I go to Borders all the time and have never had any issues with their customer service. Weird.

If she cared about the environment she would have purchased an eBook!

I think the whole thing is petty. She's taking environmentalism too far for blowing this so out of proportion, and the cashier was bogus for her responses as well. A plastic bag isn't the end of the world.

I would say their response was enough. They addressed the customer service issue at hand and this girl even got a call from the manager of the store. Her complaint that they gave out bags to everyone, was not really as highlighted in her letter as she seemed to want to make it. If I were Borders, I would be thinking I pretty well addressed the issue. Perhaps she was hoping Borders would send Al Gore a nice fat check to "off-set" their plastic bag use...

Just buy a carbon offset and everything will be ok.

What more does she want????? Obviously the lady dealing with her was the problem, by being way too rigid on the policy. Sometimes people have bad days. When I bought a Zune at Target a few days ago, the guy in electronics wouldnt let me buy my other 5 items at his terminal because they were getting "busy". I realize that was a case of one working slacking. I didnt shoot off an email to Target corperate blasting the experience, I went home and enjoyed my day.

Oh and yes, borders was smart in using bags as theft-deterance device although perhaps they could have used paper bags as barnes and nobles sometimes does. With a rush of that many people and (probably) a desire by most of them to not have a "PAID" sticker affixed to their brand new book, the bags were the most efficient way to handle things.

Besides, I know I always reuse bags that I receive either garbage can linings, lunchs or even just consilidating receipts on my desk until I have a chance to sort and reconcile them with my monthly statements.

People will complain about anything these days huh.

Her taking the bag and recycling it herself would be more environmentally friendly than giving it to the next person in line who would probably just trash it.

It pains me to say it, but I think that they each did all that they could do. The manager could have kept things simpler, but he engaged in the conversation even though it wasn't going to change anything that happened. And it doesn't seem from what was posted that the customer--who I think was right, incidentally, not to take a bag--was asking for any particular remedy in exchange for her continued business with Borders. Bottom line, it was a poorly-considered special policy that was then poorly executed by someone who, to be fair, is probably told on a regular basis that/paid as if she's not paid to think.

That said, perhaps Allison could take this higher in the company not to plead her own case, but to lobby for a more environmentally-friendly policy company-wide. Bags are seriously overused at bookstores. I always refuse one. I'm sure theft is an issue, but that's why receipts were invented.

Jeez, it's just a plastic bag, chill...

If someone was going to steal books they could just disable any alarm tags and put them into an old Borders bag and walk out with them.

Besides, no book store has a policy of stopping shoplifters. Book stores have no security for shoplifting.

What more does she want? Sounds to me like Borders handled it just fine.

I work at a Borders from time to time filling in when they need a shift covered. While I wasn't working for the big midnight release I was there for 8 hours on the 21st and I never heard a word about any bag policy. Even if it had been some sort of official corporate policy (only working occasionally I do miss big announcements from time to time)it doesn't excuse the way she was treated.

Why not just take the book out of the bag, and leave the bag on the counter as you leave? I don't think they should force you to take a bag but it sounds like an employee having a bad day. If you reduce your waste by reusing that bag(cleaning cat litter, recycling, etc), then no crime has been committed at all.

So take the book out, pocket your receipt, and leave the bag on the counter when you walk away! Let the cashier deal with the bag.

What does this chick want? A million dollar check cut to save the plastic bags of the world? It was a crazy night, she was screwing up the flow of things by refusing to take the bag. To go crazy like that and make a manager call you over a plastic bag is just asinine. I'm going to go not recycle a bunch of stuff just to spite this nutjob :-)

I think this is a lack of corporate communication. When you hand down policies without real understanding of what's behind them, something simple can escalate.

From the story the cashier seemed like she cared but confused since she did talk to her manager about the incident. I think if she knew the motivations, she could have told the customer the reasoning in a civilized fashion and offer her alternatives.

I bought my HP book at Borders without a bag. What a bitch cashier.

I think you are all missing the point.

The point is she was forced a bag on her. A bag she didn't want clearly.

Hell it saves borders money, uses less bags and everyone's happy.

I figure a paper conscious company like boarders would be more active in these issues.

@tvh2k: If Harry was available legally in ebook format she just may have, however the author has been against ebooks from the giddyup. At least thats what I have read.

