I own beat up PC cloth bags and I have never had a problem in any store. I always say something nice to the cashier during the transaction and put my bags down first so they can't miss it.
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I own beat up PC cloth bags and I have never had a problem in any store. I always say something nice to the cashier during the transaction and put my bags down first so they can't miss it.
Fortinos has taken to having kids from local sports teams bag for donations. They always did it occasionally but every time I have been recently.
Yes, the bit about money saved on labour is hogwash. Whether they stand there and bag or watch you do it they still get paid their hourly wage. It's more about running x number of customers through and that's already pointed out to be a stupid theory as well. Like golfers who can't move on because a group is hogging the next hole.
To some extent they do, most stores attempt to not have lineups of more than 3 customers per cash. If the registers consistently have more than 3, they will bring in more cashiers on those shifts so it does cost more if the line moves slowly. However, this only works as far as bagging your own if they have the 2nd bagging belt for the cashier to alternative between sides and not the Walmart style ones where you are blocking the next customer
WM is stupid. They make the cashiers pushy and give them crap if they don't push the WM Mastercard. But they don't realise that it only turns off the customer's.
The Wal Mart stores are all about numbers, targets and quotas, which they have to meet daily. Apparently there is NO quota for Customer Service or Satisfaction.
For a few years.... I did this at Costco for ultimate speed...
- get into one of those long lines
- while waiting, turn all purchases around so that the bar code is pointed up.
- put one small tiny item on the belt, leaving everything in the cart as heavy items.
- tell the cashier to grab the gun to scan everything. Bar code is pointed up ready for them.
- scan the one item on the belt
- Pay for your purchase and leave the checkout in record time!
In addition to speed, I no longer lost my buggy. Staff are happier as there is less weight and handling of items.
Apparently a rule came up that said everything had to be on the belt a few years back. Item's missed in the scanning? Had to stop doing this.
I'm starting to see people leave things in the cart again.... perhaps it's time I went back to treating all my Costco purchases as being heavy again.
At my local Costco(s)... the packer will un-pack your cart if you don't. So there's no doing what you just said, at least not in my area.
However, I do this when I go to the states and visit Sam's Club. They have self checkouts where you get to wave a cordless scanning gun... it's awesome because I do it just as you described it. I point all the UPCs in the cart so they're easy to see/get to. I use the cordless scanner and scan all the UPCs in a matter of seconds, pay by card, and make a run for the door. Much like Costco, they have cart/receipt checkers at the exit, so I'm not sure what the big deal is about unloading/reloading your cart... but whatever.
The Walmart in my area is usually just the opposite. They have great customer service, are usually very friendly and often even help me getting my shopping back in my cart after bagging it. Now having said that, I will never again shop at the Walmart in Vaughan, Ontario (near Toronto). The whole staff seemed to be on nasty pills. The were rude, pushy and acted like I was an interrupting their day. It was not my first time there, but definitely my last. I guess each Walmart is handled by different managers, who have different attitudes about how to deal with personnel. And yes, how you are treated as an employee does filter down to your customers.
Some time ago, our Atlantic Superstores here in Nova Scotia at great expense changed the layout of all their checkouts, replacing them with new ones which made it impossible for the cashier to bag as she went. Instead all items were pushed towards the customer at the end. The products now pile up until the scanning is finished, during which time most customers begin packing themselves. My wife and I absolutely will not do so. When the scanning is finished, we wait while our bags are packed.
We are postive and supportive towards the cashiers, but we decline to take their valuable jobs away from them and tell them so when appropriate. Most appreciate it. None fail to fill our own reusable bags in the manner we request, ever. We occasionally compliment staff to the manager. I do not recall ever having to complain about a staff member. The more customers do the packing and other chores for the staff, the more jobs are lost to them and the less service oriented food stores become.
At the same time "letting" customers pack their own bags became the policy, self service checkouts became added. When they automatically provide me with some compensation for doing the work, say a 5% discount, we will not use the self service checkouts. I can be persuaded otherwise when I see the stores putting their customers ahead of their own bottom lines, providing true service and positive shopping experiences. They have a long way to go in that regard.
I agree, respect and commend your rationale. However, my resistance to pack my own bag leans a bit self-centered, I'm afraid... I'm too busy watching the screen as the items scan up to make sure they scan in at the right prices... I cant do that if I'm busy doing someone else's job.
I happened by this thread and I google what I can remember as a kid.
http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=2270