What's Yours?
by Kim Wright
How many of us have noticed in the past 2 yrs. that more and more stores are asking not only for your zip code, but now also for your personal phone number when you are checking out at the register? Radio Shack is the worst as everyone knows, but it is becoming more and more mainstream now. Some stores even go a step further and ask for your address on top of that. Gone are the simple days of paying for your items and leaving. Does this strike anyone else as an invasion of privacy?
According to internet research- yes, a lot of people refuse to give out personal info, although they are in the minority. Most people just go along, probably figuring it’s required of them. Not so. We always refuse to give out any personal information while making a purchase. We don’t care what great reason the store may want it for, like marketing or otherwise. My phone number is not their business and has nothing whatsoever to do with the transaction at hand. You do not legally have to give out ANY personal information to make a purchase. If an $8.00/hr sales clerk is stumped by a “no” in the crowd, (and they will be), just ask for a manager. We have done this time and time again and it’s never a problem.
The clerks are only doing their job,(and aren’t paid enough to care anyway), so we aren’t rude to them, but we just deal with the inevitable delay. We actually feel sorry for the clerks, who are being used by corporate headquarters to collect data for the marketing departments of the stores. What an awkward position to put these people in. Corporate knows these people are going to make some people mad with these questions- they don’t care. And we know that they use the info. for marketing, research, coupons, etc. but that is all their problem. If you want coupons, then go ahead and give your number. But somehow we still manage to get a mailbox full of coupons every week without giving retailers our personal information.
Some stores say getting your phone number is also used for returns- if you don’t have a receipt. That may be true, but I keep my receipts, so that’s a moot point. To me it’s just the point of privacy. Their marketing is their problem, not yours. If you are not the kind of person who just can’t say “no”, you can always respond with “it’s unlisted” or, as someone else suggested, ask the clerk “what’s yours?”, ha ha.
How many of us have noticed in the past 2 yrs. that more and more stores are asking not only for your zip code, but now also for your personal phone number when you are checking out at the register? Radio Shack is the worst as everyone knows, but it is becoming more and more mainstream now. Some stores even go a step further and ask for your address on top of that. Gone are the simple days of paying for your items and leaving. Does this strike anyone else as an invasion of privacy?
According to internet research- yes, a lot of people refuse to give out personal info, although they are in the minority. Most people just go along, probably figuring it’s required of them. Not so. We always refuse to give out any personal information while making a purchase. We don’t care what great reason the store may want it for, like marketing or otherwise. My phone number is not their business and has nothing whatsoever to do with the transaction at hand. You do not legally have to give out ANY personal information to make a purchase. If an $8.00/hr sales clerk is stumped by a “no” in the crowd, (and they will be), just ask for a manager. We have done this time and time again and it’s never a problem.
The clerks are only doing their job,(and aren’t paid enough to care anyway), so we aren’t rude to them, but we just deal with the inevitable delay. We actually feel sorry for the clerks, who are being used by corporate headquarters to collect data for the marketing departments of the stores. What an awkward position to put these people in. Corporate knows these people are going to make some people mad with these questions- they don’t care. And we know that they use the info. for marketing, research, coupons, etc. but that is all their problem. If you want coupons, then go ahead and give your number. But somehow we still manage to get a mailbox full of coupons every week without giving retailers our personal information.
Some stores say getting your phone number is also used for returns- if you don’t have a receipt. That may be true, but I keep my receipts, so that’s a moot point. To me it’s just the point of privacy. Their marketing is their problem, not yours. If you are not the kind of person who just can’t say “no”, you can always respond with “it’s unlisted” or, as someone else suggested, ask the clerk “what’s yours?”, ha ha.
posted by David at 6:53 PM