Why didn't she just take the plastic bag and avoid the whole confrontation? If she's such a hippy, she should know how and where to recycle it!

My opinion:

The cashier screwed up.

The customer got pissed.

The cashier, the store, and the corporation acknowledged the screwup and formally apologized.

Good resolution. Matter over.

I bet part of the reason they wanted customers to use bags is to get the Borders brand out there.

I'm glad Allison reported the incident. Not only was the cashier's insistence upon a bag illogical (the receipt is sufficient proof of purchase), but she also pulled the bitchy eye-roll move on the customer. That's just bad service.

I'm also glad she was able to reference the receipt (complete with date, time, and employee number), so that Borders could trace the problem right back to the cashier in question. Not necessarily so she can be punished, but so that the whole bag policy (if there is one) can be clarified.

Disclaimer: I work at a Barnes & Noble)

On Harry Potter night almost everyone I encountered was so eager to get a book in their hands, that I didn't even bother to offer a bag unless the person was purchasing more than 2 copies. And I assume that, like B&N's, the borders bags are recyclable.

Why not just say "thank you", remove the book from the bag and walk away sans bag. People do this to me all the time on calm days (and if they'd just ask for no bag, I wouldn't have given them one).

As for their policy, I assume it's a marketing thing. That is the #1 reason stores have bags (making things easier for customers to transport is a distant second). They want their name plastered everywhere, particularly at a major event like HP. If anyone was there taking video or stills of the event, they want their name branded in that image where ever it ends up.

If it bugs you that much, bring your own bag or save the bags you get from all stores and recycle them once a month. It's going to take a big corporate shift in thinking in retail in general to reduce the amount of bags floating out there. And this is hardly one of the worst retail offenders out there...

I agree with those who said she could've easily just recycled the bag.

I'm all for trees and environmentalism but just reuse the bag.

It's still good she reported the annoying cashier, but...the bag? Seriously.

That's interesting. I don't normally purchase books from Borders since there isn't one very close to me. However, I recently purchased a CD from one and they asked "do you want a bag?" I replied "no thanks" and left. No hassles, no problems. I think, perhaps, my experience was due to the careless attitude of the cashier. She didn't seem to care whether people shopped there or not, let alone put their purchases in a bag.

Barnes & Noble has always asked if I want a bag for things. I'm not sure if it's their policy or what, but they have always been considerate in asking.

I always thought a receipt was proof of purchase and the bag was convenience. Guess I was wrong.

I think she was just looking for a reason to put a story on the consumerist.

Seriously, it's a busy night for these people, its a FRIDAY night. Give them a break.

And for the love of god, just take the damn bag. it's because of stupid complaints like this that she probably had to pay such a high profit margin for the book.

Also I can just imagine it right now, she probably got out of that store and got in her new LEXUS or TAHOE SUV or some crap and drove off with her being the single person in the car.

I hope you were driving PRIUS if you are so worried...

This has to be one of the most well-written complaint letters I have read on this site. It was clear, concise, grammatically correct, and had a good tone.

Many of you are missing the point. This isn't about one bag. It is about 1 bag multiplied by millions of customers.

Seriously, I don't understand why some of you even come to read this site. This site is about consumers banding together and fighting back.

I agree with Allison. The 'resolution' is weak. Nothing is going to be done about their policy of trying to force a bag onto every customer. And I also seriously doubt the agent really came to his supervisor and admitted to handling a situation poorly.

I recently commented on the Spirit airlines post about bogus 'opt in' charges. I said if more of us would not complete the transaction, and send an email telling them why, we could stop this practice.

Allison stated her objection to a nonsensical policy of waste, and let us know about it. Many of you you missed the point completely. If more of us refused the bag, we could make a difference.

I thought a receipt was proof of purchase? Why have a policy of pushing stuff that costs the company money when the customer does not want it.
@SaveMeJeebus:
Is that you Al?

@tvh2k: Harry Potter isn't available online... so I suppose she was being as green-friendly as possible not wanting a plastic bag.

Give out bags (Borders) and people get pissed, don't give out bags anymore (IKEA) and people get pissed. What is a megacorporation to do these days?

