william(bill)rudd: I understand that to some, complaining about coles would be considered a sign of one without a life [...]

I think in this day and age, it’s all that MORE important that we, the consumers, stand up to the Coles/Woolies retail duopoly, and register our complaints as often as necessary.

Far too many consumers simply just grumble amongst themselves when they’re shafted by Coles et al. We need to let them know we aren’t happy with their lousy service, and we can and will vote with our feet.

I understand that to some, complaining about coles would be considered a sign of one without a life, but I consider Coles treatment of customer (my) complaint as “abuse”. And if abuse seems too harsh a word then “pompous arrogance” will suffice.

@ausGeoff: yes, you are right, but very limited choices, and as I said, students on tiny budgets, so often it’s hard to make any difference…

william (bill) Rudd: Wish to complain to coles directly about a customer service issue at their Yamba nsw store

Try this page…

http://www.coles.com.au/Coles/Contact-Us.aspx

—Good luck.

Complaining at the store has elevated to a possible harassment issue, so I am out of possibilities on that front.

Abbi: Silly as this sounds, we’ve gotten a small veggie patch started [...]

It’s a pity that more people don’t do this. But… Coles and Woolies are relying on the fact that so many Aussie workers are now looking at 45 to 50 hours per week at their workplace, and simply don’t have the time or inclination or ability to hunt out alternative retail outlets.

So many people—and particularly “working mums”—rush into their local Coles or Woolies as part of their drive home—to get dinner ready for their kids at 8PM—as well as possibly picking them up from day care along the way!

As a retiree, I have the “luxury” of choosing where and when I buy my stuff, often during the daytime hours when most workers are locked up in their cells… er… offices.

And watch ALDI too; a lot of their non-perishable stuff is imported from the EC (Europe). Such as biscuits, tinned soups, pickles and spreads, processed cheeses, microwave dinners, sauces and gravies, pasta, pet food etc.

All these things are either produced in Australia and/or off-shore by Australian-owned companies. And I refuse to send part of my spend overseas to a German parent company.

Rudeness and poor customer service shouldn’t be rewarded. The duopoly got this cocky because they think they have us buyers “locked in”. We’ve also sussed out Aldi, they are abit more of a way away, but we’re now consolidating the shopping to save.

Local “farmer’s markets” for fruit and veg, and butcher’s shops and delis for fresh meat and poultry and eggs. We also shop at NQR (Not Quite Right) for non-perishable packaged foodstuffs such as soups, bikkies, pickles and spreads, microwave dinners, cat food etc.

This time last year, we regularly got the 4¢ petrol discount dockets for spending $30 at either Coles or Woolies; now we seldom do!

We also buy our soaps, detergents, shampoos, and cleaners from a company called Nature’s Organics here:

http://www.naturesorganics.com.au/

I see the major issue for the grocery buying public as accepting a total change of attitude to (unfortunately) long-ingrained buying habits, and a re-think as to where they buy their stuff. Old habits die hard, and until they change, Coles and Woolies will continue to dominate the grocery sector with their combined 82% market share.

Thanks for listening – helps to know we’re not the only ones being looked down on and stuffed around by Coles just cos we’re lowly students.

“Sorry about the quoting stuff-up guys…

I’m using a new browser (Avant) and it doesn’t auto-format too well… like Coles!”

lol.

I’m using a new browser (Avant) and it doesn’t auto-format too well… like Coles!

Abbi: Yep, the checkout person said [...]

Yes to this too…

Abbi: Please, we’re uni students, uni students pretty much never refuse free food! Or free-anything now that I come to think of it… lol. they offered it when management asked them.

I’m on a pension, and know exactly what you mean.

Abbi: Well, the managers now can’t even respond to an email [...] apparently

I went through a similar tedious experience with Coles earlier this year. Don’t hold your breath Abbi: it took me (Coles?) five weeks to reach a resolution, including repeated emails to Coles HO in Melbourne from me.

Good luck… patience is a virtue!

Yep, the checkout person *said* they offered it when management asked them. This is one of those few times I wished people had the constant 24 hour surveillance like in The Trueman Show. That way we can play back and compare!

Please, we’re uni students, uni students pretty much never refuse free food! Or free-anything now that I come to think of it… lol.

Well, the managers now can’t even respond to an email apparently, housemate emailed them Sunday, today’s Wednesday, and all she’s asked is whether the “Customer Care Manager” spoke to/ emailed the Branch Manager cos when she called up as requested, the Branch Manager had no idea what the heck she was going on about in one of the recent fiascos.

She’s still w-a-a–i-ting… We’ve all got a secret bet on. Reckon she’ll grow a beard before they respond. Unless she goes up the management chain again (that’s my get out clause, so win-win even if I lose hey).

See, I personally do not mind the “free pet” as long as it’s alive and healthy. *wink*

@ozsoapbox

Yep, wouldn’t we all love to say rise up against all these uncaring duopolies and show them who’s boss?! Sadly, only place for shopping near our place, and transport cost a heap these days – but we now buy at all the other small fruits and veg and meat and bread shops before we go to Coles. Whereas before we kinda grabbed all the stuff in one place.

Yep, Coles – thumbs WAY, WAY DOWN! And NOT in the good way!

Try spending abit more on customer service care instead of promos and stuff you’re not gonna keep.

After all that, I hope you and your housemates aren’t still shopping there!

Abbi: Complain to the manager? They stand behind their staff and their staff says the free product was offered and refused – like huh? If it was you wouldn’t be getting the complaint.

I’m not too sure of what you’re saying with this comment either. Do you mean that the staff person lied blatantly to their manager about your alleged “refusal” of the free first item? Or did you initially refuse the first item free?

