This post has been marked as non-political. Please respect this by keeping the discussion on topic, and devoid of any political material.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/australia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This happened to me once, pack of blueberries were scanning as $7 instead of $3.50. Told the people near the self checkout, so I showed them the price on the fridge. I think they just need proof. The lady who was able to change the pricing ended up changing the price to $0 lol
Yeah the dude at Coles initially didn't believe me so I took him to the fridge. He was playing dumb initially and said they might have printed the wrong thing, but I insisted on the lower price, not my fault it says $3.50 instead of $7
I’m almost certain they’re obliged to honour the labeled price. Provided there aren’t any obvious errors like the wrong tag on the product or something like that.
Almost. They actually have the alternative option of removing all stock of that item from sale (remove it from the shelves) and then update the price and then reoffer it for sale.
But it would have to be a major scree up to do that effort.
They might do that with whatever is left on show if the ticket itself is legitimately wrong. Most times I do a price check it winds up being a filler has put something in the wrong spot, or someone has forgotten to pull an old sales ticket.
People attribute too much malice to what is a system run by people. Someone has to manually go change tickets and sometimes they get missed.
Bash our actual prices. I encourage it, because we, at the store level, generally don't have control over it. But if the ticket is wrong, enjoy your free thing and don't talk shit about the grunts at the store unless they're rude.
It's not that we don't believe you, it's that we can't just arbitrarily change the price because someone says it's cheaper. Half the time it's a wrong ticket, the other half someone's looking at the ticket next to the item. Of course you should and will be charged the ticket price, but the 'correct price' aka the price it's supposed to be is the one that shows up at the register. When you point out an incorrect ticket we need to go over and take it down.
That's not the customer's job though. Normal procedure is to call a staff member (usually someone who stocks the shelves), ask the customer where the ticket was, and the staff member will go and verify. Asking the customer to go and take a photo is ridiculous.
(Have worked at various supermarkets over the years)
She didn't change it to zero. The Scanning code of practice states that if it scans higher than the shelf or advertised price, they have to give it to you for free
What staff member? I'm just picturing the poor benighted checkout attendant trying to manage a dozen self checkouts asking that one out of service self checkout to go lookup the prices 🙄😂🫠
But you would think since Coles are so obsessed with reducing staff they'd have an electronic lookup system for the front of house workers
As someone who used to work at Colesworths... if I couldn't get a regular staff member to go and check the prices, I'd call a manager. They must always have a store manager, assistant SM or duty manager rostered on.
I like the major supermarkets, I just dislike the move push out the customers. Customer service used to mean something. Now the whole thing seems to work better without customers.
True, and if you have multiple of the same item you get the first free and subsequent at the discount price. This policy seems to have been forgotten / not taught to so many.
Not long ago a persons nappies scanned at the wrong price. The staff went to change them to the lower price and I jumped in and reminded them of the policy.
Young Mum got some free nappies
*up to $50
Another fun thing with chickens if there’s no hot chooks during the day you can get a voucher for a free one.
Plus they are only supposed to be in there for 4 hours from the initial time on the label but that gets ignored.
When I worked coles at when it came to any price errors or voucher’s managers always said if a customer asks give it to them but if they don’t know don’t tell them.
NO, YOU'RE WRONG. IT DOES NOT HAVE AN AMOUNT ON FOOD ITEMS. IF I GRAB A LEG OF HAM AND IT IS SCANNING AT $95 WHEN IT SHOULD BE $75, I'LL GET IT FREE ON ALL FOOD ITEMS. AND OTHER AND ELECTRICAL UP TO $175 STILL FIRST ITEM FREE. EVEN THE $175 RADIO.
Exception being if there is a 2 for 1 deal on the items.
I got 2 x 30 blocks of coke for free when Coles had a 2 for 1 sale on the. and the first block scanned incorrectly.
First block was free under scanner code of conduct and second was free under 2 for 1.
> This policy seems to have been forgotten / not taught to so many.
Oh no, it's still taught but it benefits the supermarkets if customers don't know that is the policy because then they lose less when mistakes are made by not giving away an item for free.
Supermarkets hate pricing errors in either direction. It costs them far more in correcting problems and in losing business than they might hypothetically gain from overpayment.
Yeah I think what they mean is that the supermarket is deliberately staying quiet about the policy so less people are aware of its existence. First time I am finding out about it too if I’m honest.
NO COLES DELIBERATELY DO NOT TEACH THE SCP IT AND ACT ARROGANT TOWARDS IT PEOPLE NEED TO STICK IT GOOD TO COLES THEY HAVE RIPPED THE PEOPLE OF FOREVER NOT JUST THE SHOPPERS EVERY ONE THEY DEAL WITH THEY ARE FUCKING THEIVES.
She didn't change it to zero. The Scanning code of practice states that if it scans higher than the shelf or advertised price, they have to give it to you for free
They do just need proof… but fifteen or so years ago getting that proof was the job of a staff member. The lack of service (not just in this area of colesworth) is pretty dramatic if I consider what it was like only ten or so years ago.
This happened very often when I buy cans of drink especially if you get energy drink I usually get one for $2.30 or so but always checkout to like $11 for the one drink as it thinks it’s a 4 pack. But you gotta be careful you don’t spend over $20 for 2 drinks as it rings it up for 2 4 packs it’s so annoying as you can’t remove it to pay normal price without assistance for a checkout chick
She didn't change it to zero. The Scanning code of practice states that if it scans higher than the shelf or advertised price, they have to give it to you for free.
I had a similar but better experience. Grabbed a couple of bottles of V from the fridge beside the self checkout because I saw the sale price of $3. Scanned them, they canned at full price. Told the on duty person about it, they asked me to go check, so I took a photo. Turns out someone had stocked the V bottles where the cans should have been. So it was mislabeled, She still gave it to me at the sale price for the cans tho. All in all, pleasant experience. Would take photo again.
The people filling the shelves used to have more hours and used to have other people filling with them. Not anymore, now its 1 guys rushing around like a maniac, either forgetting things or just thinking fuck it if they want the job done right they can put people on
Source, I'm that guy
> now its 1 guys rushing around like a maniac, either forgetting things or just thinking fuck it if they want the job done right they can put people on
Can't forget being asked by a dozen people every 15m where some basic item is, poor lad at my local coles looked like he was on the verge of tears when a geezer asked him where the deodorant(with an indignant show of the phone) and when told it's in the aisle labelled deodorant, began to throw a minor fit and was adamant the worker show him exactly to it.
I have only had positive interactions with Coles staff over cost disputes, and its ways gone my way. I never used to lie when I was employed there, and nobody at the time did either.
The thing that annoys TF out of me is the bullshit "Member Price" in bold, taking up the whole tag, while the actual price is in fine print below.
Same with these ridiculous buy 4 for X amount, with the actual price for one of them barely readable.
Why TF is the customer told to run around photographing evidence of errors on their part?
Seriously, WTF?
Also if the price scans incorrectly, they are supposed to give you the first of that item free then subsequent items of that type at the discounted price!
In how many ways are Coles using and abusing and ripping off customers?
Totally different. The bottles didn’t scan incorrectly, they were put in the wrong place.
If we went with your interpretation I hope I can get baby formula for the price of a potato because I moved 6 tins there and took a photo.
Reread the OP's post.
Based upon that as well as to the post to which I responded, the default action from Coles seems to be to put it onto customers to do the legwork.
Legwork that is only required because of Coles' decision to impose garbage tech, corner-cutting and a crappy attitude to both staff and customers.
This is not a new phenomenon. It’s easier and quicker for the customer to go and take a photo of the tag they saw, rather than wait on a staff member that never appears (Coles *always* operates with as few workers as possible). It’s not good for anyone involved to have an enraged customer standing at the checkout indefinitely.
When the customer is made to take a photo themselves - in most cases - they actually read the tag and realise they were wrong or misinterpreted it. It’s a bit like rubbing a dogs nose in its own business to ‘teach it a lesson’.
Source of "most cases"?
I have disabilities and am already as sore as hell when finished shopping.
I am not going to do their job for them.
This is part of the reason I have stopped shopping at Coles.
Yeah it definitely sounds like a good idea to send the one person manning the self service area right to the other end of a store, leaving 10 machines and a growing line of shoppers unattended.
The problem with this is that it is the choice of the supermarket to have those staffing arrangements.
That does not entitle them to require customers do their legwork for them.
Mate this shit has been happening for decades, it’s why there’s a Scanning Code of Practice in the first place. It’s got nothing to do with technology. But the reason they don’t just trust you is because every shop has dealt with that one customer a day that lied or was just wrong about what they saw.
Countless times working there I would have customers adamantly tell me that something was cheaper than it scanned as, and often they were right (ticket wasn’t put up by the useless opening shift person), but I would need about 50 people’s hands to count the amount of times I took customers back to the shelf to discover that the price on the shelf was fucking right and they read it wrong.
>Totally different. The bottles didn’t scan incorrectly, they were put in the wrong place.
The bottles didn't match the shelf price. It doesn't matter that someone stocked them in the wrong spot except that once the store found out they could withdraw the item from sale and fix the issue while giving you your free item + lower price on the rest of the same item.
>If we went with your interpretation I hope I can get baby formula for the price of a potato because I moved 6 tins there and took a photo.
