RadioShack Stops Being Nosy 774
jackbang writes "One small but positive step in the gradual erosion of personal privacy and increase of corporate intrusiveness - RadioShack will no longer ask for your name and address when all you want to do is buy some batteries. Now if only they would agree to remove the motion sensor that rings a bell every time someone walks in or out of the store..." Always freaked me out being asked my address just to buy some solder or something.
Well... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well... (Score:5, Insightful)
Fry's needs to hurry up and finish its Las Vegas store (215 and Las Vegas Blvd., if you're curious). Once it's open, I'll never need to enter a local Radio Shack ever again. :-)
Re:Well... (Score:3, Funny)
"You've got questions...we've got blank stares."
E.g., the one time I was browsing around the nearest Radio Shack to see if they had Memory Stick cards for my Clié. The guy looked at me, stalled for a second, and said "uhhh... whazzat?"
The only things the guy really knew about were the ZipZap cars, and then only so much.
Re:Well... (Score:5, Informative)
As an EE, it would be nice to have a place in short driving distance where you can get a decent selection of parts but these days mail order (ie digi-key) is really your best bet.
Re:Well... (Score:3, Interesting)
On a similar note, in Maryland, it's no longer legal to ask for your phone number when making a credit purchase unless their's some valid reason for collecting it, like they actually need to call you up or something.
Re:Well... (Score:3, Interesting)
My experience has been worse - I get dirty looks or some rubbish about why they want my phone number. Other places are cooler about it. Babies 'R Us (in Maryland), always asks for your phone, and I always state: We don't give out our phone number..., and the clerk just enters (999)999-9999. They're pretty blase in there, but I got the impression that the Radio Shack guys were getting paid by the address.
Anyway, who needs Radio Shack? They;ve alienated their core customers in a futile atempt to compete with the Circuit Cities of the world. If you want a little cruel fun, go in there and ask them where they keep the 100 microFarad capacitors.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Well... (Score:3, Interesting)
Radio Shack has compressed their electronics section down to the metal cabinet because it is more profitable to sell other things. With the advent of such things as PCs, electronics tinkering just isn't nearly as popular as it used to be. When you add that to the fact that electronics components are ridiculously cheap, you can start to see that there is little money in being an electronics hobbyist store. It's more profitable to sell computers and PDAs, even if you don't sell very many.
Although, they could have more electronics than they have right now. Radio Shacks could get rid of all their useless shit that never sells (about half of what's in the store) and maybe make a bigger electronics section.
I remember a Dilbert cartoon in which he went to "Radio Barn" and tried to buy some resistors or something. The clerk refused to help him, as it was not worth his time to ring up a total 10 cents worth of resistors. When dilbert persisted, the clerk got pissed off and gave Dilbert the resistors for free.
So what? (Score:5, Insightful)
Elvis shops at Rat Shack (Score:3, Funny)
Re:So what? (Score:5, Funny)
"You don't need to know my name and address."
"I don't need to know your name and address."
"You will sell me this battery."
"Seven twenty five Please."
"SEVEN TWENTY FIVE! Are you nuts?"
"I am nuts."
Re:So what? (Score:4, Funny)
"What is your name and address please?"
(* wave hand *)
"You don't need to know my name and address."
"I said what is your name and address?"
(* wave hand *)
"You don't need to know my name and address!!"
"Yes I do and stop waving your hand. What do you think you are some kind of Jedi Hobbist! I'm a Sales Droid, mind tricks don't work mindless minions. No name and address then no batteries!"
Re:So what? (Score:5, Informative)
So what? Most people are in the habit of doing what they're told. Your average person isn't aware that their information is being sold without their knowledge. Many people would object if they thought about it, but it's easier to reply than to consider the ramifications. If too many people get into this habit we'll move toward a society where it is expected and required. If I can't purchase books and health supplies without being tracked, democracy is going to have some problems.
All that said, I "Just Say No" myself. I'm always amused at the cashier's response. It usually takes a second for the cashier to realise that I've said "I'd rather not", snapping them out of their automated work mode. You can also tell the places that get alot of flack about it. Best Buy's cashiers are all used to being told No when asking for a zip code. The casher Party USA was completely baffled and had to call over a manager ("What do I punch in?"). Depending on my mood, I'll occasionally make up information. I usually did for Radio Shack since they were so insistant.
Re:So what? (Score:5, Funny)
Homer: We'll search out every place a sick, twisted, solitary misfit might run to!
Lisa: I'll start with Radio Shack.
(www.snpp.com)
But you still pay a psychological price. (Score:5, Insightful)
The other day, I was in a Radio Shack looking for an audio cable adapter. I couldn't find it. A clerk was genuinely helpful and found it for me. I thanked him. A warm fuzzy for each of us.
