Do you let the person at the supermarket checkout pack your bags for you? (bit of of a rant)

[emkana]

I prefer packing them myself and always say "no" if asked if I want any help. It's just so much quicker that way. Only time I appreciated help was when dd2 was tiny and screaming and I had to rock her while they packed my bags for me.
Today at Asda the woman at the checkout just started packing for me without asking, and then I'm too shy to say "I'll do it myself, thanks." So I let her do it, but it was soooooo slow. When she started to get one of those small plastic bags to wrap the already wrapped cheese and the I can't believe it's not butter before putting them into a bigger bag I had to stop her. They always seem to put so little items per bag, and do extra wrapping with little plastic bags, I mean what is the point? Madness, if you ask me.
Just had to get that off my chest.

Absolutely not!! They've no idea how to pack properly!

OMG - this thread has got me needing Tena Lady too now!!!

Which next very important issue are we all going to put to rights!!!

This makes me think of all the people on the 'serious', 'heated' threads who might say, 'well I'm not interested in whether you or the checkout girl packs your shopping...' i.e. I'm far too bloody intelligent and serious for that inane crap. Ahhh BOG OFF!

Sorry, got a bit carried away there

I sooo agree with you all. I don't mind some when they are fast and whizz them through the till and straight into a bag - although i'd still rather do it myself!

But the old grannies, who take half an hour to scan an item, fumble with the carrier bag to get it open, and then ...carefully ...... put.... the..... item .... in.... the.....bag. Meanwhile i'm drumming my fingers on the side, wishing i was allowed to pack my own bags!

But d'you know what bugs me most? Is when they decide your fingers are unable to open their carrier bags, so the cashier decides to lick her finger and open up a million bags and pile them high so you have a big mess of carrier bags in front of you and no room to put your stuff!!!!!!!

Wow this one's obviously been on my mind a while!!

I prefer to DIY, too. I'm another one who sorts out stuff into categories which I then put into my own reusuable bags. It would more useful if they unloaded the trolley in the first place! And why don't they have another trolley on standby at the other end so I can begin loading bags into it straightaway instead of having to litter the floor with filled bags until 'my' trolley is empty.

blimey I'm in the minority - I like getting help packing the bags. At our Tescos the vast majority of cashiers do a good fast job too. I always have a massive trolleyfull and appreciate them starting to pack whilst I'm still unloading.
Makes the job quicker all round

I'm with you entirely emkana. I always refuse the offer of help. I pack far more quickly and efficiently than they do, although I do think supermarket staff are better than they were - they have obviously undergone training as to what foods or packets to put with what. Even so, I do a better job. I unpack onto the conveyor belt so that certain foods are together (like all the frozen stuff, or refrigerated stuff) and generally, they come down the other end in the same order and I can pack them quickly.
Once or twice when I have had a small screaming baby I have accepted help, but that is all.

It would make me feel really really cheeky to stand there and watch as someone packs my bags. I always say no because i think that they have enough to do and feel like im putting them out.
Dont ask me why, im daft like that!
But im always really grateful when they help me when im a bit overwhelmed and have huge piles and they are too quick for me.
I get a bit irritated tho when i have got huge mounds and there is a line behind me and they ask for the money and DONT attempt to help me, just sit and wait....patiently.
And dont get me started on the customer behind me who stands over me at the till when he (its always a he) is waiting for his shopping to go through, while im signing my switch reciept and getting my card out of my purse......Dont quite know where that rant came from...sorry x

I've noticed that too Donbean (about the poeple, usually men or old women IMO) who looom over you when you are signing the Switch (Maestro?) receipt. It is a real "invasion of privacy" moment, isn't it?

I dont know how i restrain myself from telling them to F* off out of my space. But then i AM a lady, and a mother and so am not allowed to do that. (anymore) so DH tells me.

prefer packing myself too, but will let them do it if am still unloading the trolley. When I'm done though i tell them 'i'll be OK now thank you'. But in my Sainsbury's they put loads and loads in each bag (especially heavy stuff) so that when I have to go from car to front door I can barely carry one bag, which might break any minute anyway, grrrrrr.
Hate it when people behind you at the till have unloaded their trolley and have pushed it so far you cannot get to the bit where you sign your card receipt: can't they wait?????

Donbean - I'm with you, I always stand back till they've at least signed or pinned their number. I hate people over your shoulder.

Altho my pet hate is the person who then stands there putting cards back in the slot in the purse, and folds the receipt correctly before moving, has to put the purse away correctly too, meanwhile half my shopping has gone thru the scan, gggggrrrrrrr

Soz if you one of them, but its soooo annoying, I just put cards & receipt in my purse in my bag the sort them out in the car or against the wall away from the till.

No I don't. I have to pack them myself. I've got my own little system cleaning bag, freezer bag, fridge bag etc, etc. I hate it at this time of year because in our Sainsburys you tend to find boy scouts and brownies packing shopping and I really don't like them packing them. I mean who'd put eggs and bleach in the same bag????