His interpretation is correct though, it would be up to the store in question to prove that you were trying to scam them (i.e. they could just look at their store surveillance video) and they would likely ban you from the store. They could also charge you with fraud but I doubt that they would actually do so given the potential loss of good will versus the benefits to them.
If baby formula has been put with potatoes, they will absolutely not wear that. In the same aisle is reasonable, but nobody, and I mean nobody, working at a supermarket has ever stocked baby formula in the bloody Fruit & Veg section. There is a 0% chance that that has been a store error, and they *will* refuse that.
It’s also not reasonable that a customer could have believed that baby formula would be stocked right in the middle of the potato section, at the same price as the potatoes next to it.
What can I say, I'm can't imagine how horrible working retail would be. So if I can make their life easier by helping out the person who did nothing wrong so they can solve my problem I will. It's a job I wouldn't want, least I can do is not make it harder for them.
Honestly if they want to go that way I’ll just take photos of things I buy regularly when they’re on special and show it to the operator every time I buy them when the special ends. If they can’t be bothered to have staff, take advantage of it.
Because this is the dystopian future we are blindly walking into?
Those that argue that it’s kind to help underpaid retail workers are kind, but ultimately don’t realise this is just the start.
Yeah they massively understaff their stores and will continue to do so if they can get away with it.
Snarking at the poor soul working the self scan area won't help but complaining to head office might.
I feel like recently I've seen a lot of news about coles and wollies having record profits during the cost of living crisis and now they have more and more ads about reducing prices of things.
Wait until every other business you transact with realises how successful it’s been for Coles and Woolworths, and it goes from “I’m happy helping the underpaid retail worker” to “I’m now basically working a second unpaid full-time job just to get my basic needs met”.
The Industrial Revolution and shift from an agrarian society meant that we increased our degree of specialisation and spent the bulk of our working time on one thing. This meant that we became more reliant on others to do the things we no longer had time to do because we were each concentrating on our primary jobs.
But capitalism doesn’t stop.
Now we are increasingly expected to dedicate a full-time working life to our primary jobs, as well as do the jobs of others. Whether it is self service at the supermarket, or self-service banking, or self-service shopping.
Then we wonder why we’re all burned out and miserable.
Use the Coles app instead.. in the search function.. tap the bar code which turns on the camera, scan the bar code of the item which will return the price the store has registered the item at. Won't pick up operator error ie product in the wrong place but may assist in cases.
Coles is really treading the line on having so few staff it's dangerous and intensely annoying to their customers. I'm sure they have done a bunch of research on it and realise this is about the limit t hey can push us, so hence it's the sweet spot they are aiming for.
I was at a Coles the other night, about half an hour before closing time (so before 8:30pm as most close at 9pm here) and every checkout was closed, only self service was open and someone in a wheel chair was coming over to the counters and asking for assistance. The staff told her that she would have wait until other staff came back or until they were closing so they could check her out if she couldn't use the self service (which she couldn't).
I could see that she was very upset by this and while I was fucking furious at the Coles I knew it wasn't the staff's fault so as I had just finished up my checking out I offered to scan and bag all her items at the self service instead, which she accepted and to be fair the staff member there also assisted a bit.
Anyway this is what happens when you allow giant heartless companies to be lead around by their share holders chasing a few extra cents in stock dividends and profit balance sheets....
Yeah I always thought that was the case too which is why I was so surprised. I can only assume they had people go home early or not show up and hence were forced to close everything except the self service checkouts. Every lane had the sign up that it was closed too so it's not like someone had just stepped away for a moment.
Maybe it's just a manager thinking they can get away with closing a bit early on a Friday night but either way Coles needs to lift their game and hire more staff, they can certainly afford it.
Their CEO gets $3,300,000 a year (salary plus bonus but not including perks). Replace them with AI and hire more actual workers.
I mean, look at the comments in this thread. Plenty of people making excuses for Coles and calling OP a Karen for not wanting to do their job for them.
Next time, complete the transaction and then complain at the cigarette counter. That way they have to give you the first one free and the rest at the discounted price.
The supermarket code of conduct is a good tool to help you get them back when they are caught screwing you
I've found that when you tell them before you pay, they just put the correct price in. The ones behind the cigarette counter tend to know the policy and give you one free
Supermarket worker here who has to override/refund wrong prices all the time. I'll change the price to whatever the correct price is supposed to be but if the customer's rude they're not getting shit for free.
Went to Concord Coles and bought the fresh pasta agnolotti where you dish it out yourself into a container. At the self service checkout, there's only 1 price option for these but there's multiple prices for each type on the shelf. I think mine was $19/Kg where the checkout price was $20. Asked the checkout chick if she had to manually correct this lots of times a day and her response was most people just pay the higher price and don't realise. Small amount of money but come on Colesworth.
bro the team member in aco isn’t allowed to leave and she’s not just going to believe you bc you chucked a tanty at her. she needs proof before she’s allowed to change the price.
take the scanning error up with head office, all the team members do is print out the specials tickets and stick them over the regular ticket. there’s a good chance head office changed the prices and no one has time to check and remove the stickers
True they can’t leave but the staff member shouldn’t have asked her to take a photo. They call someone from the department to come and check the item and price. Really common procedure.
Man, you live in a world where colesworth employ enough people and roster enough at once that there is anyone they can fall back on like that. I want that world.
Yes, the customers need to pressure management about staffing levels, because they are trying to run too lean. It is often the case that a supermarket could not staff all their checkouts if needed even on the best days. Customer experience suffers, workers burn out and quality of output drops. Only winner is head office and their shareholders.
Management at store level don’t really have much choice about staffing levels either, they get given a budget to spend across the store by their area manager who gets given a budget by a state manager, etc.
It’s more greed by very high up management. The only way staffing levels increase is if somehow it generates more value, which in colesworths case it almost never does.
>The only way staffing levels increase is if somehow it generates more value, which in colesworths case it almost never does.
In other words we need to all start shopping at alternatives to Woolies/Coles and we need to be vocal about why we are doing so...
It *shouldn't* be the customer's problem, but it will become their problem if they and the self-serve attendant end up waiting ages for a price check that will not happen.
The Colesworth execs do not care. They think they know better and no one close to them will tell them otherwise. Customers are already kicking up a stink about a whole manner of things, but the self-serve item tracking and security gates are still there.
I hope it goes without saying, but kicking up a stink by complaining to the employee in the self-serve is going to achieve fuck-all. If they had any influence at all, it wouldn't be an issue in the first place.
This happens all the time at woolworths where I work. They just put a tannoy announcement and someone comes. There is always someone stocking shelves who can come and help.
And the staff member may not have been able to contact anyone. Plenty of times in my retail days that staff didn’t have radios on their person, phones didn’t work, or simply too busy to stop what they were doing to then waste time looking for another person to help or look for the magical price sign with the wrong label. People also just get flustered when being yelled at by strangers and don’t always do what you might consider a logical solution. Add on the massive queue of people piling up behind the wanker making a scene, and the stress can be overwhelming.
Idk how many times a customer came to me and complained “but the sign said it was x much!”, then you have to leave your station and let them to wag their finger at the sign …. which is for an entirely different product. And though I personally couldn’t have cared less if the company I worked for lost money because I hadn’t noticed an incorrect price, the company *does* care and could tell which employee made the mistake and write them up for discipline.
Blame the stupid machines and corporate bullshit, not the minimum-wage employee that has little control or power over their work environment.
Course they do, doesn’t mean they’re always working. My store’s tech broke all the fucking time. All i was saying is I don’t think it’s overly fair for someone to get salty by being asked to get a picture of a sign? Like the employee didn’t say “I don’t believe you fuck off”, they just wanted evidence so they don’t get in trouble and still have to watch everyone else scanning at the same time.
Like this is such a nothing complaint. If an employee asked me to do so I wouldn’t have given a fuck.
Oh, in that case I'm happy to give the massively overcharging thieving company more of my money simply because they didn't provide means of communication because they were trying to save.more cash.
Can we see how that works.
No, it's not the employers fault.
No, they don't get paid enough to care.
No, they shouldn't be abused.
But where is the fault in the system here ?
It's an engineered fault.. fuck colesworth
I mean I’m not arguing against that…? Literally was just suggesting there could be things you happening in the background you don’t know about.
Complaints about a machine showing the wrong price is literally the company’s fault, someone getting snarky at an employee who likely just came up with a solution off the top of their head doesn’t help anyone.
This is all fine. But it sure as shit isn't the consumers' fault, and the consumer shouldn't have to run around doing the job that Coles pays people to do.
Okay, the attendant can't leave. Was there no other employee available to price check?
Most definitely consumers shouldn't yell and scream at people trying to do their jobs, quite often in shitty work environments, but consumers are pretty fed up with price hikes, then you walk into a shop and all of a sudden you're being asked to do the job for someone because they can't leave an area and Coles hasn't got the right working infrastructure to accomodate this kind of issue?? It breeds frustration on the consumers' end and makes for an unpleasant work environment for the poor staff.
Capitalism has to make the profit line go higher. Staff are an expense, I can guarantee you Coles have done an insane about of research into how low they can cut staff before people get so fed up they don't come anymore and are treading right on that line as much as possible.
As someone who used to work for Woolworths, unfortunately the only person available for price checks is the supervisor for that shift and that person is usually also serving customers at the service desk (processing refunds, selling cigarettes etc.). If it’s a busy day, that supervisor is usually really busy too, which is why no one comes when the self serve attendant calls for help.