Then he says, "Tell me, do you have a cell phone?" I said simply "yes," and stopped. Awkward pause. He says "May I ask you who your cellular provider is?" I thought for a second or two and made my choice, which was to say "No, you may not." Maybe a little more vehemently than was strictly required to convey the information. He looks surprised and a little annoyed. A cold prickly for each of us.
Did I win one? No, I didn't, because _I_ felt annoyed. That little burst of adrenaline again.
Sure, I can be as petty, vain, or childish as the next person. There are times when I enjoy taking part in, say, a mild Usenet flame war. But I only have a limited amount of rudeness at my disposal and I like to save some of it for when I need it, instead of having to fritter it away constantly on Radio Shack salespeople, telemarkers, or people that ask for my social security number...
Yes, this is good news. Frankly, when I just need a battery, I've gotten into the habit of walking past the Radio Shack to the drugstore three entrances down in the mall, just because I don't feel like spending the energy to face down a salesperson.
Of course, then I have to tell the drugstore clerk, "No, I don't have an Extra Care card." If it gets to the point where they start saying "why not? they're free, you know," instead of just ringing up the sale, maybe I'll go back to Radio Shack.
Try a different approach: (Score:5, Insightful)
When asked for personal information, I provide a cheerful, "Nope!" and leave it as an exercise for the listener to choose to be upset or not. When you say it really cheerfully and personably, people will either follow the tone of your exclamation and be plesant back to you, or they will be completly baffled.
Either of these work for me.
This is best when dealing with telemarketers.
"Hi, may I speak to [your garbled name here]?"
"Nope!"
Then either hang up, knowing that you have faithfully completed a social transaction, or hang on the line and listen to them scramble for a response that isn't in their pre-canned script.
Either of these work for me.
Re:But you still pay a psychological price. (Score:5, Funny)
You see, there's your problem right there. Rudeness is not like some fixed container of liquid (like, say, a keg of beer) which is exhausted quickly with use. Rather, rudeness is a muscle; use it or it atrophies. Use it frequently, and you'll find you have more available when you need it. I'd suggest the following three-step regimen:
- Start with a pet. A goldfish is a good for newbies -- if you don't have one get a feeder from the local petstore. Or you can win one at the local carnival or state fair. Start with subtle insults, and graduate to screaming like a drill sergeant. When you feel ready, move up to a small mammal, maybe a cat.
- Ready for people? Telemarketers are an obvious choice. No need to jump into outright rudeness immediately. You can start out by just being sullen and evasive, and move up to passive-aggressive when you've gained a little confidence.
- The next step is to go shopping for a car. Once you've spent about 10-minutes or so with the "undercoating guy" you'll really feel ready to get in touch with your inner bastard. Trust me.
Follow this easy program, and in no time at all you'll find you posesess seemingly unlimited reservoirs of rudeness at your disposal. You'll actually look forward to returning items to Wal Mart. You'll even be able make nasty remarks to elderly ladies with WAY more than 15 items in their damn shopping cart without the slightest hint of discomfort!Hope I've helped -- m
Re:But you still pay a psychological price. (Score:5, Funny)
Misinformation (Score:5, Interesting)
Its a good solution because it doesn't require any actual confrontation with the register-droid, but they don't get what ain't their bidness. And since its pre-arranged, I can remember it quicker than just making something up.
I've now taken it to the next level with a UNICARD (a legacy of Dallas's retarded bible-belt laws that 'membership' in a 'club' is required to be served alcoholic beverages in some parts of the city) registration at that address. I never do it in a case where it would be fraud (like a credit-card company or something like that), but it gives me a little peace of mind that people who unreasonably seek personal info on me don't get it. Maybe a bit passive-aggressive, but it saves the register-droid a little grief and makes me feel better too.
Re:So what? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:So what? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:So what? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:So what? (Score:5, Funny)
All in all, it added 20 minutes for me. The store has great prices so we compromised. I gave them my ex-girlfriends phone number and home address.
I'm sure that spiced up dinner conversation when her husband finds my mail in his box!
Re:So what? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:So what? (Score:4, Insightful)
of plastic with your name on it and expect
anonymity? Why shouln't he punch in the info
- what if the CC was stolen or something?
I try never to argue with these things when
I do CC or check. That's why I try to pay
cash mostly.
Re:Pay with Cash. (Score:3, Funny)
That Radio Shack never saw anything but my middle finger after that, and went out of business a couple of years later - the manager (yup, same guy) was caught embezzling.
Har. There is a god, and she has a vicious sense of humor.
Re:Pay with Cash. (Score:3, Interesting)
However, they do not have to accept cash in trade, if you do not owe them money. That is not a debt, you do not owe them anything. They can force you to pay in quarters (as, in fact, many candy machines do. Do you honestly think those are illegal because they will not take dimes and nickels?)
