Where in the World Isn't Bob Saget?

[Lilofan]

Nope. But don't take my 25 + years retail experience into account.

That’s a good one. I’ve managed store operations in my career. Have you ? Labor costs are always being looked at which impact bottom line. One back injury on the job by a staff member can run into 6 figures to include hospital , therapy etc all covered by the employer. Saving on payroll is obviously not in your mindset. Companies that celebrate their success like 90 day accident free, 1 yr etc is a win win for the company and staff. Working safely and company doesn’t have to shell out for workers comp costs which get taken out of company earnings.

 

[Lilofan]

It's to encourage people to return the trolley. it might only be a quarter but you would be surprised how many disappear.

Part of what you said is correct but Aldi doesn’t have to pay a staff member to do the job. Efficiency and labor savings 101.

 

[Lilofan]

Does anyone remember when the baggers at the grocery stores would actually bring all the groceries to the car and load them in the car for you? Or some of our grocery stores had a system where the baggers would put all the bags in a big tub, give you a number, then put the tub on a rolling belt to an area that lead outside . Then you’d go to your car and drive to the tub area outside and a store employee would load up your car. That used to be the norm when I was a kid. That was a nice service.

Go shopping at Publix in FL. Still in effect and they don’t accept tips. And FL customers don’t have to pay 10 cents a bag like in NJ.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

We have one in town that will still do that. They ask if you want your groceries loaded for you, then you pull your car under an overhang, then they load it for you. I usually only shop there for meat and occasionally a couple other things because their groceries are more expensive. I typically do Walmart for groceries. During the school year I do curbside pickups because weekends are super busy, and it saves lots of time. During the summer I'll go in, just to get out and about.

I usually just do Walmart pick even in the summer. But every couple of months I will go in and wander around. One of the local grocery stores usually has a good mark down bin for meat so I will stop there when I am near the store to check out the bargain meat bin.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Go shopping at Publix in FL. Still in effect and they don’t accept tips. And FL customers don’t have to pay 10 cents a bag like in NJ.

Well I live in Wisconsin so that would be a long journey for me to go grocery shopping. Although I have stopped at one when I have picked up supplies while vacationing in Florida. In Wisconsin we don't have to pay for bags either.

 

[rshell68]

Does anyone remember when the baggers at the grocery stores would actually bring all the groceries to the car and load them in the car for you? Or some of our grocery stores had a system where the baggers would put all the bags in a big tub, give you a number, then put the tub on a rolling belt to an area that lead outside . Then you’d go to your car and drive to the tub area outside and a store employee would load up your car. That used to be the norm when I was a kid. That was a nice service.

Publix in our area offer to help. The one closest to our house has the rolling belt thingie-bobber. Though truth be told the median age of our area is 80 so I'm thinking that plays a part.

 

[Lilofan]

Well I live in Wisconsin so that would be a long journey for me to go grocery shopping. Although I have stopped at one when I have picked up supplies while vacationing in Florida. In Wisconsin we don't have to pay for bags either.

I think its a matter of when not if in the states that customers not paying for plastic bags.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I think its a matter of when not if in the states that customers not paying for plastic bags.

What? I don't understand your statement. I know some states have a bag fee, mine doesn't. I also didn't understand why you included NJ in your previous quote of one of my posts either, but whatever.

 

[JenniferS]

Go shopping at Publix in FL. Still in effect and they don’t accept tips. And FL customers don’t have to pay 10 cents a bag like in NJ.

Love Publix!

Ontario customers don’t pay for bags either - they’re simply not available. You either bring in your own reusable bag, or you load the loose items back into your cart and sort it out once you get to your car.

That actually happens more than I would like to admit. I go in for one item, so I don’t bother with a taking bag, but then come out with 2/3 of a cart.

The reason that most groceries that play the coin return game is to prevent cart theft. Pure and simple. Nothing to do with not wanting to pay an employee to fetch them, given that you still return your cart to a cart corral; you just click into the cart ahead of you to pop out your coin. The carts don’t then wheel themselves from the corral to the store. A paid employee still retrieves the carts from the corral.

Cart theft is huge. Some for kicks, some by the homeless, some for who knows why. Google “shopping theft cart” and you’ll see.

We also have the RFID locking wheels at some places, where the carts simply lock outside of a determined perimeter. That’s a pricier solution though.

 

[Figgy1]

Love Publix!

Ontario customers don’t pay for bags either - they’re simply not available. You either bring in your own reusable bag, or you load the loose items back into your cart and sort it out once you get to your car.

That actually happens more than I would like to admit. I go in for one item, so I don’t bother with a taking bag, but then come out with 2/3 of a cart.

The reason that most groceries that play the coin return game is to prevent cart theft. Pure and simple. Nothing to do with not wanting to pay an employee to fetch them, given that you still return your cart to a cart corral; you just click into the cart ahead of you to pop out your coin. The carts don’t then wheel themselves from the corral to the store. A paid employee still retrieves the carts from the corral.

Cart theft is huge. Some for kicks, some by the homeless, some for who knows why. Google “shopping theft cart” and you’ll see.

We also have the RFID locking wheels at some places, where the carts simply lock outside of a determined perimeter. That’s a pricier solution though.

