Cashiers with attitude - updated in OP

[stephanier.1765]

I'm so annoyed. I take my own bags when I go shopping and frequently I can tell that the cashiers are not thrilled with the extra work. That's okay and understandable. But today, the cashier at Target, instead of putting my groceries into the bags, put them at the end of the counter as if expecting me to bag them. So I decided to wait her out to see what would happen since bagging is suppose to be her job.

 

You are supposed to get 5 cents back for every one of your bags that is used but she completed the whole transaction before bagging anything so she skipped that whole 5 cents per bag. I let that slide because I really wanted to see if she was going to bag those groceries. I only bought $50 worth so it wasn't a whole lot. And she finally did start bagging but I can only assume that she was purposely doing a bad job. For example, she put the tomatoes in with the canned goods and she put the bread in with the sports drinks. So I gave up and finished the bagging and then went out to the car to re-bag everything she had done.

 

So freaking annoying. Bringing your own bags is supposed to be a good thing. Geesh. 

 

ETA a pleasant update: Today at Target I had a cashier with attitude...a fantastic attitude!. She was pleasant, engaging and worked with my bags without a second thought. She slipped them all on her non-scanning arm and filled them from there. When one would be become full, she'd slip it off and put it at the end of the counter so I could transfer it to the cart. When I mentioned that she had a great system, she smiled and said it was second nature to her now. She gave me my nickle credit for each of my bags without having to be asked. And all this good-naturedness on an extremely busy day for her. What a great young lady. I will definitely be sending Target another customer service notice.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would have talked to a manager.  

[stephanier.1765]

I would have talked to a manager.  

 

I should have but I was too annoyed to bother. When I get like that, all I want to do is get away from the problem. I know it's not the best problem solving method but it's one I haven't overcome yet. :(

[zoobie]

You can always call!

[happi duck]

With one store in particular I often tell my family, "well they punished me for bringing my own bags again"...super heavy with crazy things thrown together.

 

Our local whole foods is great about it though.

[Jean in Newcastle]

https://help.target.com/help/ContactUs?Con=ContactUs

 

This gives you the option of telling them online or calling.  

[stephanier.1765]

https://help.target.com/help/ContactUs?Con=ContactUs

 

This gives you the option of telling them online or calling.  

 

Thank you! I'm going to do that right now.

[creekland]

Where we live most people (like us) who bring our own bags generally like to bag their own items.  Perhaps that is true in her experience as well?

 

I can't recall the last time I had a cashier bag my items.  I'm not too fond of when a bagger takes over the job either, but I let them when business is slow and I know they want to be working.

 

IME cashiers don't really bag well.  They get to use those urban tumbleweeds that hold practically nothing, so I suppose they have an excuse, but still...

[Jean in Newcastle]

Bagging is part of their training.  So is polite cheerfulness.  It may be that the manager will just do another training for all employees.  

[Lolly]

Why is it extra work to use your bags instead of the store's? Isn't a bag a bag? Why is it harder to put it in one versus the other?

 

My favorite cashier moment recently, the girl looked up and made an excited exclamation. Then, frowned and said, "Oh, sorry. I thought you were my grandmother!" Okay....Don't think that would be physically possible...Well, maybe, but...I will assume she has a very young looking, beautiful grandma...

 

I went home and told dh about it. He knew exactly which cashier I was talking about. She screams hello to him across the store every time he goes in. Really surprised she is still working there. Btw, she doesn't know how to bag groceries either. I doubt it is purposeful on her part.

[Cinder]

I have been known to let the bagger know that certain items should not be bagged together. As in, "You know, I'm going to put the bread in the top of this bag <said as I move the bread> so it doesn't get squished by the apples." Or, "Did you put the tomatoes in the bottom of the bag? <as I dig around the bag and pull out the tomatoes> Most people don't like having their tomatoes at the bottom of the bag; they squish easily."

 

In your case I would have gone straight to the manager.

