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Electronics stores

klubbhead024

Active Member
I'm not sure who has had this experience, but it seems to be most prolific at electronics stores. In the last few days I have been to Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. When it was time to check out, I was asked for my address and phone number. I didn't yell at the clerks, becuase I know they are supposed to ask that to everyone, but I am sick and tired of businesses asking for my personal information, when I just want to make my purchase and get the hell out! One clerk actually had the balls to say she couldn't complete the transaction without my phone number. I told her just to put all 5's, and was told that wasn't allowed. I was then accused by this beech of holding up the line. I then demanded to speak with a manager, and informed the people who were behind me what was going on. When the manager came he treated me like I was a child and kept telling me it was no big deal to give my number. Finally, the people behind me came to my side and all threatened to leave the store. I decided only to buy something that was a great deal, and passed on everything else. I no longer will support this company (which is sad because shopping at this store is like crack to me). But I guess the greatest thing was the fact that before I left, I "bumped" into the $400 computer moniter, watching it fall, and hearing it break! Screw them... they deserve it for this garbage!!

Has anyone else gone through anything like this? If so, did you get upset, why or why not.
 

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
I went through it once in Canada. I gave her my address in Bosnia and the system couldn't accept it - hahaha. So Munevera gave them her address and gave us a card to get deals or something. The deals were fake though, you had to buy things you didn't need to take advantage of them.
 

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
That's it, Klub! :D Give them a Bosnian address - hahaha.

3 Hamdija Kreševljaković Street
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
71000

You can borrow that one, it belongs to the city. :D
 

klubbhead024

Active Member
Djamila said:
That's it, Klub! :D Give them a Bosnian address - hahaha.

3 Hamdija Kreševljaković Street
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
71000

You can borrow that one, it belongs to the city. :D

LOL:yes:
 

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
IF this is a big deal to people simply make something up. I highly doubt God is going to come down on you for giving a mere cashier at Circuit City bogus information for buying a DVD. Sorry, I just don't see it.

I have said to cashiers, "Money or phone number. It's your choice." If they resist, simply tell them to "be creative".

Btw: The next time someone talks to you like you are a three year old, especially someone in a management capacity, remain calm. Be businesslike. Do not blow your cool. Demand to see THEIR boss immediately. Be polite, but be firm. If they are a "store manager" politely demand their direct superior's name and number at head office. That ALONE should bring them to their senses. Should!!! If it doesn't then it really is because of something YOU are doing wrong. In general, these folks are not idiots, but they can have rather large egos.

I stress, under no circumstances should you ever damage property in a store. You are playing with fire. You have to remember you are probably on camera. You have to understand that you could end up chatting with police officers if you managed to thoroughly tick off the staff and then damaged something. Not wise, unless this is your idea of a good time.
 

Snowbear

Nita Okhata
Sometimes they want a phone # and sometimes a zip code.
I just make something up. As long as it's the right # of numerals, the computer doesn't seem to care.

I have asked a few times what it's for. They always say it's 'market research' so they can get an idea of how effective their advertising (aka junk mail) is in certain areas.

Being vindictive by damaging inventory is definitely not cool though :(
Even if they don't prosecute you for it, stuff like that (including shoplifting) makes stuff more expensive as they have to recoup their costs somehow...
 

klubbhead024

Active Member
YmirGF said:
IF this is a big deal to people simply make something up. I highly doubt God is going to come down on you for giving a mere cashier at Circuit City bogus information for buying a DVD. Sorry, I just don't see it.

I have said to cashiers, "Money or phone number. It's your choice." If they resist, simply tell them to "be creative".quote]

The point is.. if I don't want to give my number, I shouldn't have to!
 

klubbhead024

Active Member
Snowbear said:
Being vindictive by damaging inventory is definitely not cool though :(
Even if they don't prosecute you for it, stuff like that (including shoplifting) makes stuff more expensive as they have to recoup their costs somehow...

It may not be cool, but I feel a little better :)
 

Snowbear

Nita Okhata
klubbhead024 said:
The point is.. if I don't want to give my number, I shouldn't have to!
I definitely agree with you there!

That they insisted before you could buy something would merit a formal-sounding complaint to the ownership or head office.

I guess in my 'old age' I've just found it easier to give them something that will skew their numbers rather than fight about it :shrug:
 

klubbhead024

Active Member
Snowbear said:
I guess in my 'old age' I've just found it easier to give them something that will skew their numbers rather than fight about it :shrug:

Normally taht is what I would do... but it happened to me 3 days in a row at 3 different stores. I couldn't take it anymore!
 

Revasser

Terrible Dancer
What in the name of...?

I've never encountered anything like this here. Why the heck do they want this information? Spamvertising?
 

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
Revasser said:
What in the name of...?

