Do They Not Train the Grocery Baggers Anymore?
By CatClaws
@CatClaws (115)
United States
September 8, 2007 11:06pm CST
I mean come on. I went to the grocery store today and I didn't really pay attention to the bagger as he was bagging my purchases. I paid my bill and led him out to my car, opened the trunk, and proceeded to put my children in the car. He finished loading the trunk and shut it. When I got home and got ready to unload the car, I opened the trunk and I could feel my blood pressure rising right then and there. You would not believe the mess that my groceries were in. He had put a 2 liter drink in with the seedless grapes. Needless to say they were smashed. He put a sack of sugar in with my brown-and-serve rolls(ruined). He put a bag of onions in with my tomatoes(bruised). And I mean the list just goes on and on. I could not believe it. I tried to call the store back to speak to the manager, but he wasn't there. I left my number for a return call, but haven't received any yet. Have you ever had such an experience? I have had a little thing here and there, but never to this extent. You would think they would train their employees to do better service than this. I think I should either get a replacement or a refund for the things that he ruined, don't you? OOOHHHHH I am so mad, I could chew barbed-wire right now.
3 people like this
14 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I wouldn't call.I would have gone right back to the store and gotten a refund for the ruined items. And I wouldn't have left without either a refund or credit more another visit. And while I was there I would have gotten the name of the " packer".In my neighborhood we have stores with self check out. That way I am sure all my frozen is all together and the bags aren't too heavy.And in the smaller markets the cashiers and the packers do know how to pack.My supermarket is Giant.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
10 Sep 07
Yea! I am so glad that everything worked out.Take care.
1 person likes this
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
Thanks, I agree with you. I really like this grocery store because it is a family owned one and they also have great quality on their products and good prices. That is why I go out of the way to shop there. the bigger chains that we have around the city are okay if i need something in a hurry. I did get everything worked out today and the owner is going to send me a gift certificate to more than cover the damages. Thank you again.
1 person likes this
@Laurla98 (786)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I wouldn't just look at the managers not training. But look at the age of most baggers. Generally teenagers. They do get trained..however they don't care!! I work retail and last night I spent an extra 45 minutes after I should have been off cleaning up after the teenagers that couldn't do their job correctly while they were at work. There were 8 adults cleaning up the whole store after they left and it still took that long. It was VERY bad. I was put on baby-sitting patrol as well because they wouldn't get moving.
1 person likes this
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
Hey Laurla, i hear ya. Most of the time it is teenagers, but this guy looked like he was probably in his early twenties. He looked old enough to know he was doing a lousy job. Oh I would be jacking me up some teenage a$$, if i was you; you having to work over to do their job. That's not right. If you are like me, I usually have stuff to do when I get off work and that doesnt include having to finish my co-workers job because of their negligence. You or one of the others that had to stay should tell the person in charge so that it doesn't happen again. Unless your manager is like some that I have had who really don't give a _ _it as long as it gets done. I hope everything goes well for you in the future. THanks for your response.
@catskisses (434)
• United States
17 Sep 07
rofl 'baby sitting patrol' I love that.. have been there myself.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
9 Sep 07
OMG... that is terrible... i will definitely drive back to the store if it is not too far away and demand a compensation... it is just a common sense when you bag people's groceries... i work as a cashier as well in a retail shop and i don't think it is very hard to think of how to spearate people's groceries in different bags...
1 person likes this
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I would take the ruined groceries back to the store for an exchange. I'm not waiting for a telephone call, as I will need the produce for that weeks meals. I can't see a reason to wait days for the telephone to ring, as I work and am very busy during the day.
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
hi, i did get in touch with the owner today and got everything resolved with a gift certificate to his store to use next time I come in. It is so far away, I will have to wait until I go back. I usually get about 2-3 weeks worth of food at one visit so I don't have to drive all the way down there so much. Thank you for your comment
@Zorrogirl (1502)
• South Africa
19 Sep 07
here in south africa we have to pack our own bags and pay for them. but if they do pack once in a blue moon the same happens. sorry i am struggling to reply to your private messages. i have tried numerous times now. you can email me at riettevr@gmail.com. good to hear from you.
1 person likes this
@isaiah12 (416)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I've had that happen. I think the problem is the young kids that are bagging aren't paying attention to what they are doing. One time there were two young guys bagging at the register and a young girl ringing the register. The only time anything was said to me was when the girl told me the total due. The three of them were talking about personal issues to each other.
1 person likes this
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
hi, you are right. i see that alot with baggers and cashiers. too busy running their mouths. i don't know what this guys problem was because noone was talking to him. i guess he was just lazy like someone else mentioned. Thank you for responding isaiah 12
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
9 Sep 07
Oh that is awful! Saddly they don't train them anymore, it's a correct as they go type thing. My baby brother was working at Krogers for a spell, and he told me about it. I was telling him tips at home, but he learned the rest as people complained. It's sad really. It's like as long as they can get your cash, they can careless after that.
