Large Department Store Refuses to Give Free Bag

[LarrySR]

8 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

 

Are you kidding me a non-plastic bag only 4b and your buying booze at 3K a bottle. How much did it cost you to go to another store ?

Thais are not big on dissenting public opinion or what the business world calls "customer feedback."

Now he knows.

Edited April 23, 2022 by LarrySR

[Card]

9 hours ago, Banana7 said:

Normally I go out for the day, for a variety of activities, shop after dinner on the way home. I don't want carry around bags for 6 -10 hours. I walk and don't drive a motor vehicle. I don't go out to just shop. Any bag provided is reused. Plastic bags are used as household garbage bags.

There are very strong but thin and light polyester bags u can buy from Big C that roll up into very small packets. I always carry one around in my pocket. Do some thinking around a problem instead of moaning.

[CM Dad]

So how much time did you waste over just a few baht?  Why don't you take your own bags like most of us do?  I find your behavior petty and annoying.

[Tropposurfer]

9 hours ago, Joe Farang said:

What was the bag made of if not plastic?

I remember when the ban on free plastic bags came into Ireland. It was mandatory to pay for them and the store couldn't give them free and absorb the cost.

Why don't you bring your own bags and cut down on pollution, instead of boasting because you got "double bagged" elsewhere

Touche' ????

[LaosLover]

In Mexico, about half the time they don't have a bag at all to offer you.

 

If you want want, you have to pay 50 cents for a cloth one -assuming they have one.

 

The only stores that just gives you a bag are fast food places.

[Crazy Noobie]

A big fuss over a 4 baht bag. First of all, the store you went to , did not offer FREE bags. As the only bags they had were for 4 baht. You can't go to a store and expect them to give you something free that they charge people for. Since you couldn't get something free, you had them refund your money, thinking that would show them. So who did really win?  Well, you are in Thailand and they don't give a <deleted> if you come back to their store or not. Second, maybe you should bring your own bag. You don't have to carry it around, just fold it up and put it in your back pocket. That is what I do. Be prepared. Some shops don't have bags any more, some charge for bags and some give them away free. The main thing is I wouldn't lose sleep over having to pay 4 baht.

[robblok]

9 hours ago, Banana7 said:

Normally I go out for the day, for a variety of activities, shop after dinner on the way home. I don't want carry around bags for 6 -10 hours. I walk and don't drive a motor vehicle. I don't go out to just shop. Any bag provided is reused. Plastic bags are used as household garbage bags.

Good for you making a stand for your right to a free bag. They lost money you lost time.. personally those 10bt are not worth the trouble. Then again some people love conflict and think their actions make inpact.

[Pedrogaz]

My god, how petty can you get?

[kinyara]

Save yourself future stress, petty confrontation and time wasted and get yourself a foldable backpack from Decathlon for 100 baht. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.

Edited April 23, 2022 by kinyara
Addtion

[Liverpool Lou]

10 hours ago, johnbarpic said:

10000 Percent behind your principal you want my my custom provide for the service your charging ????????????????

There service is sales, it is not the provision of carrier bags.

[dingdongrb]

10 hours ago, Banana7 said:

What are your thoughts?

You drink too much!

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, Jingthing said:

If the clerk wasn't empowered to do so a manager should have been even if it meant reaching into his own pocket.

"...and the manager refused..."

[recom273]

Easy enough to dig out the poster for his pettiness, because he thinks he's entitled, put your hand in your pocket and pay the 4B.

 

We should be reducing our single-use plastics.

 

However, same thing happened to me in a very forward thinking local stationary shop, the owner was the first person to adopt a no (plastic) bag policy - I was standing there with rolls of tape, markers, etc - I stuffed my pockets as much as I could, and had to wear the rolls of tape as bracelets, to ride my big bike home.

 

I posted a warning on the local fb group, just to warn folk they need to carry a little bag to use the shop, it was the same response, put it under your seat, in your basket - not everyone has basket or an underseat, I was just trying to make a public service announcement.

 

Put a bag in your pocket? huh? yeah, I always walk about with a bag in my pocket. 

 

Haven't you ever come  across this mentality from Thais? the inability to solve the issue - the guy has an issue, how can he carry three 1L bottles of spirits home?, quite an expensive purchase to drop. The cashier cant give him something that costs 4B for free because they need to account for every bag and every satang, but the manager should have just defused the situation with a smile, and a solution - this could be the manager giving him a free fabric bag, or how about someone to carry the bottles to a taxi, there were probably 20 assistants all watching the drama unfold. Instead, the situation escalated, both parties dug their heels in and the guy got his money back - not only have they lost one sale over 4B, they have probably lost future purchases.

