuff in the trolley. I hate this. Why not just slow down the pace a little?” she wrote. An employer for the supermarket responded to the shopper's post, saying they were concerned upon hearing what she had to say and would "look into this further". An Aldi spokesperson said staff adjusted the speed they scan groceries based on each individual shopper. “Our employees will review and adjust their scan speed based on how quickly or slowly each customer packs their shopping,” the spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia in a statement. “If any customer would like an Aldi employee to slow down at the checkout, we encourage them to kindly request this. Our stores are designed to ensure customers can do their weekly shop in an efficient and convenient way. “One way we can do this is by asking customers to place their groceries back in their trolley once they have been scanned, and then pack at their own pace at the long bench behind the tills.”

Food & Wine

"Blatant disregard for hygiene": Man slams Woolworths self-serve checkouts

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A Woolworths customer slammed the supermarket giant for a "blatant disregard of hygiene" at one of its Melbourne stores. He said that he was disappointed to see that staff at his local store had left bins on the grocery shelves next to some self-serve registers. “It is almost inconceivable that anyone would place rubbish bins at any time on a surface where meat and vegetables are placed, but during a pandemic?” the customer wrote. “It is inexcusable.” He also said it was a "blatant disregard for hygiene". <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwoolworths%2Fposts%2F5142232599182163&width=500&show_text=true&height=561&appId" width="500" height="561" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> However, many defended the supermarket, saying that they didn't see the problem. “These bins are just for the receipts. How are they any less hygienic than the counter that people are touching?” said one. “He says, whilst using a touchscreen or keyboard, both of which harbour more bacteria than your average toilet seat,” another commenter said. “The two registers with bins on the bench are closed. What’s the big deal? The rubbish isn’t going to jump out, on to your meat and vegetables,” a third agreed. The irritated shopper said he would prefer to see the bins "on the FLOOR". A Woolworths spokesperson said that they would pass the shoppers feedback onto the relevant store. </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

The subtle yet sneaky Woolies tactic you didn’t notice at checkout

A little-known feature at Woolworths’ self-serve checkouts is being used to stamp out potential theft and helping customers scan groceries faster. Sneaky shoppers who may try to cheat the self-serve system by scanning avocados as carrots should beware. New technology at the assisted checkouts will now be able to detect the type of loose product a customer is purchasing. The upgrade in the self-service checkout machines has been rolled out in 220 of its 1050 stores and allows the scanner to analyse the subtle characteristics of the product being weighed. The screen will then give chekoutlists with three fruit and vegetable options to choose from. “So if a customer places a loose tomato on the scanner, the system will show a range of tomato varieties rather than the full list of fruit and veg items,” a Woolworths spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia. “This makes self-serve that little bit faster and improves the accuracy of product selection for customers.” The Picklist Assist feature scans fruit and vegetables using imaging technology. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839069/woolies-sself-servce-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f9b1985b850a4be3b5802a52ffa9915f" /> It brings up shortlists of items to help shoppers make selection of their product image quicker. Woolworths hopes the technology will simplify their shop. “We’re always looking for ways to make shopping easier for our customers,” the Woolworths spokesperson said. “As we progressively upgrade our assisted checkouts, we have access to new technology, which helps customers find loose fruit and veg items in the system faster. “The system uses image recognition technology to filter the list of possible products based on their colour, shape or size.”

