Aldi Is Slowly Losing My Business
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (92404)
United States
July 28, 2024 12:35pm CST
Don't get me wrong. I do like Aldi. They have fairly good prices on the items I choose to buy there. But slowly, they are losing my business as their once rapid checkout process is becoming a very quick thing of the past.
It used to be that there would be at least two, and sometimes three checkout lanes open, all very efficient and fast. Lines were rarely backed up.
Now they typically man one register and at the store I go to, there are 6 or more self-checkouts.
Sorry. I am not using those. The price of my groceries has not seen any downward movement as a result of this, so unless I can see a direct benefit, eat my shorts. I'm not playing along.
Besides, it completely defies the concept of customer service.
Nonetheless, even with one checkout lane open, the last couple of times the light has been on, but nobody was there. No, that's not a joke about the cashier's intelligence. The cashier was not at the register to ring customers out.
Meanwhile the line for the self-checkouts were all the way back to the meat department. Not good.
Again, I like Aldi. But the more you make it a hassle for me to shop there, the less inclined I will be to shop there.
12 people like this
12 responses
@lovebuglena (44713)
• Staten Island, New York
29 Jul
When I was little I used to pretend I am a store cashier, so checking out at the store myself is enjoyable for me. But so long as everything works properly and I have no issues.
I get it though. What are they paying cashiers for if we have to do everything ourselves? And then they have the nerve to check our receipts, probably to make sure we paid for everything. Though the way they check we may as well have not paid for everything or scanned something incorrectly. They won't know.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (44713)
• Staten Island, New York
31 Jul
@porwest But then they have to hire people to man the self-checkouts lol.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (71520)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jul
The Aldi I go to doesn't have self checkout. They have like six lanes and one or two cashiers. I shop there because it's close so not as expencive. Since I have to pay for my rides places.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (71520)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
29 Jul
@porwest No. The larger stand-alone stores do. But, the Aldi closest to my house is too small for that.
1 person likes this
@porwest (92404)
• United States
29 Jul
@kaylachan Ours isn't that big either and they had plenty of room for them. lol
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25343)
• United States
28 Jul
Where I used to live they put a new Aldi there and everytime I went I could not find anything I wanted to get. In the area I live in now my daughter always takes me there. I found a few things I liked there the first time and she got more than I did and then I find that most of the things had no date on them!
The prices are lower then most places are yes, but they don't have name brand stuff or very many things in variety, not enough staff there to help customers including like you said to check people out.
The prices are lower then most places are yes, but they don't have name brand stuff or very many things in variety, not enough staff there to help customers including like you said to check people out.1 person likes this
@dfollin (25343)
• United States
29 Jul
@porwest I didn't know that, but I wouldn't doubt it. However I don't like Peter Pan peanut butter, I think it's yucky personally. Sara Lee make coffee????????
I have always Sara Lee for cakes. When I eat mac n cheese I eat Great Value. I don't like jelly.I get the store brand Ziploc bags, unless Ziploc is on sale for less. I eat Great Value cereal unless it is a type they don't make that I especially like. I east their garlic butter but they don't have the Land of lakes Sea Salt butter, so I get that.
I have always Sara Lee for cakes. When I eat mac n cheese I eat Great Value. I don't like jelly.I get the store brand Ziploc bags, unless Ziploc is on sale for less. I eat Great Value cereal unless it is a type they don't make that I especially like. I east their garlic butter but they don't have the Land of lakes Sea Salt butter, so I get that.@porwest (92404)
• United States
29 Jul
@dfollin Did you know that MOST store brands are made by name brands? It's true. Take Great Value peanut butter. It's made by Peter Pan. Their coffee is made by Sara Lee. Sara Lee also makes Great Value bread. Kraft makes Great Value macaroni and cheese. Smucker's makes their jellies and jams. Their cheese is made by Lakeview Farms. Kellog's makes Great Value cereals. Ziploc makes their plastic bags. Land O'Lakes makes their butter.
Granted, the ingredients and recipes may be SLIGHTLY different. But you can be assured there's a big name behind every "no name" product you buy.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37369)
• Toccoa, Georgia
29 Jul
My town doesn't have an Aldi's. There is a grocery chain here in the South East called Ingles. I shop the one in town. They have a fair amount of cashiers. They have a self checkout section. I prefer using a cashier. The only times that I use self checkout is if I have a few items and it is extra busy.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (103969)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
28 Jul
I do not blame you for not wanting to shop at Aldi due to the lack of cashiers to check out their customers.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
29 Jul
The one I use does not have self checkout. I would not use them either. Locally Dollar General put two self check outs in. Now they have them locked down, and a sign to use the main register. When they got busy an employee came and used the self check out on your behalf. The employees did not want self check, they said it is just an invitation to steal. I feel that way about all of them.
1 person likes this
@porwest (92404)
• United States
29 Jul
Oh, I bet they are coming. It's the trend, of course, even if I think it's not a good one. Just a matter of time, I would suspect.
But you are right about the theft aspect. When you put customers in charge of checking out their own items, they are PROBABLY going to be more likely to take some steps they might not otherwise. I hate to call it human nature. But it is in many ways.
And I bet there are a LOT of people who almost feel ENTITLED to getting an item or two for free. After all. I have to ring it AND bag it? Seems like I should be paid for that one way or the other. lol
@RasmaSandra (80635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jul
Aldi was one of the stores I ordered from online for a while but they use Instacart and it became too expensive for me especially when the Instacart delivery also too money for the gas to get to my house, Now I order from Walmart where the groceries come directly from the store,
1 person likes this
@everwonderwhy (7365)
•
28 Jul
There have been several hirings at ALDI chains since the past months.
I didn't get accepted, thankfully. But my young friends got hired.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (181240)
• United States
29 Jul
I don't blame you. We haven't been to Aldi's in a long time; but I don't like self checkout either. Have a good week.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38563)
•
29 Jul
I hate self check-outs. None of our Aldi stores are as you describe, with one regular check out that no one was operating. The one I go to the most has two regular checkouts with an actual cashier, and two more self checkouts. Plus on the end of the sacking counter there are two more if needed. But they always seem to have a lot of employees working there, at least they do when I go.
1 person likes this