 

ETA: One cashier at my local Kroger asks if certain items should go into certain bags. Maybe I've developed a reputation . . . :coolgleamA:

[Snickerdoodle]

Where we live most people (like us) who bring our own bags generally like to bag their own items.

 

Yep.

[Rebel Yell]

Why is it extra work to use your bags instead of the store's? Isn't a bag a bag? Why is it harder to put it in one versus the other?

 

(snipped)

 

At many stores, the bags are on a rotating thingy or stand designed specifically for the plastic bags- normally the next bag pops open when the previously filled bag is pulled away. Customer's bags don't always fit on the platform they use for bagging. So it *is* harder for the cashier, but still not quite rocket science. :glare:

[Lisbeth]

Raise an eyebrow, ask deadpan if she is having a bad day.  And contact the store/manager/corporate/whatever.

[Amira]

I guess I've always assumed I ought to bag my own stuff when I bring bags. It's quicker and easier for everyone.  

 

But I have gotten the stink eye a lot for bringing bags, even when I bag stuff myself.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

I tend to take the stance that if I was the manager or owner of a business, I would want to know of any problems that might drive customers away esp. if it continues.   I also would want to know if there are employees who really rock.  So I make sure managers know about both.  

[regentrude]

I have yet to meet a cashier who is able to pack my reusable bags as efficiently as I can - so I would not assume ill will, but cluelessness.

(If you're used to throwing three items into a plastic sack and then using a new one, it's a learning curve.)

That's why I use the self checkout or pack my own bags.

Shrug.

 

 

[Cinder]

I guess I've always assumed I ought to bag my own stuff when I bring bags. It's quicker and easier for everyone.  

 

This must be a regional difference. Around here it's expected that the cashier or bagger will bag your stuff. Even if you bring your own bags.

 

ETA: This is at standard stores that normally bag your items, not places like Aldi. Actually I think Aldi is the only store around here where you bag your own.

[Baseball mom]

And here I thought it was just me.  Seems almost every time I go into Walmart they don't like using my bags. Hateful attitude about using my bags (huffing, slinging stuff etc. ), trying to leave it for me to bag, making smart aleck comments to other customers about my bags.  

 

I lay the stuff on the belt and the bag I want it in on top of that pile.  Yes it seems like I am being picky but I am trying to make it easier.  When they start bagging my children will go over and hold the bag open then when full move it to the cart. 

 

There is one checker that I love to go to.  She is always happy, never complains about my bags etc.  I will stand in her line even if it is long especially if the other lane open is the checker that is so hateful about using my bags.

[Amira]

This must be a regional difference. Around here it's expected that the cashier or bagger will bag your stuff. Even if you bring your own bags.

 

I've bagged my own stuff on the east coast and west coast and states in between and in other countries and I still don't expect the cashier to bag my stuff.  I think it's more about me than the places I've lived. :)

[stephanier.1765]

Where we live most people (like us) who bring our own bags generally like to bag their own items.  Perhaps that is true in her experience as well?

 

 

Interesting point but I don't think that was the case this time because I've had this cashier many times before and she bagged "normally" when using the plastic Target bags. I honestly think she didn't want to be bothered with bags that didn't fit on her metal rack of bags.

 

When I put groceries on the belt, I put them on the way they should be bagged. Heavy stuff always goes up first, fruits and veggies together, boxed goods together, canned goods together, cold stuff together, meat together, non-food stuff together, and bread and eggs last so that bag can go on top. I really do try to make their job easier and at the same time have things the way I like. Today, I guess she just didn't want to work with me.  :o

[creekland]

I've bagged my own stuff on the east coast and west coast and states in between and in other countries and I still don't expect the cashier to bag my stuff.  I think it's more about me than the places I've lived. :)

 

Same here when we travel, but around here when I see others with their own bags, they also usually are putting the items in them (on purpose).

 

We don't shop at Aldi - these are all at traditional stores.

 

When we forget our bags, the cashier automatically bags the items just like any other shopper.  When we bring our own, they defer to us.

