zanne

Well, it is confirmed-- the bag boys turn their backs when they see you coming... trying to put all of your groceries into one reusable bag vs. 8-10 plastic bags.

I wasn't certain why...

But then my husband pointed out that they must be assuming that you won't ask for assistance and therefore will not be giving them a tip.

The funny thing is that irregardless of the size of my purchase, with a 4yo in tow, I almost always need a hand-- and I always tip.

What to do, what to do...

Foxy_fromCanada

You've got it figured out, Zanne. I've noticed the same thing when I have my own bags, too.

For me, my purchases are always so small that I don't need a hand to my car. Usually only 3-4 bags, which I can carry myself. About half of the time, the bag boy/girl will pack my stuff into my cloth bags. They still give me funny looks, though.

I think if you ask for help to your car after the groceries have been bagged, they'll start to remember that and soon you won't need to.

Icey

Ask the plainly and clearly to assist you with your bagging. If they dont help ask someone else..... Or speak to the manager ( which may not solve much in barbados) but i am sure they are getting a wage regardless what they think you will do with your hard earned money.... it is there job to pack the bloomin' bag and they jolly well should do so!

zanne

Foxy, that's what I am going to do, I usually have my small friend with me and he is always headed in the opposite direction of me so no matter the quantity I usually need assistance!

I don't think that the baggers get paid very much, a few dollars an hour plus their tips.

Foxy_fromCanada

I think you're right. Plus, when we bring our own bags, we're upsetting the economy of the supermarket: there is one person getting paid to ring through your groceries, another getting paid to bag them, another getting paid to take them to your car, and various others getting paid to collect grocery carts from the store and parking lot. In bringing our own bags, we usually end up bagging them ourselves and therefore take someone's job away. If you look at it from that perspective, we might seem like jerks.

I am not sure they realize our motivation is environmental, and not haughty.

Sunniebgi

Funny thing is, when I've taken my own cloth bags, I usually hand them off to the guy/girl at the end and ask them to bag this first.. Not sure i've ever been turned down. (with the exception of last week, when it was raining, and not a bag boy or girl in site).

Icey

i would just hand them the bags (POLITELY), however it is a bit strange someone else bagging my items! its my stuff and when I go to Tesco's they never bag on your behalf..... It seems a bit straaaange! but even if i brought my own bags and they packed it and were nice i would be more likely to give them a tip, then someone packing supermarket bags with an attitude

Sunniebgi

what's funny is my local supermarket in North Carolina has baggers, but they put it into your trolly and you carry it to your car. They never ask for tips.. Sometimes they ask if they can help (mothers with babies etc).. and then there are other stores that doen't bag.. but they bag, but if they are busy, might not have enough baggers to go around.

The problem here is this.. like pumping your own gas. as long as I have been here, and before, people bagged your groceries and took them to your car.. great service.. so you give them a couple of dollars (they really like me cause I go on a percentage of what my bill is. like 1.00 for every hunderd I spend (am I an idiot or what). at Christmas we general tip more.. good will and all that.

But when you start bagging your own, or you tell the service stations you want self service, they SCREAM.. your taking jobs away from people who need them.. Soooo.. then what happens.. even those low paid baggers and gas station attendants sit on their you know whats and don't do anything cause they know they ain't getting the boot for not doing their job.. cause they have a job and that's all that matters (it doesn't matter if they do it or not).

sooo.. that's my two cents..

character

I don't know, but I'm perfectly happy packing my own bags, usually I bring a re-usable as well. Or I even dare to tell them I don't need a bag at all!! I never got any looks, or I'm too ignorant to notice them. I think always smiling and being proactive in asking how their day is going etc works wonders -- I think someone else mentioned that before.

Cheers...

Sunniebgi

The one line I always say, especially when I'm somewhere with only 2 or three items and someone tries to put them into a bag is..

"no thanks. It's a waste of a perfectly good piece of plastic"... and I take may items (once paid for of course) and walk out with them in my hand.. The stares I get....one can only imagine.