Would you be offended?

[Littleskipper]

The manager at my store checked me out today. I was at the end of the basket and pulled it forward to the checkout. While he got set up I started unloading a couple of things and once he looked ready to start I handed him my kroger card (always like to give them this BEFORE they scan). He immediately asked "do you have anything under your cart I need to scan?" I answered yes as I was busy unloading the rest of the items of the cart. I thought "well I'm sure you saw the items under there" and "are you implying that I would not pay for those items"? I always put my meat under the cart so that bacteria won't touch anything else and I also happen to put detergent there today. Maybe it looked funny because my cart wasn't full but I had my big bag and my coupon binder taking up space in the main part of the cart. I have my son with me and he grabs everything so I tend to place items on the farthest end and didn't want the detergent to smush my bread and zucchini.:shrug7:

[lmcconne]

I would not be offended. Have you ever noticed mirrors on the side of the register lane, positioned fairly low? If all about keeping everybody honest.

[fperkins]

I wouldn't be offended. My cashiers at Kroger always ask if I have anything under the basket and if I do, generally the sacker comes and offers to help put it on the belt. (And do not look like I cannot lift my groceries.) I just think they are trying to be helpful.

[texxie]

I would'nt be offended either. Typically, people put heavy items on the bottom. My cashiers often ask cause that's where I put my coke 12 packs, DH's beer, etc. I look like a fool trying to haul that stuff up:hysterical: them asking makes my life easier. lol

[seedlady]

nope- they even have a sign that says "bob" at each checkout at my store- to remind them to check the bottom of the basket.


he trusted you enough to let you check.

[Littleskipper]

okay - I guess I may have taken wrongly. The manager is a little aloof so I wasn't sure.

[cupcake85]

Nah they are supposed to ask, there's even a sign saying if they don't you get a free Big K at one of my stores.

[puakinikini]

No, I would not be offended. BOB (bottom of the basket) is big here - they ask me every time but it could be because I have 3 kiddos hanging out in my basket which means most of the food goes on the bottom. I share your concern about the meat and try to keep it separate.

[daniela6968]

I do get offended when they do it to me and not the person before me. I was at Tom Thumb and only had 20 items in one of their smaller buggy. The lady in front was an older woman and had quite a few items. The cashier (guy) was all nice with her and I thought he was cool. Then I put my stuff on the belt, he leans way over his register to look into my buggy and at the bottom so obvious he thought I had things there. I guess I have a look to me that made him distrustful. :( Not my fault I had free snapple! But it did make me feel weird.

[SaraO]

No, but it would depend on tone and attitude.

[sanam125]

BOB= bottom of bascart. Its a requirement for the cashier/bagger to ask you this question at Krogers. It varies by area/store. They have BOB audits and mystery shops and if they fail, they get lectured by management. Please don't feel offended...its part of their job to make sure they have scanned all items.

[maggiew]

Offended? No.

Rushed? YES!

Maybe it is just my Kroger, but it seems like they always ask that when I am still trying to empty the top part of the cart, and it makes me feel as though I move too slowly.

[jaws1]

Not at all! ... sorta on the same line: I have a habit of putting small items that would fall through the basket (like some pens) in my hand. I carry it all through my shopping trip in my hand ... don't know how many times I've checked out (even unloading groceries, still holding item), gotten out to my car, put stuff in car then go to grab steering wheel ... only to realize I still have the item clenched in my hand ...
THEN, I have to go back in, get in line, pay for the item, go back out to car ...
Sometimes I wish they'd ask if I bought a soda to drink while I shopped and/or to please open my hands!! It'd save me trips back in the store to pay for those items! (yeah ... I'm a baaddd couponer, always "taking advantage" of the system ... ! ... and I sometimes wish my mom hadn't drilled into our heads "honesty is the best policy" -- it keeps costing ME money!)

[donnamcole]

Wow.. I wandered in here in error, because we don't have Kroger in NJ.. LOL. But you really have carts where you can put stuff on the bottom in Texas?! They stopped making those here at least 15 years ago... I presume because of theft or forgetfulness issues. My store did get way bigger carts about 5 years ago - it's actually tough for me to grab stuff in the bottom since I am 5'2" and they are quite deep. But I miss that bottom space for bags of softerner salt and other big, heavy "stuff"!

Next you'll tell me you don't have to deposit a quarter to get a cart and return the cart to the storage slot to get your quarter back!

Donna

[debtfreemom]

Next you'll tell me you don't have to deposit a quarter to get a cart and return the cart to the storage slot to get your quarter back!

Donna

pfffft..... No we don't have to. haha! So basically, they charge you a quarter if you leave your cart in the parking lot. That's funny! and kind of sad!

[jaws1]

Next you'll tell me you don't have to deposit a quarter to get a cart and return the cart to the storage slot to get your quarter back!

Donna

Man! I heard "they" did things different north of the Mason-Dixon Line, but that's just rude to make ya pay a deposit on a grocery cart ... if I don't return it, can I take it home?!

Then, again, don't y'all get like 5¢ a bag for using your own bags? We get nothing ... not even a Thank you.

Some stores have gone to the DEEP carts and not much space underneath ... think they found out people putting heavy stuff in the bottom got back injuries trying to lift it out ... .
Some stores have a real shallow (8"?) top "basket" ... they don't want me to buy much.

I'm short, like you ... hate those extra deep baskets ... have to almost climb inside the darned thing to get my groceries out -- then, they wanna gripe at ya for crawling in basket!

[murphycoupons]

pfffft..... No we don't have to. haha! So basically, they charge you a quarter if you leave your cart in the parking lot. That's funny! and kind of sad!