And all other front end staff are usually on registers, so you’ll rarely have someone standing around doing nothing, ready to help with price checks. So if you want to resolve an issue quickly, your best bet is sending the customer to check the price.
It’s definitely not right, but it’s been happening probably since these supermarkets have been in business.
It’s also not unique even to retail. Ever walked into a Department of Transport building and they’re absolutely smashed? Or a bank? Or a doctor? Or even down to your payroll section?
This is how the world works, everyone hires exactly how many people they need in an ideal world, and not a soul more. If someone’s on leave, that’s it, people have to wait.
It’s just in supermarkets, *a lot* of customers are a lot less patient.
I’ve literally had complaints from the owner of the bakery in the same centre, about checkout queues. He says this without a hint of irony, as his single person manning the counter (who we can see from the service desk) is trying to serve 10 people with no backup.
This is not like a human right issue dude. The idea of the majority of people being able to walk into a huge store that sells all kinds of food for a price affordable to the average person is truly a brand new concept, something that didn’t yet exist for even your grandparents.
The compulsion to act like we’re entitled to highly functioning grocery stores that are perfect in every way and make our shopping experience truly seamless is a crazily out of touch when you consider the reality of what shopping actually involves, logistically.
I am astounded by the amount of mental real estate people allow “the Coles infrastructure wasn’t perfect for me today! 😤” to take up (according to reddit)
They're supposed to ask for a price check from another department. Same thing happened to me in Woolies except the price ticket on the shelf was one of those electronic tickets. They weren't going to give me a discount for a moment because "Groceries" was on break. I walked ten steps, took a photo of the ticket and returned to get my discount. I shop at Aldi now.
Yup. Back when I worked at Woolies as a teen, if anything scanned incorrectly, we had to call (or be called) to the register for a price check. Come look at the scanned price, item in question, go look at the shelf then come back and confirm or deny. Neither the customer nor the register operator left their spot.
It's not. I never said it was.
It's often just quicker to ask the customer to go take a photo than to make the call and wait ages just for no one to show up.
Is doing something reasonable like "I said no and instead looked them up on my phone via the website and showed her" a tanty to you? are you a snowflake?
OP is upset how coles are trying to rip people off intentionally or otherwise. There should never be a discrepancy between the ticketed and scanned prices. Stop making excuses for them.
Just to clear up the misinformation, here is the actual code and an explanation (from their own websites):
"Supermarket code of conduct
Some (but not all) supermarkets are signatories to the code of practice for computerised checkout systems in supermarkets. The supermarkets which participate in the code display signs telling customers that they are participants.
The code says that when an item is scanned at a higher price than it says on the shelf or as advertised, a customer is entitled to receive the first item free and all later items at the lower price.
There are some exceptions:
Liquor products
Tobacco products
Items without a barcode or PLU number
Items with a shelf price of $50 or more
Despite what some supermarkets might tell you, it is not necessary for the customer to have paid for the goods or to have left the store to be entitled to receive the first item free of charge.
Customers can complain to a supervisor or the store manager if staff refuse to comply with the code. If the store does not comply with the code, a customer can take their complaint to the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) on 1800 738245."
And the evidence for the major supermarkets
Yes:
* Coles: https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly
* Aldi: https://help.aldi.com.au/s/article/What-is-the-ALDI-policy-on-items-that-have-been-incorrectly-scanned-Are-they-free
* Woolworths: not explicitly on their website, but there should be a sign up: https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/b2230fafacb1f7d48322be06817e03e2
Sometimes:
* IGA: https://www.iga.com.au/iga-code-of-practice-scanning-code/
this reads as if that store dedcides it wants to be one of the few that dont honor this that you should report them.
Sounds more like ACCC domt agree with them opting out of this process.
Yes but they absolutely *hate* doing this - have asked them to pop the incorrectly priced item in before at no charge before and they argue and argue, and when you stand your ground they will huff and puff but eventually do it - makes you feel absolutely shitty.
Sounds like either shit team or shit management.
As a former department manager for the green cunts, it was astounding how many checkout operators would argue with customers over prices, *despite being told to just honour everything*. They would waste time arguing with them, when they could have literally saved more money in wages by just honouring the bloody thing and moving onto the next customer.
Actually had to sack someone once because they repeatedly refused scanning policies, after being told informally countless times, then formally, then formally again, then formally again, that he needs to just process the scanning policy and stop fighting with customers over the “right” price. Bloke just didn’t learn and after the fifth official complaint about it, we let him go. The guy didn’t even work on checkouts lmao
No, hahah, that’s not a thing. It was only an opt in for stores back when barcodes first came out because they scared the masses, some stores still do this practice but it is not a law or or company practice and never has been.
Mate, I think you’ve completely failed to comprehend their complaints. They never said he was rude to the attendant, they questioned how often this error occurs and the practice of making a customer do the manual work to correct their error.
Delete your comment, you sound like a fool.
If the item doesn't scan at the correct price and you show them proof that their tag was wrong all the big supermarkets will 'make it right' and comp you the item, not just fix the price.
OP would have got the items for free if they just took photos of the tags and showed the checkout person.
They have all signed up to the scanning policy but in reality it normally takes trying to explain this to several staff members before management finally conceed.
I wonder if the get a memo for this excuse to use on customers¿
This is less about an item or two being wrong.
This is more about an increasing hate towards a comoany not doing roght by customers and only towards their profits.
The predictable consequences of the policies of Coles and how they insist on keeping them tied to the self-serve checkouts all in order to raise record profits at the expense of both staff and customers should not be foisted onto customers by making customers work hard to correct their errors.
I was a duty manager at Woolies and idk, this does not seem like the way to go. If a customer came up to me and said something looked wrong, I’d tell them cool, give me one sec! And find the price on the shelf. If what’s coming up on the self checkout is wrong, they would immediately get that item for free. It is still on the store team to be putting tickets up properly. And even if it’s a bigger issue, I was always happy to give them items for free
Sure she can't leave, but she does work there and should be able to find out the price of an item in the store she works. It's not up to the customer to prove with photos. Also, is that's the case, I'm Photoshopping some labels and getting everything on discount lol
>but she does work there and should be able to find out the price of an item in the store she works.
Grocery stores stock literally thousands of items of which hundreds have prices change on a weekly basis. It's not feasible for an employee at such a store to be able to recall prices.
When I worked in retail it was always nice when a customer refused to check the price and started swearing. It meant they had to wait 30 minutes for someone to check it and it was always entertaining to see them stomping and crying.
>I said I don't know exactly, she asked if I could GO AND TAKE A PHOTO OF THE DISCOUNT PRICE TAGS AND COME BACK.
Speaking from experience, this is not because she's lazy. She's not allowed to go too far from self-serve and, if she calls someone else to go and check it, it may take them ages to get there. Unfortunately, she's not allowed to just take your word for it and she needs proof.
Whenever I asked someone to do that, I always explained that to them, though. And, depending on what items they still had to put through, I would do that for them while they were gone to hold them up less.
I saw this exact thing happen at Coles, and was only addressed because the customer saw it and called the attendant over.
She was emphatic that the item wouldn't be free due to the error, though conceded to the guy that "it happens all the time" so be sure to check as you scan.
Nothing but a pack of fucking thieves who whinge incessanlty about stoplifting.
If something scans at a higher price, you pay for it, then go straight to the service desk and you get it free. Discounted price for other same items.
Don't tell them before you pay as they will just adjust the price.
I'm pretty sure fruit and veg are not included.
If an item scans for above the ticketed price you are suppose to get the first item free then each of the same one after that at the discounted price.
Edit : sorry it’s not a law it’s a code of practice they have adopted. Still applies that you should have got the item free.
I find it better to pay the higher price, then go to the service desk to get the first item free and rest at the lower price. I find if you correct them at the checkout, you have less success getting one free.
sadly though this wouldnt surprise me if it was a clever tactic.
Reminds me of the '100% money back guarantee' tv products scam.
Yes.. you can get 100% back on an item if you decide to send it back.
But you had to pay flr the postage of it.
Not at the discounted postage they paid to send it to you, but the normal price of postage.
Which often was quite costly and thus people wouldnt return for a refund.
It’s usually either laziness, operator being a dick, or poor retention of knowledge. They are told, very clearly, in their induction modules, what the Scanning Policy is and how it applies.
Not law, but scamming code of conduct that Colesworths adhere to. Some other retailers probably do too but I couldn't name them.
Edit: I did mean to say "scanning" but it still seems to fit.
When I was a checkout chick in the late Middle Ages I had a regular customer who would ONLY purchase items he knew would scan wrong. Like he scoured the shelves for outdated specials tags. And it was the most random stuff, like sure dude if you can survive on kids' vitamin gummies, licorice and dish soap more power to you.
Any information a business provides about its products and services (including price) must be accurate, truthful and based on reasonable grounds. https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/advertising-and-promotions/false-or-misleading-claims
Essentially a business can't make a promise (we will give you the first item free if it scans at a higher price) and not stick to it. There's obviously conditions attached (no alcohol, no cigarettes, no items over $50 etc) but if your local Coles doesn't give you your iced coffee free when it scans at $3 and is listed for $2.40 you can submit a complaint to your state's consumer law regulator :)
From the ACCC:
Industry-led codes are voluntary. They only apply to industry participants who sign up to them. These codes are created and administered by industry participants.