I'd love to see this in court.
Judge: "How do you plead to this charge of theft?"
Defendant: "Not Guilty"
Judge: "Do you have the receipt?"
Defendant "Well no, but I do have the bag!"

there's a war on you know...but yeah your plastic bag problem is tough too....

People need to really pull their heads out of their asses sometimes, they get insulted over the absolute stupidest things imaginable.

1 > Take the book (with the bag)

2 > Take the book 'out' of the bag

3 > Place the bag on the counter right infront of the cashier, smile... walk away.

Suddenly you get the piece of mind knowing the bag never left the store, and regardless of the fact that the cashier was blindly spouting a silly corporate policy, you've turned the tables, shown her that you'll not put up with such silly tripe, and walked out with a smug little smile and a copy of the book under your arm.

Its it so hard to take appropriate action without feeling affronted?

ther's a war on you know...but yeah, this plastic bag thing is tough too...

@TVH2K

There is no ebook for Deathly Hallows.

I know the environmentalists take their recycling to religious levels, this girl is obviously in that crowd. But come on, how is this petty spat over what is really a non-issue even remotely about consumerism? Besides, if this shopper was really this concerned about the bag she would have brought her own.

One bag to rule them all...

She's over-reacting. Take the stupid bag, then take it down the street to Schuncks (the local grocery store chain), of which there is one right down the street from that Borders, and shove the bag in their plastic bag recycling bin.

Pray to the Al Gore for forgiveness. All will be well.

Sounds like Borders was trying to control theft and provide uniform service on a night that could have gotten a little crazy what with all the Potter-mania and all. I have never had an issue at Borders or B&N taking my purchase without a bag. In fact, when I buy just a couple magazines they usually ask me if I want a bag, and I say no and throw them into my purse. While I understand the OP was miffed at being forced to take a bag, surely as a "longtime Borders customer" she has made many purchases that were not bagged and realized this was a special situation. Also, kudos to the cashier who acknowledged she probably could have handled it better and telling her manager about it BEFORE the complaint came in.

What needs to happen is a midnight (9pm PST) strike de-bagging all Borders nationwide.

@Murph1908:

Actually, I'd say you are missing the point here. The manager said that the cashier had misunderstood the policy. The policy was to just put the book in a bag in the name of expediency and ease of loss prevention. The correct thing for the cashier to have done, according to the manager, was if this girl didn't want a bag...ok, no big deal. The cashier just took the policy too far. The cashier messed up, was corrected, end of story. And Al Gore thanks you for your support of his lifestyle.

@tvh2k:

what, and use electricity every time she wanted to read it?

I think those of you that are criticizing her for not simply 'taking the bag and recycling it' are missing the point. Recycling the bag, yes, is important. And yes, if she left the bag, they'd likely give it to the next customer who will very likely simply trash it. Taking or leaving that particular bag won't take it out of the waste-stream. However, by not taking the bag, she's reducing (in a very very small way) the demand for future bags to be produced. That's her point, her ultimate goal and (I think) the jist of the entire piece.

Additionally, I think most people would agree that the 'shoplifting prevention' value of such a policy is ridiculously low. This is a book store, not Costco. No one is manning the door, checking receipts and, without such security, it doesn't matter one whit whether you have a bag or not. Another argument might be that the bags have some sort of advertisement value. But that would only hold true in busy urban centers or *shudder* a mall. There again, though, I think whatever sort of value may be gained might also be lost by seeing the empty bags strewn all over the streets (Come to Boston and you'll see what I mean).

Finally, I think what she did is commendable. If more people took such initiative, rather than simply stewing in complacency, I think you'd see a real shift in many corporate and government policies.

It's a good resolution for the individual incident but it doesn't address the corporate policy of wasting plastic bags.

@DigitalMariner: Bringing your own bag wouldn't have worked in this situation. The cashier was insisting that everyone get one of their bags to prove you bought the book. Carrying a book out in your canvas bag doesn't prove you went to the counter.

They probably did this to avoid having to stop everyone at the door figuring it'd be easy to spot people walking out without the bag. I don't see how you would get the book if they were all behind the counter but that's the only thing that makes sense to me.

@tvh2k: So tell me - what uses more resources - the materials to manufacture a book, or the power required to keep a laptop computer running while you're reading an e-book?

@Namilia: I agree. Sweetheart, just take the damn bag and shut up!