I had always been a Coles shopper – the closest Coles to where I grew up was always nicer than the Woolworths – which was just across the road – and parking was easier as well. So I got to know the products and was happy to be a Coles shopper. Even when I moved houses, I would always look for the nearest Coles and choose it over Woolies. Then we moved to Melbourne and the closest supermarket was a Woolworths (or “Safeway” as they call it down here!!!!) so I switched. It wasn’t easy to do, but I made the transition and was quite happy about it. I got to know their products and days when things would go on special etc, and was a convert. I started looking for Woolworths/Safeway when I needed to do a shop. And the funny thing is, the Coles and Woolies near my parents house (the ones previously mentioned) did a bit of a switcheroo on me; the Coles is now dodgy and rubbish and the Woolies has been renovated and is totally awesome.

So I figured, that was it. I was a convert. I figured when we moved to Wang I’d find the nearest Woolies and continue being content. Alas, this will not happen. I will no longer be shopping at Woolworths. The reason? Woolworths is no longer accepting our CommSec Credit/Debit card. It has to be a savings account. Our card won’t work. I went to pay for my purchases and they told me I had to press the “savings” button, even though I told them it wouldn’t work. And what happened? It didn’t work. They said it was the bank that had changed, so I called the bank ready to give them a piece of my mind (albeit, a small piece!) but they assured me the change had come from Woolies.

So I went back to Woolies (the dirty, filthy liars) and asked the check-out chick about it and she told me the truth – that the powers that be at Woolies had decided it cost them too much to process the Credit/Debit card as a credit card, and so they had stopped accepting them. She also thought it was ridiculous. I can’t even change our account to a savings account, so now we’re stuck with a card that won’t work at Woolies.

So they’ve lost a customer. I know I know, I can get money out and pay cash, but it’s the principle. Why should I give them my business if they’re not going to make it convenient for me to pay? So now I have to convert back to Coles; I have to get to know their products and specials and the way they operate. And hope that they accept my card.

Actually, I’m hoping to do all my fruit and veg shopping at markets, and getting meat from a local butcher, and just odds and ends from Woolies Coles. Or maybe Aldi. Hee hee!

Has anyone else been inconvenienced by this?