Paper bag customers

[Dawnchaser]

Even better: At WinCo, they don't even have baggers. Customers have to bag their own groceries.

That's why, despite the cheaper prices, I stay far far away.

I'm terrible at bagging and like a lot of folks, we don't have a lot of time for shopping so when we go, we make it a BIG trip......so everyone behind us bitches and moans while we struggle to bag as fast as we can...it's just not a pleasant experience for anyone.

I've tried going late at night too, and the place is STILL packed.

Not to mention that the employees and other customers are always rude as hell at our local one - an experience I rarely have to deal with at Albertson's or Safeway...and they really don't like to sell me alcohol for some reason. Ah well, those rants are for another post

[Shengirl]

We don't have baggers all the time either, but the customers don't have to help if they don't want. I know I'm perfectly fast at ringing everything, then bagging everthing, so it's not a huge hold up...unless it's a ginormous order, and then I really appreciate the assistance, you know? And paper bags? Well, they actually don't bother me when I'm cashiering. It's like Tetris! Just figure the best way to fit as much into them as possible, leaving as little free space as possible. Besides, no one asks for paper bagged light, so I can load those things UP.

Scanning as fast as possible and bagging paper are two things that make work like a game, and thus easier to bear. I love checking my ring time and seeing I have the high score.

[BookstoreEscapee]

The one store I go to has the bagging area in front of the cashier, at the end of the belt, so the customer can't bag it themselves, but the casheir just scans it and puts it right into the bag in one motion without having to turn or anything. They also sell inexpensive canvas bags in the store, for around a dollar or two, I think; they're not as big as a paper bag but they are a lot sturdier. I'm thinking about picking up a few next time. The other one I go to less often is bag it yourself at the end of the counter, and the cashier has a bag rack inside their area too so you bag as they scan, and then they can bag the last of your stuff while you are getting out your money or doing your credit card.

I only ask for paper bags if I have some specific use in mind for them at home. Our kitchen garbage is just a plastic frame meant for plastic grocery bags so when we unload the groceries we check for holes and toss them in this wooden box my mom has in the kitchen, plus I use them in my trash can in my room, too.

[Jak_O_Lantern]

ah... paper and plastic, an eternal debate to be sure, and one I am fairly certain even the Greek gods fought about on occasion. It's one thing if you have a lot of canned goods or whatnot to use paper, since they are heavy and you can get more into the bag, a viable reason, and I don't mind doing it, but some things fit better in plastic bags, which I might add only rip if overstuffed (particularly with boxes who's edges can tear them), or the bags are just faulty which sometimes, though rarely happens. Some of my customers say that it helps to keep the cold things cold, others say they don't shift as much on the ride home. Personally, I say pack your own sh*t or don't question my judgment, I am a trained professional.

::Joke time::
It's funny though really, how our means of cursing an hurting other people verbally changes as we get older. As small children the worst we had was you're not my friend anymore, at least for the next 5 minutes. We'd hit lower grades and we had things like poopy-head or dumb face. Middle school and high school would grace us with such a wonderful array of verbal assaults that it would become an art form. Then, then you got a job as a cashier and found a phrase that would bring a tear to the eye of any of your peers. That phrase? "Paper and plastic please"

[Midnight12]

does it matter that some stores are doing quick re-training to have their employees ask "Is Plastic ok?" Instead of the old "Paper or Plastic" line.
mostly because its cheaper to buy about 5 boxes of plastic which is supposedly cheaper than one box of paper bags....I understand the frustration
try double bagging the paper bags urrgh

EDIT, also some stores I used to work at would reward you for brining in any paper bag store's bag or not...it slowly worked.

[Rapscallion]

The Republic of Ireland taxes plastic bags, to discourage their use and encourage environmentally friendly alternatives. (It is only a cent or two though).

I seem to remember it was about nine cents and cut usage by about ninety percent overnight. I've slept since I last heard those figures, though, so they're approximate.

Rapscallion

[Pagan]

I have a thing: BYOB. Bring Your Own Bags.

What do you think, maybe it'll catch on? ....? No, yeah, probably not. Still, probably the only option that actually IS better for the environment.

Here in ABQ, not so much. Santa Fe's another matter, though. It's not called the City Different for nothing. Of course, they've never met a cause they didn't like to protest!

It's catching on in Australia. At least in my part of it.