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
I asked the manager this morning if their baggers are trained before being put to work and he said that they are. He has had several complaints on this guy so I was kind of relieved to know that I wan't the only one he screwed up on. I have a good mind to tell him the next time I go to give me my tip back. lol. Thank You for responding.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I dont think they do. Then again, I don't think a lot of those people really have any common sense anymore. I mean, really, I don't have to be trained to realize that heavy things should not be put on the bread, things that can smush things just shouldn't be near that sort of thing period. That, and you need to load the bag evenly, and not throw everything where it goes. They just don't care really, they get paid, so they don't care if they ruin whatever you paid for, it doesn't come out of there pocket.
1 person likes this
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I would keep calling till you get the manager. That was bad. I had a bagger put my sugar in the same bag with my fresh chicken. needless to say I had chicken juice on my sugar. I took them both back to the store and told the manager since i had to drive all the way back I would like sugar a new chicken and gas money. Well I didnt get gas money but they did give me a gift card for ten bucks to be used there. lol Good luck to you.
1 person likes this
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
Thanks mssnow, i did get ahold of them today. this store is about 30-35 minutes from my house so i didn't want to do another trip back. he is going to mail me a gift certificate to cover the damages. I live about 5 minutes from a national food chain grocery store, but i drive out of the way about 3 times a month to his little family owned grocery store. He has such great quality meats and great prices. My whole family shops there, so he knew exactly who I was when I called and had no problem helping me out. Thank You again for you comment.
@mrsbrian (1949)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I would be angry and i would contact the store untill the manager called me back and I got it resolved , I would request a replacement for all the items.
In fact now that i think about it I think I would take the damaged goods back to the store, to the service desk and ask for them to be replaced,my husband worked as a store managre for years and he says there should always be someone in charge at the store to handle things like this.
1 person likes this
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
10 Sep 07
Hi mrsbrian, i did keep calling the store back and finally this morning i got to talk to the manager. i told him what had happened and what the guy looked like. he said that he has had a lot of complaints on that guy lately and he assured me that he would take care of it. he asked me what items i had that were damaged. i gave him the complete list and he is going to mail me a gift certificate in the amount of $50 even though those purchases weren't but about 25-30. i have done business with him for years as has most of my family. thank you for your response.
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Well, I work in a grocery store and our baggers go through a training course that requires them to pass a computerized test.
I would speak to the manager and I would try to get the items replaced before asking for a refund. Take in store credit if you get the refund so that they will know that they won't be losing your business.
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Thank you again. Yes I would rather just have the items replaced if they will be willing to do so. I have worked in a grocery store myself as a cashier and the baggers just had to go through a hands-on training where they were showed out to properly bag groceries. I could probably understand if they were busy, but there was maybe fifteen people in the whole store. Thank you again for you advice, I think the manager will be more willing to replace than refund, so I'll try that.
@ZaffireWolf (480)
• United States
9 Sep 07
They don't train anyone for anything anymore because employers are lazy moneygrubbers. But you wouldn't know that, because anyone who would complain about the wage slaves obviously has never worked a day in their life.
You obviously have major anger issues if something as trivial as this bothers you this much. Try checking out the "intensive therapy" aisle the next time you're out shopping.
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
9 Sep 07
It sounds like to me that you ZaffireWolf need the anger management. I would be very upset about this as most people would and I see nothing wrong with reporting a bad employee.
1 person likes this
@catskisses (434)
• United States
17 Sep 07
Dear Wolf, First I have worked for 33 years now, many of those for minimum wage. Today I work 12 hours a week for this in addition to my regular job. If you think these wages are sufficient, try living on them. Anyone who thinks there are no 'wage slaves' is oblivious to the fact that minimum wages yield yearly incomes BELOW the poverty level. Groceries ruined is money wasted, not a triviality. If you have so much that throwing it away means nothing, perhaps you make too much and YOU should look into charities for the poor. I make a good income on my regular job, almost 3 times what I make on my parttime, but am supporting myself and my ill mother so every penny counts. And btw, psychological therapy is not sold in bottles in stores, there is no 'intensive therapy' aisle unless you count shampoos.
1 person likes this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I think anyone who does any grocery shopping of their own would have the good sense to pack groceries the right way. They should think of how they would want theirs to be put in that trunk or wherever. Your experience sounds like you just got a lazy person.
1 person likes this
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I've had stuff like that happen. I had one clerk who put only 2 or 3 items in each bag, and made a point to put 1 thing that required refrigeration in every bag. I've also had them packed so badly that I lost a lot of stuff because it got crushed. Milk and bread in the same bag, for example. I was so irritated. The store didn't do anything. They just gave me a lame @ss apology.
1 person likes this
@CatClaws (115)
• United States
9 Sep 07
That is exactly what I am talking about. I mean it's really just plain common sense if you asked me; bag the same kind of material with each other. Thank you for your response.I guess they think an apology is going to replace your goods. Who knows, that's probably all I'll get. Thank you again.
