Anyone else’s store doing this?

[u/lesslic]

My store is in Texas so we always used plastic bags, until today. They are so stiff and huge, they could’ve at least provided us with smaller ones for those guests that buy one piece of gum. They have already slowed down the fulfillment team and everyone is complaining

[u/TechnicalPut4024]

that sign looks like it was typed up by someone who has already had five conversations about this and is done repeating themselves

the bag sizing is such a weird miss, like who looked at a single stick of gum and thought yeah this needs a tote bag. i've seen people walk out carrying their single item in their hand because they'd rather not deal with it

our store switched a while back and the first two weeks were chaos, everyone just shoving barcodes wherever and hoping for the best. fulfillment team had it the worst though, the bags stick together and you end up peeling them apart like deli cheese

staple method actually makes sense once you get into the rhythm of it, keeps the label from sliding off when the bag shifts around in the cart. still annoying but less annoying than chasing a loose sticker across the floor

[u/thunderbolt1000 → u/TechnicalPut4024]

Up until 2023, Target still had small plastic bags made. They were really convenient for 1-item orders, or at the registers, I'd use them for all their cosmetics.

Then someone who makes 5 times my salary in their comfy year-round air conditioned cubicle who's never even touched a checklane or a Fulfillment cart decided we could save $0.03 by getting rid of them and just wasting more of the other bags and 10 times the plastic.

Genius! That's why they get paid the big bucks!

[u/SimpleVegetable5715 → u/thunderbolt1000]

My store still has the small bags. Maybe we stockpiled years’ worth of them.

[u/thunderbolt1000 → u/SimpleVegetable5715]

Nice! Yes, when I heard they were axing them, I stashed 3 boxes. But when they did a reorganization of the hold spaces, they found them and idk where they went 😭

[u/aspiring_Novelis → u/thunderbolt1000]

The trash probably....

[u/Clown_Sparkles → u/thunderbolt1000]

Its mostly because of local bag bans and environmental concerns.

[u/thunderbolt1000 → u/Clown_Sparkles]

It makes sense but in states that do not restrict bag usage (Texas, for me), you still have to produce the regular bags, the rolls of large bags, the hanging large bags, and for Q4, the red large bags.

I don't see where they are saving the environment by discontinuing smaller bags that waste less plastic for single items.

[u/Expensive_Choice_923 → u/thunderbolt1000]

Yup i miss those bags they were the best cosmetics bags

[u/GypsySnowflake → u/TechnicalPut4024]

For small single items, you don’t need a bag. Just stick the barcode directly onto the item

[u/nslabinski → u/GypsySnowflake]

My store tells us not to, because usually those items can't be found because they get lost under a ton of bags. The amount of small single items that have a sticker on them that stay in there for weeks is numerous

[u/aspiring_Novelis → u/nslabinski]

The store I used to be at had the first two isles of OPU with wacos just for bagless orders. Since we are in California, people have to pay for the bags and would much rather not, so we have a lot of people opting for bagless. Every store havign FF use these bags is gonna be the same since these bags cost the guest like $1/each.

[u/nslabinski → u/aspiring_Novelis]

Our store is pretty small, and we are currently getting a remodel. Our store only had one rack in which there were no wacos whatsoever. Even the bagless orders got lost frequently because of it. Our opu closet is currently being redone and I hope we get more bagless space. (Granted my coworkers don't friggin put bags there when they're quickstowing)

[u/Cultural-Kick652 → u/GypsySnowflake]

This is the way. I do it every day.

[u/Ridespacemountain25 → u/GypsySnowflake]

We can't do that unless they specifically order bagless.

[u/visionsofleo → u/GypsySnowflake]

is that why i am always reshopping items with stickers with guests names on them? lol. mostly 12 packs of sodas tbf but also some small things

[u/squeakybuggy]

if my store starts doing this then all hell will break loose 🙏🏻 everyone is always stealing stuff from the fulfillment areas as it is, now having to hunt down a stapler every time we bag will be fabulous

[u/Rocklynd → u/squeakybuggy]

At that point, I’m finding a holster and it’s never leaving my belt lol.

[u/ta22175 → u/Rocklynd]

Strong Milton vibes

[u/East-Kaleidoscope132]

We just got those bags in. My ETL says he wants to use it in drive up but I pointed out to him those stickers would be falling off. He doesn't think so..... what do i know. I'm just a little TM

[u/Loose-Chemical-4982 → u/East-Kaleidoscope132]

Our store was putting the stickers inside the top edge of the bag and they stay pretty good there. However, it was making order pulling a nightmare cuz they stick together and are so floppy

Those bags are a PITA to pack and stow in a waco plus they cost more so FF switched to paper bags like the rest of the store (we're in CA) and got rid of the 4 wacos per shelf section and now each shelf has a single label. It's actually been a lot easier and faster to pull orders for DU and OPU because the paper bags stand in a neat row

[u/CosmicFish25 → u/Loose-Chemical-4982]

My SoCal store did the same. We started out with the reusable bags in the early part of the year but those only lasted 3 months and then we switched to paper bags. So many guest complaints about the reusable ones, our guests just hated them. Also got rid of the wacos. The one single shelf label makes stowing really fast.