[Tap]

Here, using cloth bags is no biggie, cashiers are just used to it. In fact just over the border in Portland, Ore they don't even allow plastic bags, so it is either paper or reusable.    

 

I work in retail pharmacy, and sometimes people ask me to ring up their few groceries with the rx.  I hate ringing groceries with a passion, but we still try to be nice about it.  (We are actually not supposed to ring groceries, but our store manager doesn't want us to tell the customer no, so we have to do it anyways). The only thing that is hard, is when someone has one bag and an odd assortment of items.  LIke 2 cans of corn, a quart of creamer in round bottle, a tomato, a pack of raw sausage and a loaf of bread.   There is no way that something isn't going to get crushed in the one bag and the meat...ewww.  I ask if I can use plastic on the meat, some people say yes, and some say no.  I do the best I can with packing the bag, but usually suggest the person  adjust it according to how they would prefer it packed.  If they weren't using their one bag, they would have got 3 bags.  1 for meat, 1 for hard items, 1 for the tomato and bread.

 

 

I use reusable bags quite often, so I understand but it can still be a puzzle for the cashier.  I tell the cashier I will bag my own with the cloth bags, so I can pack it how I want.  

 

 

 

[LibraryLover]

That's because you don't live in Portlandia.

 

Its a funny clip, but I can't seem to c & p today.

 

 

 

 

[monstermama]

I think you mentioned that you'd seen her around before, but this time of year, I always remind myself that a lot of the cashiers are probably seasonal employees.  It always seems worst at my local Target, probably because that's the store I shop at most frequently that's also most likely to hire a ton of seasonal people.  I always seem to end up with the chatty older women who want to comment on all my purchases.  Not exactly attitude, but seriously, sometimes I don't feel like chatting about cranberry bagels while I'm wrangling a tired toddler.

[Farrar]

I had to stop paying until everything was bagged. I learned that lesson. I don't even mind bagging my own stuff that much, but I can't stand when they shove all your stuff aside and they're on to the next person and that person's stuff is now sliding on top of yours. Ugh.

 

This is why... and I'm sure someone will vehemently disagree... but it's why I think everywhere should just have the bag tax. After ours came in, there was an adjustment, but now it's so routine that everyone has their own bags and the cashiers never get an attitude about the bags no matter how wacky they are. Because it's become routine. In places without the bag tax, I feel like absolutely everything about bringing your own bags is uphill. You have to remind them to give the discount, you have to argue with them that you're "allowed" to have your own bag (some places actually have a policy against it), you have to convince them to bag it for you like they're supposed to, you have to deal with annoyed attitudes, you have to remember the bags... with the tax, you just have to remember the bags and after the first month, it gets very routine.

[mom2scouts]

My dh, who rarely complains about anything, told me he hates "those stupid bag holders at Walmart!"  (Yes, he called them stupid.  :ohmy:  )  He likes to take his own cloth bags and it does seems to cause some problems.  With thin plastic bags, cashiers only put a couple of things into bags before spinning the wheel and moving to the next one.  They don't have to have any bagging skills at all.  Bringing cloth bags totally throws them off their mindless throwing and spinning.  Our Walmart cashiers don't even take the bags off the rotating thing.  They throw stuff in the bag and spin and expect the customer to grab the bag when it comes around.

 

[Farrar]

That's because you don't live in Portlandia.

 

Its a funny clip, but I can't seem to c & p today.

 

There's a whole episode, right? Here's a clip...

 

 

And, since it's about bagging, I have to also include the best dance from Bunheads...

 

[Renthead Mommy]

Well I bring my own bags as much as possible (sometimes they just don't make it back in the car) but store or my bags, I never bag my groceries.  That what baggers are for.  That is their job.  I've never had a problem with it except one time.  The cashier rang up the small order. You could tell she was expecting me to bag it as she did.  I didn't.  I just stood there and waited on her while putting things back in my purse.  Again, not my job, your job.  And yes, other cashiers where bagging thing.   I don't remember where it was but I know it was but I know it was not someplace I ussually shopped and I dont' think I ever went back there. 

