
At a shop or counter in Australia, “What are you after?” usually does not ask about your position. It means “What are you looking for?” or “What do you need?” Here, be after means to be seeking or wanting something. The tone is casual and direct, but normally not impatient. In everyday speech, are may disappear: “What you after?”
A natural reply is, “I’m after a phone charger.” If you do not need help, say, “Just looking, thanks.” Be after can also refer to a person or a goal, so context decides whether it means looking for, pursuing or chasing. In a shop, there is no need to interpret after literally as “behind”.
https://www.abc.net.au/education/learn-english/learn-english%3A-understanding-the-aussie-accent-and-slang/8940242
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/be-after
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