Dear Woolworths..

Cuppa · Guru

Dear Woolworths..

Dick0 · Guru

Gundog wrote:
Dick0 wrote:
It appears self checkout is the way supermarkets are going except for IGA.
IGA at Beachmere has self serve checkouts !

Thanks for letting me know. I have been to many IGA stores throughout my travels and never seen checkouts. Good to know.

Whenarewethere · Guru

IGA & Aldi in Mosman, Bridgepoint shopping centre, Sydney, both have self checkout.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Aldi in North Sydney has self checkouts.

Cupie · Guru

It seems that Aldi are progressively implementing self check out across their stores.

There are about 5 Aldi stores within about 10km of where I live and at least half of them already have self checkout. Not sure about the others as I rarely visit them.

Both IGA/Drakes that I am familiar with within this area also have self checkout as of course do all of the WW & Coles.

dogbox · Guru

Cuppa wrote:

Gundog wrote:
Instead of complaining about self serve checkouts in stores move forward with the times, because in my childhood you went to the grocers and you stood in line waiting your turn to be served by person in a white apron, who would get each item you wanted and brought it to you at the counter, from there you would go to the butcher, baker and green grocer. .

I'd suggest that there are plenty who consider that the current state of affairs in supermarkets is not a move forward. A move certainly, but not forward. I expect most of us here recall the personal touch at the grocers, butchers, bakers & green grocers & miss it.
We are lucky enough to still have a greengrocer we can get all our fruit & veg from. Better quality, better variety & cheaper than at the big prepackaged supermarkets. Our bread comes from a bakers shop - albeit a franchised one, when we are travelling we often seek out a local butcher in preference to the supermarket. Not only is the meat generally of a better quality, but we get it packed/cryovaced in portion sizes to suit out freezer, & a chat about the locality. Personal service is still way better at our local Mitre 10 than at Bunnings often with similar prices.
I think a great deal of interaction is lost through 'modern convenience', & it plays a significant role in a society where people have become increasingly isolated & self centred.
Plenty are ready to criticise the action of others in our community for all sorts of behaviours, & I think if folk felt they had a 'place' in our society, ie. felt included. this would be less of a problem - it's all part of a continuum.

-- Edited by Cuppa on Monday 30th of October 2023 10:14:25 AM

in this time poor era when everyone is in a hurry, people do not want to be in a que waiting to be served, we would rather complain about the lack of immediate service that we do not want to pay extra for. which is why we head off to ALDI to save a dollar, what does woolies do they cut back on staff and service to close the gap as far as costs go.
we voted with our wallets an we get what we are prepared to pay for

Whenarewethere · Guru

We always pay cash, but it's really painful as there are very few cash self checkouts any more & there is a queue for them.

At the butcher the other day 4 out of 4 paid cash.

Cuppa · Guru

dogbox wrote:
Cuppa wrote:

Gundog wrote:
Instead of complaining about self serve checkouts in stores move forward with the times, because in my childhood you went to the grocers and you stood in line waiting your turn to be served by person in a white apron, who would get each item you wanted and brought it to you at the counter, from there you would go to the butcher, baker and green grocer. .

I'd suggest that there are plenty who consider that the current state of affairs in supermarkets is not a move forward. A move certainly, but not forward. I expect most of us here recall the personal touch at the grocers, butchers, bakers & green grocers & miss it.
We are lucky enough to still have a greengrocer we can get all our fruit & veg from. Better quality, better variety & cheaper than at the big prepackaged supermarkets. Our bread comes from a bakers shop - albeit a franchised one, when we are travelling we often seek out a local butcher in preference to the supermarket. Not only is the meat generally of a better quality, but we get it packed/cryovaced in portion sizes to suit out freezer, & a chat about the locality. Personal service is still way better at our local Mitre 10 than at Bunnings often with similar prices.
I think a great deal of interaction is lost through 'modern convenience', & it plays a significant role in a society where people have become increasingly isolated & self centred.
Plenty are ready to criticise the action of others in our community for all sorts of behaviours, & I think if folk felt they had a 'place' in our society, ie. felt included. this would be less of a problem - it's all part of a continuum.

-- Edited by Cuppa on Monday 30th of October 2023 10:14:25 AM

in this time poor era when everyone is in a hurry, people do not want to be in a que waiting to be served, we would rather complain about the lack of immediate service that we do not want to pay extra for. which is why we head off to ALDI to save a dollar, what does woolies do they cut back on staff and service to close the gap as far as costs go.
we voted with our wallets an we get what we are prepared to pay for

I hear what you are saying, & agree that many are complicit in the changes we have seen & are seeing, but the existence of this thread in this forum suggests that there are folk out there who are not happy about it & I'm one of them. Your generalisation about 'people' & 'we' do not include me & those who feel similarly. To refer, as you have to people collectively of course has some unfortunate (IMO) truth to it, but such statements are a part of the story which build a new & unwanted by many reality.

