Bagging woes

[telecom_goddess]

I don't want this to turn into a fratching situation on cs.com so I'm bringing it here. Can someone tell me why every single bagger in a grocery store, who are supposed to be trained professionals, can't seem to bag in a way that evenly distributes the weight? IN a way that makes logical sense? Instead we end up with bags that have every single heavy item in them and weight 40 pounds, and other bags that weigh nothing. What's so hard about putting a good base layer in each bag, with lighter things on top, so that it's evenly distributed? And why cram every thing into as few bags as possible? I don't get it.

[mjr]

I think part of it is a speed issue, and part of it is how the groceries are distributed in someone's cart and/or separated after they're scanned. Some of it may be training, too.

Most people, when they're shopping, put certain things in their carts in certain ways. When it's unloaded, it's unloaded opposite that. I don't know if it's a sorting problem or a speed problem at that point, though. I've seen what you're talking about, and I can see how it can be frustrating.

Once there was a grocery store here where I live where each person had to bag their own groceries. Each register would basically have a sign that showed how to bag things, and I think most people did it that way.

So I don't know if it's speed, or training, or what, but I've definitely seen what you're talking about.

[Gravekeeper]

My personal favourite is the "Clearly this 6 pack of coke belongs directly on top of this loaf of bread."

I find that it usually has to do with a bagger who just doesn't give a rat's ass. I also find that everyone in town here knows exactly who that bagger is at both the major grocery stores here. Because at both places it's just 1 guy that does it because he doesn't give a rat's ass. Everyone else on staff is fine.

[Stormraven]

I've had similar happen. People who seem convinced that frozen items and items at room temperature (or above) need to be side by side, instead of putting all the cold items together as much as possible.

[jackfaire]

It's a cyclical problem right up there with paying cashiers crap wages but expecting them to want to make a career of it. Stores want us to be around until we retire doing the job but they treat us like 16 year olds working an after school job.

We get bare bones training often having to learn on the job. Bagging is something I've rarely been trained at in jobs. You have to bag not only quickly but with a wide variety of product. While also keeping up patter with your customers and running through all of the stupid things your store wants to push.


When I self check at the grocery store I never pack even my own stuff in a consistent way.

[telecom_goddess]

To me it just seems like they are trying to cram every single heavy thing I have, no matter how we distribute it to avoid that, and therefore have like 2 bags that weight 50 freaking pounds, and a lot of empty bags that could have been used to evenly distribute it. I'm not even concerned with cold things being together, it won't be around long enough to be a concern, just pack the weight evenly and use more bags dammit. I bring my own so use them all if you want! They make stuff impossible to carry. As for training I would thing it's more of a common sense thing, you shouldn't have to be trained in that.

[jackfaire]

What common sense? This isn't a common sense issue.

Different people need bags packed different ways. Don't put soda on bread sure but what is too heavy for one person is a waste of bags for other person.

[telecom_goddess]

It's totally an issue of common sense. Which is more logical: packing one or two bags with every can and jar possible, and putting nothing but light stuff in another two bags, or using more bags to put a base of cans at the bottom of each one, with lighter things on top. Yes it's more bags but now they don't weight 50 freaking pounds. It's even weight, so you can, you know, carry them?

[jackfaire]

I have packed bags that way then had the customer go "ugh why are you wasting so many bags" repack product to be fifty pound bags and then carry them away. Other people get mad if I don't offer them a bag for one item. Others get mad if I do.

People can't seem to agree on "this is how it should always be done" I've never bagged in a grocery store but in my store there's always someone deciding I'm bagging wrong and that their specific method wanting things bagged is the only way anyone should want it.

Personally I think stores need to have a "this is how we bag" and then train all the cashiers to that method. Then when people complain they can say, "well this is how they train us to bag" and if enough people complain to corporate the method will change.

Seriously there are people that would rather carry two bags weighing fifty pounds each than deal with six. If a place doesn't have a Standard you have to guess what the person wants unless they speak up.

[telecom_goddess]

wow, the people that want super heavy bags are crazy. My ex boyfriend couldn't understand why I wanted to bag things my way, he actually said I packed them as if I was walking with them. Well yeah, they have to be walked from the car to the house. Some people are nuts.

Walmart drives me crazy they have these "pack one more item" signs in their bagging area. I'd much rather use more bags than pack one to beyond it's limit.

[ParkingWitch]

I don't much care how many bags are used. My big issues are NEVER bag chemicals with food, don't put raw food with cooked items, and stack my pre-cooked ready to eat items flat( I hate having my sushi scrambled or the gravy off my tenderlion dinner sliding off the plate).

[jackfaire]

I don't much care how many bags are used. My big issues are NEVER bag chemicals with food, don't put raw food with cooked items, and stack my pre-cooked ready to eat items flat( I hate having my sushi scrambled or the gravy off my tenderloin dinner sliding off the plate).

I don't think I've ever bought inedibles during the same trip that I've bought edibles. It never even occurred to me that would be an issue I guess it would be though. Now I'm curious though because I'm thinking and I've seen people buy cleaning supplies but I can't really remember ever seeing anyone buy groceries and cleaning supplies at the exact same time.

How many people here buy them at the same time?

[telecom_goddess]

I buy them together at the same time and don't care if they are bagged together really because everything is sealed. I want weight distributed evenly, that's more important to me.

I am planning to change it up though so more household items come from Amazon and the actual food from grocery shopping, because it would make the shopping itself easier.

[MadMike]

I go grocery shopping every other weekend when I get paid. Whatever I need at the time, I get, whether it's edible or otherwise. I don't care too much about what gets bagged together as long as it's not heavy things with fragile things, or strong-smelling things with things that might absorb the smell.

Back when I was bagging, some people were picky about that, and some we're not. Some people would say "Don't put X in with the Y", and some others said, and I quote, "Just throw it all in together. It's all going to the same place."