One Small Step: Take Your Own Bag to the Shopping Mall Too
This tip has more to do with what you put your purchases in than what you are buying. I don’t usually have trouble remembering my reusable shopping bags when going to the grocery store, but the mall is a whole other planet.
I’m not a big shopper, but sometimes I give in and go to the mall during the week when it’s nearly empty. Yeah, that’s when you have to tell the same bored salesperson twice (on the way in and out) that no, you would not like a sample. Yes, that happened today.
This time I remembered to take a shopping bag with me to the mall. I just needed a couple of things, so one bag did it. I took my lightweight recycled cotton tote that I purchased from reusablebags.com. It’s the same color as a brown paper bag, but much cuter.
None of the salespeople thought it was strange that I had my own bag. And you know what — I don’t need my purchases wrapped in tissue and closed with a shiny sticker in a fancy paper bag with cloth handles. My reusable bag eliminated a lot of fuss. Also, and if you are a private person this is a big plus, I didn’t have a visible record of everywhere I shopped walking around with me at the mall. I don’t know why I found that so refreshing, but I did. We get enough of logos.
Mall photo from flickr.
In case you missed it, check out Jennifer’s post on the great BabyBam Collection Organic Baby Supplies contest going on now at Tree Hugging Family.
Tags: lightweight recycled cotton tote, logos, mall shopping, reusable shopping bags, reusablebags.comRelated Stories
POSTED IN: One Small Step, Reuse
4 opinions for One Small Step: Take Your Own Bag to the Shopping Mall Too
Jennifer
Mar 7, 2008 at 7:14 am
Good post - I think bags are sold pretty hardcore as “grocery” based items. It’s a good reminder that people can take their bag anywhere. I don’t go to the mall (I get lost) but I do take my bag to the farmers market and other places.
The Purloined Letter
Mar 7, 2008 at 9:43 am
Isn’t it funny that society is starting to get the bags for groceries but not for other things? I bought shoes recently and when I said I did not need a bag, I was told that they wouldn’t let me out of the store without one. When I suggested that the receipt might do the trick, she let me through–only to have a manager come over and yell at her for not offering me a bag….
Peggy
Mar 7, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Jennifer, I usually manage to avoid the mall. Just walking past the cologne counter makes me faint! Taking bags to the farmer’s market is also a great thing to do. My parents sell at a farmer’s market and they always appreciate it.
Purlioned, I think a BIG reason that the disposable bag thing exists (outside of multiple purchases) is because people are afraid of carrying something out of a store without a bag due to theft issues. There’s no trust and it’s a bit of a messed up system. Unfortunately, there are lots of shoplifters out there, so I understand the bag thing a little. When I worked at Macy’s long, long ago, a shoplifter took plastic bags from behind my counter when I wasn’t looking. I didn’t suspect him since I’d just spent 20 minutes helping him pick out comforters and pillows, etc. Then he filled the bags with the things I had helped him pick out and walked out of the store. I think I was making up a display bed or something. Security saw the whole thing on camera, but he got away. The bag’s the pass I guess.
Until there’s a bigger shift in retail “bag issues” I guess taking your own bag is the easiest option.
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Mar 8, 2008 at 12:02 pm
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