514077 Tue Apr 29 00:55:49 -0700 2008 149 29 Not About Food 0 3638914 There are places where the policy is that you bag your own groceries. I have no problem here, it's part of the deal and it's usually posted on a sign. However, I feel a bit weird at places where people (customers) voluntarily bag their own groceries when it's clearly the checkers job. I always wondered why people do this? Is it a show of solidarity (real, perceived or what not), guilt, an unspoken courtesy or just trying to get out of there ASAP? Or do people feel useless and silly waiting there and feel compelled to act? Also, I see this happen mostly at specialty/boutique-y type places (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods) AND I swear to corn on the cob...I think some of the checkers know this and take advantage of it. Today I was in line at TJs and this checker was going sooooooooooo slow, it really looked like he was letting the groceries pile up so the the customer would start bagging...and sure enough the customer did. I've watched this many times, just not once. It's just not the piled up the body language. It's so weird...and yet you never hear the checker say anything about the extra help. Conversely you do see some checkers prepared, have bag ready and move fast and/or bag as they go. Also, I rarely, if ever, see the bag-it-yourself ethos at a major chain like Safeway. I imagine it's union rules and store policy...still rarely see it. Why not here? So what's going on? Why do people voluntarily bag their own? Any checkers to talk about this? Tue Apr 29 00:55:50 -0700 2008 27275 ML8000 1 3638922 I bag my own groceries because I bring my own bags. A couple of times I've handed the bags over to the checker, but it seems like less fuss to just fill them myself. Tue Apr 29 01:09:49 -0700 2008 3638914 13722 small h 1 3638964 I usually end up bagging my own because I get frustrated with the way my groceries are sometimes bagged: one box of pasta in a bag, a quart of milk in another bag, etc. It's so wasteful. Tue Apr 29 03:49:12 -0700 2008 3638914 24350 dexters 2 3638998 dexters I agree, if I don't police the bagger I find the same thing - I like my bags full so as to bring home as few plastic bags as possible. Tue Apr 29 04:43:36 -0700 2008 3638964 22559 smartie 3 3642461 I bag my own primarily because I bring my own canvas bags and love them packed heavy...no plastic, period. If I have chicken or meat, it goes on the very bottom. I know it pays to watch what's being rung up on the register but I usually get out of everyone's way and read over my receipt right afterwards--any discrepancies are handled at the service desk, which has seldom happened but Publix is great about correcting any cashier errors. Plus it's such a waste of time to stand there when you could easily be bagging your own food! Wed Apr 30 06:04:50 -0700 2008 3638998 11983 Val 1 3638979 Some baggers put the cans of tomatoes on top of the bananas even though we purposefully put the things we want packed first on the checkstand and the items which need to be handled gently last. We walk to and from and carry some of the groceries in a backpack and prefer not to have items poking us in the back. Seems silly to let them pack them randomly and then repack them ourselves so that they're reasonable for walking. Some of the mainstream stores here (Stop & Shop, Star Market) have self-checkout lanes. Tue Apr 29 04:10:47 -0700 2008 3638914 169792 lgss 1 3639021 It just seems natural to pitch in if there is no bagger working the lane I'm in. I would feel weird standing there watching things pile up while waiting for the cashier to finish ringing up and begin bagging. I like to have a bagger do it for me just because I'm lazy but no way would I stand there waiting for this service if there wasn't a bagger right there. Tue Apr 29 05:03:54 -0700 2008 3638914 127625 fern 1 3639027 I think it's stupid to stand there and hold up the line and watch the person bag once they are done ringing you up. You're making others wait just because your'e too good to help out and get the job done faster. I mean, I am not elderly or crippled, the checker is not my slave, it doesn't hurt me to help out and we get the job done twice as fast if I can bag as they ring. By the time they're done ringing, I'm done bagging and I pay and leave. I don't have to wait til they finish ringing and then stand there and wait for them to bag. At TJ's it's usually half and half since they place stuff right into the bag instead of sending it down a long chute like in a regular grocery. So I give them the bags and they fill as they go. If they check things through and they are piling up on the other side, I just start filling the bags myself. Tue Apr 29 05:05:37 -0700 2008 3638914 19518 rockandroller1 2 3639167 my feelings exactly. I don't do it out of guilt. rather, if I can help the cashier, those behind me by moving the line more quickly, and myself get on my way more quickly, then why wouldn't I? Tue Apr 29 06:23:56 -0700 2008 3639027 15562 nc213 2 3642231 yes exactly. i would want people in front of me to help expedite the line, so i do the same for those behind me. common courtesy really, if you ask me. well that, and not bringing 25 items into the express lane, along with 100 coupons out of which you must fish the 25, just hang on a sec, they're all here... Wed Apr 30 00:36:03 -0700 2008 3639027 15572 Emme 2 3642356 "You're making others wait just because your'e too good to help out and get the job done faster." um, its their job, and i've paid for the service. i just want them to do it quickly, efficiently. and wise-ly considering the items. typically, they scan and they bag with the same motion (in my giant). safeway recently i encountered the "tai chi" checkout gal. i cut her some slack and did not fill out a comment card about the horrible service. (she was -- is -- sullen, to boot.) tjs is strange. sometimes the gay checkers are so obvious in flirting with the young men. they then take forever to extend that interaction while yakking away (whether invited or not). i try and remember good vs. bad checkers, to avoid the whole "tai chi checkout syndrome." this disease is also referred to simply as "TCCS." Wed Apr 30 04:56:52 -0700 2008 3639027 105717 alkapal 3 3650568 You paid for the groceries, not the service. I don't think bagging your own groceries is a big deal at all. Fri May 02 11:16:56 -0700 2008 3642356 67742 HungryRubia 4 3652627 of course i paid for the service. the price of groceries rakes into account all the store's overhead. if the store has checkers to bag, that is part of the deal. AND, may i add. these checkers at safeway are set up to scan and bag in an efficient motion, the bags are at their fingertips, in a well in front of them. then the cart is next to that, in front of me. at giant, same deal. at harris teeter, they unload the cart, scan, and bag -- all behind the counter from me. so yeah, it is a big deal for me to bag... Sat May 03 06:02:06 -0700 2008 3650568 105717 alkapal 5 3652904 Wow. I've never seen people feel so strongly about bagging their own groceries. Who knew? Sat May 03 08:46:05 -0700 2008 3652627 67742 HungryRubia 6 3654575 i don't -- except when people don't get the "service" sector pricing concept. Sun May 04 03:46:25 -0700 2008 3652904 105717 alkapal 7 3672724 Having worked in the service industry for a very long time, I "get" the service aspect I just don't look at it that way; to be frank, it's the hostility towards bagging your own that I don't get. And I totally agree with Mr. Tasters opinion below about it being an entitlement thing. Fri May 09 13:36:41 -0700 2008 3654575 67742 HungryRubia 6 3654841 Yes, you are paying for every minute an employees is on the clock, so to speak. There is overhead, waste and efficiency to consider. When the people are not doing their jobs then you are probably suffering the consequences, especially if the store has little or no competition. Sun May 04 07:52:14 -0700 2008 3652904 137946 Scargod 5 3672707 I expect that this runs much deeper than bagging groceries. It comes down to a fundamental belief system. My mom is wealthy, my dad is not. (They divorced 20 years ago) Recently when it came time for her share of his pension, she insisted on it... "I earned it from all those years". Similarly, she wants every penny of her social security, even though she doesn't need it, "because I paid into it." There is a sense of entitlement here that runs deep into one's core beliefs and has little to do with the groceries at hand. Mr Taster Fri May 09 13:32:07 -0700 2008 3652627 17579 Mr Taster 6 3672823 Yeah, this pretty much nails it. Some people just have overinflated senses of their own importance, and this overweening sense of entitlement is what powers this mistaken concept that the world revolves around them, and they're too good to do things like bag their own groceries, or leave a table at a restaurant when they're done eating and other people are waiting for it. Fri May 09 14:02:21 -0700 2008 3672707 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 7 3672942 Well, I wouldn't say that. My mom for example does not at all have an overinflated sense of her own importance. In fact, she quite undervalues her worth. What she does feel is that "I paid into it, therefore it's mine" regardless of the needs of others in like circumstances who need it more than she does. It's a sort of blindsighted selfishness, combined with entitlement-- but certainly not a case of inflated ego or the like. I know a lot of people like that. They don't actively seek out ways to be maliciously selfish. They just live their life with blinders on, only looking forward and concerned with themselves or their immediate family. Of course then my mom will donate large sums of money to charities, local universities, etc. So on one hand she's taking from a system needlessly (social security) and paying out way more than that to another charity of her choosing. It's all very complicated and confusing. Mr Taster Fri May 09 14:38:28 -0700 2008 3672823 17579 Mr Taster 5 4379759 And you're probably one of the customers that start getting all huffy and puffy in the line when it gets held up for longer than 5 minutes. World doesn't owe anyone anything and it just grinds my teeth when I see people feeling "entitled" to something. It's not that hard to bag your own. Doesn't put you out physically, either. Takes all of 10 minutes and you bag things the way you'd like them bagged. Then I suppose you're also the one that complains when things aren't bagged the way you want them, either. Seriously. Who are you sitting on that high horse for anyway? It's groceries, not a civil rights movement. Mon Feb 02 07:51:57 -0800 2009 3652627 262551 MommaPhoenix 6 4380331 a lighthearted aside, my typical "slow checkout line story" doesnt involve bagging gridlock, it involves the patron themselves. case in point: 3 