Free bags at work aibu

[Happychicken1994]

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

You've posted this exact scenario at least once before?

Do you want this customer to go away and say good things about your shop or do you want her to go away and be critical?

I'd give her the bags.

I think OP you need to move on from obsessing over how many bags to give out.. as it doesn’t sound like this is your own business (rather you work there) then in reality unless the owner has stipulated a bag policy is it your concern? I’m sure the business owner has already factored the cost of the rent, heating, staff and sundry expenses (including the flipping bags) into their costs when pricing up items

Why is this being posted again?

I would personally give a bag per item.

This is a case where customer goodwill is worth far more than the actual cost of the bags.

This is customer service 101. Such a small cost to your business will make the customer happy, they will feel more inclined to come back and they will give a good verbal review to their friends and family.

Saying no seems petty and will likely lose you money in the long run.

@cosmo deja vu here too. Definitely seen this thread before. Word for word i believe as well

This is customer service 101. Such a small cost to your business will make the customer happy, they will feel more inclined to come back and they will give a good verbal review to their friends and family. Saying no seems petty and will likely lose you money in the long run.

Have to agree. Paper bags cost pennies so aren't even worth the effort of thinking/writing about in the big scheme of things. Be awkward and you may save a tenner a year, but just think how much repeat custom you've lost which is probably many times that. If your business profits are so low that you have to worry about a few pence here and there, you need to concentrate on the big things first, i.e. increasing sales, reducing the bigger costs such as power and bank charges.

I’d also give her the bags. As pps have said, with small businesses, it’s all about the customer experience, (within reason). I wouldn’t want to potentially put her off coming back for the sake of two paper bags. Did you really tell her to go next door to the gift shop to buy some bags? I think that’s quite rude tbh.

If she was asking for empty bags i might say no, buy some from the gift shop next door.

Think of her giving the gifts in some of your shop’s bags as free advertising.

If you had put these items through the till separately then you would have wrapped them in separate bags.
You wouldn't have put anymore money in the till.

So three customers and three items would mean three bags.
So just because it's the same customer why does that cause an issue?

In both scenarios you make the same in sales.

I think the customer seems a bit cheeky, but thinking that it could be three different customers with one bag each - so it's not really costing more.

And I've been asked if I want items in separate bags in some gift item tyoe shops, (I didnt) so I guess some places dont mind.

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.

me too

Also I'm assuming we're not talking about 10p pencil sharpeners due to the kind of shop I think your talking about so really is it worth them badmouthing the shop?

We sell on behalf of other people so don’t choose the prices they pay us to wrap and pack but shops refuse to pay to much to cover extra bags. Would you go into m and s and ask for an bag for each item

I do give extra bags happily I just grumble at the end of the day

@Cosmos45 I thought the same, I'm certain I've read this exact thread before!

Most big stores charge 5p for all bags. Do the same

Fuxake, she can have my bag. I always say not thanks

Yadbu

My DD went through a teenage phase where the bag was as (or more!) important than the item.

It was always lovely when shops such as Victoria Secret’s ‘Pink’ would put all her separate sprays & lip glosses in a posh pink bag each. Made her day and kept going back.

Liberty offered to put each item I bought into a separate bag!

M&S are all the same seller though. You say you are dealing with many different sellers - so assume they either pay a flat fee or a percentage. Either way, they are paying for the bags. Would you give a bag for each different seller as they are all paying?

Yes but it's not extra bags. She bought three items so the bags are covered. In the same way as if it were three separate purchases from three different people surely?

If she had bought one item but wanted three bags then I would agreed

We can’t change for bags either due to being under the staff limit

Why does this bother you so much as it’s not your business? I don’t really understand your last post either..

Because I just think it rude if you want gift bags and gift wrap go buy it your self. it’s not that expensive pluss the gift shop then looses out on sales if we give loads of bag and wrap away for free as people are less likely to buy from her.