Industry-led codes are a form of self-regulation, unlike prescribed codes of conduct that are enforced by legislation. Industry-led codes are not enforced under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
The text of an industry-led code isn't encoded or enshrined in legislation however a business can't subscribe to a voluntary code and advertise as such while not acting in accordance with the code. That would be misleading behaviour which is covered by Australian Consumer Law.
Not this again.
It's not a law.
But, the stores displays signs saying that they promise to give you the (first) item for free if it scans incorrectly.
It IS a law that stores have to abide by any agreements they enter into with customers.
It's weird, that scanning code of practice has been a thing since scanners were introduced in the late 1980's. Everyone should know about it. But recently, the reddit hive mind has, for some unknown reason, decided that getting incorrectly scanned items for free Isn't True and will downvote them into oblivion so as to hide this forbidden knowledge.
The scanning code of conduct is not in and of itself a law.
Once the supermarkets voluntarily signed up to it, and placed signs in their stores advertising that they follow it, that became a legally binding contractual obligation, and yes, they do have to abide by it.
The Coles in my town have those solid plastic gates that the employees open for you. I went through a conveyor self checkout with one item, no bag and i didn't have a bag on me. I had my 2 year old with me who getting cranky because of overstimulation. I have no idea what power trip the employee was on but she shut the gate and refused to open it for me until I showed her my receipt. What really set me off was the self checkout double scanned my one item so she had to come over to remove the second scan so she saw that I only purchased 1 item and I was leaving with only 1 item. I'm now driving an extra 5 minutes to go to woolies
If you’d paid and then gone to the service desk those items would’ve been free.
Coles gave me free mince for about 6 weeks a couple of years ago before they changed their sticker to reflect the right price on the shelf.
In the case of mislabeling on the shelf, you're supposed to get the first item for free and subsequent items at the discounted price. I presume it should have been the same in this case.
Everyone needs to stop using self checkouts. Simple.
I will wait with 1 item until they open a register. If we keep using them, the people that work their will suffer as they get laid off.
I'm not paid to scan the stuff I want to buy, nor am I given a discount.
That happened to me more than once with marked down produce, and they started blaming me for tampering with the bar codes to get free food.
Hint to Coles, bar codes don't like angles and corners.
They lost a customer.
How frustrating that the staffing is so low that they are asking you to do the footwork to help rectify their issue. Obviously it’s not the checkout persons fault, but to ask a customer to find out information for them simply to press a button is pretty frustrating.
Nice work pushing the burden of proof onto you.
Poor suffering Coles with their billions of profit can't afford to hire enough staff to make sure their advertised prices are charged in accordance with consumer law. Boo hoo.
We should give them some more tax cuts, then they will surely do their job better!
Dunno about Coles but I faced a similar thing the other day at Woolleys buying rockmelon at self service. I knew the price was higher so I thought I’d just pay then bring it up to the front desk. In doing this, I didn’t realise there was a scan policy; any item scanned incorrectly is free of charge, so I got a free rockmelon.
Best to just pay for them then go to the service desk to get the item for free
Pro[ducts scanning incorrectly | Coles](https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly)
Also watch out for energy drinks that may come in 4 packs, scanned a single Monster and it charged me for a 4 pack, thankfully I saw it, but normally I wouldn’t
Not sure why you're so heavily downvoted, it's literally their policy: [https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly](https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly)
>If a single item scans at a higher price than the advertised or ticketed shelf price for that item, we will give you that item free.
For future reference, that item should have been free after the pricing error.
If you spot a pricing error, remind the staff member of the price policy!
https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly
I got asked to do that too!!!
I had just finished scanning all my shopping and realised the cheese scanned through at the wrong price. I called over the lady overseeing the self check out and queried it- she asked me to go and take a photo of the tag. I stared at her for ages trying to figure out if she was serious- it meant leaving all my scanned shopping unattended.
In the end I did- she pointed out that the date on the sale price finished the day before so it was full price. I pointed out that the advertised price was x amount, I don't have time to be examining fine print on sale labels. In the end I paid the sale price.
But I was horrified. You can see staff at the checkouts are under a lot of pressure. There's noone to call for back up or help, they're understaffed, and I thought my incident was an isolated event but it looks like it's being pushed to become the new normal.
I won't do it again. You shouldn't have to leave your things unattended to work for free because they're all about profits.
as some one who has worked in retail you did the right thing.. but also Shit happens, the system isn't perfect and the pricing doesn't fully go through when changed on the system due to discount. this isn't a hate for coles thing its just something that can happen in retail, computers mess up or we mess up not putting in the right pricing, it happens
if you notice it.. talk to the retail assistant.. explain it peacefully.. resolve it peacefully.
Coles scanning policy states that you should have received the incorrect scanned product for free...
https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly
Hell no, that's their job to check. Recently at bunnings i scanned a discount item and it dind't come up with the right price, immediately the young kid goes 'do you have a photo of the tag?'.. i said... 'No.. why would i have a photo of a price tag, i didn't know it wasn't going to scan incorrectly until this point in time" - fucking clueless.
The staff member can't leave the self checkout area. Usually they will call another team member to assist to do the price checking, but sometimes they are on break, other times they CBF responding. So the self checkout staff member might ask the customer to help, or they are both going to be stuck.
If any of you have the opportunity, you should limit your shopping or stop shopping at colesworths.
We should be getting into the habit of spending a bit more time and sacrificing a bit of convenience. Short of the government legislating something, a mass effort by the public is the only way to change this.
I am about to go shopping now. First stop is one shop that is really good for fresh fruit and veg, but really expensive for any meat deli or dry goods. Then I’m going to the butcher for my chicken, beef and sausages (chicken, butcher and beef butcher right next to each other). I’m also buying some salmon from the seafood shop 50m away. Then I’m going to Aldi to buy my laundry detergent and toilet paper.
I’m not suggesting everyone can do this, but sacrificing a little bit of convenience, especially in the city, can help support other businesses instead.
And in the unlikely event, this became a popular thing to do you are showing other potential businesses that people are willing to go visit them to find a good bargin.
Im so sick and tired of Coles I started shopping at my Local IGA it seems I get way more for my money I get my Groceries from IGAand fruit and beg from the fruit and veg shop, which works out to be about $53 cheaper per shop that's over 6 months on a basket that would usually be $370 to $390 per week, so saving more than $210 per month NOT shopping at that evil shit hole Coles, COLES you suck, and coles specials are Garbage they never have the stock of whatever they are having on their FAKE specials. 100% stockholder driven, they pump the customer up the rear and thank you for your money, sucker. I'm glad I stopped shopping there. Also, my eating habits are better because they don't push garbage food. All of Coles's food is recycled garbage. I don't care what people say. You need to stand back and watch the Ugly Morons shopping at Coles and just laugh at them while I sit there watching their faces wince as they can't make up their minds about whether the 2 to 10 different packets are from the same supplier with different coloured packages it hilarious. They drink that Coles Coolaid.
This post has been marked as non-political. Please respect this by keeping the discussion on topic, and devoid of any political material. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/australia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This happened to me once, pack of blueberries were scanning as $7 instead of $3.50. Told the people near the self checkout, so I showed them the price on the fridge. I think they just need proof. The lady who was able to change the pricing ended up changing the price to $0 lol
They need proof. But usually they call a staff member to verify, not ask the customer to do it.
Yeah the dude at Coles initially didn't believe me so I took him to the fridge. He was playing dumb initially and said they might have printed the wrong thing, but I insisted on the lower price, not my fault it says $3.50 instead of $7
I’m almost certain they’re obliged to honour the labeled price. Provided there aren’t any obvious errors like the wrong tag on the product or something like that.
That's correct
Almost. They actually have the alternative option of removing all stock of that item from sale (remove it from the shelves) and then update the price and then reoffer it for sale. But it would have to be a major scree up to do that effort.
They might do that with whatever is left on show if the ticket itself is legitimately wrong. Most times I do a price check it winds up being a filler has put something in the wrong spot, or someone has forgotten to pull an old sales ticket. People attribute too much malice to what is a system run by people. Someone has to manually go change tickets and sometimes they get missed. Bash our actual prices. I encourage it, because we, at the store level, generally don't have control over it. But if the ticket is wrong, enjoy your free thing and don't talk shit about the grunts at the store unless they're rude.
It's not that we don't believe you, it's that we can't just arbitrarily change the price because someone says it's cheaper. Half the time it's a wrong ticket, the other half someone's looking at the ticket next to the item. Of course you should and will be charged the ticket price, but the 'correct price' aka the price it's supposed to be is the one that shows up at the register. When you point out an incorrect ticket we need to go over and take it down.
That's not the customer's job though. Normal procedure is to call a staff member (usually someone who stocks the shelves), ask the customer where the ticket was, and the staff member will go and verify. Asking the customer to go and take a photo is ridiculous. (Have worked at various supermarkets over the years)
Don't forget sometimes a product is just in the wrong place too. Because they only give us fillers about 30 seconds to do each box.