[Tap]

That's because you don't live in Portlandia.

 

Its a funny clip, but I can't seem to c & p today.

This one?

[regentrude]

Well I bring my own bags as much as possible (sometimes they just don't make it back in the car) but store or my bags, I never bag my groceries.  That what baggers are for.  That is their job.

 

But why have somebody do a job that I can do more efficiently myself? Kind of defeats the purpose of outsourcing work, YKWIM?

 

(Having grown up in a place where baggers do not exist, I am still not sure why we pay people to do this in this country.)

[Annie G]

 

 

This is why... and I'm sure someone will vehemently disagree... but it's why I think everywhere should just have the bag tax. After ours came in, there was an adjustment, but now it's so routine that everyone has their own bags and the cashiers never get an attitude about the bags no matter how wacky they are. Because it's become routine. In places without the bag tax, I feel like absolutely everything about bringing your own bags is uphill. You have to remind them to give the discount, you have to argue with them that you're "allowed" to have your own bag (some places actually have a policy against it), you have to convince them to bag it for you like they're supposed to, you have to deal with annoyed attitudes, you have to remember the bags... with the tax, you just have to remember the bags and after the first month, it gets very routine.

 

I'm not convinced that would work here.  Walmart pushes cashiers to have a high IPH (scanned items per hour) and they list weekly ranking for all employees to see. They coach cashiers who don't improve theirs and who are consistently in the bottom half of the bunch.   So yeah, they don't spend much time bagging the stuff properly because they're trying to move on to the next customer. Bringing your own bags does slow them down.  ( Actually they should be doing a soft log out when they bag so the timer stops, but many don't and managers jump on cashiers who do too many soft logouts in a shift even though they're legit)

 

I'm not defending any cashier, I'm just saying that sometimes there are pressures we can't see. 

[Farrar]

I'm not convinced that would work here.  Walmart pushes cashiers to have a high IPH (scanned items per hour) and they list weekly ranking for all employees to see. They coach cashiers who don't improve theirs and who are consistently in the bottom half of the bunch.   So yeah, they don't spend much time bagging the stuff properly because they're trying to move on to the next customer. Bringing your own bags does slow them down.  ( Actually they should be doing a soft log out when they bag so the timer stops, but many don't and managers jump on cashiers who do too many soft logouts in a shift even though they're legit)

 

I'm not defending any cashier, I'm just saying that sometimes there are pressures we can't see. 

 

There's Wal-Marts here now. They have to implement the tax too. And they are used to the bags just because everyone is because the simply have to be. That's the beauty of making it a law. I do tend to approach things with the idea that the government is not always the best way to change behavior, but I've seen what a radical change it has wrought here. 

[FriedClams]

I prefer to leave my bags in the car, and then I act bratty being mad at myself for leaving the bags in the car while checking out.

 

 

Please tell me I'm not alone...

 

 

As an aside. The bagging thing. Seriously. I know it's not a highly trained job, but 4 cans of black beans on top of a loaf of bread - after I separated everything for you on the belt? Really? Cleaning fluids and food in the same bag. Really? 9 large cans of tomatoes in a bag which has the tinsel strength only slightly greater than air. Really? I prefer to just bag myself.

 

Now, that whole self check out thing. That could be a ranting spin off if ever there was one!

 

And why doesn't every grocery store on earth use the Aldi carts? It's brilliant.

 

Can you tell I have strong opinions about the local grocery stores?! :-)

[Lang Syne Boardie]

My four sons tend to do all our bagging. Our cashiers at our local market are all elderly and it goes against the grain for my tall, strong boys to just stand there while little old ladies do the work for us. Yes, "it's their job," but still. No. This particular market hires "bag boys" but not nearly enough, and they under-pay and don't do a good job scheduling, so the few on duty are often busy retrieving carts or helping in some other way.

 

Anyway. It's not a big box and it is a neighborhood store, so for my boys to move to the end and bag our groceries is absolutely no big deal. They'll often help out, bagging other people's groceries, while I shop. Just being nice.