Now, if you go and open something on the way to the register, or even eat it, I guess you could legally claim you now owned them money and they had to accept cash. OTOH, they could have you arrested for theft, so it's not a good idea to argue at that point. While many stores will be lax about it, legally, you just damaged their possessions without permission.
There is no 'no turning back' point for a transaction. Either they agree to accept what you are offering, or they don't. You can't trick them into accepting one thing and then replace it with another of supposed equal value. Likewise, they can't accept payment form you, and then tack on an additional charge and force you to pay it. Transactions have either happened or they haven't, there's no middle ground. (Now, there's certainly debatable ground, like if you hand someone cash and the store gets robbed in the middle of it, but that's debating the point the line exists at, not that a solid line does, in fact, exist, where you both instantly switch possessions.)
Re:Couldn't they just get it from Creditcard, if u (Score:4, Insightful)
small entrepeneur ? yeah, I probably qualify
There goes my fantasy social life (Score:5, Funny)
Re:There goes my fantasy social life (Score:3, Funny)
Solder??? (Score:3, Funny)
Give me GeekSpelling for $500...
For the humor impaired (Score:3, Informative)
The joke in small words:
Solder is an easy word to get wrong.
Solder is spelled correctly, while so many other easier words to spell are not.
It's funny. Smile.
For those of you that still don't get it, allow me to rephrase:
"While in the past it has been commented upon that the spelling errors here are frequent and notable, it strikes me as somewhat humorous that a word such as 'solder' was spelled correctly."
Don't be so chicken! (Score:5, Funny)
J. Chretien
24 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A2
Re:Don't be so chicken! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Don't be so chicken! (Score:3, Informative)
And here's a map [tinyurl.com] if you get lost.
If only... (Score:5, Funny)
Well, it was unconstitutional anyway (Score:2, Funny)
No solder shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
They won't anymore because... (Score:2, Funny)
They already know them all.
Cables (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Cables (Score:3, Funny)
I actually have two 20 footers in series piping a signal from the output of the amp in the stereo down through the central vaccum tube, above the ceiling panels in the basement and down to my computer. It's ugly, but it works.
Thank God (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Found you at last!!! (Score:4, Funny)
Thanks to whoever hit them with the Clue stick (Score:2)
So, what does Radio Shack carry these days? Anything worth the bother of going there for a look?
Re:Thanks to whoever hit them with the Clue stick (Score:2, Funny)
Blank Stare^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^HAnswers.
You've got questions, we've got cellphones! (Score:5, Funny)
Shack Sales Clerk: Uhmm... That's like a VCR, right? We've got all our VCRs on that wall right over there.
Me: Uh, no. It's a signal adapater. (Surely someone who works around electronics every day should understand this, right?) It converts composite audio/video signal output to rf signal for a coaxial cable input.
Clerk: It's an adapter?
Me: (Thinking the light has finally turned on) Yes! It's got a coaxial output on one end and RCA style audio-video inputs on the other.
Clerk: Here ya go! (He hands me a RCA 'Y' splitter.)
Me: *Sigh*...
I did manage to get the guy to give me an RF modulator, but only after I retrieved a Radio Shack ad from behind the counter and pointed at it in the ad.
Re:You've got questions, we've got cellphones! (Score:3, Funny)
Radio Shack: You've got questions? So do we!
Re:Thanks to whoever hit them with the Clue stick (Score:2)
Remember, these are the people who brought you the CAT (remember that screwy thing?). They weren't too bright to begin with, and have yet to show signs of improving. This might be a step in the right direction though...
Messin' wit the Shack (Score:3, Interesting)
"What's your phone number?" I would always be asked.
"You need to have that for a cash purchase?" I replied.
"Uhm..."
Since RS employess get a comission. (Do they still?) They were always quick to try to keep me from leaving. Most of the time I could see that they would type their own or dummy information into the computer when I refused to give them mine.
Re:Messin' wit the Shack (Score:5, Informative)
Between local stores like Active Electronics [future-active.com], the utterly-amazing variety of electronic parts on eBay [ebay.com] and topnotch mail-order houses like Digi-Key [digikey.com], Jameco [jameco.com], and Mouser [mouser.com], it's pretty darned rare for me to set foot in a RatShit store these days. Their 1/4-watt resistor assortments are still a killer deal, though.
I remember that (Score:5, Interesting)
Also, I remember when they put up the privacy policy in late 2000. It didn't seem to allay customers fears. Instead, I would tell them to just give me fake information
Data has value (Score:4, Interesting)
You were in a perfect position (Score:3, Insightful)
People say "if everyone gave fake information like I do, the system would be useless" but you could have actually put a dent in it by controlling the POS terminal.
Never required (Score:3, Informative)
No, I was instead pissed because all I wanted was a $9 cable for my $ELECTRONICDEVICE and they made me give them my info every time. Even though they already have it, both from my cc number and from the last time I was there!!!