Food & Wine

Virtually unknown ALDI checkout rule confounds shoppers

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Many shoppers at ALDI are confused about a virtually unknown rule that was shared on Facebook. Over the last week, several shoppers have shared their confusion over ALDI's refusal to allow shoppers to purchase alcohol if they have a minor with them. ALDI policy states that a customer can be denied the sale of alcohol if a child under the age of 18 is accompanying them or if a minor has handled alcohol they intend to buy. One shopper was unaware of the rule and claimed he was stopped from purchasing Vodka Cruisers for his wife as he had his teenage daughters with him. Another shopper said the same thing happened to her, as she was refused service after her 18-month-old toddler touched a bottle at the checkout. “I did and had my 18-month-old daughter with me,” said the shopper. “I was holding her on my hip and she leant over and touched the alcohol on the conveyer while I was loading other groceries on.” Another claimed she was denied service in the presence of her underage son. “I was refused because I was buying a carton and had my son carry it because I have a bad back,” the shopper said. The German supermarket has confirmed with <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/food/the-little-known-aldi-checkout-rule-that-has-many-scratching-their-heads-c-1390041" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">7News</a> that the policy of the supermarket is in line with Australian laws. “As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),” said an ALDI Australia spokesperson. “Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol. “The sale of alcohol can be refused if a minor has handled alcohol that could be potentially purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption. “This also extends to a minor accompanying an adult purchasing alcohol, even if the minor has not physically touched an alcoholic product. “It is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and ultimately it is at the discretion of the person serving alcohol to decline the sale should they have any doubts or concerns. “There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. “As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied to a person under the age of 18.” </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

Woolworths confirms trial video surveillance on self-serve checkouts

Woolworths have confirmed they are trialling video surveillance at its self-serve check-outs in hopes of officially stamping out theft for good. Melbourne shopper Branwell Travers was the one who first called out the change when he took to Twitter to explain how he had seen a video of himself appearing on the screen of a self-serve checkout. "For how long has Woolworths been filming me while using self-check-outs?" he captioned the photo. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836311/woolies.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/902af3252a5049e0a9f1054dc722c419" /> Mr Travers told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/woolworths-security-self-serve-checkout-trial/" target="_blank">Pedestrian TV</a> he first thought the checkout must have been glitching to have recorded him. “I was kinds confused and thought maybe it was a malfunction or something,” he said. “But I looked over my shoulder and saw the person next to me had the same thing.” Another customer also shared they were “shocked” to discover they were also being filmed at another Woolies self-service checkout kiosk. A Woolworths spokesman told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/woolworths-trialling-video-surveillance-at-selfservice-checkouts/news-story/29b75c97c5fba310071318b6ef87a459" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>: “We know the vast majority of our customers do the right thing at our self-serve check-outs. This is a new security measure we're trialling for those that don’t. “Our stores have staffed checkout lanes for customers who would prefer not to take part in the trial.” Video taken by Woolworths at the self-service kiosk is not recorded or stored and the cameras cannot see the card PIN pad section. Image: Branwell Travers viaTwitter

Legal

Woolworths hack goes viral: Did you know about this handy trick?

A user on the TikTok social media app has revealed a trolley hack that will make everyone’s next trip to the supermarket so much easier. The little-known trick, made viral by user @ebonyhit, is that a smaller trolley can slide effortlessly over the self-serve kiosk where customers would typically place a basket or their purchased items. “I just learnt the small trolley fits at Woolies self-serve!” the clip was captioned. <blockquote style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="6819906853787421957"><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ebonyhit" target="_blank" title="@ebonyhit">@ebonyhit</a> am i the only one who just figured this out <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6819906609733913350" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - ebonyhit">♬ original sound - ebonyhit</a></blockquote> Since it was originally posted, the video has attracted more than 17,000 likes on the social media platform, as well as around 400 comments from stunned viewers. “You’re smarter than me, I’m 43 and just found this out,” one person said. Another added: “This has spun me out, my whole world has changed.” It is unknown whether the trolley hack works at other supermarkets but it’s a free trick worth trying!