Donbean and Frenchgirl, I hate that too. Like they are going to speed you up (and out of their way) by invading your space so much that it actually takes you LONGER to get to your slip to sign it. When people do this to me I make a great show of trying to reach past them to get to the credit card slip, and THEN, as if it's just occurred to me, I say brightly "Would you mind moving back a bit, so that I can sign and get out of your way quickly?"

stilltrue, will try your technique next time, I just look annoyed but say nothing!
crazylady, I get out of the way to put my card back into my wallet too. phew......

I got told off by a packer recently for having the temerity to try and help her. She virtually spat at me 'do you want to help you or not' - was so shocked I couldn't bring myself to say no I don't want your help actually. She was completely anal about it and had to do it her way only!!

Also hate people who don't start packing their shopping until it's all gone through the till - makes me foam at the mouth that one!

Blimey and here was me thinking I was the only one like that. I hate people helping pack my shopping esp now as Ive got the buggy and most it goes in that without being put into bags.
Mind you when I was preg I did occasionally get help but only if the person looked like they knew what they were doing. (Our Sainsburys staff are in general quite good at this I must say)

I have also taken to saying no to plastic bags in shops if I dont need one ie for a packet of crisps or sweets. Shop assistant insisted on trying to give me one the other day saying that people would think I was shop lifting???? till I pointed out that I had the reciept for my purchase in my hand. Sometimes I just despair

Ooh, strange! I like getting help actually. But they seem to do a good job at my Tescos - I always take reusable bags with me and ask them to use them. And I obviously haven't got loads of bags so they have to fill them. If they start faffing with a little bag for the cheese etc I just tell them not to bother. It slows the cashier down nicely if they're doing some packing, so I don't get loads of items coming through too fast. And it means if dd is fed up by that point I can pay her some attention too.

What does annoy me is when they ask if I want help (they always do, guess it is policy) and I say "Yes please" nice and loudly and then they ignore me and leave me to it. I think I must look like a person who doesn't want their packing done or something.

I can't understand your packer Monkeygirl. When peole ask if I want them to help, I always assume that means just that, they are helping me do it (ie alongside me) not doing it for me. I would have said something rude I'm afraid.
Do you also choose your cashier carefully? I do. Never use men (boys) they are almost always too slow. Prefer not to use young women. They often seem to break off to chat to the next girl. I like mature women best.

I dont actually mind them asking, and if I get a bit behind I appreciate the help.

for my job I actually go on till sometimes and offer to pack, and the looks some people give me is comical, its like I have asked if I can eat half their food.

I do appreciate most people like packing themselves, and more than happy to be told so, but when someone looks at me as if I was an alien or gives me that look, I scan the food through extra quick, and then say "That's £*, when you've finished packing" of course..

I always wondered why some people look at me as tho i have the plague when i ask if they need help packing.
I ask when there is a mount of shopping or if customer has baby/child or is older/disabled. We are actually told to pack and also to keep cues down.
I also know how to pack properly, and get funny looks as I am quite detailed with my packing like woodpops i have different bags for different stuff.

here are some of my cashier rants;
Customers who dont want help packing, leave all shopping on the end looking into space until i've scanned all, I tell them the total they then decide to pack all their shopping, then they take out their CARD arrrrgggh why cant they just give the card and then pack!!!

Or the customer that cant wait behind ONE person, drags me off the shop floor onto a till puts shopping on and then says "I need to get something hold on" and runs off... why bother drag me onto the till then!! why not get what they want first, the cue would have gone down then.

Customers who presume you're thick just because you work in a supermarket.

Customers who argue with you because they choose a restricted item and you cant sell it to them.

Rude customers

racist customers.

People who bring a trolley full of shopping to an express till.......
..... people who moan at you, argue with you when you tell them you cant take that much shopping on an express till........
...... people who after arguing with you about trolley full, say "I'll put them in a basket then" and fill about three baskets... meanwhile the cue is backing up to the fridges and the customers start tutting at ME !!!

Aaaarrrrrghh!!! but on the other hand there are some really nice customers who really make my day.
And I absolutley love helping customers because it means i am needed at work. I also tend to think of all the things i like and hate when shopping and use it at work. I have been commented to have brilliant customer service from customers and they cant believe I am helping them. I really dont like going to work but while i'm there i figure i may as well help.

mandsworker - my husband would have said most of what you said. He works in retail and is sick of the public assuming just because you work in a shop, you're thick and should act subservient.

MandSworker

I agree with the majority of them.

I only work 1 or 2 days a week, and I started mainly in the office, but help out on shop floor when needed.

Its an a well-to-do posh area, and I find there are only 2 types of people, really nice or really horrid.

My hates are the ones who blame you personally when you don't stock an item.

A local resturant recently had no delivery, so they came in and bought all out loaves of break and all the fruit and vedge we had. That was at 9 am, we were not getting a delivery until following day. had my ear chewed off that day for not ordering enough.

saying that on a good day I really enjoy my job and 90% of customers are lovely.

It is soooo anyoing milkyway!! funnily enough when i worked in tesco it was a different sort of rudeness to the one i face at m&s.