[KhunLA]

Since the 'war on plastic', who actually expects free bags ?  I certainly don't, though usually do receive.  Always have a bag with me if shopping, or simply wheel purchases out to the car & bag there.

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by KhunLA

[FolkGuitar]

I don't understand your (the OP) position. Thai law says no more free disposable bags. Not the shop... but Thai law.  Why do you feel that you should not be subject to that law? Is there something special about you that we don't know?  And then, you feel so entitled that you come here complaining that you aren't receiving special treatment?  Is your name Karen?

[JeffersLos]

The shopkeeper round here would give you a hand-shandy if you spent 10,000 baht in there. And he's not even gay. 

[robblok]

19 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Easy enough to dig out the poster for his pettiness, because he thinks he's entitled, put your hand in your pocket and pay the 4B.

 

We should be reducing our single-use plastics.

 

However, same thing happened to me in a very forward thinking local stationary shop, the owner was the first person to adopt a no (plastic) bag policy - I was standing there with rolls of tape, markers, etc - I stuffed my pockets as much as I could, and had to wear the rolls of tape as bracelets, to ride my big bike home.

 

I posted a warning on the local fb group, just to warn folk they need to carry a little bag to use the shop, it was the same response, put it under your seat, in your basket - not everyone has basket or an underseat, I was just trying to make a public service announcement.

 

Put a bag in your pocket? huh? yeah, I always walk about with a bag in my pocket. 

 

Haven't you ever come  across this mentality from Thais? the inability to solve the issue - the guy has an issue, how can he carry three 1L bottles of spirits home?, quite an expensive purchase to drop. The cashier cant give him something that costs 4B for free because they need to account for every bag and every satang, but the manager should have just defused the situation with a smile, and a solution - this could be the manager giving him a free fabric bag, or how about someone to carry the bottles to a taxi, there were probably 20 assistants all watching the drama unfold. Instead, the situation escalated, both parties dug their heels in and the guy got his money back - not only have they lost one sale over 4B, they have probably lost future purchases.

Your right that the manager should have solved it but did not. But not only did the shop lose money the OP lost time too. Personally i would not care for 4bt after spending 9000bt 4bt extra is nothing. 

 

I mean i might not like it that I don't get a bag, but its not only bad for the shop if i cancel the order. It also means i would have to buy my stuff elsewhere.

 

Maybe  some people are bored to death then sure no problem. But i would not have wasted my time like this for 4bt. Principle or not not worth it for me.

[blackshadow]

9 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

You did make the suggestion that purchases of goods where alot of money is spent should receive free plastic bags , its stands to reason that people who spend alot of money are richer than those who don't spend that amount of money . So people who spend a lot of money should get free plastic bags and those who dont spend alot of money would need to pay for bags  

last time i in makro.....I am sure they charged me 11 baht for a big plastic bag.....

I had spent over 5 k on goods !!!!

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, blackshadow said:

last time i in makro.....I am sure they charged me 11 baht for a big plastic bag.....

I had spent over 5 k on goods !!!!

Makro has never bagged anything, ever.  Wasn't that 11 baht bag a 'purchase' of a reusable bag ?

Edited April 23, 2022 by KhunLA

[Burma Bill]

11 hours ago, Banana7 said:

What are your thoughts?

Thank you for your post and I totally agree with your actions whatever others think. Some years ago when I lived in Thailand and the plastic bag ban was introduced, I experienced a similar bag refusal at a checkout in Tesco Lotus. Fortunately I had not paid for my purchases and I was able to walk out leaving the goods stacked by the till. I went to a rival supermarket which did provide free bags. No problems here in Cambodia where most shops/supermarkets provide free plastic bags. Back home I use these bags for household rubbish and carrying purchases from MAKRO in Siem Reap. Other people use them for laundry, shopping at local market etc. 

Edited April 23, 2022 by Burma Bill
additional information

[Mac Mickmanus]

23 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Easy enough to dig out the poster for his pettiness, because he thinks he's entitled, put your hand in your pocket and pay the 4B.

 

We should be reducing our single-use plastics.

 

However, same thing happened to me in a very forward thinking local stationary shop, the owner was the first person to adopt a no (plastic) bag policy - I was standing there with rolls of tape, markers, etc - I stuffed my pockets as much as I could, and had to wear the rolls of tape as bracelets, to ride my big bike home.