people in front of me at about 9pm@my local Safeway. Person currently being rung up is jabbering endlessly with the cashier and slowing them down. Everytime an item comes through, she blurts out bingo-style "I have a coupon for that!" and insists that the checker ring it in now, even after said checker has told her 6 times that they can all be done at the end! after this charade is over, and the checker gives the grand total, only theeeen does she start looking through her purse for a form of payment(like it caught her off guard!?). Of course its by check, and of course she doesnt have a pen, and of course the first pen the checker gives her doesnt work right("ma'am, you have to push the button on the top til it clicks"). Now, at this point, everyone is rolling their eyes and sighing. Oh, but it gets better. She then complains at the placement of EVERY SINGLE ITEM IN THE BAG!! The topper to this particular episode was that the person behind her in line(directly in front of yours truely) was, and I swear, the male equivilent to her!!! I wanted to scream and throw packs of gum and People magazines in their general direction!:-) did I mention I was trying to buy ice cream? why is it only then that this happens!? Mon Feb 02 10:14:48 -0800 2009 4379759 39457 nkeane 5 4379833 If you scan and bag you are tossing things into bags as they come along and the order will not be bagged well. I bag my own when I can. I worked my my through college at a supermarket back when we were trained to bag. All frozen food together to keep it cold. Refrigerator items together. Heavy items on the bottom, form a good base. Eggs on top and you remind the customer where the eggs or other fragile items are located or you put them in a separate bag and hand them to the customer. In addition to my reusable shopping bags, I bring a small fabric cooler for my frozen food, insulated bags for the cold over flow and six pack wine bags to separate bottles. Yes, I would rather bag my own and have it reach home in great condition. Mon Feb 02 08:12:29 -0800 2009 3652627 21331 BostonZest 6 4380368 here is an insight into my deep seeded OCD......I put the groceries on the belt in bag sized groups, arranging them from bottom to top. I have had some checkers notice this and thank me! Mon Feb 02 10:22:14 -0800 2009 4379833 39457 nkeane 1 3639040 The odd thing is, in pretty much every other country I've visited, it's perfectly normal to bag your own groceries - certainly it's the case across Europe. After all, that way you can pack stuff in the order that suits you best, you can use your own bags without any problems, and it's generally faster. Maybe the question is why is the US the only country with full-service checkouts? Tue Apr 29 05:18:23 -0700 2008 3638914 131605 babybat 2 3639141 I don't know about the US and Europe, but in Kenya and many other developing countries, it's common to have a store employee bag your items and carry them to your car for you. Gives more people a job. They're usually skilled at packing items in a logical way, and the stores are happy if you bring your own bag instead of using more and more plastic bags. If the employee is not right there, you start bagging on your own, but they usually show up and finish the job by the time you are done paying. Tue Apr 29 06:14:16 -0700 2008 3639040 116187 Rasam 3 3639166 True for Mexico as well, where one time a bagger even helped my roommate and I carry our groceries the five blocks to our home. We had bought a lot for a party, and so he comandeered a cart and walked us home. Tue Apr 29 06:23:28 -0700 2008 3639141 186923 Cachetes 3 3639218 >>it's common to have a store employee bag your items and carry them to your car for you. I've seen it in the South as well. What nice civility. If I am not busy with the card machine and signing the receipt, and am in a rush, I'll bag my own. Otherwise, it's like self check out, it's not my job. Tue Apr 29 06:49:04 -0700 2008 3639141 11104 dolores 4 3640446 Also the norm in many of the Caribbean islands. In the Bahamas it's usually teenagers working for tips. I figure if I can afford to go on vacation there, I can afford to let them carry my bags. When I first moved to florida for winters (I was 16 and essentially living alone - but supervised - to compete in my sport) I was so neurotic over the people who would push my cart. In my passive-aggressive shyness, whenever possible, I'd go to the store in several trips so I never had enough to fill a cart. And thus never had to walk to my car with a stranger or offend someone working there by saying "no" I bag my own if circumstance dictates. Sometimes the cashier is efficient, I'd only get in the way. If I have a lot of stuff, I'll start bagging. Just read the situation. Tue Apr 29 12:12:20 -0700 2008 3639218 93624 alexajord 2 3654857 Yes, at least in the south where I grew up, the people would offer to take the cart to the car and unload the cart. Many people tipped. I think you can still get them to do it if you ask for help. My SO back in Texas used to get so pissed when baggers would offer to help her with her groceries, just because she was older. She was very fit and didn't like the implication that she couldn't do for herself. Sun May 04 07:57:42 -0700 2008 3639040 137946 Scargod 3 3672935 I live in Texas, am young, fit, and able-bodied and always get asked if I would like help out to my car. I take it as a courtesy question and not a comment on my abiltiies. Fri May 09 14:35:49 -0700 2008 3654857 95754 Honey Bee 4 3674245 You are in Austin, after all.... Perhaps you're a cutey-pie, too. :) The woman I referred to was 70 at the time. Sat May 10 06:32:33 -0700 2008 3672935 137946 Scargod 5 3687561 That makes sense. I will probably take the question differently at 70. God willing, when I am at that age I could respond by dropping and giving them 20 as a repsonse. :) Wed May 14 15:25:17 -0700 2008 3674245 95754 Honey Bee 3 4384278 Where we shop in NoCal (Safeway and Albertsons) their 100% standard line is "do you need any help out today?" No matter the age, fitness or cuteness factor. My 88 yo MIL is offended by it :) Can't convince her that they ask everybody. Tue Feb 03 12:36:21 -0800 2009 3654857 131001 c oliver 2 4380295 I don't think the US should ever fully phase out full-service checkout. At some places its fine, like store that aim for the lowest prices, but I like having a choice. A majority of the time I will bag my own groceries but sometimes, when simply tired out, I would just like someone else to do it. I lived in Spain for almost a year and there is no customer service anywhere you go. It may be a stretch but I think chipping away services in one industry may result in declines of service in another sectors. If alkapal or anyone else feels it is the checkers job then I would never argue with that choice, it is surely in the checkers job description to fulfill the task. I feel it is worse of some people here who bag there own groceries (as a favor or merely as a "human act") to go on a tirade, accusing people of an inflated sense of self worth or using the word entitlement as slander. Mon Feb 02 10:06:44 -0800 2009 3639040 242809 sleepyscience 1 3639188 Yep, basically - d) all of the above: * tend to bring my own tote bags, * bag MUCH faster and better than any "professional" * grew up in a country where there are no baggers Easy. Tue Apr 29 06:33:10 -0700 2008 3638914 116513 linguafood 1 3639235 I dont bag my own groceries, thats someone elses job. I also dont have an issue with how they are bagged, they can fit alot in those plastic bags. Tue Apr 29 06:55:03 -0700 2008 3638914 26725 swsidejim 2 3639254 Exactly. Tue Apr 29 07:05:33 -0700 2008 3639235 11104 dolores 1 3639369 What I found interesting is when I moved from Long Island, NY (where I was forced to bag about 80% of the time cause there was never anyone to help), to Buffalo, NY. At our Wegmans and Tops in Buffalo, the cashier is set up with bags directly in front of him/her so it's a very smooth process to take the stuff off the belt, into bags and into cart. Granted, some of them are not the "best" baggers, but it really moves the process along and they even created their "save the environment by buying a bag" bags to fit nicely in the holders for the plastic bags so even that does not slow down the process. Tue Apr 29 07:41:52 -0700 2008 3638914 12237 L_W 2 3639588 Yeah, and thankfully, Wegmans is slowly phasing out plastic bags -- they sell their own tote bags, and at this point at least encourage people to "recycle", i.e. return the used plastic bags. Better late than never ---- Tue Apr 29 08:49:27 -0700 2008 3639369 116513 linguafood 2 3643487 Oh, is Tops still around? I worked there for a summer when I was 16 - when dinosaurs roamed the earth. I'm glad to hear they're doing something right! And Wegmans is a store I truly miss - they really need to extend their terriitory. Wed Apr 30 10:53:32 -0700 2008 3639369 143696 Catskillgirl 1 3639784 In the Bahamas, it is typical to help the bagger and Tip them. The baggers are kids who work for tips only. They also always bring the cart to your car and load everything. Tue Apr 29 09:36:25 -0700 2008 3638914 69330 byeCalihelloBahamas 1 3639828 My local grocery store doesn't always have enough baggers to each lane open, so I'll bag my own. It's not a big deal to me, and it helps save the checker time. Tue Apr 29 09:48:06 -0700 2008 3638914 158403 jcattles 1 3639920 I come down on the side of "bagging is the checker's job -- not mine." That said, my wife disagrees to a point, that point being when the checker moves at the speed of a snail and can't be bothered to say thanks. My experience in the better food stores, e.g., Wegman's, TJ, WF, is that the checkers are pretty good both ringing and bagging. We bring our own bags as often as we can remember -- this is still a new concept. And having recently moved to NJ, it seems that even the 'regular' stores like Kings, ShopRite, and Food Town all have their checkers trained well, and these people are generally competent, quick, and even friendly. This just wasn't so in southern Westchester. No idea why. Tue Apr 29 10:15:38 -0700 2008 3638914 16227 stevenb30 2 3640021 >>This just wasn't so in southern Westchester. Exactly true. It varies by store of course, but for the most part I barely get a nod from the clerk. A shame. Tue Apr 29 10:42:16 -0700 2008 3639920 11104 dolores 1 3640017 I do as common sense dictates. Sometimes I'll go with my friend to the PX, though, and it's really, really, REALLY annoying to have people take my groceries "hostage" -- bagging them, then whipping away in those tiny carts with the food. I would rather carry the one or two bags my own durned self and keep my $5. Pisses me off. Tue Apr 29 10:41:05 -0700 2008 3638914 137960 link_930 1 3640212 I bag my own because I bring my own bags... but also I'm sick of (mostly) teenage boy baggers doing a terrible