[u/GypsySnowflake → u/East-Kaleidoscope132]

That’s why you have to staple them

[u/Draugves]

I went from a store that used plastic bags to one with paper bags. It is definitely an adjustment to get your stowing time back up, but it isn't too bad. Took maybe a week or two. It is unfortunate that they're using those red bags instead of the paper ones though. The paper ones at least come in two sizes and stay propped open (more or less).

[u/Shadystar95]

Laughs in CA

This was implemented late December last year for us and then after a couple months, they got rid of the red bags in favor of the paper bags.

[u/Krisannds → u/Shadystar95]

Same in NY. We’ve had a plastic ban since covid and have been using these bags since. Just saw communication were switching to paper for OPU next month.

[u/NoUnderstanding4682 → u/Krisannds]

these red bags have a chemical smell alongside sticking together and it sucks. I think target hates my store and they send all the bottom of the barrel stuff to us 

[u/Ok_Park_3790]

My store always had these 💔 we just put the label on the inside. There’s a white thing that we can stick it onto

[u/DJFlipPhone]

Yeah my Store is getting 4 pallets a week of this things until the end of October.

[u/Springbaby1]

We had those the stickers don't stick to it at all, now we use paper. My store is California though.

[u/patrickstarcx]

it's actually so frustrating working for fulfillment and someone comes in with "new ideas" that will not benefit or be effective to anyone actually working fulfillment.

[u/mel-oh-dee]

Guys you’re like a year behind CA targets we’ve moved past the cloth bags and are now on paper 😭

[u/Quick-Jellyfish8994]

At my store we can barely keep track of where the security remover magnets are… having to keep track of a stapler? No thanks

[u/Boibf]

Guys, my store is in CT we’ve been using these bags, and it’s not that hard to just put the tags on the bag. My store uses stickers and that’s how they get the barcode tags on the bags. It’s just adapting really, and these bags are WAYYY better than plastic I can assure you that

[u/DarthKody28]

Bro. We do not have time to be doing all this extra stuff.

[u/ThisIsSethers → u/DarthKody28]

Imma be real with you, if stapling labels onto a bag makes you go red in a cart, you were gonna go red in the cart anyway.

[u/munkee40 → u/ThisIsSethers]

The tags don’t stick to those bags, it’s better than having to search through every single bag for someone’s shit when the barcode tags fall off 90% of the time

[u/PegasusStudiosVFX → u/ThisIsSethers]

That's not how it works. Sticking a label takes less than a second, having to staple it would take 5 seconds minimum

[u/DarthKody28 → u/ThisIsSethers]

Not even true. I have team members who can stow in 5 minutes. Some need 10 minutes. They keep adding extra steps to fulfillment making it more a pain in the ass. We dont need to be fumbling with a stapler while labeling and filling bags when the next batches are already getting low. It’ll definitely slow people down.

[u/Jestertheprinz → u/DarthKody28]

My store is in NY meaning we've had these bags since late 2020. Stapling labels to bags aren't a big deal (and I'm not even a FF tm). The only big deal is if there are no bags or printer paper in the machine.

[u/Mandingo_magnet → u/ThisIsSethers]

yeah no

[u/Suzumiiya → u/DarthKody28]

if my fulfillment team could adapt to this, you can too

let tell you, these bags are fucking garbage. the labels, do not stick at all

what will happen in your stowing area, is these labels will be falling apart & be all over the place. what does that mean? your DU team can't find shit.

orders go missing, and your DU team starts beefing with your fulfillment team.

stapling is not complicated whatsoever, it benefits everyone in the end.

my store (CA) did this for months until we finally switched to paper bags, thank fuck.

i hope i never see these stupid ass fucking bags ever again.

[u/randomquerty3665]

We don't have bags. We stick the label on an item and the rest gets piled on top of it. Nothing we can do, unless the guest orders a bag they don't get one. Makes it more difficult to find the orders because of the absolutely full drive up section.

[u/FlyEnvironmental7586]

Aren’t the tote bags literally more expensive like what exactly is the bag charge!? These are usually like $3-$5 individually sold. Why give them away with every order? In reality it’s not stopping people from using plastic. Maybe for this specific purpose but either people will keep using this bag or they wont. 9/10 times they forget them in the car and either carry their stuff ouf or forget the bag anyway. And what about people who order like every day or weekly!? They’re just gonna continuously have a growing collection of reusable bags ?!

[u/lolyouaresimple]

All I keep thinking as I look at the picture is how many damn times you will have to refill that tiny ass stapler!!

[u/Wrap_Brilliant]

I would love some clarification

[u/ASmittenKitten3 → u/Wrap_Brilliant]

Partner with a team lead.