 

I posted a warning on the local fb group, just to warn folk they need to carry a little bag to use the shop, it was the same response, put it under your seat, in your basket - not everyone has basket or an underseat, I was just trying to make a public service announcement.

 

Put a bag in your pocket? huh? yeah, I always walk about with a bag in my pocket. 

 

Haven't you ever come  across this mentality from Thais? the inability to solve the issue - the guy has an issue, how can he carry three 1L bottles of spirits home?, quite an expensive purchase to drop. The cashier cant give him something that costs 4B for free because they need to account for every bag and every satang, but the manager should have just defused the situation with a smile, and a solution - this could be the manager giving him a free fabric bag, or how about someone to carry the bottles to a taxi, there were probably 20 assistants all watching the drama unfold. Instead, the situation escalated, both parties dug their heels in and the guy got his money back - not only have they lost one sale over 4B, they have probably lost future purchases.

Thais don't usually have an issue with these kinds of problems  , it usually gets resolved without one person storming off in a bad mood calling for mass staff dismissals .

   Say what you want about Thais , but they do seem to have the ability to get min or issues solved without calling for a revolution and how everything must change........................because they don't have a plastic bag and dont want to pay 4 Baht to put their 9000 Baht purchase in .

   I do think that Thais would get the problem solved and they would nt storm off in a bad mood

[blackshadow]

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Makro has never bagged anything, ever.  Wasn't that 11 baht bag a 'purchase' of a reusable bag ?

yes it was.......

[FolkGuitar]

21 minutes ago, recom273 said:

... not only have they lost one sale over 4B, they have probably lost future purchases.

... and perhaps done their socially-responsible part to help save the planet. Sure, it's a small part. But that's all it takes... each of us doing our own small part. Unfortunately, these days we seem to need laws to make us do our small part. It's no major inconvenience for us all to follow this law.

Pain in the a$$? Perhaps. But have you been to the beach lately? Gone swimming with all the plastic trash in the water? This photo is from the Caribbean... the pristine blue waters so many used to flock to. These floating plastic islands are found in every ocean today, some of the miles wide. As a SCUBA diver, I say it sucks. As a concerned citizen of this planet, I say it's criminal.

[Leaver]

 

Banana7 - "Really?  You are not going to give me a free bag." 

 

Manager - "Sir, I can do a better deal for you because you are a good customer.  I'll make the cost of the bag 9,004 baht, but I will give you 3 free bottles of alcohol.  Are you happy?"

 

Banana7 - "Yes, very happy.  That is a good deal." 

 

                ????  ????  

[shackleton]

I always take my bag when shopping i have a couple depends on how much I am buying 

Not a big deal save on plastic waste 

 

[Lacessit]

11 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Spending 9000 Baht on alcohol and then not wanting to pay 4 Baht for a bag 

Beat me to it. I understand the Bible calls it " Straining at a gnat, and swallowing a camel."

[recom273]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I've often been offered free bags by major stores without even asking. I think that policy changed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. 

 

Also the manager could have paid the 4 baht out of his own pocket. Not for all customers. For this one odd bird one time to shut him up. 

Yes, its strange isn't it .. I have so many of these cloth bags, maybe we have bought them, maybe we get given them - istudio is a prime example, buy a watch, they go through the setup, put it on your wrist then put the empty cardboard box in a cloth bag to carry home. It seems that they are now becoming an issue, people jump on the eco bandwagon, but its like how much of the worlds resources are used to ship wood pulp from Eastern Europe to make eco friendly unbleached brown paper bags.

 

Yet, in this instance, the manager should have the foresight to give the guy a cloth bag, let him provide advertising to the store on this day and for months to come - when we go to Makro, we use instantly recognizable blue IKEA bags, without fail someone will ask where we got them.

 

 

[BangkokReady]

11 hours ago, Banana7 said:

The large department store probably lost 1,000 baht or more in profit over a bag, which probably cost them 2 or 3 baht, but they wanted me to buy for 4 baht. They also lost a customer for future booze purchases.

I think the idea is to disincentivise people from using discardable bags and instead bring their own reusable bags.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, rwill said:

It's pretty simple.  You bring your own bag with you to keep reusing. 

Good heavens, a sensible post.

[LarrySR]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...and the manager refused..."

The manager could easily have paid the 4BT out of his pocket since he's probably robbing the place blind as managers tend to do here...