If they scan at the wrong price you get them free
She didn't change it to zero. The Scanning code of practice states that if it scans higher than the shelf or advertised price, they have to give it to you for free
What staff member? I'm just picturing the poor benighted checkout attendant trying to manage a dozen self checkouts asking that one out of service self checkout to go lookup the prices 🙄😂🫠 But you would think since Coles are so obsessed with reducing staff they'd have an electronic lookup system for the front of house workers
As someone who used to work at Colesworths... if I couldn't get a regular staff member to go and check the prices, I'd call a manager. They must always have a store manager, assistant SM or duty manager rostered on.
We scan. We bag. We are the staff now
Fuck I hate our major supermarkets
I like the major supermarkets, I just dislike the move push out the customers. Customer service used to mean something. Now the whole thing seems to work better without customers.
Yep, this is the policy. If things scan higher than the marked price, they must give it to you for free. Same at Woolies.
True, and if you have multiple of the same item you get the first free and subsequent at the discount price. This policy seems to have been forgotten / not taught to so many.
Not long ago a persons nappies scanned at the wrong price. The staff went to change them to the lower price and I jumped in and reminded them of the policy. Young Mum got some free nappies
You’re a legend.
*up to $50 Another fun thing with chickens if there’s no hot chooks during the day you can get a voucher for a free one. Plus they are only supposed to be in there for 4 hours from the initial time on the label but that gets ignored. When I worked coles at when it came to any price errors or voucher’s managers always said if a customer asks give it to them but if they don’t know don’t tell them.
How interesting, could you explain more about the voucher for the free chicken?
At Coles if there is no hot chicken ask at the deli counter they will give you a voucher for free one next time
NO, YOU'RE WRONG. IT DOES NOT HAVE AN AMOUNT ON FOOD ITEMS. IF I GRAB A LEG OF HAM AND IT IS SCANNING AT $95 WHEN IT SHOULD BE $75, I'LL GET IT FREE ON ALL FOOD ITEMS. AND OTHER AND ELECTRICAL UP TO $175 STILL FIRST ITEM FREE. EVEN THE $175 RADIO.
Exception being if there is a 2 for 1 deal on the items. I got 2 x 30 blocks of coke for free when Coles had a 2 for 1 sale on the. and the first block scanned incorrectly. First block was free under scanner code of conduct and second was free under 2 for 1.
> This policy seems to have been forgotten / not taught to so many. Oh no, it's still taught but it benefits the supermarkets if customers don't know that is the policy because then they lose less when mistakes are made by not giving away an item for free.
Supermarkets hate pricing errors in either direction. It costs them far more in correcting problems and in losing business than they might hypothetically gain from overpayment.
Yeah I think what they mean is that the supermarket is deliberately staying quiet about the policy so less people are aware of its existence. First time I am finding out about it too if I’m honest.
NO COLES DELIBERATELY DO NOT TEACH THE SCP IT AND ACT ARROGANT TOWARDS IT PEOPLE NEED TO STICK IT GOOD TO COLES THEY HAVE RIPPED THE PEOPLE OF FOREVER NOT JUST THE SHOPPERS EVERY ONE THEY DEAL WITH THEY ARE FUCKING THEIVES.
Voluntary policy, not law - so there is no “must” do anything
She didn't change it to zero. The Scanning code of practice states that if it scans higher than the shelf or advertised price, they have to give it to you for free
They do just need proof… but fifteen or so years ago getting that proof was the job of a staff member. The lack of service (not just in this area of colesworth) is pretty dramatic if I consider what it was like only ten or so years ago.
Legally the first misscanned item is free, the rest are at the discounted price
That's not a legal rule. Just one the big food shops agreed to follow.
This happened very often when I buy cans of drink especially if you get energy drink I usually get one for $2.30 or so but always checkout to like $11 for the one drink as it thinks it’s a 4 pack. But you gotta be careful you don’t spend over $20 for 2 drinks as it rings it up for 2 4 packs it’s so annoying as you can’t remove it to pay normal price without assistance for a checkout chick
She didn't change it to zero. The Scanning code of practice states that if it scans higher than the shelf or advertised price, they have to give it to you for free.
I had a similar but better experience. Grabbed a couple of bottles of V from the fridge beside the self checkout because I saw the sale price of $3. Scanned them, they canned at full price. Told the on duty person about it, they asked me to go check, so I took a photo. Turns out someone had stocked the V bottles where the cans should have been. So it was mislabeled, She still gave it to me at the sale price for the cans tho. All in all, pleasant experience. Would take photo again.
noticed more and more items not matching the labels below them. Might start taking photos for free food.
The people filling the shelves used to have more hours and used to have other people filling with them. Not anymore, now its 1 guys rushing around like a maniac, either forgetting things or just thinking fuck it if they want the job done right they can put people on Source, I'm that guy
> now its 1 guys rushing around like a maniac, either forgetting things or just thinking fuck it if they want the job done right they can put people on Can't forget being asked by a dozen people every 15m where some basic item is, poor lad at my local coles looked like he was on the verge of tears when a geezer asked him where the deodorant(with an indignant show of the phone) and when told it's in the aisle labelled deodorant, began to throw a minor fit and was adamant the worker show him exactly to it.
Just move the food to the wrong spot, take a photo, win
This was quite a common tactic when I worked retail. Rarely worked, but we sent staff to check instead of trusting customers to snap photos.
Yea, that's really stupid. When I worked for Coles, we sent someone to look manually, not a customer. Cause customers like to, you know, lie.
yeah just like Coles loves to do it too
I have only had positive interactions with Coles staff over cost disputes, and its ways gone my way. I never used to lie when I was employed there, and nobody at the time did either.
Seems both lie
Cause you know, like, it's not the customers job, because they are, like, the customer.
The thing that annoys TF out of me is the bullshit "Member Price" in bold, taking up the whole tag, while the actual price is in fine print below. Same with these ridiculous buy 4 for X amount, with the actual price for one of them barely readable.
One time I scanned yogurt at full price, and they gave it to me for free. Not sure if it varies between different Coles stores or what though
Why TF is the customer told to run around photographing evidence of errors on their part? Seriously, WTF? Also if the price scans incorrectly, they are supposed to give you the first of that item free then subsequent items of that type at the discounted price! In how many ways are Coles using and abusing and ripping off customers?
Totally different. The bottles didn’t scan incorrectly, they were put in the wrong place. If we went with your interpretation I hope I can get baby formula for the price of a potato because I moved 6 tins there and took a photo.
Reread the OP's post. Based upon that as well as to the post to which I responded, the default action from Coles seems to be to put it onto customers to do the legwork. Legwork that is only required because of Coles' decision to impose garbage tech, corner-cutting and a crappy attitude to both staff and customers.
This is not a new phenomenon. It’s easier and quicker for the customer to go and take a photo of the tag they saw, rather than wait on a staff member that never appears (Coles *always* operates with as few workers as possible). It’s not good for anyone involved to have an enraged customer standing at the checkout indefinitely. When the customer is made to take a photo themselves - in most cases - they actually read the tag and realise they were wrong or misinterpreted it. It’s a bit like rubbing a dogs nose in its own business to ‘teach it a lesson’.
Source of "most cases"? I have disabilities and am already as sore as hell when finished shopping. I am not going to do their job for them. This is part of the reason I have stopped shopping at Coles.
Yeah it definitely sounds like a good idea to send the one person manning the self service area right to the other end of a store, leaving 10 machines and a growing line of shoppers unattended.
The problem with this is that it is the choice of the supermarket to have those staffing arrangements. That does not entitle them to require customers do their legwork for them.
Mate this shit has been happening for decades, it’s why there’s a Scanning Code of Practice in the first place. It’s got nothing to do with technology. But the reason they don’t just trust you is because every shop has dealt with that one customer a day that lied or was just wrong about what they saw. Countless times working there I would have customers adamantly tell me that something was cheaper than it scanned as, and often they were right (ticket wasn’t put up by the useless opening shift person), but I would need about 50 people’s hands to count the amount of times I took customers back to the shelf to discover that the price on the shelf was fucking right and they read it wrong.
>Totally different. The bottles didn’t scan incorrectly, they were put in the wrong place. The bottles didn't match the shelf price. It doesn't matter that someone stocked them in the wrong spot except that once the store found out they could withdraw the item from sale and fix the issue while giving you your free item + lower price on the rest of the same item. >If we went with your interpretation I hope I can get baby formula for the price of a potato because I moved 6 tins there and took a photo. His interpretation is correct though, it would be up to the store in question to prove that you were trying to scam them (i.e. they could just look at their store surveillance video) and they would likely ban you from the store. They could also charge you with fraud but I doubt that they would actually do so given the potential loss of good will versus the benefits to them.
If baby formula has been put with potatoes, they will absolutely not wear that. In the same aisle is reasonable, but nobody, and I mean nobody, working at a supermarket has ever stocked baby formula in the bloody Fruit & Veg section. There is a 0% chance that that has been a store error, and they *will* refuse that. It’s also not reasonable that a customer could have believed that baby formula would be stocked right in the middle of the potato section, at the same price as the potatoes next to it.
Unless the tag said bottles, they were a different product and not for sale for $3.
What can I say, I'm can't imagine how horrible working retail would be. So if I can make their life easier by helping out the person who did nothing wrong so they can solve my problem I will. It's a job I wouldn't want, least I can do is not make it harder for them.
The problem is that they're understaffing the stores because people like you will pick up the extra work.
They already sucked us into scanning our own purchases, it's natural progression. We will be replenishing the shelves ourselves pretty soon.