Gundog · Guru

Cuppa wrote:

in this time poor era when everyone is in a hurry, people do not want to be in a que waiting to be served, we would rather complain about the lack of immediate service that we do not want to pay extra for. which is why we head off to ALDI to save a dollar, what does woolies do they cut back on staff and service to close the gap as far as costs go.
we voted with our wallets an we get what we are prepared to pay for

The biggest Croc of #@^& is "Time Poor" when I started work we worked 5.5 days per week over 40 hours, trading hours were basically 9 to 5 M to F and 9 to 12 Sat, anybody other than a single parent who claims to be time poor is just using it as an excuse because their lazy. Generally we have ample opportunity to go shopping with extended trading hours, they dont want to go out and do their shopping because they might miss some brain dead tv show, its easier to have someone else do it for them.

Aldi from my limited experiance with that store, there is not vey much choice availability in their product line, customer service is almost zero, sure they will pass the items over a scanner, but you have to do the rest, like triple handlng item to get them into a bag, at least Coles and Woolies have more customer service, there newer self service checkout have a bagging area that is by the scanner.

Although I dont buy meat from supermarkets, as for Aldi's meat quality no very impressed it no better than the other 2, at least in woolies and Coles I can get on site fresh baked bread, since being in Brissy, I have found Coles has a bread slicer that has 3 thicknesses to choose from, and I love their Cob & Vienna loaves (I never buy any of the brand name breads).

On a personal choice I choose Drakes first then Coles, IGA and Woolies If I have to Aldi almost never, oh ! if we are in South Australia Foodland slots in beside Drakes.

dogbox · Guru

Gundog wrote:

Cuppa wrote:

in this time poor era when everyone is in a hurry, people do not want to be in a que waiting to be served, we would rather complain about the lack of immediate service that we do not want to pay extra for. which is why we head off to ALDI to save a dollar, what does woolies do they cut back on staff and service to close the gap as far as costs go.
we voted with our wallets an we get what we are prepared to pay for

The biggest Croc of #@^& is "Time Poor" when I started work we worked 5.5 days per week over 40 hours, trading hours were basically 9 to 5 M to F and 9 to 12 Sat, anybody other than a single parent who claims to be time poor is just using it as an excuse because their lazy. Generally we have ample opportunity to go shopping with extended trading hours, they dont want to go out and do their shopping because they might miss some brain dead tv show, its easier to have someone else do it for them.
Aldi from my limited experiance with that store, there is not vey much choice availability in their product line, customer service is almost zero, sure they will pass the items over a scanner, but you have to do the rest, like triple handlng item to get them into a bag, at least Coles and Woolies have more customer service, there newer self service checkout have a bagging area that is by the scanner.
Although I dont buy meat from supermarkets, as for Aldi's meat quality no very impressed it no better than the other 2, at least in woolies and Coles I can get on site fresh baked bread, since being in Brissy, I have found Coles has a bread slicer that has 3 thicknesses to choose from, and I love their Cob & Vienna loaves (I never buy any of the brand name breads).
On a personal choice I choose Drakes first then Coles, IGA and Woolies If I have to Aldi almost never, oh ! if we are in South Australia Foodland slots in beside Drakes.

an the banks opened at 10 am and closed at 3 pm no credit/debit cards no phone/internet banking, how did we ever get by?

you either move with the majority or you fall to the way side

Whenarewethere · Guru

Queueing at the RTA is only about half an hour these days. Use to be half a day, if you were lucky.

msg · Guru

How often do you go into the RTA. I haven't been there for years. Much more convenient to pay online.

But it is hard work to scan 30 or forty items put them in a trolly, get the trolly out to the car then get them inside and packed away once you are home. I prefer to use online shopping. There are a number of pros and of course some cons. But I can, if I time it right, get the groceries picked, scanned, and delivered for about $2. I think that's a winning deal.

I don't get fruit & vegetables or bread or meat. I quickly go up to the local shops for those.

We do have farmers markets, but you can never get a park and its quite a long trip. I think they are extensions of the Sydney Markets mostly anyhow. Not true Farmers Markets.

