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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

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

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

The new changes in technology that could impact the way you shop

Supermarkets are tipped to be unrecognisable in five years, with checkouts to be phased out and interactive smartphone apps to be introduced as a routine feature. Technology is rapidly becoming more personalised and utilised for a faster shopping experience for the Australian shopper. Much of the technology is commonplace in the US and is likely to filter into Australia quickly. Developers are given flexibility in the United Kingdom, with some utilising augmented reality to steer a shopper’s experience, suggesting recipes and leading them to related ingredients. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> Here’s a peek at what I’ve been working towards for the past few months. Introducing Retail AR, from Dent Reality. <a href="https://t.co/CpS0w3ZXYX">https://t.co/CpS0w3ZXYX</a> <a href="https://t.co/NZFZcjcQX1">pic.twitter.com/NZFZcjcQX1</a> — Andrew Hart (@AndrewProjDent) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewProjDent/status/981635577488519170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">4 April 2018</a></blockquote> Food retailing expert Gary Mortimer from the Queensland University of Technology said that supermarkets were struggling to refresh and rejig the shopping experience to attract customers. He told <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2019/06/20/supermarket-future-changes-technology/">The New Daily</a>: “The challenge that the big supermarkets face is the constant requirement to be new and different,” he said. “They’re trying to transform a boring, mundane daily task in grocery shopping.” Companies offering same-day or two-hour deliveries in select areas is a step in the right direction. “When you buy a T-shirt or clothing online you expect to receive it in a few days,” Professor Mortimer said. “But when you buy groceries you really want it delivered on the same day, or within a few hours.” Some stores are trialling checkout-less supermarkets in Australia and in the US, it’s predicted that they’ll disappear completely within ten years. Professor Mortimer also predicts that smartphones will be at the heart of augmented reality and artificial intelligence development for a customer’s personalised supermarket experience. Beacon technology is linked to smartphone apps that pushes out notifications and messages whenever a user goes near a beacon’s “sensor”. “(The sensors will be) embedded in lights, so you’ll be walking down the pet food aisle – and Coles or Woolworths know that your favourite product is Dine – and as you’re standing there, you’re getting a push notification (on your phone) with an offer right for you for Dine,” Professor Mortimer said. Augmented reality might take a little bit more time to arrive, but when it does, it will look like this: “You look down the phone’s camera at the grocery aisle and offers will pop up – your favourite cereal pops up with an offer just for you.” A lot of these advancements rely on customers handing over their data via loyalty programs and phones, which is something most customers feel uneasy about.

Technology

No more checkouts! This supermarket chain has just gone cashless and cardless

Convenience store 7-Eleven has taken an Amazon approach and opened a flagship store that is completely cash and card free. The new store, which is based in Richmond, Melbourne, allows shoppers to use their smartphone to complete transactions using an app. The store has no physical checkout counter because all purchases are made via your mobile phone. Customers simply browse through the aisles, pick up the items they want and scan the barcodes on their phone. They then complete the transaction via the 7-Eleven app. 7-Eleven chief executive Angus McKay is thrilled about the new development. “Nobody likes to wait, so eliminating queues was part of the mission for this mobile checkout,” he said in a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/7eleven-opens-its-first-clickandgo-concept-store-in-australia/news-story/418acddf1f1b312f2729b075c8349dd7" target="_blank">statement</a>. “In the new concept store, customers will notice the absence of a counter. “The store feels more spacious and customers avoid being funnelled to a checkout location, creating a frictionless in-store experience.” The company intends to continue trialling new functions across Australia, so your local store could be next. “Continuing our focus on providing ultimate convenience, this year we’re trialling a catering service, and we’re thinking about ways to provide an extraordinary experience to more customers, more often, in more ways that suit them,” McKay explained. “That might be delivery, it might be micro store formats. “We’re trying to push the notion of ‘convenience’ to its absolute limit.” Eagle-eyed fans spotted the changes in store yesterday and let others know via the 7-Eleven Facebook page. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F7ElevenAustralia%2Fposts%2F2234395256598289&width=500" width="500" height="173" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Word is that 7-Eleven got their inspiration from Amazon, who opened a similar store at the start of last year that allowed customers to use technology to take what they wanted and go. Customers entered the store by scanning the Amazon Go app on their mobile at a turnstile and every item taken off the shelf was added to the customer’s individual cart. Customers paid electronically via an account linked to their phone and left the store without exchanging cash or card for any products they purchased. Despite no staff manning the checkouts, there were some staff in the store that were used to help customers and stock shelves.