I’d be surprised at any store or line manager refusing to honour the Code Of Practice should a customer have a legitimate complaint—regardless of what the sales staff said.

When it comes to the crunch, the managers normally write things like this off as shrinkage.

Abbi: (what am I saying, of course I’m always right!)

LOL… this sounds like me too.

Apparently, Coles are now charging for mice in their fresh foodstuffs as an optional extra. They claim us customers were getting a lot of extra protein free of charge.

Now when you buy bread at Coles, the checkout person says “would you like rodents with that?”

For example:

# What is the Scanning Code of Practice?

# The Scanning Code of Practice, of which Coles is a voluntary signatory, has been developed to make sure the interests of our customers are protected. The code states that if an item scans at a higher than shelf price, the customer is entitled to the first item free of charge and any subsequent items, with an identical barcode, at the lower shelf price*.

Yeah right. Never happens.

Complain to the manager? They stand behind their staff and their staff says the free product was offered and refused – like huh? If it was you wouldn’t be getting the complaint.

And “fresh, tasty and convenient”, please, even without the latest rat/ mouse in Helgars that Coles says isn’t “their” problem (and I haven’t made up my mind if it’s a hoax or a real deal), quite a number of people have had dodgy stuff from Coles at FULL price. Milk that doesn’t taste right even before expiry, chips that have tasted “off” – the list goes on and on.

Think Coles care?

Nope.

We complained once to Coles about a 3L bottle of Milk that seemed to have leaked all over our housemate when she did a good deed and picked it up on the way back from work. It leaked all over her work suit (well, the skirt and part of her jacket), and get this, Coles emailed back saying we can bring the bottle back and the receipt. Uh, kinda hard when we had to get empty jars and stuff to pour the milk into and to be honest, for $3, really?

The housemate wasn’t happy cos she had to wash the suit and it was never the same (read: dry clean only). lol. But Coles could’ve just said they’re sorry.

Another time housemate had Coles staff fob her off on the return policy, Coles on the phone said one thing. Coles in the store said another. Like get your act and head together.

Yet another time, housemate had Coles OVERCHARGE an item (double the price of the discounted item) when 6 boxes were bought at the same time. Think they can say “sorry” and just give a freebie or a refund? Nope. They tried to “justify” it by saying “oh, it’s a new weight and wasn’t supposed to be the shelves yet.” So, like it was her fault she grabbed it off the shelf with every other box? Oh and here’s the kicker, the promo said for that week the discounted price applied to a weight range the “new” box actually fell in! Long story short, Coles again tried to “justify” everything and again customers were left fuming.

Thumbs WAY down Coles.

No wonder Coles can’t seem to get out of duopoly if that’s the way they treat customers. I’m not saying customers are ALWAYS right (what am I saying, of course I’m always right!) but they should put their money where their mouth is and do what they say they do as a starting point. If your promos and your websites say you do certain things, then either do it or take the promises off your websites and promo.

Simple really.

jj88: [...] but if you’re so concerned, buy some anti-bacterial wipes and wipe down the child seat before putting groceries in there, but better yet, don’t put your groceries in there, they’re designed for children’s bums, not your groceries.

Uh… I was actually referring to the numerous parents that sit their kids in the main basket, not the kid’s seat. And even if the kids are sitting in the seat, what exactly stops all the E.coli from moving to the rest of the trolley?

It’s all very well to say that “most” parents will ensure their kids have clean nappies before leaving home, but could you guarantee they’re NOT going to crap their nappy while you’re out and about? Of course not. That’s why they’re wearing a nappy duh.

however, in our store, condoms were never behind the service desk? i guess this was just in some stores. i have heard of it though.

coles does have an audit, which comes through every 6-12mths, and cleanliness it one of the main things they look at. the baskets in the store i was working at were cleaned once a week, trolleys however are up to the trolley boys to clean when they collect them.

as for celebrity endorsments.. they now have my kitchen rules.. well it’s driving me insane, that i’m constantly seeing coles ads while watching mkr. and the prices down and staying down ads are absolutly killing me! not even woolies ads are that annoying.

okay, and as for children not being allowed in the shopping centre. what about single mothers? how are they supposed to do their shopping if they’re not allowed to take their children with them, just leave them at home, alone.. pretty sure that’s illegal.

as a mother of a 19mth old (and no, i’m not a single mother), i do get annoyed by the parents who cant keep their kids under control. my child does not make a peep while out in public, but as soon as we’re in the car, i have a headache by the time i get home. parents need to teach their children how to behave in a shopping centre.

and as for faeces-filled nappies.. most parents will make sure their kids have a clean nappy before going out, but if you’re so concerned, buy some anti-bacterial wipes and wipe down the child seat before putting groceries in there, but better yet, don’t put your groceries in there, they’re designed for children’s bums, not your groceries.

7pm to 9pm on weekdays might work (although I’d prefer 10-12am personally as I found myself shopping around that time often).

Weekends would be a business killer though, ever been to a supermarket on a Saturday? There’s more kids then products on the shelves!

ozsoapbox: A child banned supermarket might work in somewhere like Taiwan where the child rate has plummeted but in family rich Australia, I really doubt the concept would work.

Yep, I know Oz…

I’m the eternal dreamer LOL. Maybe we could have a “child-free” period for workers (and grownups) to shop at supermarkets. Maybe 7PM to 9PM on weekdays and all day Sat and Sun?

Also, there’s absolutely NO justification for having little kids in a chaotic, noisy, brightly-lit supermarket environment at 9PM; they should be at home tucked up in bed. And their parents can’t understand why their kids wont sleep. Ha!