I've never encountered anything like this here. Why the heck do they want this information? Spamvertising?
Yes. It seems to be one of the first questions a cashier will ask, along with "Please sign here to indicate you have refused the extended warranty." (The warranty thingy bugs me, because they are underscoring how stupid you are for saying No to such a wise decision.) This has been a standard feature in electronics superstores here in Vancouver for about ten years. (They spend almost as much time selling the extended warranty as they do selling you the product.) Then again, their margins are so low, that the salesperson has to make money somewhere. When I was working for a local superstore in the 90's the commision sales person got paid fully 50% of the price of the warranty.

Also... my performance as a sales manager was heavily gauged on how many warranties my staff sold. To me, that is a pretty sad marketing plan.
 

ChrisP

Veteran Member
Electronics stores? Forget smoking... they're my only serious addiction, just ask the Panda.

I sympathise with your plight... I hate giving my details to people too... If I don't want someone to find me... why should I have to give them the means?
 

gnomon

Well-Known Member
klubbhead024 said:
I'm not sure who has had this experience, but it seems to be most prolific at electronics stores. In the last few days I have been to Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. When it was time to check out, I was asked for my address and phone number. I didn't yell at the clerks, becuase I know they are supposed to ask that to everyone, but I am sick and tired of businesses asking for my personal information, when I just want to make my purchase and get the hell out! One clerk actually had the balls to say she couldn't complete the transaction without my phone number. I told her just to put all 5's, and was told that wasn't allowed. I was then accused by this beech of holding up the line. I then demanded to speak with a manager, and informed the people who were behind me what was going on. When the manager came he treated me like I was a child and kept telling me it was no big deal to give my number. Finally, the people behind me came to my side and all threatened to leave the store. I decided only to buy something that was a great deal, and passed on everything else. I no longer will support this company (which is sad because shopping at this store is like crack to me). But I guess the greatest thing was the fact that before I left, I "bumped" into the $400 computer moniter, watching it fall, and hearing it break! Screw them... they deserve it for this garbage!!

Has anyone else gone through anything like this? If so, did you get upset, why or why not.

I find this very amazing. Some states will not even allow companies to ask for personal information from customers unless it is directly related to a business transaction. The company I work for has done away with the practice of asking for customers returning merchandise without receipts to provide phone numbers and addresses. Though we still may ask for a photo ID as it seems to be the only way a book retailer can try to curb loss.

So I'm a bit amazed that a company would not complete a sale due to the lack of a phone number and a name. Sounds like at most one of the newer policies which allows customers to return merchandise without a receipt. Deplorable practice in my opinion but it is designed as a consumer benefit which supports irresponsibility.

Also, considering that most service employees get paid minimum to still below non-living wages and probably get zero benefits I am hardly ever amused when someone complains about customer service in this nation. Retailers have been bending over backwards and inviting abuse towards employees for the sake of just getting the buck. And that's the main point where I can hardly believe this story.

What company would refuse any revenue because they could not get a name and phone number. Sorry, I keep coming back to this and if they really did this to you then that is one of the most idiotic things a retail company could do. Definitely it wasn't one of the giant retailers like Circuit City or a box mart. Sounds more like some store you have to travel to Manhattan and establish your pedigree in order to enter.

Oh well. I'm glad I work in a bookstore. No commissions, customer base generally more cooperative and pleasant and I don't have to worry about people shooting each other when the Far Side box calendar was released after being discontinued for many years.

And to end, I agree with YmirGF. Always ask to speak to management. Lay off of the employees. They are not paid enough to defend corporate practices established by people who are overpaid.
 

CaptainXeroid

Following Christ
YmirGF said:
IF this is a big deal to people simply make something up. I highly doubt God is going to come down on you for giving a mere cashier at Circuit City bogus information for buying a DVD. Sorry, I just don't see it.
Good idea. You might even look for the store's phone number and give THAT to the cashier. See if he recognizes it.:D
YmirGF said:
Btw: The next time someone talks to you like you are a three year old, especially someone in a management capacity, remain calm. Be businesslike. Do not blow your cool. Demand to see THEIR boss immediately. Be polite, but be firm. If they are a "store manager" politely demand their direct superior's name and number at head office.
Excellent plan!
YmirGF said:
I stress, under no circumstances should you ever damage property in a store...
I concur 100% and cannot stress what a bad move that was.
Cost passed along to everyone who shops, possible legal ramifications, and mainly feeling good for destroying someone else's property displays a lack of class.
:sorry1:

One of the reasons Radio Shack is pretty much out of business is that they insisted on getting people's info and then sold their lists to third parties. If enough people get ticked off by these privacy intrusions and complain loudly enough, I imagine the stores will stop doing this.
 
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