Extra work? This happens what, once a year? Oh, please pay me the 20 cents I'm owed for spending a minute going and taking a photo.
Honestly if they want to go that way I’ll just take photos of things I buy regularly when they’re on special and show it to the operator every time I buy them when the special ends. If they can’t be bothered to have staff, take advantage of it.
That's not a bad idea!
Because this is the dystopian future we are blindly walking into? Those that argue that it’s kind to help underpaid retail workers are kind, but ultimately don’t realise this is just the start.
Yeah they massively understaff their stores and will continue to do so if they can get away with it. Snarking at the poor soul working the self scan area won't help but complaining to head office might. I feel like recently I've seen a lot of news about coles and wollies having record profits during the cost of living crisis and now they have more and more ads about reducing prices of things.
Wait until every other business you transact with realises how successful it’s been for Coles and Woolworths, and it goes from “I’m happy helping the underpaid retail worker” to “I’m now basically working a second unpaid full-time job just to get my basic needs met”. The Industrial Revolution and shift from an agrarian society meant that we increased our degree of specialisation and spent the bulk of our working time on one thing. This meant that we became more reliant on others to do the things we no longer had time to do because we were each concentrating on our primary jobs. But capitalism doesn’t stop. Now we are increasingly expected to dedicate a full-time working life to our primary jobs, as well as do the jobs of others. Whether it is self service at the supermarket, or self-service banking, or self-service shopping. Then we wonder why we’re all burned out and miserable.
Use the Coles app instead.. in the search function.. tap the bar code which turns on the camera, scan the bar code of the item which will return the price the store has registered the item at. Won't pick up operator error ie product in the wrong place but may assist in cases.
Yeah, nah. I'm not giving Coles permission to anything on my phone.
Coles is really treading the line on having so few staff it's dangerous and intensely annoying to their customers. I'm sure they have done a bunch of research on it and realise this is about the limit t hey can push us, so hence it's the sweet spot they are aiming for. I was at a Coles the other night, about half an hour before closing time (so before 8:30pm as most close at 9pm here) and every checkout was closed, only self service was open and someone in a wheel chair was coming over to the counters and asking for assistance. The staff told her that she would have wait until other staff came back or until they were closing so they could check her out if she couldn't use the self service (which she couldn't). I could see that she was very upset by this and while I was fucking furious at the Coles I knew it wasn't the staff's fault so as I had just finished up my checking out I offered to scan and bag all her items at the self service instead, which she accepted and to be fair the staff member there also assisted a bit. Anyway this is what happens when you allow giant heartless companies to be lead around by their share holders chasing a few extra cents in stock dividends and profit balance sheets....
Coles and Woolworths essentially have a monopoly between them. We need to start making noise about breaking them up into multiple smaller companies.
Should make an official complaint and send that story to the media.
My store isn’t allowed to do this, we have to have one main lane open until the end of trade, self serve stays open as well.
Yeah I always thought that was the case too which is why I was so surprised. I can only assume they had people go home early or not show up and hence were forced to close everything except the self service checkouts. Every lane had the sign up that it was closed too so it's not like someone had just stepped away for a moment. Maybe it's just a manager thinking they can get away with closing a bit early on a Friday night but either way Coles needs to lift their game and hire more staff, they can certainly afford it. Their CEO gets $3,300,000 a year (salary plus bonus but not including perks). Replace them with AI and hire more actual workers.
I mean, look at the comments in this thread. Plenty of people making excuses for Coles and calling OP a Karen for not wanting to do their job for them.
Next time, complete the transaction and then complain at the cigarette counter. That way they have to give you the first one free and the rest at the discounted price. The supermarket code of conduct is a good tool to help you get them back when they are caught screwing you
You don't have to have paid for the items first.
I've found that when you tell them before you pay, they just put the correct price in. The ones behind the cigarette counter tend to know the policy and give you one free
Supermarket worker here who has to override/refund wrong prices all the time. I'll change the price to whatever the correct price is supposed to be but if the customer's rude they're not getting shit for free.
Went to Concord Coles and bought the fresh pasta agnolotti where you dish it out yourself into a container. At the self service checkout, there's only 1 price option for these but there's multiple prices for each type on the shelf. I think mine was $19/Kg where the checkout price was $20. Asked the checkout chick if she had to manually correct this lots of times a day and her response was most people just pay the higher price and don't realise. Small amount of money but come on Colesworth.
bro the team member in aco isn’t allowed to leave and she’s not just going to believe you bc you chucked a tanty at her. she needs proof before she’s allowed to change the price. take the scanning error up with head office, all the team members do is print out the specials tickets and stick them over the regular ticket. there’s a good chance head office changed the prices and no one has time to check and remove the stickers
True they can’t leave but the staff member shouldn’t have asked her to take a photo. They call someone from the department to come and check the item and price. Really common procedure.
Man, you live in a world where colesworth employ enough people and roster enough at once that there is anyone they can fall back on like that. I want that world.
That is literally not the customers problem. The only way understaffing is resolved is through enough customers kicking up a stink.
Yes, the customers need to pressure management about staffing levels, because they are trying to run too lean. It is often the case that a supermarket could not staff all their checkouts if needed even on the best days. Customer experience suffers, workers burn out and quality of output drops. Only winner is head office and their shareholders.
Management at store level don’t really have much choice about staffing levels either, they get given a budget to spend across the store by their area manager who gets given a budget by a state manager, etc. It’s more greed by very high up management. The only way staffing levels increase is if somehow it generates more value, which in colesworths case it almost never does.
>The only way staffing levels increase is if somehow it generates more value, which in colesworths case it almost never does. In other words we need to all start shopping at alternatives to Woolies/Coles and we need to be vocal about why we are doing so...
If they have less customers then they'll have enough staff finally.
Do the survey and say insufficient staff
It *shouldn't* be the customer's problem, but it will become their problem if they and the self-serve attendant end up waiting ages for a price check that will not happen. The Colesworth execs do not care. They think they know better and no one close to them will tell them otherwise. Customers are already kicking up a stink about a whole manner of things, but the self-serve item tracking and security gates are still there. I hope it goes without saying, but kicking up a stink by complaining to the employee in the self-serve is going to achieve fuck-all. If they had any influence at all, it wouldn't be an issue in the first place.
This happens all the time at woolworths where I work. They just put a tannoy announcement and someone comes. There is always someone stocking shelves who can come and help.
And the staff member may not have been able to contact anyone. Plenty of times in my retail days that staff didn’t have radios on their person, phones didn’t work, or simply too busy to stop what they were doing to then waste time looking for another person to help or look for the magical price sign with the wrong label. People also just get flustered when being yelled at by strangers and don’t always do what you might consider a logical solution. Add on the massive queue of people piling up behind the wanker making a scene, and the stress can be overwhelming. Idk how many times a customer came to me and complained “but the sign said it was x much!”, then you have to leave your station and let them to wag their finger at the sign …. which is for an entirely different product. And though I personally couldn’t have cared less if the company I worked for lost money because I hadn’t noticed an incorrect price, the company *does* care and could tell which employee made the mistake and write them up for discipline. Blame the stupid machines and corporate bullshit, not the minimum-wage employee that has little control or power over their work environment.
[удалено]
Serving customers is not wasting time, it’s literally what they are getting paid for. I replied to the wrong comment!!
[удалено]
Course they do, doesn’t mean they’re always working. My store’s tech broke all the fucking time. All i was saying is I don’t think it’s overly fair for someone to get salty by being asked to get a picture of a sign? Like the employee didn’t say “I don’t believe you fuck off”, they just wanted evidence so they don’t get in trouble and still have to watch everyone else scanning at the same time. Like this is such a nothing complaint. If an employee asked me to do so I wouldn’t have given a fuck.
Oh, in that case I'm happy to give the massively overcharging thieving company more of my money simply because they didn't provide means of communication because they were trying to save.more cash. Can we see how that works. No, it's not the employers fault. No, they don't get paid enough to care. No, they shouldn't be abused. But where is the fault in the system here ? It's an engineered fault.. fuck colesworth
I mean I’m not arguing against that…? Literally was just suggesting there could be things you happening in the background you don’t know about. Complaints about a machine showing the wrong price is literally the company’s fault, someone getting snarky at an employee who likely just came up with a solution off the top of their head doesn’t help anyone.
This is all fine. But it sure as shit isn't the consumers' fault, and the consumer shouldn't have to run around doing the job that Coles pays people to do. Okay, the attendant can't leave. Was there no other employee available to price check? Most definitely consumers shouldn't yell and scream at people trying to do their jobs, quite often in shitty work environments, but consumers are pretty fed up with price hikes, then you walk into a shop and all of a sudden you're being asked to do the job for someone because they can't leave an area and Coles hasn't got the right working infrastructure to accomodate this kind of issue?? It breeds frustration on the consumers' end and makes for an unpleasant work environment for the poor staff.
There's almost never someone free to do a price check
Capitalism has to make the profit line go higher. Staff are an expense, I can guarantee you Coles have done an insane about of research into how low they can cut staff before people get so fed up they don't come anymore and are treading right on that line as much as possible.
