Would you like a bag with that???

I think it was a bit foolish on the cashier's part. Unless you were buying one of those 8 packs or something that is small enough to fit in a purse, but I'm assuming you bought the multi pack which is too large to fit into most purses. Regardless what the item was, that size item should require a bag. Perhaps this particular cashier had her own views of what needed a bag and what didn't, but at least she asked instead of just assuming you did not want one!

OMG did I get a good laugh with this. I even had to read this to my husband. You're a riot. hehehe There just isn't any common sense left in this old world.

They aren't told to ask, they use their own judgement. I would have reacted the same way. Of course you want a bag for those. I seriously think that they don't use their brains sometimes.

Hehe yeah, that is funny but she may be so used to asking customers that, it probably became automatic to her, even though she wasn't paying attention to what you had just purchased :) But yeah that is funny!

Cashiers are typically trained to always ask whether or not you want a bag. Let them do their job. I personally don't care if someone sees me carrying a box of tampons to the car (and I usually bring my own bag anyway). Regardless of what you are buying, the cashier is supposed to ask you for a bag because people are different - you could have a cloth bag stuffed into your purse, you might be running outside to a car parked two feet from the front door, you may want a preference for plastic or paper. Whatever. It has nothing to do with the store saving money, it's customary service in any store to ask. Be nice to service workers, they have to deal with a lot of mean people.

Was it a guy or a girl who asked you? Was the cashier distracted or repeating a question she asks all day, every day? It does seem a bit insensitive. What about toilet paper? There's never a bag for that. I get so embarassed walking out to my car with ten rolls of tp riding on the bottom of my cart. Isn't that silly?

LOL! Sorry it's not funny to be in that situation but I just want to laugh at what the lady told you. I think she didn't really mean that you might want to carry it like that. But as a teller or cashier she automatically asks each customer this same question and you know it's not easy to turn this off once it has been activated in the long-term memory. I went to Lidl one morning to buy the same thing but alas I forgot to carry a bag. And you know Lidl they charge for plastic bags so I went to the post office instead and bought the item there.

It's probably a little of both. They are probably told to not give out bags when they can avoid doing so, but I also think that they use their own judgement as well. For example, when my oldest son and I went to the hardware store a few weeks ago, we only got one or 2 small items that my son or I could have easily held. The cashier asked if I wanted these to be bagged and I told him no thank you. The next thing I knew, he said that he was going to put them in a bag anyway. I was a little shocked as I already told him no, but as he is senior citizen I didn't argue the point.

I think it's just a reaction that cashiers have when someone is only buying one or two things. I doubt they were even paying much attention to what it is you were actually buying or maybe it didn't occur to them. I personally would not have taken a bag, but I try to avoid using plastic bags when I can just carry something or stick it in my purse. Menstruation is a natural thing, go with the flow and let the world know! (I just wrote you that nice poem, whywiki.)

Hi whywiki, I am a cashier and I'd have done the same thing. So many come in and buy tampons and look at me as if I'm nuts when I go to put their tampons in a bag. They just grab them and go. I'd say it is a rare that someone really cares about the bag for those sort of things anymore. I agree with you...I would want a bag. It is just a common thing we have to ask so many times during a shift that sometimes it just comes out whether necessary or not. I once asked a customer if he needed a bag when all he got is gas. I'm quite sure it was not the stores suggestion that the clerks try to save on bags.

Look at it like this. The box is small and if you have a big purse then you could have slipped it right in your bag and walked out of the store. If you did't have a big bag they you would have needed a bag to carry it in. But don't get upset. That's a minor thing and then again saving money on those plastic bags. Soon they will be going back to paper bags that can be recycled with not problem unlike plastic.

Did you have any other bags on you or a handbag that they could have fitted in? If you did, I can see why she asked but otherwise I would have thought it natural to assume the customer would want a bag.

I work in a supermarket and we have to offer bags before scanning the customers groceries. I dont always if I see them with bags or depending what they are buying. Some women just shove it in their handbags (they have those big massive handbags!!) The company could be cutting down on bags but should still offer them. I wouldnt have wanted to walk around carrying tampons or a packet of pads!!

I think she went by her own judgement, a man would have shoved them into a bag immediately.

haha this has happened to me already. i have bought 1 iced tea in a bottle and the lady cashier asked me if she should give me a plastic bag for that. i just said of course i need a bag with this.

i think its just very idiotic, why they question so? it is quite implied that you need a bag with those items. its just their way of cost cutting a si guess.

I would just like to hope that she was on automatic pilot and wasn't thinking. Or she may have thought you just wanted to tuck it away in your purse. I do wonder if the stores are trying to cut costs by asking if we want bags

I thought those kind of things only happened to me. I've noticed that they are asking more often if I want a bag. It must be a way of trying to save money for the stores. It should be understood that most people would expect a bag. Especially with personal items.

I'm betting it was a slipup, more of a pre-programmed response that she's using to saying with everything small. I can't imagine she would think you really wouldn't want a bag, but who knows!

I guess you are right. Stores should have bags come handy even if you just buy a gum. But then, maybe you are right too that the stores want to save on bags too. Once I went to the store and the lady put the stuff I bought in the bag and then I say never mind, I will just put them in my own bag. So maybe that lady have encountered me or some people who refuse to use the store's bag for the goods they bought. Right now, since the earth day, a lot of people are bringing their own re-usable grocery bags to the store when they do the grocery. I do that too because I got a discount on my groceries if I bring my own bag.