There's one store down by my mom's where it got so bad they put up gates you can't take the cart past. It's open 24/7 and they have staff that takes your cart until you pull your car up and they load the groceries. It works like a valet. What gets me is it isn't an area with a homeless population and while not ritzy it isn't high crime. That happened before the quarter thing became common and I guess it works for them because they never changed to the other system even after doing a full cart replacement

 

[Figgy1]

@JenniferS the boys forgot to put the bags in the car once and only once. I'm surprised you didn't hear that rant The cars have organizers so it wasn't too bad loading loose items into the car and bringing them in. Well the bringing them in wasn't bad for me
The first place I ran into the quarter thing was in a neighborhood with million dollar homes (back then prices) back when the boys were very little. I'm going with stupid kicks was the reason for cart theft there. I heard stories about males of a certain age racing them down the big hill

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

That’s a good one. I’ve managed store operations in my career. Have you ? Labor costs are always being looked at which impact bottom line. One back injury on the job by a staff member can run into 6 figures to include hospital , therapy etc all covered by the employer. Saving on payroll is obviously not in your mindset. Companies that celebrate their success like 90 day accident free, 1 yr etc is a win win for the company and staff. Working safely and company doesn’t have to shell out for workers comp costs which get taken out of company earnings.

 

[Lilofan]

Love Publix!

Ontario customers don’t pay for bags either - they’re simply not available. You either bring in your own reusable bag, or you load the loose items back into your cart and sort it out once you get to your car.

That actually happens more than I would like to admit. I go in for one item, so I don’t bother with a taking bag, but then come out with 2/3 of a cart.

The reason that most groceries that play the coin return game is to prevent cart theft. Pure and simple. Nothing to do with not wanting to pay an employee to fetch them, given that you still return your cart to a cart corral; you just click into the cart ahead of you to pop out your coin. The carts don’t then wheel themselves from the corral to the store. A paid employee still retrieves the carts from the corral.

Cart theft is huge. Some for kicks, some by the homeless, some for who knows why. Google “shopping theft cart” and you’ll see.

We also have the RFID locking wheels at some places, where the carts simply lock outside of a determined perimeter. That’s a pricier solution though.

Find that very hard to believe on not a labor savings , a former peer of mine works for Aldi and advised me reasons why customers return carts which some points you brought up is true. In the Aldi I've shopped in it is bare bones labor staffing , 2 cashiers, one mgr roaming around and not one staff member stocking shelves and that's during a busy afternoon.

 

[Lilofan]

What? I don't understand your statement. I know some states have a bag fee, mine doesn't. I also didn't understand why you included NJ in your previous quote of one of my posts either, but whatever.

You really think a non bag fee is permanent ? You might want to think again. Case in point - NJ which I have visited charges for plastic bags. Other states don't.

 

[Figgy1]

Find that very hard to believe on not a labor savings , a former peer of mine works for Aldi and advised me reasons why customers return carts which some points you brought up is true. In the Aldi I've shopped in it is bare bones labor staffing , 2 cashiers, one mgr roaming around and not one staff member stocking shelves and that's during a busy afternoon.

Your Aldis are run differently than the ones around here. I'm not saying there aren't cost saving things in place but they also have the lowest prices, on some items by a large margin. I don't expect valet and a massage when getting bargain basement prices while also having a smaller but excellently curated selection of products

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

@JenniferS the boys forgot to put the bags in the car once and only once. I'm surprised you didn't hear that rant The cars have organizers so it wasn't too bad loading loose items into the car and bringing them in. Well the bringing them in wasn't bad for me
The first place I ran into the quarter thing was in a neighborhood with million dollar homes (back then prices) back when the boys were very little. I'm going with stupid kicks was the reason for cart theft there. I heard stories about males of a certain age racing them down the big hill

Who won ?

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

You really think a non bag fee is permanent ? You might want to think again. Case in point - NJ which I have visited charges for plastic bags. Other states don't.

I don't know why you are arguing me about a bag fee! I just said my state doesn't have it, if my state or a local business charges for a fee in the future I will either pay for it or bring a bag (just like I have done in places that do that). It is like you are looking to pick an argument or something, maybe you should just discuss it with one of your many acquaintances.

I also don't know why you keep bringing up NJ to me. I'm sure it is a decent state but I DO NOT live there or anywhere close to there.

 

[Lilofan]

Your Aldis are run differently than the ones around here. I'm not saying there aren't cost saving things in place but they also have the lowest prices, on some items by a large margin. I don't expect valet and a massage when getting bargain basement prices while also having a smaller but excellently curated selection of products

A massage has been helpful since with nationwide Planet Fitness membership , Aldi is a few doors down from PF , no appt required to melt in their massage chairs and or massage beds.

 

[Bullseye1967]

Really? Other stores do the same? It is smart because people are lazy and leave carts everywhere. But I never carry money.

 

[Lilofan]

I don't know why you are arguing me about a bag fee! I just said my state doesn't have it, if my state or a local business charges for a fee in the future I will either pay for it or bring a bag (just like I have done in places that do that). It is like you are looking to pick an argument or something, maybe you should just discuss it with one of your many acquaintances.

I also don't know why you keep bringing up NJ to me. I'm sure it is a decent state but I DO NOT live there or anywhere close to there.

No argument , you stated you do not have a plastic bag fee, I mentioned it is not if but when there will be a fee all in the name to save the environment which is a good thing.