- Today I had the teeniest little hangover. Saturdays are not good for hangovers because there are so many happy, screaming children. I was lucky in that my symptoms weren't too severe.
- One of my co-workers broke her arm and missed a few days of work. We were short-staffed and I had a couple waiting to be rung up at my station while I was talking to a different customer about a product. The waiting couple were being sort of patient. The whole time they were standing there I was thinking "why don't they go to a different counter??". I figured they must not care about waiting. After about 4 minutes, I could help them. I apologized for the wait and explained that we were a bit short on staff because my co-worker broke her arm. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I regretted saying anything. They were shitty about it in the nicest way. It frustrates me because they could see that I was helping someone before they walked up to the counter, yet somehow thought they should be served first. Anyway, whatever, assholes.
- I had a customer use their Sierra Club card to pay for their purchase and then want their items in separate plastic bags.
- Children with open containers of liquid in the store make me nervous. It brings on those "my mother would NEVER have let us do that!" thoughts.
- Today a lady asked if there was a kettle that could get "hotter than boiling," which confused me because she didn't seem to an idiot. YOU NEVER CAN TELL.
Showing posts with label plastic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plastic. Show all posts
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Saturday, January 23, 2010
ISlice vs X-Acto
For the past 18 months or so, our store has sold an As Seen On TV product called the ISlice, "The most useful tool you'll ever own." I hate it.
The little ear-shaped slicer has a tiny ceramic blade that too useless to cut anything big, but works well for cutting shapes out of paper, opening mail, and getting into difficult plastic packaging, like the stuff you must break through before you can use the ISlice. (Favorite customer joke: "What came first? The ISlice or the packaging?")
I hate the ISlice because it does not discourage the wasteful, exaggerated plastic packaging. Instead, it has made opening plastics "easy" and "fun." The product does work; I've tried it. I hate the idea, though, of this tiny blade floating around in homes, one use for one product, the tiny plastic thing for opening plastics. Also, because of the diminutive size of the ISlice, I imagine that it is quickly lost in many homes, thus leaving people unable to open all their gadgets and batteries and CDs without difficulty, tearing up junk drawers and pencil cans looking for that tiny tool they bought just for that situation.
The little ear-shaped slicer has a tiny ceramic blade that too useless to cut anything big, but works well for cutting shapes out of paper, opening mail, and getting into difficult plastic packaging, like the stuff you must break through before you can use the ISlice. (Favorite customer joke: "What came first? The ISlice or the packaging?")
I hate the ISlice because it does not discourage the wasteful, exaggerated plastic packaging. Instead, it has made opening plastics "easy" and "fun." The product does work; I've tried it. I hate the idea, though, of this tiny blade floating around in homes, one use for one product, the tiny plastic thing for opening plastics. Also, because of the diminutive size of the ISlice, I imagine that it is quickly lost in many homes, thus leaving people unable to open all their gadgets and batteries and CDs without difficulty, tearing up junk drawers and pencil cans looking for that tiny tool they bought just for that situation.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Plastic Bags
I try to ask customers if they "need" plastic bags. I do this purposely and avoid the word "want." Sometimes you just know someone wouldn't think of not taking a bag, so you sack up their purchase without that conversation.
Occasionally you will get a customer that asks for a bag and then is really excited by the bag. "This is a nice bag!" they say, "I will definitely reuse it!" These people are the ones that have been trying not to take bags when they do their shopping, only to find that they rely on them at home. The reused bag is the doggie poop bag, their trash liner, their car seat cover. Those plastic bags which were once a nuisance and crowded their cupboards are now precious objects and guilty pleasures. They take a bag because they need one to be a shield between their hand and gross realities.
I will admit that I had that thought. "What will I line the trash can with?" But you know what I did? I just didn't line it. And though the trash can make get a little dirtier without its plastic bag condom, IT IS A TRASH CAN. It is made for garbage. I hose it out once in awhile and call it good.
Try it customers! Set yourself free!
Occasionally you will get a customer that asks for a bag and then is really excited by the bag. "This is a nice bag!" they say, "I will definitely reuse it!" These people are the ones that have been trying not to take bags when they do their shopping, only to find that they rely on them at home. The reused bag is the doggie poop bag, their trash liner, their car seat cover. Those plastic bags which were once a nuisance and crowded their cupboards are now precious objects and guilty pleasures. They take a bag because they need one to be a shield between their hand and gross realities.
I will admit that I had that thought. "What will I line the trash can with?" But you know what I did? I just didn't line it. And though the trash can make get a little dirtier without its plastic bag condom, IT IS A TRASH CAN. It is made for garbage. I hose it out once in awhile and call it good.
Try it customers! Set yourself free!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Saddest Plastic Bag Story in the World
I was ringing this customer one day. She was an older woman, pleasant, but sort of ordinary. I was in a crappy mood that day, so I was judging everything about everyone. I asked her if she needed a bag. She said she did and actually asked if she could have a big one even though her purchases would easily fit inside a medium size bag.
