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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Free bags at work aibu

65 replies

Happychicken1994 · 13/04/2018 11:33

Work in a small arcade of shops with one pay station. We offer free paper bags these bags aren’t cheap But we don’t want to offer plastic. We wrap each item if delicate and package things nicely. Aibu to not give people a bag for each item if unnecessary. Some woman asked if she could have a gift bag for each item. I mentioned that we don’t do gift bags but the gift shop does sell them. Oh I don’t want to pay I just want 3 of your nice paper bags so I can give these as gifts. We have thought of charging for gift bags and wrap but people don’t want to pay they expect it for free. Aibu to say no where a small company an these costs all add up

OP posts:

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 13/04/2018 11:34

Not unreasonable at all. But what's to stop a customer buying three items in three separate purchases to get bags?

Original poster

Happychicken1994 · 13/04/2018 11:40

They could do that nothing to stop them we do get people coming back to buy more. but often they say no to a bag and put in a bag they already have.

OP posts:

polarb · 13/04/2018 11:49

I'd be careful about doing this as you will upset the customer. I think you should factor it in to costs already.
I think one of the nice things about shopping in small stores is that you do get the nice service and the nice bag. Silly as it sounds, shopping is all about the customer experience.
When thinking about it my mum and I stopped shopping in a little store in our home town for gifts when they changed the bags to cheap plastic ones! The nice bags were reserved for customers who spend a lot more money. It makes you feel like a second rate customer. It is nice to use their bags as gift bags, and you can think of it as free advertising if they are branded. The gift recipient may then come to have a look at your stall.

Clandestino · 13/04/2018 11:52

I wouldn't be charging extra for the bags if it's a gift and individually presented.
I would be charging extra if she were asking for just empty bags.

Cosmos45 · 13/04/2018 11:57

I’ve got this weird sense of deja vu that I’ve read this exact thread before! Even down to the lady wanting three bags! Bizarre.. I would say the first bag is free and if they want more to charge them for it.

JaneJeffer · 13/04/2018 12:00

I'd just give them to her. It will be balanced out by the people who don't want a bag. Three isn't that many.

bimbobaggins · 13/04/2018 12:03

I did this on holiday recently when I was buying gifts. I wanted a bag to give each person their gift in in the shops nice bags. The shop were happy to give me a bag for each item. I was spending a fair bit.
Maybe they weren’t behind my back.

yorkshireyummymummy · 13/04/2018 12:05

I would factor the cost into the items for sale.
This means each bag isn’t costing you, it’s costing the customer.
Get the bags branded and put 10p/20p or whatever they cost onto each item you sell.
Then there should not be a problem.

bimbobaggins · 13/04/2018 12:08

Agree with Yorkshire. It seems quite miserable to begrudge a paying customer who is actually giving them as gifts. It would put me off coming back.

sonjadog · 13/04/2018 12:09

I would give her them, as others said, if some people don't take them then it evens itself out. I think that it's the kind of thing that if you say no, may make customers less likely to come back. Is it worth losing a customer to save on a paper bag?

TheJoyOfSox · 13/04/2018 12:13

How much do the bags cost you? It can only be pennies, so add 10 or 12p, whatever the cost of the bags is onto a couple of high turnover goods or add a penny or two onto everything, or charge for the bags like supermarkets do.

TempusEejit · 13/04/2018 12:14

I ask for separate bags in Hotel Chocolat if I'm buying for different people. I can see why your customer would want separate bags if they're gifts for separate people without necessarily wanting to buy a "gift bag" as such, it's (an admittedly small) part of the appeal of going to an independent shop. YABU.

chocatoo · 13/04/2018 12:17

I think you should take the long term view that the person who then receives the gift will certainly know where it came from and how much care was taken with the lovely packaging. It will hopefully result in them paying a visit to your shop.

NerrSnerr · 13/04/2018 12:18

@Cosmos45 I was going to say that. I'm sure I have read this exact thread before.

Loonoon · 13/04/2018 12:22

Accommodating customers requests like that really should be part of the service. It creates good feeling and loyalty.

I was in a jewellers in Bermuda once (Crissons if anyone is interested) where they giftwrapped purchases in very nice little pink canvas tote bags. I commented on how pretty they were and how my two young DDS would be fighting over who used it first. The sales lady immediately gave me a second bag so they could each have one. I hadn't spent a fortune either, only about $150 which is chickenfeed to them.

That was about 15 years ago but I have never forgotten that spontaneous act of service and although I don't get to Bermuda very often I always check out Crissons when I am there.

AjasLipstick · 13/04/2018 12:25

I work in a gallery and when people buy something...even a small thing which costs less than the swishier stuff, I always wrap it.

It's part of the whole experience. They're treating themselves or buying someone a nice gift...I want them to feel happy and like they've had a nice little shopping experience.

They're not your bloody bags OP. And if they are...as in it's your shop, factor the costs into the price!

AjasLipstick · 13/04/2018 12:26

Loonoon that's right! I'd do the same...it's a bag. I bet you'd go straight back in there if you were near the shop again.

DaffodilsBlowingInTheWind · 13/04/2018 12:28

Hasn't this been discussed before?

sleep5 · 13/04/2018 12:29

Given people often put purchases into their own bags which costs you nothing, why is it an issue if one person wants extra bags?

If you average out the cost of the bags against your yearly profits, how much difference does the occasional extra bag make? I bet it's not much and you get the added advantage of those customers spreading goodwill (if you ask for money for extra bags then they might not return or spread goodwill).

00100001 · 13/04/2018 12:32

you just said that other people refuse a bag, despite multiple separate purchases, so surely this woman 'evens' things out?

MaxPepsi · 13/04/2018 12:49

Where are you buying these bags from? For them to be so expensive?
Bulk buying from eBay is cheap. Get your stickers from vistaprint, or similar, share the cost between all the shops in the arcade and you can insist on everyone having one for your advertising!

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 13/04/2018 12:54

@cosmos me too!! I even looked at date to see if zombie thread!!
Weird...

Urubu · 13/04/2018 12:59

YABU as she could have done 3 transactions and have the 3 bags.
More bags then items, ok to say no.

ooodile · 13/04/2018 13:01

If she came in several times in a row and bought and paid separately just to get a bag each time, it would cost a lot more.

Dumbledoreswarrier · 13/04/2018 13:03

Surely it depends if you want her repeat custom? I see your point but as a customer I'd think twice about returning if you refused - for the sake of goodwill surely 2 extra bags are worth it?

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