Statement #1: I hate when checkers ask me if I found everything I was looking for. I don’t see the point in telling them that I tromped all over the store, twice trying to find the (whatever it was) Im in line, Im ready to go, it’s too late now. Don’t make me lie by asking me if I found everything.
Statement #2: The problem with plastic is that the items fall out all over the suv. Plus I don’t want to carry 10 bags. I always ask for paper but for some reason they never put the milk in the bag. I have hairy dogs, there is hair all over my suv, I dont want hairy milk, the milk must be in a bag!
Reply to Statement #1: I usually ask “did you find everything alright” just for conversation but many times customers who didn’t find what they were looking for would tell me. I think this would save a lot of time for customers who do come in next time that we either carry the item or if we don’t so the customer wouldn’t have to go looking for something we don’t sell. If we do have the item in question then it wouldn’t be a problem to send a courtesy clerk to get it while the checker is still scanning the rest of the items.
Reply to Statement #2: Plastic bags do fall all over the place when placed in a vehicle. By default, we use plastic bags unless the customer tells us otherwise. I would assume the milk has a handle, therefore it would be unnecessary to put the milk in a bag unless the customer tells us to do so. No one wants hairy milk or groceries but does your grocery clerk know your car is full of dog hair or if you have a dog?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I would suggest that the person with the hairy milk problem, ask that the milk only be placed in a plastic bag, and everything else in paper. It’s just as easy to carry that one thing in a plastic bag as it is to carry it by it’s own handle, plus it’s in a bag, so it won’t get hairy.
Hairy milk is pretty gross. But how many people have a vehicle full of pet hair? Not me. I just have dirt from last year’s potted plants. I’m thankful for cashiers who bag my milk in plastic.
Besides the hair on the milk [I feel your pain there] ALL milk leaks. I get so tired of them not bagging milk because it isn’t policy and many times when you ask for a bag they argue with you about it. It is ridiculous. Bag my milk without me having to ask, please.
Oh man. Sometimes you just have to stand up and realized the hairy milk has more to do with a dirty car than an uncooperative bagger.
ok, so, I used to work as both a bagger and a checker/cashier in a grocery store who’s protocol was to ask every gallon purchasing customer if they wanted their gallon in a bag.
The system worked out, however, it made for some interesting statistics.
For instance.
50% of people wanted their gallons in bag
50% of people wanted their gallons left out of bags
but, interestingly enough, 80% of people, no matter what their preferences, would follow up their answer to said question with a statement about how it was easier to carry that way.
Christopher, that makes me laugh because it’s so true. EVERYONE follows up the answer with “because it’s easier to carry” As a checker, I ask all my customers whether or not they want their milk bagged… but personally, I prefer to not have them bagged. So to just assume that we should always bag the milk isn’t really fair. Plus, you can always grab an extra bag on your way out. Just saying.
Also, this is going to sound really bad… but I never ask if a customer’s found everything alright, because frankly, I’m afraid that they’re going to say no and I’m going to have to send a courtesy clerk (or at my store actually FIND a courtesy clerk to send) back to go get the item and then I’ll get done scanning everything and we’ll have to awkwardly wait for the courtesy clerk to return. If you couldn’t find something, just ask… but I’m not giving you an open invitation.
Communication is the key.
I always get the plastic bags but I tie them so stuff doesn’t fall out and roll around the car on the way home. I don’t like to ask the baggers to tie them for me because it takes extra time, so when it’s all loaded I pull off to the side and tie them all myself before heading out of the store. Usually with things like milk and toilet paper and paper towels they ask if I want a bag. Hairy milk!! Yum, so appetizing.
As a customer, I find it easier to carry a gallon of milk without a bag. But at the store where I shop, they always put the milk in a plastic bag without asking me, so I usually grab the milk and put it in my cart before they get to it. Now I finally have an idea why they do that.