A school teacher has voiced her frustration over Kmart's self-service checkout services on Facebook, with many agreeing with her concerns.
The woman, Nona, headed to her local Kmart at 5pm on a weekday to buy her students end-of-year rewards, but was disappointed to find that no serviced checkouts were open - only self-service checkouts were available.
Explaining that a painful shoulder injury makes it difficult to use the self-serve option, Nona said she couldn’t believe Kmart didn’t have more staff working given it’s the busy Christmas season.
"Very frustrated with Kmart tonight. Went after school to get my end of year rewards for the draw tomorrow ( I am a teacher and have student whose last day is tomorrow so I am doing the draw early). I do spend around $200 on this draw so it is a decent trolley full with lots of big and little things. I have Year 6 so I try to purchase something relevant," read Nona's post.
"But tonight I get to the checkout and it is only self service!! I have bursitus in my shoulder and usually try to go through the serviced checkout where they can help me as the repetitive movements kills,"
"I asked politely if there were any checkouts open, only to find out they all left at 5 pm!! The nice guy offered to put them through for me but he was also dealing with customers who needed his assistance. A manager came out who offered to assist but then took me to a different self serve checkout where the poor girl there then had to assist me as well as the customers that were going through self serve. The manager walks off and is finished his part! The poor girl is run off her feet ( although she didn't complain once) and my shoulder is killing as I ended having to lift stuff anyway! I would have usually done this shopping on the weekend but had family stuff and report cards to finish up,"
"As much as I love K-Mart, I wish they would employ a young person to have on just one checkout!! They make plenty of money so I don't understand how they cannot justify one person on each night to help those who struggle to scan a whole trolley. Isn't service part of what we pay for when we shop there yet we seem to be doing a lot of checking ourselves out these in many shops - not just Kmart. The busy Christmas season is upon us.....put on extra staff Kmart!!"
"I would have loved to have put the whole trolley back but I don't want to disappoint the students tomorrow and I would only have to come in and do it during an even busier time!!"
Nona's post attracted hundreds of reactions from shoppers who seemed just as frustrated by self-service checkouts as she was:
"I hate self serve checkouts with a passion,’ said one. Added another: "I was disappointed last week no checkout all self serve and one person attending."
Said a third: "As an ex KMART employee, 37 years l will NOT use the self serve checkouts. I ask for a checkout operator if they say sorry no one available l just say well my shopping can go back on shelf. I'll go elsewhere. Not all staff where l shop know lm a ex employee and l Will Not use them. Same at TARGET. And COLES if they can't supply service I'll go elsewhere."
Added another: "I was literally stood behind an older lady today who was patiently waiting for the attendant to help her with self checkout. She only had one book. She had been standing there for a fair while waiting.... I was wondering what she was doing as I approached the line. I offered to put it through for her. They really need to have either a person on a register or two people to help through self serve. Not everyone knows how to use the systems. I was so frustrated for her."
Said one more: "You have every right to vent and I HOPE Kmart takes this on board as we are a very large group. Hope the pain eases and God bless you for being there for those kids."
