Kmart’s new Australian virtual queue for coronavirus shoppers mocked on Twitter

Kmart is trialling a new virtual queuing system for online customers which has been mocked on Twitter, with one person describing it as “sweet hell”.

Retail chain Kmart is trialling a new online shopping feature in Australia whereby customers must wait in a virtual queue before even browsing the site.

But the new system has attracted ridicule online from some shoppers claiming it was poorly designed.

The new system means when logging on to the Kmart website, an online customer is given a window in the virtual queue.

In this window they receive a number with the length of the expected wait.

RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus news here

On Twitter, Liam Whan posted a message saying “Australian Kmart customers don’t fall for this nonsense”.

He claimed that if Kmart Australia’s website could not serve the number of Australians it had “nothing to do with COVID-19” and the site could be “horrifically engineered”.

Kmart has a new online shopping feature whereby customers must wait in a virtual queue before even browsing the site.

@Kmart_Australia is trialling a queue system on their website... 🤔 #COVID19au pic.twitter.com/ATk9y2FWxM

— Kultha Hier 🎥 (@kultha_hier) April 3, 2020

PSA for Australian Kmart customers: don't fall for this nonsense. If @Kmart_Australia 's websites can't serve the number of Australians who want to buy their products right now, its got NOTHING to do with COVID-19. Their site is either horrifically engineered (likely) or 1/2 pic.twitter.com/PeUIhAJX8V

— Liam Whan (@liam_whan) April 3, 2020

Liam went on to say: “They are so tight they won’t pay to scale their infrastructure. There are companies all around the world *streaming video* over the web without delay during COVID-19, and Kmart is trying to tell us that the virus is the reason their site sucks.”

Another user under the handle techAU said: “Just went to Kmart Australia’s website and got put in a virtual waitroom. What sweet hell is this.

“If you’re a system admin. scale out your infrastructure rather than building this crap.”

David@TechDesignau posted: “Someone tell @Kmart_Australia this is not how you internet.”

Just went to Kmart Australia's website and got put in a virtual waitroom.. what sweet hell is this. If you're a system admin.. scale out your infrastructure rather than building this crap. pic.twitter.com/sEeVMUDU4w

— techAU (@techAU) April 3, 2020

Someone tell @Kmart_Australia this is not how you internet pic.twitter.com/PKxoN9H0vS

— David (@TechDesignau) April 3, 2020

Lucy_in_the_Sky_with_Diamonds said: “Social distancing in Kmart website, yo!” with crying with laughter emojis.

Social distancing in Kmart website, yo! 🤣😂🤔🤣#Kmart #australia #nsw #SocialDistancingNow #SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/3D9WTexwkc

— Lucy_in_the_Sky_with_Diamonds (@IhjSyd) April 3, 2020

This week two workers at Kmart tested positive to coronavirus.

Kmart at Chadstone in Melbourne’s southeast confirmed the two cases on Tuesday before closing its doors for thorough cleaning.

A Kmart spokesperson said the two casual staff last worked at the store on Saturday, March 28.

The positive diagnoses came after two workers at a Melbourne Coles supermarket also tested positive to COVID-19 on Monday.

The two new cases bring the total number of known cases at major retailers to five.

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