We do not have those types of carts. Man you should have seen me the first time I tried to get one of those in the UK about 10 years ago. I think there was a crowd of them laughing at the American who was puling and pulling and did not any money in :hysterical:

I wish we had those here. Either my car would not have as many dings from lose carts or I would have extra money for collecting the lose carts, returning them, and taking the money out!!! :BigHand:

The way my Kroger parking lot looks I could easily make an extra 5.00 or so each trip in about 3 minutes.

[aimeebee]

BOB= bottom of bascart. Its a requirement for the cashier/bagger to ask you this question at Krogers. It varies by area/store. They have BOB audits and mystery shops and if they fail, they get lectured by management. Please don't feel offended...its part of their job to make sure they have scanned all items.

Yep, what she said. They get counted off on mystery shops if they don't ask this question. He shouldn't rush you or use a tone, but asking the question is a job requirement.

[donnamcole]

Man! I heard "they" did things different north of the Mason-Dixon Line, but that's just rude to make ya pay a deposit on a grocery cart ... if I don't return it, can I take it home?!

Then, again, don't y'all get like 5¢ a bag for using your own bags? We get nothing ... not even a Thank you.

Some stores have gone to the DEEP carts and not much space underneath ... think they found out people putting heavy stuff in the bottom got back injuries trying to lift it out ... .
Some stores have a real shallow (8"?) top "basket" ... they don't want me to buy much.

I'm short, like you ... hate those extra deep baskets ... have to almost climb inside the darned thing to get my groceries out -- then, they wanna gripe at ya for crawling in basket!

Nope, we don't get to keep the cart :wink7: but when my son was a bit younger, he used to love racing around the parking lot to put back carts abandoned with quarters in them. A LOT of people just abandon the carts when there is rain, snow or extreme cold. He made a few bucks each trip :hysterical:

I will admit I rarely have cart dings on my van since they've done this... otoh, why would people just leave their cart wherever? It seems like people should have enough common sense and courtesy to return the carts to one of the 4 million or so return corrals (they really are everywhere, so you only need to walk maybe 25 feet to return your cart) rather than let them just sit all over the lot. The fact that the store has to hold a quarter hostage to get people to use common courtesy just seems so crazy to me. It IS a real PITA to remember to have a quarter handy every time you shop... and lots of fun if you put the quarter in and then something jambs the cart and you can't pull it out :rolleyes24:

It especially irks me to see people put their cart right in the center of a handicapped spot.. as if someone who needs special parking needs to get out, move the cart, park the car, then either take THAT cart or hope no one shoves it into their car.

Yup, I've visited the south and shopped there and a result, I do indeed think some of us to the north need to learn some manners in comparison.

We do get credit for bag reuse... 5 cents for fabric, 2 cents for paper or plastic. That has paid off for me... we've had promos where you get a free canvas bag for buying cereal or whatnot. I have at least 40 canvas bags from those promos over the past 2 years, and though a few have worn out or ripped, I would have gotten back at least the $1 they usually cost if I'd had to use real money to buy them. They hold a LOT of weight and last a long time. They are NOT washable, which is their main flaw.. I still end up grabbing plastic bags to wrap meat and drippy stuff before they go into the canvas bags.

Donna

[pedspeech]

Then, again, don't y'all get like 5¢ a bag for using your own bags? We get nothing ... not even a Thank you.

You may want to ask- I know they are doing it in our region now, but I have to ask for the "reward" every time. It is .03 per reusable bag but not all of the cashiers know how to do it. If I have an unfamiliar cashier and am in a hurry it isn't worth the hassle to try (since I have ended up spending time in the line at customer service to fix mistakes related to this on a couple of occasions). When the store isn't busy I make a point of asking for the discount- I figure if I teach all of them to do it that I can eventually get my .12 off per visit! I have only one cashier that will voluntarily adhere to this promotion. If I were you I would ask your manager- "Hey, a friend of mine said they are getting .03 off per bag in Mississippi now- are y'all doing that?" Couldn't hurt!

I wouldn't mind putting in a quarter per cart at all if there were a couple of "docking stations" in the parking lot. I didn't like having to walk all the way back to the store to return it when I used to shop at Aldi's. Also, when I get out of the car holding a baby, a coupon binder, and a stack of reusable bags I am looking for a cart to dump it all in way before I get to the store.

[patts]

At my store there are signs at every register stating - If we fail to ask if you need assistance unloading the bottom of your basket, we owe you a free 2 ltr. Kroger soda. So, no...I wouldn't be offended. My Kroger is very customer friendly, thankfully!

[patts]

Deposit a quarter? Never heard of such!! Now, at that I would be offended... lol.
Guess you don't have workers ask to help you take your groceries out to your car either? When they do that, they can return the cart on their way back in.

[donnamcole]

Deposit a quarter? Never heard of such!! Now, at that I would be offended... lol.
Guess you don't have workers ask to help you take your groceries out to your car either? When they do that, they can return the cart on their way back in.

:hysterical: Um... no. We do have "bag your own" lanes and self checkout scan your own lanes. If you really "need" them, we do have cashiers who will ring and bag your order, but that is IT. NJ is kind of "hurry up would ya" kind of state.

I nearly fell over when I shopped in NC a few summers ago on vacation and a lovely gray haired lady in a Lowes food store vest tried to load my week's worth of groceries into my van. She even called me (half her age and with 2 strapping teenage boys sitting on their lazy butts in the van!) ma'am. I thanked her and told her that my muscled sons needed some exercise.

I guess she needs a job and it's a what you are used to thing, but I would have been mortified to allow someone old enough to be my mother load my groceries while I watched. A teenager, sure.. especially if I had a baby in my arms or had trouble lifting the bags.... but I haven't seen that sort of service available here since... ever.

Donna