job - such as putting ALL the canned goods into one bag. If I bag my own, I don't get mad. :) Tue Apr 29 11:21:10 -0700 2008 3638914 65780 jujuthomas 1 3640350 I have always considered it the checker's job to bag the groceries. There technically are no "baggers" at my local grocery stores, they are grocery workers (i.e. shelf stockers) who are called to the front end to help. The bags themselves are kept on the far side of the counter where the scanned groceries are placed. My theory is, if I can't comfortably reach it, I shouldn't be touchong it. I can't imagine reaching leaning and across someone's work area to grab something. I think that's awkward. As it is typical for the checkers to bag if there are no grocery workers helping out, they are usually very quick and efficient. My favourite checker was one who would arrange your items when they were on the conveyor whiel the preceeding customer was paying (usually credit/debit). Then he would scan all the items and put them into bags directly, since they were already sorted. He was amazing. Most checkers sort the items on the counter after they've scanned them: one area for cans, one for produce, one for meat. There are a few checkout people I avoid in general, though, becasue they are so slow at it (bagging included). Aside from those slow checkers, the line only really slows down when there's someone who insists on packing the bags themselves. Then they are usually busy packing their bags when they should be getting out their method of payment, and the whole line comes to a standstill. Tue Apr 29 11:51:05 -0700 2008 3638914 161585 miss_bennet 1 3640506 I bag my own groceries because I prefer to do it right. I was a cashier and a bagger for a while at a grocery store in high school and for over year afterwards. Back then, we were actually trained in how to properly bag groceries. Putting a bag of sugar in with cleaning products was a no-no, bagging meats in with items like sugar, flour, etc was also a no-no, overloading bags to the point of breaking wasn't encouraged but neither was only one item to a bag. I can't tell you how many times I've had someone in a store place a can of something on top of my bread, bleach in with a bag of sugar or overload a bag to the point it broke was I was carrying it into my house and jarred items were ruined. I just prefer to do it myself and bag my groceries the way I want them. It's my money being spent on something that can easily be ruined by someone who hasn't been trained and really doesn't seem to care as long as it makes it into a bag and out the door. Normally, I'm able to keep up with the cashier so well that the only thing left is a few loaves of bread or produce that I put at the end to keep from getting smashed. I pay, she or he bags that last little bit and I'm on my way. Much faster than waiting for the cashier to count my change, then bag all the groceries. The stores never seem to have enough baggers working anyway. Tue Apr 29 12:24:57 -0700 2008 3638914 78897 alliedawn_98 1 3640797 I will bag my groceries if I know the baggers are not going to do it well. Which is quite frequently. Having been trained as a kid by my parents how to bag their groceries, it's striking how many baggers are poorly trained to do it. They tend only to be told to put bread and eggs on top of things in bags. Which is OK but not enough. Things like: 1. The more filled a bag is, the more stable it tends to be. Lightly filled bags are usually too unstable. 2. Carbonated liquids go flat on the register counter and flat in the bag, unless you have strong dividers, because that way they don't *fall down* and get agitated (duh!). 3. Keep cold things together. Y'all know how common it is for baggers to put one frozen thing in one bag and another in a second bag, et cet. 4. Put heavy, rectangular things things (except those likely to pierce the bag) on the bottom and build up like a building. It sometimes helps to load the register counter in a certain order, but these days I find baggers rarely get the hint from the order, so it's usually not worth it. Tue Apr 29 13:48:43 -0700 2008 3638914 13819 Karl S 2 3641137 I refuse to bag my own groceries. The cost of the groceries includes the cost of the cashiers salary, hence it's a service that I'm being charged for. I've never had any horrible bag experiences. I keep an eye on the cashier and if I don't like how something is being bagged I tell him/her. I also refuse to use the self-check out at any store. Again, the cost of the cashier is built into the cost of the item I'm purchasing. If they offered me a % off the item for using self check out I'd consider it, but until then I'm not doing a job that I'm already paying for someone else to do. Tue Apr 29 15:36:51 -0700 2008 3640797 50258 Axalady 3 3641169 >>but until then I'm not doing a job that I'm already paying for someone else to do. Exactly, Axalady. And for which TPTB are getting an exorbitant markup on the food items. Not much of which is seen by the checkers or the baggers, unless I'm very much mistaken. Tue Apr 29 15:47:18 -0700 2008 3641137 11104 dolores 4 3662609 Re: "exorbitant markup." It's my understanding that grocery stores are among the least profitable retail ventures out there. According to a newspaper article that was published a while back, their average markup is around 2.5%, compared to the 50-100% that's common in other industries. Where I live, this has led to significant attrition in the grocery business. Aside from a couple of specialty grocers whose customers are willing to pay a premium for wider selection and better service, the vast majority of stores are feeling significant pressure from low-cost outlets such as Wal-Mart. As a result, some stores that used to be more service-oriented have cut their staffs in order to remain competitive on price. While I'd love to have the abundance of baggers that used to be around to handle my groceries, I understand that the store could eliminated those positions only because it found that it could not raise its prices and remain in business. So I'm willing to lend a hand with bagging the groceries (or use the self-checkout lane) to speed things along. It's not an ideal situation, but it's not particularly onerous, either. And I don't do it for the benefit of the store; I do it so that the customers standing behind me in line don't have to wait as long. Tue May 06 14:18:37 -0700 2008 3641169 58743 alanbarnes 5 3668339 While it may not be ideal, for some, I would like to see better produce, meats and fish from my big, convenient stores. If I can do something/anything to foster that I am eager and willing. I still like bagging so I can consolidate things the was I want so that storing them later is easier and I like putting all the refrigerated items together so they fare better in the process. Yes, I want to get out faster and I don't like holding up others. Some people are so inconsiderate, that way. I know I've waited behind several people for over five minutes because they didn't have their shit together (and it had nothing to do with the checker or bagger). Thu May 08 09:16:41 -0700 2008 3662609 137946 Scargod 3 3641527 I generally will not bag my own at a place where there are baggers, but if there are lines at the checkouts with cashiers, no line at the self-checkout, and I don't have a lot of items (I guess that would be the trifecta!) then I will definitely go through the self-check lanes. My time is worth more than the wait. Tue Apr 29 17:42:16 -0700 2008 3641137 161840 cheeseguysgirl 1 3641150 I am one of those scary anal people who line up my items on the belt according to group. All meats together, dairy, canned, frozen, produce. I line it up in the hope that I'll get a quick check out. 9 out of 10 times, I bag myself because it is quicker and I find my system more efficient. And I prefer raw chicken not to bagged with fresh produce :( A lot of the baggers at our local grocery store are in the midst of conversation about some new pop culture item and bag 1 item per minute. I can probably have my whole grocery load done in the time it takes them to fill one bag. This is not all the local stores - just one in particular (ahem, Stop & Shop). I prefer speedy in and speedy out. Tue Apr 29 15:41:32 -0700 2008 3638914 82143 amanda3571 2 3663344 I am the same way. It drives my husband crazy! Tue May 06 19:00:52 -0700 2008 3641150 16737 Merry113 1 3641354 I think it's the checker's/bagger's job unless stated otherwise in the store. There are stores where I bring my own bags(and bag) by default. Pet peeves with baggers...and I've found more and more I have to explicitly ask for certain items to be bagged separately or in a certain way i.e. "on top"...things like baggers smashing my freshly-sliced deli meats and cheeses into a garbled ball...things like mashing up my fresh herbs or shoving them down amongst the canned goods... As for TJ's...until a recent incident(mild rant to follow) at all the TJ's I've patronized over the years I've never been asked to bag...it's always been an implicit part of the transaction that the cashier does it(and they always do a great job)... but, a few weeks ago...middle of the day(so there wasn't a line or a rush)...the s/o and I are at the cashier's station and the groceries are piling up as she checks them through and I'm waiting for her to finish so she can bag them(like in every TJ's I've ever been to...see, above) and she turns to me and snidely insists..."you wanna start bagging these?" I was thrown for a loop...her tone and all(not necessarily the request)...I just stared back at her pretending I don't speak English or something equally-amusing in that situation, but the s/o(kind soul that he is, hopped to it)...and I joined in just to avoid an argument later. Hindsight, I should've called her on her tone and explained that, sure, I can help bag, no problem....but, it's not like I'm standing here twiddling my thumbs...I should've mentioned that I've never been asked to bag my own at a TJ's, I just wasn't expecting to... So...I agree with the posts upthread that checkers in certain situations can use customer self-bagging as a menial power trip. Tue Apr 29 16:48:18 -0700 2008 3638914 14985 aelph 2 3642244 That's weird. The TJ baggers usually do it like they've taken a class or something, which I imagine they have. She must have been having...issues that day. I usually only bag at small local places if I feel like I'm holding up the line, and I know the cashiers appreciate it. At Whole Foods I let them do it, I feel like I paid for it and there's always someone available. I would rarely do it at plastic bag type places unless they're clearly struggling, but it pains me when they use 1000 bags. I reuse them, but still. Mostly I just don't shop at those places anymore. Wed Apr 30 00:56:03 -0700 2008 3641354 94428 fauteuil 3 3642368 "having...issues that day" --- LOL. i would've had some issues right there with her, while mr. alka cringed. Wed Apr 30 05:03:37 -0700 2008 3642244 105717 alkapal 3 3643010 Agree that the TJ baggers are usually quite friendly and professional. That being said, I usually help bag at TJs as the checkout lane at the TJs I go to is more conducive to this than at the Safeway or Whole Foods. Also, TJs usually doesn't have a dedicated bagger whereas the other stores do. I don't feel like I have to help bag, but I'm just standing there so there's no reason to not do something. It's not really a time issue for me. Last weekend, the cashier thanked me twice for helping so apparently she was not having issues that day. Wed Apr 30 08:57:19 -0700 2008 3642244 66218 cookiegirl 4 3643440 I don't know about that. Most of TJ's checkers are fast and professional but some are very slow...and I swear some of them go slow so customers will bag their own. For the record, it's not my job.I'm more then happy to be polite to them elsewhere, open the door, let them go ahead, etc. but it's a job and 85% do it well...it's just a few slackers. Oh well... Wed Apr 30 10:45:48 -0700 2008 3643010 27275 ML8000 3 3643510 When I worked at TJ's, yes, you were instructed how to properly bag groceries. I still remember it- and i've never, ever had a problem at TJ's with checkers insisting on me bagging my own groceries. That's a bit mind-blowing! I guess I live/shop near very good stores, then. All my groceries are bagged properly, and handed to me by an overly-happy teenager. Wal-Marts, on the other hand..