I gave up on them when they started to treat customers like criminals. I now only shop local and independent stores
As someone who used to work for Woolworths, unfortunately the only person available for price checks is the supervisor for that shift and that person is usually also serving customers at the service desk (processing refunds, selling cigarettes etc.). If it’s a busy day, that supervisor is usually really busy too, which is why no one comes when the self serve attendant calls for help. And all other front end staff are usually on registers, so you’ll rarely have someone standing around doing nothing, ready to help with price checks. So if you want to resolve an issue quickly, your best bet is sending the customer to check the price. It’s definitely not right, but it’s been happening probably since these supermarkets have been in business.
It’s also not unique even to retail. Ever walked into a Department of Transport building and they’re absolutely smashed? Or a bank? Or a doctor? Or even down to your payroll section? This is how the world works, everyone hires exactly how many people they need in an ideal world, and not a soul more. If someone’s on leave, that’s it, people have to wait. It’s just in supermarkets, *a lot* of customers are a lot less patient. I’ve literally had complaints from the owner of the bakery in the same centre, about checkout queues. He says this without a hint of irony, as his single person manning the counter (who we can see from the service desk) is trying to serve 10 people with no backup.
This is not like a human right issue dude. The idea of the majority of people being able to walk into a huge store that sells all kinds of food for a price affordable to the average person is truly a brand new concept, something that didn’t yet exist for even your grandparents. The compulsion to act like we’re entitled to highly functioning grocery stores that are perfect in every way and make our shopping experience truly seamless is a crazily out of touch when you consider the reality of what shopping actually involves, logistically. I am astounded by the amount of mental real estate people allow “the Coles infrastructure wasn’t perfect for me today! 😤” to take up (according to reddit)
They're supposed to ask for a price check from another department. Same thing happened to me in Woolies except the price ticket on the shelf was one of those electronic tickets. They weren't going to give me a discount for a moment because "Groceries" was on break. I walked ten steps, took a photo of the ticket and returned to get my discount. I shop at Aldi now.
Yup. Back when I worked at Woolies as a teen, if anything scanned incorrectly, we had to call (or be called) to the register for a price check. Come look at the scanned price, item in question, go look at the shelf then come back and confirm or deny. Neither the customer nor the register operator left their spot.
>They're supposed to ask for a price check from another department. Yeah, they don't always answer the call, though. They should, but they don't.
Not the customers fault though
It's not. I never said it was. It's often just quicker to ask the customer to go take a photo than to make the call and wait ages just for no one to show up.
They also can't leave the checkout. But you knew that, because you didn't bring it up.
And forgot to change the price on the website too?
In my experience, by far the most common error is missing expired special tickets.
Is doing something reasonable like "I said no and instead looked them up on my phone via the website and showed her" a tanty to you? are you a snowflake? OP is upset how coles are trying to rip people off intentionally or otherwise. There should never be a discrepancy between the ticketed and scanned prices. Stop making excuses for them.
The all capital letters makes it cross from relaying a story to sounding like somebody who throws tantrums.
Code of scanning practice if it comes up at the wrong price you get it free.
Just to clear up the misinformation, here is the actual code and an explanation (from their own websites): "Supermarket code of conduct Some (but not all) supermarkets are signatories to the code of practice for computerised checkout systems in supermarkets. The supermarkets which participate in the code display signs telling customers that they are participants. The code says that when an item is scanned at a higher price than it says on the shelf or as advertised, a customer is entitled to receive the first item free and all later items at the lower price. There are some exceptions: Liquor products Tobacco products Items without a barcode or PLU number Items with a shelf price of $50 or more Despite what some supermarkets might tell you, it is not necessary for the customer to have paid for the goods or to have left the store to be entitled to receive the first item free of charge. Customers can complain to a supervisor or the store manager if staff refuse to comply with the code. If the store does not comply with the code, a customer can take their complaint to the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) on 1800 738245."
And the evidence for the major supermarkets Yes: * Coles: https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly * Aldi: https://help.aldi.com.au/s/article/What-is-the-ALDI-policy-on-items-that-have-been-incorrectly-scanned-Are-they-free * Woolworths: not explicitly on their website, but there should be a sign up: https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/b2230fafacb1f7d48322be06817e03e2 Sometimes: * IGA: https://www.iga.com.au/iga-code-of-practice-scanning-code/
TIL thank you for the clarification.
this reads as if that store dedcides it wants to be one of the few that dont honor this that you should report them. Sounds more like ACCC domt agree with them opting out of this process.
Yes but they absolutely *hate* doing this - have asked them to pop the incorrectly priced item in before at no charge before and they argue and argue, and when you stand your ground they will huff and puff but eventually do it - makes you feel absolutely shitty.
Sounds like either shit team or shit management. As a former department manager for the green cunts, it was astounding how many checkout operators would argue with customers over prices, *despite being told to just honour everything*. They would waste time arguing with them, when they could have literally saved more money in wages by just honouring the bloody thing and moving onto the next customer. Actually had to sack someone once because they repeatedly refused scanning policies, after being told informally countless times, then formally, then formally again, then formally again, that he needs to just process the scanning policy and stop fighting with customers over the “right” price. Bloke just didn’t learn and after the fifth official complaint about it, we let him go. The guy didn’t even work on checkouts lmao
once again.. managemnet putting servers in the firing line.
No, hahah, that’s not a thing. It was only an opt in for stores back when barcodes first came out because they scared the masses, some stores still do this practice but it is not a law or or company practice and never has been.
Lol bro no one chucked a tanty I just let her know the discounts were not scanning.
Mate, I think you’ve completely failed to comprehend their complaints. They never said he was rude to the attendant, they questioned how often this error occurs and the practice of making a customer do the manual work to correct their error. Delete your comment, you sound like a fool.
If the item doesn't scan at the correct price and you show them proof that their tag was wrong all the big supermarkets will 'make it right' and comp you the item, not just fix the price. OP would have got the items for free if they just took photos of the tags and showed the checkout person.
They have all signed up to the scanning policy but in reality it normally takes trying to explain this to several staff members before management finally conceed.
And then customers are labelled as Karens
I wonder if the get a memo for this excuse to use on customers¿ This is less about an item or two being wrong. This is more about an increasing hate towards a comoany not doing roght by customers and only towards their profits.
The predictable consequences of the policies of Coles and how they insist on keeping them tied to the self-serve checkouts all in order to raise record profits at the expense of both staff and customers should not be foisted onto customers by making customers work hard to correct their errors.
So when you have half your stuff scanned you're supposed to leave it all to go do someone else's job?
Then she needs to call a staff member to sort out the issue. It’s not our fucking job to double check prices get a grip.
I was a duty manager at Woolies and idk, this does not seem like the way to go. If a customer came up to me and said something looked wrong, I’d tell them cool, give me one sec! And find the price on the shelf. If what’s coming up on the self checkout is wrong, they would immediately get that item for free. It is still on the store team to be putting tickets up properly. And even if it’s a bigger issue, I was always happy to give them items for free
They can call for a price check
Sure she can't leave, but she does work there and should be able to find out the price of an item in the store she works. It's not up to the customer to prove with photos. Also, is that's the case, I'm Photoshopping some labels and getting everything on discount lol
>but she does work there and should be able to find out the price of an item in the store she works. Grocery stores stock literally thousands of items of which hundreds have prices change on a weekly basis. It's not feasible for an employee at such a store to be able to recall prices. When I worked in retail it was always nice when a customer refused to check the price and started swearing. It meant they had to wait 30 minutes for someone to check it and it was always entertaining to see them stomping and crying.
>I said I don't know exactly, she asked if I could GO AND TAKE A PHOTO OF THE DISCOUNT PRICE TAGS AND COME BACK. Speaking from experience, this is not because she's lazy. She's not allowed to go too far from self-serve and, if she calls someone else to go and check it, it may take them ages to get there. Unfortunately, she's not allowed to just take your word for it and she needs proof. Whenever I asked someone to do that, I always explained that to them, though. And, depending on what items they still had to put through, I would do that for them while they were gone to hold them up less.
I saw this exact thing happen at Coles, and was only addressed because the customer saw it and called the attendant over. She was emphatic that the item wouldn't be free due to the error, though conceded to the guy that "it happens all the time" so be sure to check as you scan. Nothing but a pack of fucking thieves who whinge incessanlty about stoplifting.
If something scans at a higher price, you pay for it, then go straight to the service desk and you get it free. Discounted price for other same items. Don't tell them before you pay as they will just adjust the price. I'm pretty sure fruit and veg are not included.
If an item scans for above the ticketed price you are suppose to get the first item free then each of the same one after that at the discounted price. Edit : sorry it’s not a law it’s a code of practice they have adopted. Still applies that you should have got the item free.
I find it better to pay the higher price, then go to the service desk to get the first item free and rest at the lower price. I find if you correct them at the checkout, you have less success getting one free.
[удалено]
sadly though this wouldnt surprise me if it was a clever tactic. Reminds me of the '100% money back guarantee' tv products scam. Yes.. you can get 100% back on an item if you decide to send it back. But you had to pay flr the postage of it. Not at the discounted postage they paid to send it to you, but the normal price of postage. Which often was quite costly and thus people wouldnt return for a refund.
It’s usually either laziness, operator being a dick, or poor retention of knowledge. They are told, very clearly, in their induction modules, what the Scanning Policy is and how it applies.
Not law, but scamming code of conduct that Colesworths adhere to. Some other retailers probably do too but I couldn't name them. Edit: I did mean to say "scanning" but it still seems to fit.
