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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think it's inconvenient that Toys R Us do not allow carrier bags in store?

47 replies

SquishyCinnamonSwirls · 17/10/2011 12:58

There I was, merrily pottering about in town picking up a few bits and pieces for my dd's Birthday at the end of the month. Had been into TKMaxx (was carrying handbag and a carrier bag) and went into Toys R Us to get roller boots for her.
I was stopped at the door and told that they do not allow carrier bags in store and could I leave it with an assistant at the desk?
I replied that I no I could not, if that's the case I will do my shopping elsewhere. I do not need some assistant rifling through my shopping!
Note that I didn't see anyone else being stopped or handing over their shopping.
I was actually looking quite presentable as well!

OP posts:

Georgimama · 17/10/2011 13:34

This sort of thing is the reason I don't go in shops if I can help it.

WastedYears · 17/10/2011 13:35

I think all branches of TRU have this policy. It's not somewhere I usually shop because it makes me feel shifty. When I am standing in the queue I always expect to be wrestled to the ground by security guards. Other shops don't seem to have this policy, so where is TRU going wrong with security? Maybe it is because there is never anyone on the checkout so you have to wait ages. People are probably just getting fed up waiting to pay and walking out, rather than being habitual shoplifters. I'm not a shopping snob at all - I will shop anywhere but TRU always seems so grubby and downmarket and you are viewed with such suspicion that it isn't somewhere I feel comfortable. And the prices are not competitive at all. AND I can never find anything I am looking for. I can't understand how they are still in business.

WRT shop security, I had my bag searched when I was going INTO a French supermarket and I could never quite figure that out. In another French supermarket they stapled my plastic carrier shut on the way in and I did wonder at the time if they would have done the same to a reusable shopping bag.

GuillotinedMaryLacey · 17/10/2011 13:37

Happened to me too. I was using a rucksack as a handbag so didn't want to empty it all out and wander round clutching phone/keys/wallet/various gadgets while pushing a trolley and looking after dd. They let me through when I pointed out all the other women going ahead with their handbags. I've been a couple of times since and made sure I had the bare minimum with me but it has put me off as they were so rude and accusatory.

Sidge · 17/10/2011 13:43

Some years ago we got stopped going in to TRU and asked to hand over our rucksack which was over my shoulder.

I declined as it contained DD2s oxygen cylinder. Which she was attached to by a metre length of oxygen tubing.

They insisted as it was store policy.

You can imagine my reply

WastedYears · 17/10/2011 13:49

Sidge, that's awful, yet somehow unsurprising.

marcopront · 17/10/2011 13:53

Sorry but I find it really odd that people have problems with this. I live overseas and in a lot of countries it is the norm to hand your shopping bags in. They do normally have a system for organising the bags though. In fact when I am in the UK and have a lot of shopping I want someone to take my bags off me.

marcopront · 17/10/2011 13:57

Sidge I hadn't read your message when I posted mine. i fully understand why you declined.

AKMD · 17/10/2011 13:57

It isn't usual here though and so TRU stand out as starting off with the assumption that anyone in their store is a potential shoplifter, which may be true but isn't exactly welcoming.

When I lived abroad I was used to having my bags stapled and didn't care but here it is very odd.

ragged · 17/10/2011 14:02

I was walking around TRU in Norwich yesterday for ages because all they sell is cheap tat with both carrier bag and a rucksack. Nobody asked for my bags. Not a consistently applied policy?

ragged · 17/10/2011 14:03

... Or else I am REALLY TOO SCAREY to APPROACH [hwink] [hgrin]

GuillotinedMaryLacey · 17/10/2011 14:04

But here it isn't the norm, which is why people have a problem with it.

ThePumpkinofDoomandTotalCha0s · 17/10/2011 14:05

yanbu. I go in TRU rarely, as I don't drive, but when I go there on public transport I ignore the signs and noone has ever asked me to hand bags in. I imagine handing bags in creates as many problems as it solves, given the camera scammer someone posted about upthread.

VivaLeBeaver · 17/10/2011 14:08

It does put the staff at the store at risk of being accused of all sorts. People probably could get home and then ring the store back and say that they'd had a diamond necklace in one of the bags which was now missing. Trying it on to get compensation.