*shrug* That's a whole 'nother story. As having done it on the past. I will pass along 2 things: The John Q. Publics of the world -can- drive you crazy, with some bizzarre behaviour and treatment, and: a smile will get you so much further with people. I am generally a quite pleasant person (then again, i'm in customer service, so perhaps i'm a bit brainwashed!) and have rarely (if ever!) has service issues. If something odd begins to happen, I sweetly ask the person assisting me if there's anything -I- can assist them with! That turns things around PDQ, plus it helps the staff remember me. It's all about attitude. Wed Apr 30 10:59:50 -0700 2008 3642244 23858 Honeychan 4 3643614 I agree, some nitpicking aside, I've always had pleasant experiences with TJ's employees. This one incident was enough to make me switch to the other TJ's in my area, but, like I opine upthread, I should've mentioned my displeasure there and then instead of stewing about it lo these many weeks later. I shop the Walmarts in my area every so often and absolutely appreciate the spinning carousel o' bags concept. Even the largest international grocer in my area has those. Reading further down the thread, I just remembered an integral part of my self-bagging procedure: for ages, until I recently moved to a neurotically-carbound Midwestern city, I used my backpack to hold heavy unwieldy items/liquids(quarts of milk, bottles of wine, canned goods...eggs on top)...odd how some areas of the country look at you as if your head's screwed on backwards when you plunk your backpack down at the bagging station and start packing...and then they can't seem to figure that, no, you expect them to bag some separately, too...no, you cannot fit an entire cart load into your smallish backpack, thanks. Or, there's the stores where they're a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to bringing your own bags and as you neatly pile them up among the purchases look at you blankly(or a tad irritably) and walk away...um...just because I brought my own bags doesn't mean I don't intend for you to fill them... Actually, I'm happy to receive surplus plastic bags(when I'm not asking for paper, or bringing my own canvas)...I use plastic bags to hold items destined for recycling, for fresh herb storage, and, new use!, to retain moisture and warmth for my new plantings in our on again off again Spring. Wed Apr 30 11:19:05 -0700 2008 3643510 14985 aelph 5 3643648 I can happily say I've never had a problem with a checker, other than those not willing to engage in conversation or even a hello, which is prevalent here, or a bagger. Since I don't want to check out my own items and don't want them to lose their jobs, I respect the checkers and am aware that they may be having a horrible day. On the baggers: since I like plastic bags and leave it to their discretion how to bag (I grab a plastic fruit bag and double bag my meat, so there's never any occasion of chicken juices on my ice cream), and am cognizant of the fact that some may realllly need that job, I never leave without thanking BOTH the checker and the bagger. It's not a job I will ever do, so I am as grateful to my supermarket checkers and baggers as I am to restaurant servers. Hardest jobs in the world. Wed Apr 30 11:26:00 -0700 2008 3643614 11104 dolores 6 3643704 I acknowledge/thank my checker and/or bagger as well. Sometimes there's no response. Others, like the other day the bagger seemed to genuinely appreciate being thanked for his work. I've worked retail so have firsthand knowledge of what it's like to deal with the public. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Bibi Rose, mentions how her(?) Jewel got rid of a friendly checker...I shudder to think it might have been one of my favorites back when I lived in Chicago... There was one checker about my mom's age(and motherly after a fashion for all that), who had a kind of coterie of patrons with whom she maintained friendship and interest(I count myself lucky that I was included among them somehow), but every so often sotto voce she'd mention a further degradation imposed upon Jewel workers(how they could get "fined" or fired if they didn't upsell the item of the day, for instance)...well, regardless, if I saw she was working when I was in the store I'd always go to her line just to say hi...she was friendly AND efficient... Wed Apr 30 11:38:45 -0700 2008 3643648 14985 aelph 7 3643716 I had the same experience in an A&P, aelph! I would seek out a checker who would talk to each and every person in her line. Some responded, some didn't. She was a schoolmate of my mother's, and I often wondered why she was still working there at her age. Life happens. As I said, I made a beeline to her line, and would have the best time. She was quick, efficient, and friendly, all at breakneck speed. She has since retired and I miss her. In my own way, it amuses me when I greet a checker and they ignore me. Their loss. Wed Apr 30 11:44:07 -0700 2008 3643704 11104 dolores 4 3645152 Since you worked at TJ's, did any of the checkers slack and go slow to get customers to bag their own. I rarely, if ever have problems at stores but standing in a long line you do have time to observe and it's hard not to notice. I guess if a semi-anonymous answer can't be obtained...I'll have to ask someone directly next time at I'm TJs. Wed Apr 30 18:45:31 -0700 2008 3643510 27275 ML8000 5 3645435 No, I never witnessed any checker doing that at the TJ's I worked at. Of course the store was brand-new, and we had all just had been trained on customer service, bagging...Plus, the company muckity-mucks wanted to see how that store was doing (it was the first in Las Vegas) and seemed to be allways around in some form or another. It was probably too new of a store, for that type of shennanigans to be going on. If i'd had a TJ's checker get snotty with me and tell me to bag my own stuff, I'd like to think i'd be as classy as possible, while trying to deal with it. Aren't the Crew-leaders (aka supervisors) desk right by the check-outs?? I would have flagged one over, and asked HIM or HER if this was new policy! It would have taken down the attitude of the clerk, that's for sure. Wed Apr 30 20:24:29 -0700 2008 3645152 23858 Honeychan 1 3641767 Our primary grocery store in Wichita (and Kansas in general), Dillons, redesigned the checker stations so customers now have to unload the cart onto the conveyor belt (the checker used to pull the items from the cart, scan them, and pass them to the bagger), and they don't staff every checking lane all the time, so unless you want to wait for a bagger to wander over from another lane, it's often quicker to bag yourself. And since many times the baggers are either 1) teenagers who are more concerned with talking to the checker about their weekend plans than correctly bagging groceries, or 2) persons of limited mental capacity who put cans on top of produce and cleaning solutions with your bread. Even when we put the groceries on the conveyor belt in the order we'd like them sacked, they somehow end up all mixed up at the other end. I will not use the Self-checkout lanes because 1) it encourages the stores to hire fewer checkers without a corresponding drop in grocery prices and 2) if you're paying cash, it's a hassle feeding bills into the slot. I'm not a real fan of WalMart for their business practices, but at least they have the rotating bag caddy and the checker bags your groceries as they ring them up, and the check-out process is less stressful. Tue Apr 29 19:15:26 -0700 2008 3638914 91302 podunkboy 2 3642369 the rotating bag caddy -- i always wonder if i'm getting all the bags.... Wed Apr 30 05:04:41 -0700 2008 3641767 105717 alkapal 3 3653589 I forgot a bag once due to that stupid rotating bag caddy. Didn't realize it until I was all the way home. I called the store and they directed me to come back and go to the customer service area. They must have had about 20 forgotten bags back there. The employee gestured with a sweeping motion towards them "which is yours, sweetie"? Sat May 03 14:14:16 -0700 2008 3642369 113872 diablo 4 3654578 i always double check, and ask the checker "are those all the bags?" plus, they waste bags, putting only a few items in each. sometimes, they've already started bagging someone else's stuff, and then its a bit tricky. gotta keep an eye on the caddy, and the ring-up price at the same time -- although i can't really say i've been charged incorrectly at wal-mart. at safeway, if the register/computer gives the incorrect price (vis-a-vis the shelf price/sign) they give it to you free, same at giant and harris teeter. but while they used to make that well known, now you have to be an old-timer to know the policy (because they don't necessarily offer --esp. if they are quite young.) Sun May 04 03:53:51 -0700 2008 3653589 105717 alkapal 5 3655225 I hate the rotating bag caddy becasue I do like to pack my own (I'm in the camp of those who like them packed a certain way, so I'll gladly do it myself--canvas bags, full and heavy, the fewer bags, the better), but the rotating bag caddy makes that impossible. My kids worked in the local grocery store summers in school, and they said everyone wants their bags packed differently--some like them heavy, some light, etc........they also claim no one wants them like I do---the fuller, the better---so I"m just