When I bent down to grab a bag, I rolled my eyes, but was all fake, gracious smiles when I rose up. Our transaction should have been over. I gave her pathetic, wasteful ass the big flippin bag she wanted. But then she had to tell me how she uses the large bags to line the car seat so that she can more easily swivel her disabled husband out. I glanced out the window and there, in the handicap stop, I saw a silhouette of a larger man, on the passenger side of a crappy old car.
I thought about how durable our plastic bags are and how long it must take them to wear one out. I imagined that the wife was probably on her biennial shopping trip. She comes to the store, gets one pretty little knick-knack and a big plastic bag and the rest of the time they are frugal little mice because their health problems consume them.
Goddamn it I am a jerk.
When I bent down to grab a bag, I rolled my eyes, but was all fake, gracious smiles when I rose up. Our transaction should have been over. I gave her pathetic, wasteful ass the big flippin bag she wanted. But then she had to tell me how she uses the large bags to line the car seat so that she can more easily swivel her disabled husband out. I glanced out the window and there, in the handicap stop, I saw a silhouette of a larger man, on the passenger side of a crappy old car.
I thought about how durable our plastic bags are and how long it must take them to wear one out. I imagined that the wife was probably on her biennial shopping trip. She comes to the store, gets one pretty little knick-knack and a big plastic bag and the rest of the time they are frugal little mice because their health problems consume them.
Goddamn it I am a jerk.
The (sh)It Bag
I just learned that my store spends $18,000 a year on plastic bags. They are heavy-duty plastic with our logo printed on them and we use 3 different sizes, the largest one capable of bearing 35-40 pounds.
We are a locally owned business, one-of-a-kind, with the original owner still acting as buyer. We employee 20-40 people depending on the time of year. So $18,000 a year is like, a full-time minimum wage worker's yearly salary.
Personally, I hate taking bags at stores. For many years, I have avoided it whenever possible. I am THRILLED that it is becoming fashionable to have your own tote or to not use a bag at all, especially when it is something ridiculous to have in a bag, like a bag.
It has been my routine when ringing up a customer to ask if they "need" a bag, instead of automatically putting items in bags or asking if they "want" a bag. Whether they are aware of it or not, people actually consider whether or not they need a bag.
It seems like one of the simplest things we all can do to help each other out. Not only are we creating less waste when we don't take bags; it may also help that store to stay in business. It is a small thing, but those things add up. Those large plastic bags cost us $.45 apiece. Think about how much a bag costs next time you take one. If we started charging customers for each bag they "needed," you can bet they would be more willing to throw items in their purse or hold them under their arms.
One thing that customers always say that I am so tired of hearing is "I bring my canvas bags with me, but I always forget them in the car!" And everyone is too lazy to go back to their car to get their bags. No way would they pile groceries back in their cart after paying and put them in the bags at the car. I tell customers, in an encouraging way, that it is just a matter of retraining yourself. But people seem very slow to change their methods.
One customer made the most brilliant statement. She was shopping with a friend and the friend tried to pull the "I forgot my bags in the car" routine. Customer said "You know what I do when I forget my bags? I carry everything out in my arms. It is awkward and embarrassing, but I do it to punish myself. After doing that 3 or 4 times, I didn't forget my bags anymore."
Sometimes, it is possible for a customer to be my hero, if just for one day.
Someday I will tell you the saddest plastic bag story in the world.
We are a locally owned business, one-of-a-kind, with the original owner still acting as buyer. We employee 20-40 people depending on the time of year. So $18,000 a year is like, a full-time minimum wage worker's yearly salary.
Personally, I hate taking bags at stores. For many years, I have avoided it whenever possible. I am THRILLED that it is becoming fashionable to have your own tote or to not use a bag at all, especially when it is something ridiculous to have in a bag, like a bag.
It has been my routine when ringing up a customer to ask if they "need" a bag, instead of automatically putting items in bags or asking if they "want" a bag. Whether they are aware of it or not, people actually consider whether or not they need a bag.
It seems like one of the simplest things we all can do to help each other out. Not only are we creating less waste when we don't take bags; it may also help that store to stay in business. It is a small thing, but those things add up. Those large plastic bags cost us $.45 apiece. Think about how much a bag costs next time you take one. If we started charging customers for each bag they "needed," you can bet they would be more willing to throw items in their purse or hold them under their arms.
One thing that customers always say that I am so tired of hearing is "I bring my canvas bags with me, but I always forget them in the car!" And everyone is too lazy to go back to their car to get their bags. No way would they pile groceries back in their cart after paying and put them in the bags at the car. I tell customers, in an encouraging way, that it is just a matter of retraining yourself. But people seem very slow to change their methods.
One customer made the most brilliant statement. She was shopping with a friend and the friend tried to pull the "I forgot my bags in the car" routine. Customer said "You know what I do when I forget my bags? I carry everything out in my arms. It is awkward and embarrassing, but I do it to punish myself. After doing that 3 or 4 times, I didn't forget my bags anymore."
Sometimes, it is possible for a customer to be my hero, if just for one day.
Someday I will tell you the saddest plastic bag story in the world.
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