Reusable bags. Target and Walmart both have featured them in their glossy ads, their own branded reusable bags. Target even gave them away once. Of course both of these corporations love the public image they get by featuring these reusable bags on their advertisements and circulars, because, its hip to be green right now. Its a token way for them to communicate that they are doing their part. What I have a problem with, is that the P.R. spin is encouraging you to BUY and use the bags at their stores, but someone forgot to copy the customer service on this point. You would think that by seeing these branded reusable bags being purchased at their checkout registers, the cashiers would be able to add it all up and realize that they WILL see these bags brought back to them again and again and again as REUSABLE BAGS.
I had an experience at Target this past weekend that initially confused me, but I figured it out pretty quickly. The cashier began ringing up our small order of groceries, and instead of bagging the groceries as she went, she stacked them all up unbagged on the end of the counter. I thought that was odd, but whatever, I thought, she has her own method. She finishes scanning everything, and hands us our receipt. She then proceeds to bag only one bagful of our groceries using the reusable bags. The rest of the two bags worth of groceries remain where they are unbagged as she returns to the register and begins ringing up the next person’s order, placing that person’s things right next to ours.
“Um, we still have groceries here.” I said.
She replied “I have to check out the next customer.”
Then I reply loudly “Would you like us to bag these for you, I’m confused, because you didn’t say anything to us and left our stuff here. If you want us to finish bagging these things you could at least let us know.”
“I have to check out this customer.”
We finished bagging the groceries ourselves. Now, when I go to Aldi’s, which I do regularly, I understand that my order is going to be bagged by me, and thats no problem. I know thats why I pay really discount prices for their stuff. The issue here I believe, after doing some googling on the experience is the reusable bags. I don’t remember seeing a disclaimer when buying this bag that says “Using this bag requires you to bag your own things.” I think the cashiers are trying to encourage some trend or unwritten rule that if you bring your own bag, you bag it yourself. I don’t see why I should get less customer service because I’m using a “green” bag that the store is encouraging me to purchase and use. If Target is changing their customer service policy so that the customer bags their own groceries, then, they need to apply that indiscriminately.
I NEVER get attitude from any regular grocery store. Stores like Hy-Vee and Schnucks wordlessly use them with no complaints. From reading some things online I think this is a department store problem. A couple of articles I read, (browse the comments too):
http://www.greendaily.com/2009/01/05/cashiers-and-baggers-please-use-my-bags/
http://www.bulletinbag.com/blog/thinking-about-reusable-bags-a-message-to-cashiers-and-baggers.html