as happy to do it. And, by the way, if you aren't already using canvas bags, make the switch. Obviously, it's the "green" thing to do, but the bags are also easier to pack, easier to carry, and hold so much that you make far fewer trips between the car and the house---it's a total win situation! Sun May 04 10:41:34 -0700 2008 3654578 97171 chocoannie 1 3642367 my husband bags because he's particular: not too many heavy items in one bag, keeping frozen stuff together, delicate stuff on top or in its own bag, and speed. he simply does not trust baggers or checkers to do this to his liking. Wed Apr 30 05:03:05 -0700 2008 3638914 12568 ericalloyd 1 3642399 from reading this thread it seems like alot of people are in abig hurry at the grocery store for some reason, citing the slow bagger as a reason for pitching in to help out. I am the complete opposite, the rest of my week is at a hurried, fast pace, my trip to the grocery store is something I like to do, so I take my time, and enjoy it. I also figure that if the powers that be at the grocery store see people bagging their own groceries they might get rid of baggers alltogether, costing someone a job, and a paycheck. That is also why I do not use the self checkout registers. Wed Apr 30 05:25:16 -0700 2008 3638914 26725 swsidejim 1 3642526 I have often joked that I would be happy to offer free grocery bagging seminars to supermarkets who will give me thirty minutes with their employees. I usually prefer to bag my own because the checker (or somtimes, the bagger, i.e., the one unqualified to work the register), is rarely trained not to mix the chicken with the floor cleaner in the same bag. I bother to carefully pull all of my groceries out of the cart in my desired order so that this is made easier, yet it still hardly helps. Cold things that can be bagged together are placed on the belt together, dry goods together, cleaning products and chemicals togther, etc., but invariably, the 18 year old who is checking or bagging just doesn't seem to get it. What makes you bag your own is the knowledge that your bread will be crushed under a bag of oranges, or that the pine cleaner shouldn't be allowed to leak on a cereal box. Where I live, it is a good idea to keep all of the cold products together so that they stay cold. This seems like very basic knowledge to those who live in a hot climate, but no luck here. Now, they are not ALL that bad, and I have found wonderful exceptions. Usually those are people who have been doing their own bagging for years themselves (usually meaning, grownups who also do their own grocery shopping and not kids), but just happen to work at the supermarket. In addition, sometimes the store has trained them to some degree, but usually this means that they are overcautious about separation, and you end up with way too many half-empty bags because they don't realize what CAN be bagged together. The lesser of two evils, I agree, but there is something wasteful about too many bags that I would like to avoid. I have literally nearly argued with one separation zeolot that it was okay to put oranges and milk together because I didn't have any other cold items that day. So, if I am going to be this picky (and I am), doesn't it make sense that I should do my own bagging when I can? It's only reasonable. I am nearly impossible to please, and I know it. Therefore, shouldn't I pitch in? If I had a cast on my arm, maybe, but no reason otherwise. Wed Apr 30 06:33:18 -0700 2008 3638914 87837 RGC1982 2 3642708 Re those who use the self checkout as well as self bagging, which is a given at the self checkout -- where does it end? Are those mentioned above content to go to a supermarket that already marks up exorbitantly on foodstuff, cart it around, check yourself out, and bag it yourself? Why? I am realllly not getting the logic on that one. In addition to TPTB seeing their way clear to letting all the checkers and baggers go without reducing costs (Turkey Hill anyone?) if everyone marches along in the future, why would anyone want to do that now without receiving a discount on their foodstuffs? Wed Apr 30 07:41:03 -0700 2008 3642526 11104 dolores 3 3642817 I guess honestly I don't think about it that much. I choose where I shop based on many factors- availability of certain ingredients, whether it be gourmet or bulk, location, price among them. For me, my time is valuable, and I can't stand waiting in line. I go to the shortest line that I qualify for, and if I have few items and there are long lines, I will cart/check/bag ,yself, without a second thought. I don't think it will ever be enough to justify getting rid of all baggers-- but if that's what happens, then I would adjust my shopping accordingly- not shop at the higher-priced places for things other than items not found elsewhere, for example. Wed Apr 30 08:09:23 -0700 2008 3642708 161840 cheeseguysgirl 4 3642971 My favorite bag-yourself incident was in Whole Foods, where the lady in front of me got so aggressive that she bagged her stuff before they rang up half of it and they had to take it all out again. I used the self-check option for a while at my local Jewel but quit after the system stalled out one time too many. The loss of jobs does worry me. Where I live, quite a few of the baggers at supermarkets are special needs people. What are they going to do when those jobs disappear? I don't like much about Jewel supermarkets-- expensive and crummy-- but when I went into my local one I used to enjoy the interaction with checkers, baggers etc. Now they have the whole thing very regimented (one of my favorite checkers was told not to talk to customers while ringing up; she left soon after) and they have a TV screen playing crap you're supposed to watch while you're standing in line. It's all dehumanized. Wed Apr 30 08:47:12 -0700 2008 3642817 11250 bibi rose 5 3643063 >>one of my favorite checkers was told not to talk to customers while ringing up; she left soon after) and they have a TV screen playing crap you're supposed to watch while you're standing in line Wowwwwwwwwww. That's awful. And here I thought the lady on line talking into her Nextel as the checker tried to ask her questions about her payment was bad. It's all looking better and better every day. Wed Apr 30 09:12:14 -0700 2008 3642971 11104 dolores 6 3643260 OT ...but you hit on one of my pet peeves. People talking on the phone when being waited on whether in line at the grocery store or at a restaurant. It's just plan r-u-d-e. How hard is it to give someone serving you your undivided attention for a minute? No wonder service has become de-personalized... if we don't bother to interact with the server/cashier it's no wonder they install self-scan tills and tvs. I use cloth bags and find at smaller stores/farmer's markets the person manning the till knows how to fill them. Other times some cashiers have looked at the bags (from a major supermarket here) like they were a foreign object.... that's when I end up bagging my own. :) Wed Apr 30 10:04:28 -0700 2008 3643063 138472 maplesugar 5 3643166 My only problem with the self checkout is whenever I put something small in the bag, it doesn't register, then i get a little button on the screen that says skip bagging, which if I hit, requires the person standing in the front, to come and override. It's takes twice as long as waiting in line for a checker to do it for me. Wed Apr 30 09:42:35 -0700 2008 3642971 158403 jcattles 6 3658971 That happened so many times yesterday at the Big W, that it was ridiculous. I complained loudly to my commiserating fellow shoppers, as we were all waiting for "overrides" while the lone attendant was engulfed in some kind of major problem at the next self-checkout register. Finally, someone else came over to release several registers from "Skip Bagging Hell". Funny, but you would think that the "Unidentified Item in the Bagging Area" warning should be the only one serious enough to stop the system, as it seems far more likely an indication of possible theft than "Skip Bagging". What is the problem exactly? If they are SO worried about theft and shrinkage that passing on bagging a ten pound bag of potatoes requires special approval, wouldn't the cost of a few more of their minumum wage employees be a better investment in security as well as customer service? Oh, right - perhaps now they cost a bit more because they are entitled to benefits... Mon May 05 14:35:44 -0700 2008 3643166 87837 RGC1982 5 3643185 I dislike those tvs in the checkout lane. They're in the produce dept, too. It's just too much action for my simple brain! The Singing Produce Misters, TVs, background music, and all of us shoppers make it seem awfully chaotic at times. Wed Apr 30 09:47:20 -0700 2008 3642971 127625 fern 3 3643258 Where does it end? Well, at several Stop and Shops (New England chain) including the one I most often shop at, you have the option of picking up a barcode scanner and scanning and bagging your groceries in your cart as you shop. Then passing through a self-checkout lane takes about 30 seconds as the system downloads what's on your handheld scanner and charges you accordingly. No muss, no fuss and you get to bag your groceries as you want them bagged. Your point on "exorbitant markup" is completely lost on me. As in I don't even understand what it is you're trying to say here, because it makes no sense. Wed Apr 30 10:04:22 -0700 2008 3642708 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 3 3643515 Remember when gas stations had both "full service" and "self serve" ? Self serve was about a dime less per gallon. I think there is a parallel here. And not every grocery store is rolling in dough; recall the massive bankruptcy of Safeway during the late 80's. Wed Apr 30 11:00:49 -0700 2008 3642708 57170 Veggo 3 3644642 I only find this self-checkout at WalMart around here, and I honestly think it is a cost saving measure. It does irritate me that a regular grocery store has this -- especially if it is so restrictive that you have to call for help several times during a single checkout because the system didn't like that you weren't bagging cases of soda. I do prefer for a person to check me out, because it is faster and easier, but only if they manage to do it correctly. Lately, my high-end grocery store has had a habit of charging several times for the same item (scanned more than once) or "forgetting" a seven dollar item at the register. I usually don't realize it until I am at home, and rarely have the time to go back to complain and get the mistake fixed. It seems you can't win sometimes. I guess I am going to have to learn to be more like my mother, who studies the register display with the eyes of a hawk looking for mistakes :) Wed Apr 30 15:38:04 -0700 2008 3642708 87837 RGC1982 4 3645084 My local grocery store has a scanning guarantee: if they make an error (whether it be over-charging for an item, or