Food & Wine

ALDI shopper shares brilliant checkout trick

A shopper has shared her favourite <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/mums-genius-aldi-checkout-hack/news-story/706aa80430140bdc120835380a778441">checkout trick for speedy grocery packing</a> in store. Posting on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1034012533313136/">the Aldi Mums Facebook group</a>, the woman showed how she made her shop easier at the supermarket by using two large plastic tubs. According to the mum, the tubs “fit perfectly into the trolley and so easy to get in and out of the car”. The shopper also revealed her strategy to fit all the groceries in the tubs and get them checked out quickly at the conveyor belt. “I put the heaviest items in the front tub so that they come out first onto the belt and then I distribute the heavy things evenly into the two tubs after they’ve been swiped through the register,” she explained. “You’ll be surprised how much you can fit into them.” The hack has been praised by fellow shoppers in the group, with one calling it “a brilliant idea”. Other shoppers pointed out that the trick could also be carried out using laundry baskets or Ikea blue bags. ALDI has previously caught flak over its “<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/the-real-reason-why-aldi-checkouts-are-so-stressful">stressful</a>” checkout experience, with customers calling for <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/aldi-slammed-for-not-having-express-checkouts">express lanes</a> to be installed in stores. “... the dirty looks I got when I filled up the conveyor belt at Aldi by other impatient customers, who thought it was the end of the world that someone was doing a big shop, was phenomenal,” a shopper wrote on the Facebook group. A spokeswoman for the retailer said in a statement then: “We constantly review our processes and are open to receiving customer feedback to ensure we continue to deliver exceptional value and great service to our customers.”

Food & Wine

Shoppers unimpressed with Woolworths’ new self-serve tactic

Shoppers aren’t happy with the latest self-serve checkout that’s been unveiled at a new Woolworths store in Melbourne this week. Millers Junction Woolworths in Melbourne’s west was treated to Victoria’s very first self-serve checkout specifically for trolleys. This could potentially sole issues about overcrowding in the service area. “I think it’s a great idea, and I really love self service,” one person told <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/customers-hit-out-at-woolworths-new-self-service-tactic-033430011.html" target="_blank">Yahoo News Australia</a>. “The only time we don’t use it is if we had a full trolley, but the new self-serve would solve that problem.” However, many were quick to point out that adding more self-serve checkouts doesn’t solve the problems of overcrowding. “This company still doesn't get it. If you go shopping you do not want to have to serve yourself as well. Business is just greedy for money, cut jobs, no staff for the customer to interact with,” one person said. “No jobs for the young kids to get a kickstart in the workforce. Computers have definitely helped but before you know it nobody will be working because robots and computers will do it all,” another agreed. “This solves nothing, now the slow morons that really should not be using self-check out to begin with will take up more space and waste more time,” a third person said. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmammaknowswest%2Fphotos%2Fa.801562326538146%2F3023260567701633%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="380" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Retail expert Professor Gary Mortimer from Queensland University of Technology said that self-serve checkouts do not always equal less employees. “Roles are simply moved from one area to another,” Professor Mortimer told <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/customers-hit-out-at-woolworths-new-self-service-tactic-033430011.html" target="_blank">Yahoo News Australia</a>. “I think the service is still the same, it’s just with one option you’re actually actively involved in controlling your transaction - and some shoppers like that.” Mortimer also suggests that there is a mindset that it’s faster to unload, scan and bag your own groceries through self-serve but it really takes the same amount of time as an employee doing it for you. “Because we are stressed and because we are perceived to be time-poor, it doesn’t matter which queue you’re in, you’re always going to believe you’re in the slowest queue,” he explained. “The perception is ‘Wow, this is really quick’, but there could be 20 customers ahead of you, but when you’re standing in a checkout there might be two people in front, and you go ‘This is going really slow. “It’s just the movement which creates the psychology that things are moving faster.” Mortimer says that retailers across the board are looking to provide shoppers with different ways to transact their goods. “I think these types of conveyor belt style self-service technologies will roll out, I don’t think they will be predominant across all checkouts but there will certainly be one or two options for customers,” Professor Mortimer said. “Particularly in busier stores.”