Trader Joe's sells bags that you can buy for a couple of buck and re-use. I forget how much of a credit they give you. The one I picked up is also insulated for the frozen/cold stuff. I've been using it at Wally World and Sunflower, too. It's definitely got way more comfortable handles (fabric) than paper or plastic, too.

[MystyGlyttyr]

I'm terrible at bagging and like a lot of folks, we don't have a lot of time for shopping so when we go, we make it a BIG trip......so everyone behind us bitches and moans while we struggle to bag as fast as we can...it's just not a pleasant experience for anyone.

I used to get this at the self-scan a lot.

Then, whenever anyone started bitching about my speed (never to me directly, I must point out), I would stop, turn, and GLARE at them. Don't say a word, don't touch your groceries. Just stare them down until they start squirming, look away, or at least shut up. Then start bagging again, even MORE slowly. And if they start blabbering again, glare at them again. Then slow down even more.

Fight passo-aggresso with passo-aggresso, I say.

[Estil]

Even better: At WinCo, they don't even have baggers. Customers have to bag their own groceries. It saves the cashiers the grief of dealing with the super picky customers. If they want their crap bagged a specific way, then they have to take care of it themselves.

I ran into a Save-A-Lot in Ohio where you have to BOX your own groceries (you don't get bags; just the leftover boxes). The manager there tried to tell me that it's "to keep our prices low". Imagine his embarassment when I pointed out to him that the Save-A-Lots in my hometown do bag your groceries and their prices are exactly the same as the "box your own stuff" Ohio Save-A-Lot.

As for the original topic, it does annoy me just a teeny bit to do paper bagging, but only because it takes so much longer to bag in paper (and really do it right). But I guess as long as we have paper sacks available, I guess I can't complain if a customer chooses to take advantage of that fact.

[earl colby pottinger]

Mandarin

There's a huge environmental campaign in Ontario now to encourage people to bring their own bags.

It's caught on in a big way. Its getter more and more rare to see someone leaving the grocery store with an armload of plastic bags.

Works great for us because the bags Mandarin packs their take-out food in has turned out to be great shopping bags.

[solemnwarning]

Why do american stores have paper bags anyway?
Plastics are stronger and can be moulded in a single piece...

Edit: Why do you people have baggers too?

[Shengirl]

Why do american stores have paper bags anyway?
Plastics are stronger and can be moulded in a single piece...

Edit: Why do you people have baggers too?

Why don't you have baggers? God knows I can get people out of the store much quicker if me and the bagger take care of their stuff than if they do it alone. Especially old people. Mind you, my chain only has 1-2 baggers at a time to get carts, clean up spills and things, stock milk and eggs, and help bag groceries, so it's not like every cashier has a helper, but still. On a 2-cart order, it's nice to have someone fast you can call for help.

As for paper bags? Paper bags are stronger. They're also more environmentally friendly, and people take them home to do their recycling. You can put more in a paper bag at once, and some people prefer to put their cold food in paper. Personally, I just use plastic, but those are all the reasons I can think of at the moment for paper.

[mscrybaby]

I didn't know you could still get paper bags at stores. I would much prefer them over the plastic ones tht rip cause I want them packed heavy. I only want to make one or two trips in from the car and Wallyworld bags rip really easily. The cashiers will even refuse to pack more then a few items per bag.

In Missouri we had a store called Aldis, as you went through the isles you would pick up your groceries and the leftover boxes or bring your own bags with you. If you want to buy bags they are 10 cents each for the paper and 15 cents for the plastic. The cashier would ring your items through and drop them all back in the cart then you go and bag or box. We also had a bag it yourself store called Mega Market. I loved going there cause I could use paper bags and bag everything myself.

[Retail Associate]

Ever notice you don't get one of these chuckleheads that ask for paper until every last line in the store is at least ten people deep?

Yep and it seems like every other customer wants the stinking paper bags when it's the busiest. I can't believe stores even offer them anymore.

[Bagga]

I remember the resentment when supermarkets introduced the idea of having store supplied carrier bags. (Yeah yeah, it was aaages ago.)

Everyone thought it sucked that you had to carry around a bag not of your own choosing, and that you couldn't trust with a heavy load of shopping. And when they started putting a store logo on them that was even worse, my mum hated having to carry an advert around with her.

We used shopping bags, many of which seemed to be strong enough to carry half a hundredweight of potatoes in. And paper carrier bags were preferred to plastic because they fitted exactly into your favourite shopping bag.

Perhaps if customers packed their own stuff into their own shopping bags, and baggers went on checkout, the throughput would be nearly as good?