scanning an item twice), they credit you the first item on your bill, up to $10. So I always put my most expensive item first. So I would just present the receipt next time I'm at the store. However, I''m like your mother: I watch that screen like a hawk "Actually, those are serrano peppers, not jalapenos." Usually when they ring something in incorrectly, but cheaper, and I tell them, they just leave it. Wed Apr 30 18:20:04 -0700 2008 3644642 161585 miss_bennet 1 3643415 Not every grocery store has the snappy service of Stew Leonard's. I'm happy to help with bagging when baggers seem to be elsewhere. I like the system in Mexico, when young kids, 6 to 11 or so, bag for a tip of the tiniest coins in your change for which thare is almost no other practical use. But try that in the US? Union picket lines. ACLU lawsuits. Child slavery allegations. But it works pretty well in Mexico. Wed Apr 30 10:41:38 -0700 2008 3638914 57170 Veggo 2 3643534 That happens here in the US too. I've experienced it when I lived in the Bronx and also on the UWS -- baggers working for change. Where I shop, there are cashiers and baggers at each station. The baggers are very well trained and I've never experienced the bread-underneath-cans thing. However, now that I do use my own cloth bags, they look at me a little skeptically at first before they begin. I always do one of the bags (my backpack for the heaviest items) myself; the remainder, they do or not, usually asking me first. I also do not experience (in general) the rudeness other posters have refered to. Perhaps it's the time of day I shop (around 7:30 am usually) and so they are not as busy and sometimes chat or at least say thanks/have a nice day/etc. Wed Apr 30 11:04:27 -0700 2008 3643415 104084 LNG212 1 3645237 I've bagged my own at Safeway when I'm trying to get in and out in a hurry and the checker is slow or when I get tired of them doing a poor job of bagging such as loading all the heavy cans in one bag or putting few items in a bag. I've done enough time as a checker to know to put all the frozen stuff together and make the weight fairly even in each bag, etc. It amazes me how many checkers and baggers there are that seem to be clueless on how to bag properly. Wed Apr 30 19:12:56 -0700 2008 3638914 22184 duckduck 1 3646479 I mostly shop at Shop-Rtite or Wegmans here in Jersey. At Wegman's the cashier always bags. At Shop-Rite, sometimes the cashiers have baggers, sometimes they don't. I always help bag in that case because I want my stuff bagged correctly, sometimes I have my own bags and it's just easier (I forget them SO often though - I need to start keeping them on the front seat of my car...), I want to get out of there as fast as possible and I don't want to hold up people in line behind me. I have to say that when I'm on a line with no bagger and the person in front of me just stands there and waits for the cashier to bag their groceries I have a hard time not getting annoyed over the disregard for my time. If you're just standing there doing nothing, would it kill you to bag your stuff? And at my Shop Rite at least, it is a rare cashier who doesn't thank you for helping them bag. (I love my Shop Rite - I've been shopping there for over 16 years and a lot of the same people are still there who were there 16 yrs ago - and they seem to be pretty happy employees. They make the shopping experience much more enjoyable for me and I don't mind helping them out by bagging my own groceries even if technically it's a service I am paying for.) Thu May 01 08:51:26 -0700 2008 3638914 63569 flourgirl 2 3647313 I see it as you do. More or less, why not bag? I am much more comfortable jumping in and helping out than just standing there, staring absently at my rutabagas as they glide down the conveyor. And like you, I almost always get a thank you from the cashier. It's not that I'm in a rush though. It's more about doing a part in what needs to get done, rather than demanding a strict division of labor. Thu May 01 12:09:59 -0700 2008 3646479 186923 Cachetes 3 3647597 OK, those of you who have worked at Trader Joe's. Isn't that checkout setup uncomfortable? I mean having to reach down into the basket and haul the stuff onto the teeny counter and bag it on the counter. It doesn't seem very ergonomic to me. I always wind up taking my stuff from the cart and putting it on the counter and I have to admit I hate it. I do it because it's not more fun for the checker than it is for me, but I also am on my feet much of the day and my back and arms often hurt. But I'm not going to wait for the checker to get done with the other person and get started; that seems kind of piggy. However yes, many of the checkers do seem to expect you to do it or at least will make no move even if they are doing nothing else. They are nice about it but I think it's weird, especially because the setup doesn't make it easy. (Or am I just imagining that it used to be TJ's policy to take stuff out of the cart for you? It isn't at many stores but with that physical setup, it should be.) Edited to add: judging people for not doing something physical is risky. You don't know if the person not bagging their own groceries has carpal tunnel or is just exhausted or what else may be going on with them. Thu May 01 13:11:33 -0700 2008 3647313 11250 bibi rose 4 3647611 yes, the set up is stupidly designed. like the cart going behind the checker, and no little platform to unload the groceries on -- just a short ledge. we, too, usually load them onto the little ledge, because they do seem slow on the unloading.... Thu May 01 13:15:53 -0700 2008 3647597 105717 alkapal 2 3658643 "I have a hard time not getting annoyed over the disregard for my time." I'd say it's the store management that has disregard for your time (and mine) by not providing enough baggers. Honestly, sometimes I'm just way too tired myself to bag, sometimes I'm annoyed at the cashier's attitude and don't feel like helping, but sometimes I will bag myself. It's not an obligation; it's my choice. Mon May 05 13:13:46 -0700 2008 3646479 66030 lisavf 3 3658731 >> It's not an obligation; it's my choice. Exactly, lisavf. Curious, I wonder why there are posts other than this line. Mon May 05 13:34:50 -0700 2008 3658643 11104 dolores 3 3662420 No you're right, it's not an obligation. And I am very fortunate - the Shop-Rite close to my home really has excellent staff, some of them have been there for years. I think they are treated well and paid well and they are very nice to deal with. So, yes, part of the reason why I bag is that I just like helping them out. Also, the Shop-Rite I shop at generally does a pretty good job of providing baggers - there isn't ALWAYS one, but many more times than not, I find. But I am sticking to my story - and my right to be annoyed - when I get stuck behind someone who has a huge cart of groceries, seems to be perfectly physically able (had no problem throwing those groceries onto the ol' conveyor belt), there's no bagger and they just stand there and watch the checker. (These people always seem to have 250 coupons too..) Tue May 06 13:40:35 -0700 2008 3658643 63569 flourgirl 4 3663366 ,,,oh and a cell phone call that apparently can't wait too! I've seen more people hold up a check out line due to the ever present cell phone call than a lack of checkers. Tue May 06 19:08:20 -0700 2008 3662420 36312 HillJ 5 3674601 Don't you love that one? The cell phone yakkers also do a great job of blocking the not very wide aisles in my store too. They talk, they stroll and then sometimes they come to a complete stop in the middle of the aisle and then shoot you a dirty look for daring to interrupt their oh so important conversation when you politely say "excuse me, but can I get by please?" Sat May 10 10:12:36 -0700 2008 3663366 63569 flourgirl 6 3674675 you go flourgirl! I am sure if a grocery checker was on the cell phone btwn bagging groceries or while bagging, a customer would be shocked...but a customer holding up a line of fellow customers due to that all important "they only have red ketchup" call,clueless (wink). Sat May 10 11:02:00 -0700 2008 3674601 36312 HillJ 1 3648688 I do it for two reasons: 1) because I just can't handle it when baggers at the local Stop and Shop put one or two items in each and every bag. It is patently absurd. I have tried asking them to pack the bags heavy (then they double or even triple bag it) or to fill them up or use as few bags as possible (they look at me like I have three heads). I just cannot justify wasting that many bags. 2) because I have a ton of groceries and I'd like to keep things moving for customers behind me. This is usually the case at TJ's, and I have to agree, some of the checkers seem to know they can count on the customer to pitch in. One checker in particular, once he is done ringing everything in, will sometimes stand with his hands on his hips, watching me impatiently while I finish packing up. It's like he is truly miffed, as apparently I am not packing fast enough! He is a nut. Thu May 01 18:52:55 -0700 2008 3638914 40062 lisa13 2 3690732 Thing is, when I worked at a grocery store many many moons ago, if you *didn't* pack the stuff that absurdly light you'd always get people complaining. I actually worked in stock and would only bag when things were super busy. Being the jerk that I am, combined with loathing the bagging duties I'd do just the opposite and pack bags as heavy as I possibly could. Sometimes people would complain, but I always hoped that'd just get me banished back to the stockroom. Thu May 15 12:19:34 -0700 2008 3648688 111910 jgg13 1 3651134 It is such a pleasure to shop at a store where they have been trained how to bag. They do a better job than me by far. In stores where they have not been trained, I have tried lining up the groceries in groups on the belt, but that does not influence how the groceries go into the bags. I insist on clutching the bread and fresh herbs plus anything that cannot be turned upside down to keep it from the baggers hands. I would have to push the bagger aside to stop them, which I am unwilling to do, since they are often special people. Also, I can do very little if they have started bagging before I have finished unloading the cart. I completely understand why someone might bag their own goods. For those of you who do bag your own items, it sounds like most of you don't wait until they have finished scanning all of your goods? I would be uncomfortable with that, since I've found that I must watch the scanned price. I hope other places are better with that. Perhaps it is every third trip to the store that I could choose to correct the cashier on the item ("that's not parsley") or the store on the marked price. I've had the difference be as much as $10 on shrimp. I understand that I am probably unusual in being willing to do the surveillance necessary to get charged the correct