Food & Wine

ALDI slammed for not having express checkouts

A group of mums have criticised ALDI supermarkets for not installing express lanes for customers with small hauls. A woman took to the Aldi Mums Facebook group to share that she felt intimidated by other shoppers queuing at the register behind her with only a few items while she loaded her trolley of groceries onto the conveyor belt. “... the dirty looks I got when I filled up the conveyor belt at Aldi by other impatient customers, who thought it was the end of the world that someone was doing a big shop, was phenomenal,” she wrote. “Aldi needs an express lane for the grumps who basically want to shiv you like a prison line for smokes in commissary, because they want to get ahead. “Who knew that people shopped big at Aldi? I have three kids ... four if you include my husband.” Other mums in the comments agreed, saying they had similar experiences at the discount retailer. “I feel ya pain. I shop every fortnight as I get paid that way. My trolley is usually full...” one wrote. “So I let in a few people while I’m stacking just so the lane goes faster. But my bug is when a person rocks up behind me puts their stuff on, when I’m [halfway] through.” Another commented, “I do a fortnightly shop and I’m sure I piss off at least 10 shoppers by having the conveyor belt full.” One wrote: ““They should have an express lane it does help. I sometimes only need 1 or 2 things [and] find myself stuck behind people with a trolley full to the brim.” A shopper shared that she told the manager of her local ALDI store to introduce an express lane for customers with 12 items or fewer. However, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/business/how-to-pick-the-fastest-line-at-the-supermarket.html">New York Times</a>, getting in the express checkout line does not always guarantee a faster process due to the amount of time allocated for each shopper to choose their bags, pay, collect their purchases and more. “Think of it this way: One person with 100 items to be rung up will take an average of almost six minutes to process. If you get in a line with four people who each have 20 items, it will take an average of nearly seven minutes,” the article stated. An ALDI spokeswoman told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/mums-outraged-over-major-problem-with-aldi-supermarkets-015713870.html">Yahoo News Australia</a> the current format of its checkouts meets the needs of shoppers. “Shopping at Aldi is a unique experience, but one that we are proud of,” the supermarket said in a statement. “We constantly review our processes and are open to receiving customer feedback to ensure we continue to deliver exceptional value and great service to our customers.”

Food & Wine

Photo of Coles store shows the massive problem with older Australians and self-serve checkouts

The growing adaption of self-serve checkouts has sparked a fiery debate online after complaints surfaced accusing supermarkets of neglecting senior Australian’s needs. An image shared to Facebook displayed queues of older Aussies lining up at a checkout in a Coles store. The snap was taken inside the Southlands Boulevarde shopping mall in Willettonm, a suburb in Perth Australia. The comment section heated up after many people aired their disappointment, saying it looked a lot like many supermarkets these days. “Stop relying on the self-serve checkouts, hire some staff,” the irritated shopper who shared the photo wrote. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832153/fb-img.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d4fb5ea8966c4fa8a41f00b6360ac862" /> Several other frustrated people agreed with her statement, with one person commenting that supermarkets were limiting staff so they could “force the use of self-checkouts" on customers to “recoup the money spent on them”. Another said they always refused to “use self-checkout regardless of the shop”. Consumer behavioural analyst and managing director at Marketing Focus Barry Urquhart told <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/" target="_blank">Yahoo News Australia</a> there is a growing trend towards electronic efficiency - meaning the needs of older shoppers are being pushed to the wayside. Mr Urquhart says the traditional shopping experience is one older customer enjoy about grocery shopping. “A lot of people are very lonely, they live in soulless homes, their social interaction is between those who are serving them,” he said. “And when you remove that, the shopping experience is compromised depreciatively because it’s just a process and there’s no human interaction. “It’s interesting because the older people are, the more loyal of the supermarket customers, and they are, in a large part, loyal because of the personal interaction that they have with the ‘checkout chick’.”

Technology

No more self-serve checkout theft? The change that may be coming to your supermarket

Scottish researchers think they have solved a debacle plaguing supermarket self-serve checkouts - theft. Abertay University academics found digital human-like faces at self-serve checkouts can help reduce the risk of shoplifting. The study stimulated a self-service checkout scenario in which participants were asked to scan and weigh items before paying. Opportunities were provided in which shoppers could benefit financially through being dishonest. "Items without a bar code provided opportunities for dishonest behaviours as participants were required to select a weight or provide the item numbers," <a rel="noopener" href="https://academic.oup.com/iwc/article/31/2/154/5426455" target="_blank">researchers wrote.</a> Results showed when a human-like face was present, participants were less likely to cheat the systems than the times the face was not included. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7831933/self-serve.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eeb9dd7cebb84ac09bcf8cd04bd129b4" /> The digital face shown above the checkout. Image: 9news "This study shows that there are potential effects on people's behaviour due to the inclusion of human-like elements within the service," explained researchers. "Interface designers interested in this field need to achieve a balance in that an agent will have to be noticed sufficiently, while not interfering with a consumer's task." Researchers said there is "huge merit in maintaining a social element in consumer interaction with technology" in order to reduce self-service checkout theft. The study comes out at the same time retailers across the country are trialing several different methods to combat the million-dollar problem. New South Wales are testing out sensors which create a log of the products the customer selects. The information is transferred into checkout at the time of purchase. "Our distributed decision-making stack maintains a virtual 'cart' for each customer, reliably detecting and tracking all product interactions," black.ai, the robotics firm working with a number of unnamed supermarkets, previously told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/researchers-develop-method-to-combat-self-service-checkout-theft/ar-AAJ5bRV" target="_blank">nine.com.au.</a>