 

In big box stores my third son will stand by the bag carousel and retrieve the bags (if we're using plastic), reorganizing as he goes, or bag the items himself if we're using our own bags.

[Farrar]

I prefer to leave my bags in the car, and then I act bratty being mad at myself for leaving the bags in the car while checking out.

 

 

Please tell me I'm not alone...

 

 

As an aside. The bagging thing. Seriously. I know it's not a highly trained job, but 4 cans of black beans on top of a loaf of bread - after I separated everything for you on the belt? Really? Cleaning fluids and food in the same bag. Really? 9 large cans of tomatoes in a bag which has the tinsel strength only slightly greater than air. Really? I prefer to just bag myself.

 

Now, that whole self check out thing. That could be a ranting spin off if ever there was one!

 

And why doesn't every grocery store on earth use the Aldi carts? It's brilliant.

 

Can you tell I have strong opinions about the local grocery stores?! :-)

 

You're not alone. ;)

 

My favorite bagging faux pas was definitely hot roast chicken on top of frozen seafood. I had to return the seafood and demand a refund. "Because your bagger is trying to kill me with food poisoning."

[amsunshine]

But why have somebody do a job that I can do more efficiently myself? Kind of defeats the purpose of outsourcing work, YKWIM?

 

(Having grown up in a place where baggers do not exist, I am still not sure why we pay people to do this in this country.)

LOL.   We are such spoiled Americans!  

[klmama]

What's so special about the Aldi carts?

[Annie G]

There's Wal-Marts here now. They have to implement the tax too. And they are used to the bags just because everyone is because the simply have to be. That's the beauty of making it a law. I do tend to approach things with the idea that the government is not always the best way to change behavior, but I've seen what a radical change it has wrought here. 

Do you bag your own or do the cashiers bag it?  If the cashier bags it, how is the tax changing how they bag? They're getting pressure from managers to be super quick, not super-careful with your stuff.  I'm just having trouble figuring out how the tax would help that....but be gentle with me, as I am waiting for dd to give birth and I'm a *wee bit* distracted. 

[Ali in OR]

In several Oregon cities, stores cannot use plastic bags and they must charge you for every paper bag you use. Everyone brings their own bags usually--clerks expect this. This is coming soon to all of California too.

 

Winco--bag your own and pay less on average for your groceries. Again, everyone does this, everyone is used to it, the system works well.

 

I guess it all comes down to what you're used to. I would have no problem bagging my own items anywhere, though most places other than Winco graciously and competently bag your items for you.

[*Lulu*]

I usually bring my own bags and haven't noticed any poor reactions to it.

 

My experience at Target has been mixed. Sometimes the cashier bags into my bags, sometimes I do. If I have a lot I usually help bag to assist the cashier in keeping things moving. If the kids are with me I put them to work bagging to keep them from aggravating each other. :P

 

Now when I buy meat at our large Kroger I almost always have to remind them to out the meat in a separate, plastic bag. At our smaller, neighborhood Kroger I routinely have the same baggers and they know my preferences!

[Farrar]

Do you bag your own or do the cashiers bag it?  If the cashier bags it, how is the tax changing how they bag? They're getting pressure from managers to be super quick, not super-careful with your stuff.  I'm just having trouble figuring out how the tax would help that....but be gentle with me, as I am waiting for dd to give birth and I'm a *wee bit* distracted. 

 

 

I think Farrar just meant that the cashier wouldn't give attitude to the one person that shows up with canvas bags when pretty much everyone shows up with canvas bags. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yep. I don't go to Wal-Mart often (um, maybe twice now, I think?), but both times they were unfazed that I had a bag. It was definitely a different attitude and expectation than at the Wal-Mart at my grandmother's small town, where they looked at my bag like it was an alien thing.

 

I don't know what can be done about the pressure from the managers, but if every single cashier following the law (charging for bags) and something like 75% of customers want their stuff in their own bags, then the median amount of time is going to be the same across the board within that store. So maybe they won't be faster than baggers at a busy Wal-Mart in nowheresville, but within the store, there can still be a fastest bagger. Also, a huge part of it is practice. The grocery store clerks and baggers are MUCH faster now than they were in the first month of the bag tax when everyone was figuring it out and adjusting.