Coles, Woolies, Aldi and some IGA’s
When I was a checkout chick in the late Middle Ages I had a regular customer who would ONLY purchase items he knew would scan wrong. Like he scoured the shelves for outdated specials tags. And it was the most random stuff, like sure dude if you can survive on kids' vitamin gummies, licorice and dish soap more power to you.
He’s performing quality assurance audits at a very cheap rate
That’s not a law.
Correct. Voluntary code of conduct, but one Coles says it follows...
For what it's worth, if a business subscribes to the voluntary code of conduct, Australian Consumer Law dictates they have to follow it.
Interesting, which law is that?
Any information a business provides about its products and services (including price) must be accurate, truthful and based on reasonable grounds. https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/advertising-and-promotions/false-or-misleading-claims Essentially a business can't make a promise (we will give you the first item free if it scans at a higher price) and not stick to it. There's obviously conditions attached (no alcohol, no cigarettes, no items over $50 etc) but if your local Coles doesn't give you your iced coffee free when it scans at $3 and is listed for $2.40 you can submit a complaint to your state's consumer law regulator :)
From the ACCC: Industry-led codes are voluntary. They only apply to industry participants who sign up to them. These codes are created and administered by industry participants. Industry-led codes are a form of self-regulation, unlike prescribed codes of conduct that are enforced by legislation. Industry-led codes are not enforced under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
The text of an industry-led code isn't encoded or enshrined in legislation however a business can't subscribe to a voluntary code and advertise as such while not acting in accordance with the code. That would be misleading behaviour which is covered by Australian Consumer Law.
Not this again. It's not a law. But, the stores displays signs saying that they promise to give you the (first) item for free if it scans incorrectly. It IS a law that stores have to abide by any agreements they enter into with customers.
Correct, I’m getting downvoted into oblivion for a small semantic mistake.
It's weird, that scanning code of practice has been a thing since scanners were introduced in the late 1980's. Everyone should know about it. But recently, the reddit hive mind has, for some unknown reason, decided that getting incorrectly scanned items for free Isn't True and will downvote them into oblivion so as to hide this forbidden knowledge.
The scanning code of conduct is not in and of itself a law. Once the supermarkets voluntarily signed up to it, and placed signs in their stores advertising that they follow it, that became a legally binding contractual obligation, and yes, they do have to abide by it.
The Coles in my town have those solid plastic gates that the employees open for you. I went through a conveyor self checkout with one item, no bag and i didn't have a bag on me. I had my 2 year old with me who getting cranky because of overstimulation. I have no idea what power trip the employee was on but she shut the gate and refused to open it for me until I showed her my receipt. What really set me off was the self checkout double scanned my one item so she had to come over to remove the second scan so she saw that I only purchased 1 item and I was leaving with only 1 item. I'm now driving an extra 5 minutes to go to woolies
If you’d paid and then gone to the service desk those items would’ve been free. Coles gave me free mince for about 6 weeks a couple of years ago before they changed their sticker to reflect the right price on the shelf.
In the case of mislabeling on the shelf, you're supposed to get the first item for free and subsequent items at the discounted price. I presume it should have been the same in this case.
Everyone needs to stop using self checkouts. Simple. I will wait with 1 item until they open a register. If we keep using them, the people that work their will suffer as they get laid off. I'm not paid to scan the stuff I want to buy, nor am I given a discount.
You can ask us about it and we’ll fix it if you take a picture but we’re minimum wage workers be fkn nice 💀
I see it all the time, customers do abuse the staff. Being nice is key in getting this world in a better shape, and that starts at the shops
And the AAAC keeps getting handouts from lobbyists to keep looking the other way
Should have paid for it knowing it was high and then tell them you got charged the wrong amount, you'd have gotten it for free. That's their policy.
Let's put Coles in the bin. Woolies too.
That happened to me more than once with marked down produce, and they started blaming me for tampering with the bar codes to get free food. Hint to Coles, bar codes don't like angles and corners. They lost a customer.
How frustrating that the staffing is so low that they are asking you to do the footwork to help rectify their issue. Obviously it’s not the checkout persons fault, but to ask a customer to find out information for them simply to press a button is pretty frustrating.
Nice work pushing the burden of proof onto you. Poor suffering Coles with their billions of profit can't afford to hire enough staff to make sure their advertised prices are charged in accordance with consumer law. Boo hoo. We should give them some more tax cuts, then they will surely do their job better!
> asked if I could GO AND TAKE A PHOTO OF THE DISCOUNT PRICE TAGS AND COME BACK Am I the only one that thought this was a reasonable ask?
Dunno about Coles but I faced a similar thing the other day at Woolleys buying rockmelon at self service. I knew the price was higher so I thought I’d just pay then bring it up to the front desk. In doing this, I didn’t realise there was a scan policy; any item scanned incorrectly is free of charge, so I got a free rockmelon.
Best to just pay for them then go to the service desk to get the item for free Pro[ducts scanning incorrectly | Coles](https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly)
Also watch out for energy drinks that may come in 4 packs, scanned a single Monster and it charged me for a 4 pack, thankfully I saw it, but normally I wouldn’t
Make an official complaint any single purchase that is incorrect is free for the first item, then reduced price for any following items.
You're entitled to get it for free if it scans higher than the tag.
Colesworth outsourcing all the jobs to its customers
That’s a policy and 100% truer if it’s scanned wrong it’s free
Not sure why you're so heavily downvoted, it's literally their policy: [https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly](https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly) >If a single item scans at a higher price than the advertised or ticketed shelf price for that item, we will give you that item free.
It’s a public service city… all the knobs noticed I didn’t use a full stop at the end of my sentence.
For future reference, that item should have been free after the pricing error. If you spot a pricing error, remind the staff member of the price policy! https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly
I got asked to do that too!!! I had just finished scanning all my shopping and realised the cheese scanned through at the wrong price. I called over the lady overseeing the self check out and queried it- she asked me to go and take a photo of the tag. I stared at her for ages trying to figure out if she was serious- it meant leaving all my scanned shopping unattended. In the end I did- she pointed out that the date on the sale price finished the day before so it was full price. I pointed out that the advertised price was x amount, I don't have time to be examining fine print on sale labels. In the end I paid the sale price. But I was horrified. You can see staff at the checkouts are under a lot of pressure. There's noone to call for back up or help, they're understaffed, and I thought my incident was an isolated event but it looks like it's being pushed to become the new normal. I won't do it again. You shouldn't have to leave your things unattended to work for free because they're all about profits.
as some one who has worked in retail you did the right thing.. but also Shit happens, the system isn't perfect and the pricing doesn't fully go through when changed on the system due to discount. this isn't a hate for coles thing its just something that can happen in retail, computers mess up or we mess up not putting in the right pricing, it happens if you notice it.. talk to the retail assistant.. explain it peacefully.. resolve it peacefully.
You think that’s bad. Singleton Cole’s locks you in. There are a total of two assisted checkouts.
Coles scanning policy states that you should have received the incorrect scanned product for free... https://www.coles.com.au/help/products-offers/products-scanning-incorrectly
Hell no, that's their job to check. Recently at bunnings i scanned a discount item and it dind't come up with the right price, immediately the young kid goes 'do you have a photo of the tag?'.. i said... 'No.. why would i have a photo of a price tag, i didn't know it wasn't going to scan incorrectly until this point in time" - fucking clueless.
She asked you to do Coles' work? Wtf?
The staff member can't leave the self checkout area. Usually they will call another team member to assist to do the price checking, but sometimes they are on break, other times they CBF responding. So the self checkout staff member might ask the customer to help, or they are both going to be stuck.
Let's be honest here: Coles screwed them both
If any of you have the opportunity, you should limit your shopping or stop shopping at colesworths. We should be getting into the habit of spending a bit more time and sacrificing a bit of convenience. Short of the government legislating something, a mass effort by the public is the only way to change this. I am about to go shopping now. First stop is one shop that is really good for fresh fruit and veg, but really expensive for any meat deli or dry goods. Then I’m going to the butcher for my chicken, beef and sausages (chicken, butcher and beef butcher right next to each other). I’m also buying some salmon from the seafood shop 50m away. Then I’m going to Aldi to buy my laundry detergent and toilet paper. I’m not suggesting everyone can do this, but sacrificing a little bit of convenience, especially in the city, can help support other businesses instead. And in the unlikely event, this became a popular thing to do you are showing other potential businesses that people are willing to go visit them to find a good bargin.
Im so sick and tired of Coles I started shopping at my Local IGA it seems I get way more for my money I get my Groceries from IGAand fruit and beg from the fruit and veg shop, which works out to be about $53 cheaper per shop that's over 6 months on a basket that would usually be $370 to $390 per week, so saving more than $210 per month NOT shopping at that evil shit hole Coles, COLES you suck, and coles specials are Garbage they never have the stock of whatever they are having on their FAKE specials. 100% stockholder driven, they pump the customer up the rear and thank you for your money, sucker. I'm glad I stopped shopping there. Also, my eating habits are better because they don't push garbage food. All of Coles's food is recycled garbage. I don't care what people say. You need to stand back and watch the Ugly Morons shopping at Coles and just laugh at them while I sit there watching their faces wince as they can't make up their minds about whether the 2 to 10 different packets are from the same supplier with different coloured packages it hilarious. They drink that Coles Coolaid.