Woolworths unveils self-serve trolley checkout to tackle overcrowding

Alexis Carey

NOVEMBER 21, 2019

news.com.au

It’s easily one of the most frustrating parts of using a self-serve checkout – but Woolworths might have fixed the issue for shoppers.

While many of us love using the self-serve checkout option during a grocery shop, overcrowding at busy periods can make it something of a nightmare.

But a brand new Woolworths store is aiming to solve that pain point after introducing a new self-serve checkout option specifically for people with trolleys.

The checkout, located at the newly-opened store at Millers Junction in Altona North in Melbourne, is much larger than regular self-serve check-outs and includes a conveyor belt.

It was designed to ease overcrowding caused by shopping trolleys in self-service stations, and the concept is being trialled by the supermarket giant at that Victorian store as well as in another store in Gregory Hills store in Sydney, which opened in April this year.

A Woolworths spokesman told news.com.au the idea was developed with shoppers’ convenience in mind.

“We’re offering the trolley self-serve lanes at our newly opened Millers Junction store to make shopping easier and (we) look forward to hearing feedback from local customers on the concept,” the spokesman said.

“It’s about providing another convenient option for customers and is designed to complement the manned check-outs and traditional self-serve options at the store.

“We want to give our customers choice, so they can pick the checkout option that works best for the shop they’re doing on any given day.

“We’re pleased the Millers Junction store will provide ongoing employment to more than 100 team members, many of whom will work at the front of store to serve our customers.”

It is understood Woolworths staff will closely monitor customer feedback before deciding whether to potentially roll out more self-serve trolley check-outs at other locations across Australia.

Meanwhile, the Millers Junction store also boasts a “safety robot” – nicknamed “Millie” by the team – which roams across the outlet and quickly alerts staff members to any spills and safety hazards on the shop floor.

“We treat the safety of our customers and team seriously, so we’re excited to trial this innovative technology at our Millers Junction store. The team has really embraced Millie, and we’ll be keen to hear local customer feedback as well,” the Coles spokesman said.

The robot was also introduced at Sydney’s Gregory Hills store earlier this year, and has significantly reduced trips and slips there compared with other Woolworths stores.

Photos of the new checkout were posted on the Mama Knows West Facebook group recently, attracting an outpouring of likes, shares and comments from social media users.

Some Facebook users were sceptical, questioning whether the technology would end up replacing workers.

“Supermarket looks great – but who wants a trolley self serve!!! What happened to good old customer service. I hate self-serve,” one Facebook user wrote, while another added: “I prefer a checkout operator thanks.”

However, the trolley self-serve check-outs will exist alongside regular self-serve check-outs and traditional check-outs manned by staff members, giving customers more options.

And many Facebook users welcomed the innovation, claiming it would make grocery shopping easier in future.

“So much better,” one person wrote, while another posted: “I went and checked it out today. Very nice! And it’s huge! And how good are the self serve check-outs?”