[Annie G]

I think Farrar just meant that the cashier wouldn't give attitude to the one person that shows up with canvas bags when pretty much everyone shows up with canvas bags. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

 

Thanks for clarifying! I guess I was latching on to the part of the conversation that drifted into cashiers bagging things improperly...heavy stuff and fragile stuff together. When you bring your own large bags, they tend to fill them up with no regard to the variety of items.    That always surprises me because when I forget my bags, they use their plastic ones and tend to put at MOST three items in it...very often fewer.

[regentrude]

What's so special about the Aldi carts?

 

they work with the European system that you insert a coin in order to retrieve the cart from the holding place, and then get your coin back when you place the cart back in its place (it attaches with a little chain to the cart in front, and that chain thing pushes the quarter out  - and inserting the quarter makes the cart detach from the chain)

So, basically, you pay a deposit and get it back when you put the cart back where it belongs.

 

As an aside, Aldi never had free plastic bags - you bring your own bag or box or you can purchase bags. Just like it is back home where the company is from.

 

[JennyD]

 

I recently realized that I have become That Woman.  You know, that middle-aged woman who has to have everything Just So and repacks her groceries in her mysterious preferred method immediately after the poor beleaguered bagger puts them in bags?  Yeah, that's me.  I should really just wait until I'm out of the store to do my repacking.

 

At least I don't run into people with my shopping cart, though, like my mom and MIL both do.  Something to look forward to in my old age...

 

 

[Tanaqui]

I always bag my own stuff. Usually I'm done bagging before the cashier hands me my change, so I know it's just faster. I hate it when I'm in line behind somebody with a full cart or two full carts or, in one notable instance, four adults in the family and a grand total of THREE full carts and a basket and they refuse to lift a finger to bag their own stuff. It all took twice as long as it would if the shoppers would pitch in, and meanwhile my ice cream got very melty.

[Joker]

This thread is making me love my Publix even more! I've not had a single problem with our local one in the 8 years we've lived here. I have never met one with a bad attitude and never had a problem with their bagging. I don't bring my own bags, though, because we reuse the plastic ones and it saves us from having to buy actual trash bags.

[Katy]

This must be a regional difference. Around here it's expected that the cashier or bagger will bag your stuff. Even if you bring your own bags.

 

ETA: This is at standard stores that normally bag your items, not places like Aldi. Actually I think Aldi is the only store around here where you bag your own.

 

 

What's so special about the Aldi carts?

 

I just wanted to chime in that if you bring a big rectangular laundry basket to Aldi's they will throw the groceries in that for you (so you can avoid bagging yourself entirely).   The only thing special about the carts is that they are locked together like a baggage cart at the airport and you have to pay a quarter deposit to free one for your use.  When you return it you get the quarter back though.  I never mind that because 1) I've never had my car get hit by a cart at that store, 2) It's an easy way to bless someone by just giving them a free cart - they're happy and it only costs a quarter , this has become so common at my closest store that I only need a quarter about half the time anyway, otherwise someone just gives me a cart; and 3) it seems like the carts stay in nicer condition there somehow.  The wheels are never wonky or sticky or whatever.

[trulycrabby]

I shop at Publix and the cashiers and baggers are cheerful, always. Many of them have been working there as long as I have lived in the community, so we know each other by name and chat during the transacion. Yes, I realize how fortunate I am, so I am always very polite and say "thank you." I love Publix! :001_wub:

[Annie G]

This thread is making me love my Publix even more! I've not had a single problem with our local one in the 8 years we've lived here. I have never met one with a bad attitude and never had a problem with their bagging. I don't bring my own bags, though, because we reuse the plastic ones and it saves us from having to buy actual trash bags.

When I'm in Atlanta visiting family, I love shopping at Publix. They are always so polite and genuine about it.