price. It is a trade off if what is more important to you is a pleasant trip or not holding up the line for a price check. Fri May 02 13:17:25 -0700 2008 3638914 166172 saltwater 2 3657832 What makes the baggers "special"? Mon May 05 10:22:01 -0700 2008 3651134 40062 lisa13 3 3658042 The store that I had in mind employs a number of mentally retarded people to bag the groceries and to bring in the carts. Mon May 05 11:13:18 -0700 2008 3657832 166172 saltwater 4 3661936 Ahhhh - got it. I was confused =) Tue May 06 11:49:54 -0700 2008 3658042 40062 lisa13 1 3652943 Here in Toronto, I can shop at "No Frills" or "Loblaws", both of which are owned by the same company. At No Frills, you have to bag your own (and pay for 5 cents for each bag), or you take a cardboard carton from the stack at the front of the store for free. I usually bring my own backpack. At Loblaws, the conveyors are designed so that the cashier scans the item, and then bags it immediately. Very quick and efficient, but you pay for it. For example, the exact same carton of Ziggy's coleslaw is $1.99 at NF, and $2.79 at Loblaws. Pretty hefty extra for the convenience. Sat May 03 09:08:58 -0700 2008 3638914 48210 KevinB 1 3653023 I bag my own groceries. I have a specific order in which I like items in my bags. I don't want to hold up a line giving specific directions to somebody. I want to be in and out of the store as soon as possible. I've also learned to keep one eye on the scanner. If I miss something that was scanned incorrectly, I go to customer service and take care of it there. I also used to be a cashier at a Stop and Shop. I always appreciated it when the customer helped bag...especially when the customers with the $400 order helped. Believe it or not, most customers helped bag their order. Sat May 03 09:35:56 -0700 2008 3638914 11701 MrsT 1 3653624 At the normal store (employee owned) that jfood shops, the owners hire handicapped teens to bag. These kids do a great job and the satisfaction they received for assisting others is worth any wait time it might take as they get the groceries into the bags. At the chain grocery store depending on his mood jfood may bag his own or let the cashier bag. In any event he does not see what the big deal is to bag or not to bag. Sat May 03 14:30:29 -0700 2008 3638914 11290 jfood 2 3654066 Our local Shaw's hires the handicapped too. They are a joy. Slow they bag, busy, I bag. Am I correct that supermarkets have a very low profit margin? This is all rather silly. Sat May 03 18:15:08 -0700 2008 3653624 93538 Passadumkeg 1 3654679 Depending on the time of day, the market staff and check out lines might be down to one or two at most anyway. That's why I bring my kids! They bag! But I would not hesitate to ask a store Mgr or avail worker to help bring a large item to my car at checkout. Sun May 04 05:54:15 -0700 2008 3638914 36312 HillJ 1 3654938 My older brother used to be a bagger, then a checker. I have done many things in my life including working in a food warehouse, unloading food from rail cars, packing a lot of boxes for shipment and working on a moving van. Once you learn how to properly pack it is hard to forget. I hear some say they won't bag. Is there a time limit, where you would start doing it? I understand a woman not wanting to break a nail (after all, they have already shopped). For "they get paid to do it/I don't want them to lose their job"; that's very altruisitc. ETC. I'm old as dirt, so I just like to show 'em how to do it (or that I still can). If there is not a bagger, I do it. I do it like a pro. I do it fast. I know how to organize my purchases so it is easier to store them later. I don't put the can onto the avocado or put a plastic bag around a big jug with a handle on it. I put cold things together. Sometimes I remember to bring my fancy-smantzy shopping bags. I will and do check my own groceries if I can. I use the shopping wand at one Stop n Shop (not many have them yet). This is where you scan as you shop and then it totals it up and you pay at one of the self-service registers. It's faster and you are bagging as you shop. That way, I don't have the checker throwing my avocadoes or tomatoes. I like the European practice of the less handling of the fruits, the better. I do appreciate the use of handicapped baggers. I always thank them and sometimes help if they get behind. However, I do not like handicapped or "tai chi" checkers. I enjoy the shopping experience and it's my choice whether I do it leisurely or at rapid speed. Sometimes I'll eat a candy bar or a bag of chips while I shop. I'd drink beer, too, if I thought I could get away with it....(what a concept!) When I am finished shopping I usually want to pay and get out. I hate standing in lines. Sun May 04 08:37:57 -0700 2008 3638914 137946 Scargod 2 3654956 That's it exactly. I actually enjoy food shopping and often take my time doing it ( I am careful not to get in other people's way while I am doing so) - but I hate standing in lines. Anything to get out faster at that point is a boon in my book. Sun May 04 08:45:23 -0700 2008 3654938 63569 flourgirl 2 3655004 >>However, I do not like handicapped or "tai chi" checkers Huh? I'm so happy I don't bag and don't check myself out. Sun May 04 09:06:07 -0700 2008 3654938 11104 dolores 3 3655137 i've discovered TCCS -- tai chi checkout syndrome. just picture it! sssslllllllooooooowwwwww mmmmmmooooooooottttttiiiiiiiooooooonnnnnnnn. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.chinatouching.com/wp-content/photos/Tai_Chi_chuan.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.chinatouching.com/2007/10/05/pictures-show-you-how-to-do-tai-chi-chuan/&h=407&w=450&sz=32&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=LRCTsV9OY4aDaM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtai%2Bchi%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DN it is when the checker could unlikely move any more slowly and not be fired on the spot for not doing her job. Sun May 04 09:56:50 -0700 2008 3655004 105717 alkapal 4 3655718 Ah, got it now, alkapal. No, I don't like that either. I didn't get the equating of handicapped and tai chi checkers. Not the same thing. Sun May 04 14:49:34 -0700 2008 3655137 11104 dolores 3 3655959 Dolores, Dolores... I meant checkers that are not "with it" (not really handicapped). All else applies, YMMV, read the fine print at the bottom of the page. All caveats are renegged at midnight. Sun May 04 16:34:36 -0700 2008 3655004 137946 Scargod 4 3656829 Ah. Thanks, Scargod. Mon May 05 03:53:13 -0700 2008 3655959 11104 dolores 2 3690746 My take (which at least one other person up above ahs mentioned) is that those employees' salaries are built into the cost of the items that I'm purchasing. Thus, I am paying for the service of them bagging my groceries as well as the groceries in the first place. Why would one not want to get what they paid for? I'm sure if someone bought a box of 10 widgets and discovered there were only 7 in the box that they'd be upset, no? Thu May 15 12:22:05 -0700 2008 3654938 111910 jgg13 3 3690802 The greater issue, as many have pointed out, is that of quality of everyday customer service has gone waaaay downhill. I didn't fully grasp this concept until I came home from a monthlong visit to Japan, where we found most people in service positions actually *gasp* were helpful! I imagine there was a time when our American labor force took greater pride and ownership in their jobs, but these days there are no career grocerymen... no guaranteed longevity in jobs, and therefore no real incentive to go the extra mile. It's like the saying goes... if you want a job done right, do it yourself. (I wonder when exactly that expression came into colloquial usage? That would be interesting to find out!) Mr Taster Thu May 15 12:31:53 -0700 2008 3690746 17579 Mr Taster 1 3655975 This seems like an odd thing to be objecting to. Sometimes I bag my own because I want things packed a certain way---I use a shopping cart and I know how things will fit best. Sometimes the checker has a long line and no bagger and I want to expedite matters so I can get out of there---and also just to be helpful in a difficult situation. BTW every European supermarket I have ever been in has a bag-it-yourself policy. Sun May 04 16:42:50 -0700 2008 3638914 15521 Querencia 1 3660205 Not a checker or a bagger - But yeah - I bag my own groceries. I honestly don't mind - I'd rather do that than stand there - although don't want it to be 'the expectation' in stores as some customer baggers will just move tooooooo slow! And that's usually why I'm bagging my own groceries in the first place, I'm standing there, I'm bored, I'm faster, and I know how I like them packed. Floating baggers is the answer. PS if a bagger is standing there doing it - I won't knock him/her out of the way to do it myself. I can control myself just a little. Mon May 05 21:49:21 -0700 2008 3638914 57748 dwilde 1 3662342 First because they use way too many bags. I know bring my own. But anyway, I'll usually just help to get them full and tie them so they don't spill. Also, love to shop for groceries but I'm over it at the check out stand. But why not help, it's ok to help. Tue May 06 13:22:38 -0700 2008 3638914 50431 chef chicklet 2 3662865 >>But why not help, it's ok to help. Because it's still ok not to help. Tue May 06 15:42:05 -0700 2008 3662342 11104 dolores 3 3662886 Of course it is. I don't think there's a right answer here. It's perfectly all right to help and it's fine if you don't. I'm a moody helper -- I do it when I feel like it. Tue May 06 15:54:16 -0700 2008 3662865 10763 Miss Needle 1 3662956 May be a bit off topic...