Online grocery shopping has become a game-changer for many Australians, especially for those who would rather avoid the hustle and bustle of supermarket aisles.
But as convenient as it is to have your groceries delivered to your door, sometimes the process can go hilariously—or expensively—awry.
Just ask Sharni Heys, a Woolworths customer who recently found herself the proud owner of a whopping 2kg of ham—when she only meant to buy 200g.
Sharni’s story is a cautionary tale for anyone who has ever shopped online in a hurry.
‘My initial reaction to seeing the giant packet of ham was “what on earth is this?”’ she said.
At first, she assumed the deli had made a mistake. But a closer look at the label—and the invoice—revealed the truth: she had, in fact, ordered 2kg of D’Orsogna Honey Ham, racking up a $52 charge.
It’s a classic case of a simple slip of the finger leading to a not-so-simple surprise at the checkout. And Sharni is far from alone.
After sharing her experience on social media, she was flooded with comments from fellow shoppers who had made similar blunders.
One person recounted ordering 1kg of chicken wings but accidentally requesting just 100g, resulting in a single, lonely wing being wrapped up by a bemused deli worker.
Another ended up with 20kg of potatoes instead of 20 loose spuds. And who could forget the shopper who accidentally bought 300 toilet rolls—or the one who received $60 worth of cabbage?
Even supermarket staff chimed in, sharing their own tales from the trenches.
‘As a deli worker, I’ve wrapped single chicken wings, a single slice of ham—it goes on, we have a laugh and move on,’ one wrote.
Another Coles worker recalled a customer who ordered 10kg of bananas, only to be shocked when they picked up their order and realised they had meant to buy just 10 bananas.
So, what can you do if you find yourself in a similar pickle—or, in Sharni’s case, a mountain of ham? Sharni’s advice is to act quickly.
She was able to resolve her issue by lodging a dispute through Woolworths’ app chatbot, Olive.
While she did not receive a direct response from Woolworths, a few days later she was notified of a $46.80 refund—the difference between the 2kg she received and the 200g she had intended to buy.
Woolworths recommends that customers experiencing issues with their orders visit the Customer Hub online to lodge a complaint or request a refund.
Sharni also had a suggestion for supermarkets: why not give customers the option to be contacted if there is any confusion about their order?
‘That would mean less food going to waste and less money being taken from innocent people’s accounts who may not have realised what happened,’ she said.
Video Credit: @sharniheys / TikTok
While privacy concerns mean supermarkets can’t just call you out of the blue, a simple tick box giving permission for contact could be a smart solution.
Despite her ham-heavy mishap, Sharni is not giving up on online shopping.
‘I triple check my cart before checking out now. But it has not deterred me from doing my groceries online. As a busy mum with three young kids, going into the store sounds like my idea of torture!’ she laughed.
And she’s grateful she shared her story online—otherwise, she might never have known she could request a refund.
The moral of the story? Always double—or triple—check your cart before you hit ‘checkout’.
And if you do end up with a year’s supply of ham, potatoes or toilet paper, know that you’re not alone—and there’s usually a way to fix it.
Have you ever made a hilarious or costly mistake while shopping online? Did you end up with a mountain of groceries you did not mean to buy?
Share your stories in the comments below—we’d love to hear your best—or worst—online shopping blunders!
Also read: Kitchen win: $2 Woolworths solution solves the chore everyone loathes