Money & Banking

"You can't cheat then?" Queen Elizabeth's hilarious reaction to self-serve checkouts

Queen Elizabeth has popped into a supermarket and learnt how to use self-serve counters to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the British high street chain Sainsbury’s. The Queen went to London’s Covent Garden to visit a pop-up replica of the original Sainsbury’s store, which was founded in 1869 and sold just three items – butter, eggs and milk. She was greeted by Lord John Sainsbury, the great grandson of the supermarket chain’s founder John James Sainsbury, who showed her around and gave her an overview of the supermarket’s history and the popular trends among customers. “Tastes have changed,” she said when she was told how the average basket’s content shifted from porridge and orange during the war years to avocados and ready-made meals today. The 93-year-old monarch was also introduced to modern technology used in stores, such as self-service checkout and mobile phone payments. “And you can’t trick it? You can’t cheat then?” she asked during a demonstration. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxKPvgHQaO/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxKPvgHQaO/" target="_blank">Today, The Queen was taken back in time to Sainsbury’s stores from the past to celebrate the British retail chain’s 150th anniversary. The pop-up experience in London’s Covent Garden included a recreation of the very first store, founded by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury on London’s Drury Lane in May 1869. It sold just butter, milk and eggs. Sainsbury’s 150th anniversary celebrations focus on the colleagues and customers who have helped shape the business over the years. Her Majesty met employees who have been involved in fundraising and volunteering in their local communities, and explored some of the technology which customers use today, including self-service tills. In the first image The Queen views a ration pack as presented by Lord and Lady Sainsbury and learns more about the work which was done with the government to develop the rationing process when goods were in short supply during the Second World War.</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/theroyalfamily/" target="_blank"> The Royal Family</a> (@theroyalfamily) on May 22, 2019 at 7:26am PDT </div> </blockquote> When manager Damien Corcoran said the self-service counter is particularly popular amongst shoppers, she responded, “I’m sure they do – everybody wants to hurry.” The Queen also met Sainsbury’s employees who dressed up as store clerks from the era of the supermarket’s first store. She concluded the visit by cutting a birthday cake baked by Claire Ptak, who also created Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s wedding cake.

Retirement Life

The REAL reason Kmart checkouts are in the middle of the store

Kmart shoppers were very frustrated when their local store changed the layout and moved the checkouts to the middle of the store. No reasons were given for the change, which was done back in 2017, but a fellow Facebook group has given a possible reason as to why. A woman wrote a post in a private Facebook group commiserating about how the registers had moved when another woman chimed in with a possible reason for the change. “When I was on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, they told me all Kmart stores will be having checkouts in the middle to stop five finger discounts [shoplifting],” the woman said. “I looked at my friends thinking that clearly isn't going to work.” When the change was brought about, shoppers made their thoughts clear on the new layout. “Oh great. Figtree Kmart now has that stupid layout where the checkouts are in the middle of the f***ing store. I don't know where anything is anymore,” one man angrily explained. “Hey Kmart Australia if you want to stick checkouts in the middle of the store that's fine but don't treat every customer walking out like crims,” another said. A third added: “Kmart is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Placing the checkouts in the middle of the store was the final straw for me.” With the checkouts now being in the middle of the store, shoppers must pay for their products before walking to the exit and show their docket to the front door worker. The front door worker also looks in their bags. A Kmart spokesperson told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7052313/Kmart-shoppers-voicing-fury-checkouts-moved-middle-store.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail </a> that the change was due to aesthetic purposes. “Self-serve and central checkout registers make shopping more convenient, ensuring store entrances are free of queues and clutter, and allowing customers to enter and exit with ease,” they said. “Customers will always be welcomed into the store with a friendly store greeter. “We've noticed the layout is more open now and more spacious without having the registers up at the front part, which can get congested during busy times of the year like Christmas.”

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