Money & Banking

ALDI’s secrets to success: Why are the checkouts so small?

ALDI is a worldwide sensation. Since opening its first store in 1913, the German retailer has expanded to over 10,000 store locations around the globe. In Australia, ALDI has continued to thrive as <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/the-results-are-in-australias-favourite-supermarket-has-just-been-revealed/">the top-rated supermarket among shoppers</a> in <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/supermarkets/articles/the-best-and-worst-supermarkets-according-to-australian-shoppers">recent years</a>, beating out major competitors such as Coles and Woolworths. Now, a new documentary has delved into the secrets behind the supermarket’s success. Airing on the UK’s Channel 5, Inside Aldi: Britain’s Biggest Budget Supermarket <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/new-documentary-exposes-aldis-secrets-to-success/news-story/1426a3312f475b554ddd269957ded10c">featured former employees and experts</a> who revealed how the supermarket maintains its ability to keep prices low and customers coming back. Small checkouts ALDI is well-known for its small-sized checkouts and speedy cashier service. Experts believe that this is to ensure that the checkout is cleared more quickly, allowing more new shoppers to come in and helping staff scan more items in a short time. The documentary also showed how products have multiple barcodes so that staff can get through more goods at a fast and efficient pace. Special Buys The show said the supermarket’s Special Buys program – which is available in Australian stores every Wednesday and Saturday – is part of what brings shoppers in each week. Experts said the limited edition products sold in the middle aisle are the retailer’s “treasure aisle-land” that helps increase profits by encouraging customers to buy what they perceive as “luxuries” at a bargain. Home brands One of the most common criticisms levelled at ALDI is that it has <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/supermarkets/articles/the-best-and-worst-supermarkets-according-to-australian-shoppers#range">limited range of products and brands</a>. The documentary said the retailer stocks only 2,000 products, significantly fewer an average supermarket’s 40,000. However, this is what also helps keep its prices competitive. 95 per cent of the products sold at ALDI are own-brand, which enables the supermarket to bring down prices. The doco also noted that ALDI put great effort into making sure their products look and taste like big brands.

Legal

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Olympian's life "a living nightmare" after simple self-check out mistake

ALDI shoppers left fuming

Woolies employee reveals unknown self-serve checkout hack

“It warmed my cold heart”: Coles checkout worker praised for helping struggling senior

"In your face, ALDI!": Shopper shares hack to slow down checkout

Why this self-serve checkout “hack” should never be tried in store

"I cried so much": Woolies shopper floored by stunning staff gesture

ALDI shopper shares genius checkout hack

ALDI shopper's plea after distressing incident at the checkout

"Blatant disregard for hygiene": Man slams Woolworths self-serve checkouts

The subtle yet sneaky Woolies tactic you didn’t notice at checkout

Virtually unknown ALDI checkout rule confounds shoppers

Woolworths confirms trial video surveillance on self-serve checkouts

Woolworths hack goes viral: Did you know about this handy trick?

ALDI shopper shares brilliant checkout trick

Shoppers unimpressed with Woolworths’ new self-serve tactic

ALDI slammed for not having express checkouts

Photo of Coles store shows the massive problem with older Australians and self-serve checkouts

No more self-serve checkout theft? The change that may be coming to your supermarket

ALDI’s secrets to success: Why are the checkouts so small?

Our Partners