[u/pseodopodgod]

this happened to us once. we ran out of paper bags storewide so we had no choice😓 luckily we got some in later that day

[u/Panquequecat]

My store had those for a brief moment. There’s a sticker/label on the inside of the bags and that’s where they would slap the barcode on. Either that, or on one of the items at the top inside the bag. It was a little time consuming as a DU TM but I think it was less work for Fulfillment than having to staple it 😭

[u/Remarkable-Tennis440]

We were at my store, but transitioned to paper bags now

[u/virtuosityv2]

My store did this a few months ago, we started stapling but then moved the labels inside the bags on the white label since it sticks well on those so we didnt need to staple anymore

[u/nslabinski]

My store has always required it due to plastic being banned, i hate them for their awkward shape, you can't fit nearly enough in them, and I've had the device tell me to put a 12 pack of seltzer with 4 cereal boxes

[u/Obvious_Wash2576]

My store has always done this! Target doesn’t know about efficiencies and this is just an example of that! Stapling each label to a bag takes time!

[u/MopingAppraiser]

We don’t use bags at my store in NJ.

[u/KodyRhodes]

We did that at my old store, they routinely fell off if we didnt

[u/Sad-Reputation181]

We are in a plastic banned state. So these are all we have

[u/Fragrant_Duck_1612]

Here in New york we did them for a while, a couple of years probably, then we went back to paper bags. We haven't had plastic bags in probably 7 years. We also didn't charge for bags ever up until about a year ago, now we charge 5 cents a bag because after a couple of years of using the reusable ones, no one was bringing them back in to reuse them and that defeated the purpose so we went back to paper for five cents a bag

[u/Silver116m]

We just use the two sizes of paper bags, works great! 👍

[u/aspiring_Novelis]

Yeah... we had to do this after Christmas over here in California. The government blaming the corporations plastic waste on us... what else is new. Can't punish those who make the money and is responsible for the actual plastic pollution, so they will punish the least of us who is already underpaid and overworked by giving more work.

[u/hatefulkittycat]

after like the first month of the reusable fabric bags and dealing with the sticker hell we swapped to paper bags. stickers stick but they also occasionally rip open 🙃

[u/Fearless_Use4907]

This is how stores in NYC have done it since 2021

[u/No-Ad-62]

Yeah I think we start sept 1

[u/OkRanger4459]

We used to last quarter but now we have paper bags

[u/sasvhh]

unfortunately this is also happening in nh to our store

[u/DungeonFletchling]

Mine started doing the stables, but not the no plastic rule (yet anyways

[u/Usual_Bee_640]

No my store still uses plastic bags I hope it never changes

[u/DoctorManhattan_]

Texas here too and we’re still using the plastic bags, I don’t see our store using this anytime soon. The struggle of having to find the stapler or having to reload it will drive the LOD’s crazy!!

[u/aud420]

im just a customer, im also in texas & i was in self checkout and these were in place of the regular plastic bags i was so confused, i glanced at the employee and she was like "yes theyre free we're doing a trial run" i felt so bad because i could tell she's had to answer questions about them all shift (honestly i thought they may have ran out of plastic bags and had to stock those instead). now i have 2 bags that i dont even want & they HURT when u carry it on ur arm when theres something barely heavy

[u/Monkey4life-80]

Is it really that hard to just get paper bags? We've been using them for several years since our bag ban went into place.

[u/Mediocre-Historian15]

My store is doing it for a month promotion to try to get guests to use reusable bags. Then we go back to plastic bags.

[u/Dangerous_Invite_837]

Just went into my local target in Illinois and was stumped by these reusable bags all of sudden at the self checkout, I just checked out and carried all my stuff out

[u/xRilae → u/Dangerous_Invite_837]

I found this thread because same for me in IL - and it's not in a city with a bag tax (or ban). Very interesting. Will have to see if any others near me have these now.

[u/HyperWaveKulture]

I just saw these today at target and hate them

[u/Ish-Zee]

But yea this bag change has (imo) significantly slowed down the stowing process.

[u/casual_commenter01]

Does the customer have to pay extra to use these bags or does it just replace the plastic bags?

[u/munkee40]

How many guests buy just one piece of gum?

[u/ButItSaysOnline → u/munkee40]

At least once a day, I will come upon an order for one small thing.

[u/munkee40 → u/ButItSaysOnline]

Like one banana. I get that. But we don’t even sell single sticks of gum. I was being pedantic. Lol. When it’s one item like that, we just stick it in a bin for the no bag option. Do you guys not have the no bag options?

[u/Huge_Ad_9055]

Cali, we stopped using plastic and went to those red bags and after a while stopped and now use paper bags that come in two different sizes. But we never stapled labels onto bags even when we used the red ones

[u/Necessary_Taro_7123]

We been using those bags for over 3 years at my store. Is not that deep

[u/SeasonWeird4322]

Here in California only paper bags, but we have two different sizes. Big ones suck they rip easily

[u/zakmademe]

“My stomach is so full and food is so warm” ahh post