Cuppa · Guru

Gundog wrote:

in this time poor era when everyone is in a hurry, people do not want to be in a que waiting to be served, we would rather complain about the lack of immediate service that we do not want to pay extra for. which is why we head off to ALDI to save a dollar, what does woolies do they cut back on staff and service to close the gap as far as costs go.
we voted with our wallets an we get what we are prepared to pay for

The biggest Croc of #@^& is "Time Poor" when I started work we worked 5.5 days per week over 40 hours, trading hours were basically 9 to 5 M to F and 9 to 12 Sat, anybody other than a single parent who claims to be time poor is just using it as an excuse because their lazy. Generally we have ample opportunity to go shopping with extended trading hours, they dont want to go out and do their shopping because they might miss some brain dead tv show, its easier to have someone else do it for them.
Aldi from my limited experiance with that store, there is not vey much choice availability in their product line, customer service is almost zero, sure they will pass the items over a scanner, but you have to do the rest, like triple handlng item to get them into a bag, at least Coles and Woolies have more customer service, there newer self service checkout have a bagging area that is by the scanner.
Although I dont buy meat from supermarkets, as for Aldi's meat quality no very impressed it no better than the other 2, at least in woolies and Coles I can get on site fresh baked bread, since being in Brissy, I have found Coles has a bread slicer that has 3 thicknesses to choose from, and I love their Cob & Vienna loaves (I never buy any of the brand name breads).
On a personal choice I choose Drakes first then Coles, IGA and Woolies If I have to Aldi almost never, oh ! if we are in South Australia Foodland slots in beside Drakes.

Are you arguing with yourself or agreeing with yourself? wink

Whenarewethere · Guru

Each entity has positives & negatives. We buy form Aldi, Coles, Harris Farm, IGA & Woolworths (alphabetical order).

We buy most veggies & meat from independent stores. Also have a German Butcher which has produce simple not sold anywhere else, lucky us. The other butcher only sells female pork & knows where all the lamb & beef comes from. Meat in general is so much better. We do buy cheap chicken from Aldi to freeze & feed magpies an occasional snack. We only ever ate it once ourselves. Same with other supermarkets. Wouldn't eat it with 2 barge poles in series.

Some store have "1700" types of toothpaste & "4200" types of jam. Is it really that necessary?

At a human checkout in all store we pack ourselves, so there is no bias there.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I was in 2 Coles stores today, due to each of the stores not stocking items.

Noticed in both that there is only one checkout with a person, & at the back end of things. I did queue at both & paid cash, like the customers ahead of me.

Both stores each have about 30 self checkouts. Of which only about 3 will take cash.

Cuppa · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:

self checkouts. Of which only about 3 will take cash.

How does that work?

Whenarewethere · Guru

I buy a small value item & it breaks up a $100 note to smaller denominations. Sometimes I purposely put in a bit of change to get some notes I would prefer.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Australia needs a euro500 note (roughly equal to au$1000). I did use German 1000 notes before they changed to the euro. Very handy to save space.

When I last heard the notes topic, Australia has more $100 notes in circulation than $5 notes.

I often notice quite a few $100 notes in Aldi tills, so there are enough people buying chicken nuggets!

Cuppa · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
I buy a small value item & it breaks up a $100 note to smaller denominations. Sometimes I purposely put in a bit of change to get some notes I would prefer.

So it recognises all coins & notes? Only asking because I have never used anything like that other than the odd coin vending machine for snacks or drinks, & haven't used one of those for years. Do you have to be careful not to have creased banknotes?

Whenarewethere · Guru

I never use snack vending machines so not familiar with their coinage intricacies.

Occasionally they doesn't accept the note & it flies back out landing on the floor (its getting even!), I just turn the note around & try again. It's eventually accepted the legal tender.

The best vending machines I saw was in Japan selling all sorts of very strange "snacks" including school girls' used undies.

I didn't feed those machines money either, but it was an eye opener, or sometimes more to the "point", eye watering, what the Japanese sell in their vending machines.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Luckily I use cash, you're stuffed if with Optus with their network down & no idea when it will be up. Looking a bit like a cyber attack.

watsea · Guru

I visited my local Woolworths this morning. Mangoes were on the shopping list.

Though I was surprised when I went into the fruit section to find the Kensington Pride mangoes were priced at $3.50 each instead of $3.00 each. I thought that was the price stated on the sign just outside. The overall sign dimensions were 600×450 approx.

Seems my new spectacles were not good enough for the fine print as I entered the store. biggrin

-- Edited by watsea on Wednesday 8th of November 2023 02:47:53 PM

Are We Lost · Guru

Devious. I would probably not have noticed that.

In fact, on principle I would have disputed the price and asked for it to be free. Success? Who knows, but if not agreed, the store manager would have seen me taking a photos of the misleading sign. Giving in would be easier than dealing with a formal complaint to head office. I would not bother with that but lead the store manager to think I would.

watsea · Guru

Yeah, AWL, a bit devious but maybe a mistake by some low skilled staff person employed on minimum wage by a highly profitable business. I did not follow up yet, as I could not be bothered that particular day. I could not notice any management types in the store.

The store is a pretty regular visit for me so when I notice some possible manager, I will have a chat. They have reacted positively to my previous chats regarding a few other niggles with their stock levels in certain goods.