Very similiar though. In fact easier to get a refund online than in store in several instances. I should add that the drivers are all excellent and often do more than they are legally abliged to do.
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I have been shopping online at Woolies for several years. The first time I got something “off”, I rang up, and they said their standard (at least then), was that products needed to be suitable for use for at least five days. The call centre staff were lovely and helpful and the refunds are always quick.
Now, they have a very quick online way to make a claim for a refund for anything that’s ‘off’ or out-of-date or missing. I can upload a photo of bad veggies if I want to. Mostly, everything has been great, and I’ve really appreciated how well the shoppers have followed my requests (you can add notes, like “I’d like firm bananas, please, not too soft”). I always suggest what substitutions I’m happy with.
If anything is missing (not often) or the wrong thing (not often), it’s easy to claim. Woolies also always replaces with an equal or more expensive item and they refund if they have to replace with something cheaper. The last time I used Coles, they didn’t do that. I can also select No Substitutions.
I’m in Northern NSW, and our deliverers are terrific and the local Woolies is doing a great job. No, I have no affiliation with them!
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Hi @phb, absolutely agree. We actually asked this question in our supermarket satisfaction survey to those respondents who shop online. We weren’t able to go into the findings in our reporting at that time (too much to cover, and more of a focus on shopping in-store) but we will be able to reference the results in this new piece 
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There is an experience that has been posted on the site in a new topic, while it isn’t about out of date it may broaden your topic somewhat if it interests you. The link follows:
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We have been alternating for 18 months between Coles and Woolies online as there are items we get that are only at one or the other. Both are fantastic. Never had any problems with use by dates, vegetables are always excellent, don’t eat meat and both have a good array of vegetarian food these days. In all that time we have only had one item not supplied without notification, but refund was immediate online, no questions asked. Substitutions are not often required but when they are they are always appropriate. Always on time with friendly efficient drivers. I have observed the instore shoppers (some time ago as I have not been into a supermarket for 18 months and loving it), and the problem I had was that they are always in the way of the customers; another good reason to shop online. I would have thought they would not be allowed to have out of date products on the shelves unless it’s marked as such, and I am sure their quality control system would actually control that. I am sure the personal shoppers just grab the front item and move on, I doubt if they have time to look at which is the oldest date. I went through our extensively stocked pantry just this week to bring the older items at the back forward and there were no items even from 12 plus months ago shopping that were out of date. Maybe we have better operators on the Fraser Coast. I do need to add though the products delivered from Dan Murphy’s look like they have been through the wars, so I assume their online warehouses are full of rejects from the shops.
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Have used Woollies for years. In the beginning there were items missing almost every week but that has now been corrected. I email them or use the bot every time something is not to my liking and they have never failed to refund. No system is ever going to be perfect and there are times when something is going to be out-of-stock which is annoying at the time but that’s life. Overall I am very happy with the service. Have never had out-of-date food but just last week I had a laundry product that had just expired.
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I have only online shopped twice in my life for fresh produce. Both times I have found the use by dates on the majority of products are one or two days hence rather than the week or so if I select in store. This means the stock has been in the distribution centre for three or four days at least.
I’ve had this for fresh milk (usually gets 10 days when it is delivered from the dairy), meat (five to seven days from butchering especially if vac sealed), vegetables (carrots, potatoes, etc).
With only two experiences, I would not make a definitive pronouncement but in store this stuff would have been marked down at least 25% to 40% if only two days left.
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Thanks @SueW I tried this on my recent order. 1/3 were 2 days off expiry. I didn’t feel bad about complaining through the online chat and gaining a refund.
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Against my better judgement I have ordered from Coles this week, just a small order but with a few perishables. We shall see if a) the eggs get broken or b) if there is out of date stuff. Not being able to add a note for the shopper… not good. But I thought I would try, given that the delivery fee is much less than Woolies.
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I’m very slow to respond to this @SueW, but I’m curious about how you found the Coles order?
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No problems at all, this time. I’ll shop online from them again.
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Happy to hear you had a good experience. Are you able to put shopper notes against each item, as I know you’ve done with Woolies online orders?
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No, still cannot do that. It was the cheap delivery fee that got me in the end.
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Yes, delivery fees are quite a bit cheaper at Coles - not such an issue at Woolies if you order up big to the point you waiver your delivery fees, but certainly makes a difference if it’s a much smaller shop.
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Yep, but I live alone in a small house with very little usable storage, so a big shop is not on the cards for me. Delivery for me is always around $12-15. Coles is $2-6
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