GrimmaTheNome · 17/10/2011 14:09

I've never been asked to hand over my shopping in TRU. They have the notices up but I've never seen any staff lurking by the entrance - I'd not realised they really did it anywhere!

NoOnesGoingToEatYourEyes · 17/10/2011 14:09

Have been thinking about our nearest TRU location and it would actually be unreasonable of them to assume that everyone had driven there.

It is out of town in some respects but is also only about a five minute walk from one of those large 'new village' style housing developments and on the edge of a business park, so many people may have walked from home or work. It's not far to walk for one trip to lots of shops but too far and to faffy to expect people to take the rest of their shopping home or back to work before they go into TRU.

And there is a frequent park and ride service to the outlet, so some peoples cars are very far away. It's one of those services where the idea is to help people make the most of both the town centre and the outlet, so you can travel to both for free if you have parked in a certain place (so car park to town centre to outlet to car park again etc).

Ragwort · 17/10/2011 14:10

I also refuse to 'shop' in ToysRUs (hate the spelling for a start ) - horrible shops which I am sure contribute to a lot of childrens' attitudes that they 'must' have such and such toy. Customer service seems to be non-existant, agree re: snotty notices re: bags, queues for the till, grumpy, unhelpful cashiers, security guards on duty, difficult to get out if you haven't made a purchase. I hate it.

My DS did drag me in there to look at something last week but I insisted we bought the identical item in a different shop.

Can't understand why anyone would want to shop there.

PetiteRaleuse · 17/10/2011 14:27

YABU. Why on earth do you think "some assistant" really cares what is in your bags. What a strange attitude towards shop assistants.

Just for that YABU.

And over here they often check our carriers bags. Some stores keep them at a desk, others put them into a sealed transparent plastic bag that you keep.

Sidge that's awful I would assume most stores would make an exception for something like that :)

azazello · 17/10/2011 14:29

I've found the same thing and it is very annoying. I went in with a rucksack when I had baby DS and toddler DD to get a birthday present for a friend's baby. I was told I had to hand over my rucksack containing nappies, wipes, snack for DD, purse, phone, and car keys. I didn't have anywhere else to put my purse, phone and car keys so I flounced and haven't been back...

Their customer service is so dreadful, I'm quite surprised they manage to keep going.

Original poster

SquishyCinnamonSwirls · 17/10/2011 14:36

Petite, why do I think an assistant cares what is in my bag? That can be countered with: Why would they think I was a shop lifter?
It's about the potential to do something! If they are going to have this policy in place it ought to be a blanket policy that is completely enforced, not on the whim of an assistant. They ought to also have the storage facilities available to make this a practical policy to enforce.

I have found what I required from our local toy shop anyway so it's a good thing all round.

OP posts:

AKMD · 17/10/2011 14:47

Petite, why do I think an assistant cares what is in my bag? That can be countered with: Why would they think I was a shop lifter?

Just what I was going to say.

fedupofnamechanging · 17/10/2011 15:00

This is a mad policy, as they don't sell anything that you couldn't buy in hundreds of other shops. With the economy being what it is, why would they want to alienate potential customers by implying that they are all wannabe shoplifters?

Apart from anything else, what happens if they hand over the wrong bags to customers or if something goes missing? How do they guarantee that they haven't lost it or is it just tough luck for the customer?

There is no way I'd agree to hand over my belongings to a total stranger, with no proper, secure storage system (lockers, for example). I would just leave and shop elsewhere, which no doubt is what a lot of other people do too.

Toys R Us, ought to change this policy, before they find themselves out of business, like a lot of nicer retailers. Argos will just pick up the slack, as nature abhors a vacuum. Toys R Us would not be missed. Every one I've been in has been a grubby, miserable place, to be avoided.

Mandy2003 · 17/10/2011 17:05

Grubby, joyless place. Ours is in the town centre and I've been in with bags and glared in an "I dare you" sort of way at the staff standing by the hand in your bags sign. Never been asked! I've never seen any other shop with this sign.

Still, I have reason to be grateful - it's so dire that it put my DS off wanting/buying toys at an early age. Saved me loads!

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