Frustrated Aldi customers have taken to social media to vent after the store’s special buys sold out in minutes this weekend amid huge queues.
The German retail giant offered a range of bargains, including Dyson vacuum cleaners and portable air conditioners, but many shoppers were greeted by empty crates upon arriving.
Some claimed stores stocked as few as three of the items, while others were surprised by lines of dozens of people half an hour before the supermarkets even opened.
Frustrated Aldi customers have taken to social media to vent after the store’s special buys for Dyson vacuums (pictured) sold out in minutes this weekend amid huge queues
Some claimed stores stocked as few as three of the items, while others were surprised by lines of dozens of people half an hour before the supermarkets even opened
The highly sought after items included a handheld DC44 Dyson vacuum for $299 and a DC29 Multifloor for $349, as well as a $279 2kW air-conditioner.
One woman slammed the chain in an online post Saturday, commenting on Aldi’s Facebook page that she was ‘very disappointed’ in her treatment at the Waurn Ponds store.
‘Lined up to get the Dyson (first in line) and was appalled in the manner this huge event was handled,’ she wrote.
‘Knocking over elderly people, even had someone snatch (the item) out of my six-year-old’s hand.’
Another Victorian woman told how her partner had visited Aldi Monbulk in Victoria where they had been met with an unruly group.
‘He was elbowed by numerous women, pushed and shoved so they could buy multiple Dyson stick vacs.’
Others were disappointed that the store did not enforce a limit on how many of the bargain products people could purchase, with some people seen grabbing multiple items
The German retail giant offered a range of bargains but many shoppers were greeted by empty crates upon arriving (pictured)
One woman slammed the chain in an online post, commenting on Aldi’s Facebook page that she was ‘very disappointed’ and ‘appalled’ at how the situation was handled
Others were disappointed that the store did not enforce a limit on how many of the bargain products people could purchase.
‘I think it’s quite disgusting that there is no limit on your special buys per transaction,’ a women vented.
Despite being one of the first 20 people through the door, the annoyed customer said she had missed out on an air conditioner, with one family taking six of the ten units in stock.
Another woman from Tamworth expressed similar dismay, claiming many people in line at her local store had missed out.
‘I understand your special buys are popular but it’s rather unfair you let people buy three or even four of the Dysons on offer,’ she said.
‘Many people who were in line missed out because others grabbed as many as they humanly could.’
Lines spread through the carpark of the supermarket’s stores, as people eagerly tried to get their hands on the products Saturday
The highly sought after items included a handheld DC44 Dyson vacuum for $299 (right) and a DC29 Multifloor for $349 (left)
Another angry shopper questioned how the products had sold out before stores had even opened.
‘Can someone explain to me how it is possible to sell out of a product five minutes before a store opens, on the day it is meant to be available for purchase?’ she wrote.
While one man compared the huge lines and violent proceedings to the notorious ‘Black Friday’ sales.
‘The definition of bedlam, is trying to get a Dyson at Aldi on Saturday when the sale starts,’ he wrote.
‘This was probably the closest thing I have seen to the craziness of the Black Friday sales videos.’
However, some stores including those in Brunswick and Marrickville, reportedly allocated tickets to the first customers in line to help combat the pandemonium.
Following the chaos on Saturday customers called for the store to change their practices for future special buy sales.
One man compared the huge lines and violent proceedings to the notorious ‘Black Friday’ sales, calling the scenes ‘bedlam’
Following the chaos on Saturday customers called for the store to change their practices for future special buy sales, asking for crowd control and fewer items to be sold to each person
‘Why not have them at the front entrance, control the crowd and hand them out as people enter,’ one person suggested.
While another added that enlisting ‘a member of staff near the special offers’ to police the crowds and allowing people fewer items could make sales smoother.
Similar scenes occurred earlier in the year when shoppers angled for a $99 grey armchair and at some stores found just three items available.
While other bargain-hunters were left brawling over a three-seat corner wicker sofa, with a spokesperson at the time telling Daily Mail Australia the items were ordered ‘months in advance’.
‘ALDI Australia’s Special Buys have become incredibly popular with Australian shoppers and are just one way we distinguish ourselves from other supermarkets,’ they said.
‘We do our best to supply our stores with sufficient stock however, sometimes they sell out faster than expected due to their exceptional value and high quality.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Aldi Australia for comment.
An Aldi spokesperson said earlier this year they ‘do our best to supply our stores with sufficient stock however, sometimes they sell out faster than expected due to their exceptional value and high quality’