(I bag my own) but it amazes me that the food industry spends millions upon millions of dollars on store design, traffic flow customer panels etc..but for the most part can't get the checking out process correct. The worst part of the shopping experience is checking out and it really hasn't changed in 30 years. There is technology on the horizon(RFID) that will hopefully eliminate so much handling of product...but until it's economically feasible.its the same old same old!! Tue May 06 16:24:21 -0700 2008 3638914 11562 Hue 2 3662967 Well, one thing that I'm seeing more and more (and really appreciate) is when there's one line and you go to the next free register. I used to spend way too much time deciding which one was the shortest line only to get ticked off to see that I picked the slowest one. Tue May 06 16:29:17 -0700 2008 3662956 10763 Miss Needle 3 3663933 miss needle, i think that the "i picked the slower line" scenario is one of murphy's laws! ;-) Wed May 07 03:09:56 -0700 2008 3662967 105717 alkapal 2 3663030 Actually, what amazes me is that so many people get into such swivets about such a ridiculous topic! I'd love to see the process I mentioned earlier in this thread that Stop and Shop is adopting -- checking out and bagging your groceries directly off the shelves with the use of a handheld scanner -- become a national standard, just because it would apparently make many people's heads explode! Tue May 06 16:55:31 -0700 2008 3662956 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 3 3688980 Ha. That scan-it-yourself system is in place in many of the supermarkets here in England. Also, I think it's Sainsbury's that has recently adopted a policy of having checkers ask customers "do you need help bagging?" The assumption is that you do it yourself. And with some stores phasing out plastic bags, more people are bringing and packing their own bags. Thu May 15 04:34:50 -0700 2008 3663030 14139 Kagey 1 3663000 I've read ALL these posts and was wondering why no one mentioned Costco! I don't know about you guys, but at my Costco, we have some really bad "boxers"! My favorite is the one that puts sooooo much heavy frozen meat, etc, all into One Big Box and expects me to be able to lift it into my car, let alone, from the cart! There, I do have a tendency to pick my boxes and kind of "help" with the packing. Be it with suggestions, or just flat out packing it myself or repacking it as I leave. Tue May 06 16:41:35 -0700 2008 3638914 184600 ddonthehill 2 3663379 good point dd. at our local Costco customers are discouraged from boxing up their own carts. At checkout they separate the customer from the cart (right to left) and 2 checkers work together. Recently, a scanner system for customers with a few items are pre-checked while in line and know in advance what their bill will be while all the cashier has to do is punch in your card. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come but I avoid Costco on weekends because the lines are just too long. Tue May 06 19:11:43 -0700 2008 3663000 36312 HillJ 3 3665188 Huh-- the Costco I go to does not give you boxes. They may if you ask, but the default is they put the stuff back in your cart. If it's heavy they encourage you to leave it in your cart and they scan it from there. That goes pretty fast. The hangup is when they compare the contents of your cart to the receipt. Half the people have thrown away or somehow lost their receipt between the checkout and the door. That said, it is usually quicker in and out of Costco than the Jewel nearby. Wed May 07 11:14:09 -0700 2008 3663379 11250 bibi rose 4 3665222 Lost their receipt? How funny. And they manage to drive home? Don't they have boxes stacked off to the side anymore? It's been awhile, but they used to have boxes available so you didn't have all the stuff slamming around in the car. I also used to bring good ole' reliable plastic bags to pack the not too gigantic Costco stuff. Wed May 07 11:24:47 -0700 2008 3665188 11104 dolores 5 3674268 So, Delores: Are you saying that you DO bag some of your own stuff? You said "used to" so was that in the past? I sure don't want to see your head explode or see you in a swivet; I'd miss you! I hate plastic bags. Unless you tie them up things spill out all over the car, especially in the slalom course... I love my zippered S&S bags. Now if I could just keep them from flying around in the car... Sat May 10 06:51:56 -0700 2008 3665222 137946 Scargod 6 3675029 Thanks Scargod! Nope, no upcoming swivets from me (I love that word). Funny, I was in S&S today, said hello -- nothing; said thank you for my receipt -- nothing. So I thought of this thread and smiled at the fact that I did not bag or check myself out. I'll bag if the whim takes me, Scargod. A husband of a friend of my mother, retired, works as a bagger in S&S, and says they give good benefits. Why would I want to take his job away? As to Costco, I'll bag, in plastic of course, because it's easier to bring the non-industrial sized stuff inside than lugging it in a box. S&S was even trying to tempt me today, offering me 5 cents off their exorbitantly priced merchandise if I bought their PC bags. Nope, not for me. Cold dead hands and all that good swivety stuff. >>I'd miss you! Thank you, that's very nice of you, I enjoy your stuff too. Sat May 10 14:21:49 -0700 2008 3674268 11104 dolores 4 3665331 bibi rose, perhaps some Costco sites are better than others. We have boxes; plenty of boxes all sizes. I never got that "line thru the receipt" thing they do. I usually ask them not to so I can read the receipt. Like I said, I wouldn't step inside the Costoc I frequent on a weekend; and a holiday weekend no way....But when I go Mon-Thurs no issue. Wed May 07 11:50:48 -0700 2008 3665188 36312 HillJ 5 3666082 How about on sample days. Arghhhh! People just standing by blocking the isles waiting for free food or whatever. And look at you like "Oh, you want to get by, you're actually SHOPPING!" Duh! Wed May 07 15:08:29 -0700 2008 3665331 184600 ddonthehill 6 3666161 dd, another reason I don't go on the weekends. I understand wanting to try a new item (I'm a CH, afterall!) but it adds to the congestion and I'm just too stingy w/my weekends to stand in a warehouse on line. Costco does offer samples during the week too! Wed May 07 15:29:08 -0700 2008 3666082 36312 HillJ 1 3688109 Personally, I wish that supermarkets would duplicate the supermarkets in Mexico. In Mexico, during busy periods, youngsters from 12-15 help to bag the groceries and help the customers to take the groceries to their vehicles. In return, most customers give the kids a few pesos. It teaches the kids how to work as well as some spending money. Wed May 14 18:19:21 -0700 2008 3638914 12471 jlawrence01 1 3688831 Because most baggers do a poor job, I prefer to help whenever possible. If I'm still unloading, I ask the bagger to load up the bags as much as possible. When I moved from NY to MA, I was appalled that supermarket cashiers open the egg cartons to check for broken eggs, which told me that people are too lazy to check the carton before putting it in their carts. After all, if there are breaks, replacing the carton wastes everyone's time. When I tell cashiers that I've already checked the eggs, they act surprised, or grateful. It also boggles my mind that when there are stray carts in the lot, often blocking parking spaces, people on their way into the store walk right by them. In NY, folks automatically wheel the strays in with them. Or, if someone is just finishing loading their car, I offer to take the cart so they don't have to make a needless trip to the cart corral. Wed May 14 23:26:49 -0700 2008 3638914 159317 greygarious 2 3689053 People leaving their carts out loose is a pet peeve of mine. SO incredibly inconsiderate. I once saw an elderly shopper struck by a loose cart as she was walking toward the store. The wind was blowing and the cart went sailing at her from the side, knocking her down to the pavement. It was awful. Another time, my brand new car received its first dent the same way. ugh. I grab a stray on the way in, too. It does seem like an automatic response. Barring some unusual circumstance, I can't imagine not putting the cart back when I've finished with it. Thu May 15 05:30:53 -0700 2008 3688831 127625 fern 2 3690406 "I was appalled that supermarket cashiers open the egg cartons to check for broken eggs," I think the language you used is a bit extreme. I always check my eggs, but the local grocery store clerks are taught to always check the eggs, too. I take it for what it is: a courtesy to me. If those eggs broke between the dairy aisle and the check-out, the clerk will catch it. I just don't see hwo this is a problem. Thu May 15 11:12:25 -0700 2008 3688831 161585 miss_bennet 2 3690800 G Where jfood lives (CT/NY border), it is almost impossible to try to bag due to the position of the terminal and the check writing stand. Unless jfood goes to the end of the baggage area and bags there is no chance for him to grab the goods. And jfood does not do large shops so by the time he starts bagging, the order is done and everyone is staring at him because he is not prepared to hit the "credit" button on the key pad. And when he is in a hurry he tries to reach between the terminal and the check writing station and it is like Lucy and the Chocolate Candy episode. The cashier keeps the conveyor on while jfood is snatching. So he normally gives up. Eggs - jfood always checks the eggs when he takes them from the fridge section and has never seen a cashier double-check. The bagger always places in a separate bag and into the baby seat thing in the carriage. Carts in the lot - maybe it's regional but in 45 years of food shopping jfood has never seen the return scenario as SOP. Most of the stores have corrals for the carts in the lot. So it may not be a sense of entitlement or rushiness, it just may be the way it is in certain areas. Likewise if jfood is passing someone who has just finished unloading as he walks to the store, he'll usually grab the cart and walk it in. No biggie in jfood's mind. Thu May 15 12:31:38 -0700 2008 3688831 11290 jfood 1 4379743 I bag my own because I'm usually doing 100 other different things and I don't want to have to do the whole "waiting game" on to see who will start the bagging. And really, is it that hard to do? It takes me all of 10 minutes to bag my groceries the way I want them bagged and I get out of there a lot faster. What amazes me is the customers that actually sit there and wait to be bagged then get all huffy when "they're late". Ummm... if you started to bag your own crap, you'd be out of there already. Mon Feb 02 07:48:07 -0800 2009 3638914 262551 MommaPhoenix 1 4380021 The supermarket where I shop most frequently has a practice of bagging your groceries. If you are in a hurry & have not so many items, they do have several "self check" lines, where you check & bag your order yourself; there is always a "monitor" in the area to assist if there is a problem. This supermarket also has a practice of employing retired people and people with limited mental ability (people with Down syndrome, for example) as baggers. If my line dosn't have an official bagger, and I am in a hurry, I will often bag part of the order myself, while the checker bags the rest. This makes things move faster, but also allows me make sure my nifty, extra capacity reusable bags are a weight that's convenient for me. There are other times when I am just too weary to bag my own, so the checker takes care of the whole process. Mon Feb 02 09:06:34 -0800 2009 3638914 90359 PattiCakes 1 4382808 I often bag my own groceries because 1) I do it better and 2) I do it faster. I also bring my own bags so that makes it easier. Tue Feb 03 04:23:04 -0800 2009 3638914 248284 taos 2 4383124 I generally shop with DH, because we don't have a car. He bags in our own bags and I watch the prices being scanned. Because we have to carry our groceries, we definitely need to bag them ourselves. The checkout people have no concept of how to distribute the weight evenly. Tue Feb 03 07:18:44 -0800 2009 4382808 139219 Sooeygun