Awwwwww. (Score:3, Funny)
I had even more fun when they argued with me.
It's too bad that they started being pains in the asses about this. I really wanted to get their catalog, but I'll be damned if I'll give them a name and address.
Re:Awwwwww. (Score:4, Funny)
See, they dont have to anymore.. (Score:3, Insightful)
FREE BATTERIES....DISGUISE REQUIRED... (Score:3, Funny)
Smart kid, but shame those old red RS batteries would last about 1/4 of the time a normal batter would. I used to just laugh and go along with it.
Of course they stopped asking (Score:5, Funny)
How Dissapointing (Score:5, Funny)
Screw it, I'm going to keep going in to Radio Shack as John, anyway. It's not like my life was going that great to begin with...
Ethics, Presidents, Percentile and CueCat (Score:2)
Personally, I'm glad to see this tossed to the curb, but I'm sure it was prompted by the fiscal realization that it was actually making people not buy things there rather than some sort of new respect for privacy. There is a difference between a good decision being reached by moral analyses and otherwise. Some people just aren't comfortable with saying, "no," so rather than being made to feel uncomfortable, they didn't get it or got it elsewhere.
Or maybe, just maybe, the information obtained by CueCat is giving them far more valuable data?
Why They're Stopping (Score:5, Funny)
Ding!
It's true (Score:4, Funny)
Toys R Us owes me $5! (Score:4, Interesting)
I don't think they were trying to mislead me, but they blew an opportunity there. I'm happy to share my info as long as they reward me for it, but failing to send me the gift certificate changed my mind about that. Now, when I go there, I decline to give them my info when they ask for it and I explain why.
Companies like Radio Shack need to realize that they have to reward their customers if they're made to jump through extra hoops.
Best6 fake name (Score:5, Funny)
"Raymond D. O'Shack", you can call me Ray!!
Ha ha
The inside perspective (Score:5, Interesting)
Just say no (Score:4, Insightful)
Same goes true for Best Buy wanting your ZIP code.
About 25% of the time I'll get a surprised "Really?", half the time they don't care, and the other I'm not even asked because the drone doesn't want to ask.harsh! (Score:5, Insightful)
The CueCat was a stupid venture, to be sure; but at some point in their lifespan, every retailer does something stupid at some point.
Yes, Radio Shack has morphed from hobbyist products and radio gear to basically a smaller, less well stocked Best Buy. But can you blame them? While many slashdotters may in fact still need diodes, Joe Average doesn't. The death of the electronics hobbyist almost killed the company. They are trying to stay alive in the face of serious competition while retaining what used to make the Shack a place to buy stuff. If you have a better idea, a way to make the company really stand out, get a job there and tell the boss. They might even listen.
And no one is really commenting on the fact that a high-profile retailer like the Shack taking a step like this may, in fact, influence others to drop their mailing. I can't buy anything anymore without a request for zip code, or some other deal.
Also Note: the Shack has one of the most tolerant, liberal intellectual property waivers ever. Unless you invent a new point-of-sale system, and do so on the job (or using work-provided materials), they don't give a crap. I mean, Best Buy would probably try to make you turn over your latest patch to BitchX but the Shack doesn't care.
Saw the interview on CNBC (Score:5, Informative)
I imagine you have a lot of fake information collected, I never give my correct information when I go to RS.
The CEO looked kinda stunned at first, like he got belted in the head with a brick, then rather annoyed. He didn't say anything about it but I got the impression he was rather surprised to hear that this was common pratice. Or maybe surprised it was being discussed on TV while a bunch of his investors watched.
Judging by the comments here me and the Squawk Box guy weren't the only ones doing it. What's next, Radio Shack management discovers that pushing extended warranties on 50 cent batteries is considered somewhat amusing?
Recording our conversations (Score:4, Funny)
It always freaked me out to be looking for LEDs and hear a disembodied voices saying:
"can I help you?"
"yes do you sell power adapters?"
"we sell all sorts of power sir."
If only Curcuit City would stop (Score:5, Interesting)
I can assure you that this is totally commision related. The last time they told me NO they looked up my history and said "You return too much stuff". This is what is so bad about tracking your name is now the salesman can check your name to see if your someone he should waste his time on.
Re:If only Curcuit City would stop (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm sorry, but I work sales, and I have done for years, so I know from experience that most customers who "return too much stuff" aren't worth retaining as customers. Every time I wait on you, and you return an item, either because you found it cheaper mail-order, or you were really borrowing it and not buying it (this happens more frequently than you would imagine), or you bought the wrong printer cartridge because you were too fucking stupid to check what type of printer you owned before you walked into the store, or you realized that you needed to buy tickets to the football game and after returning that keyboard you have enough cash - every time you do one of those things, you cost the store money.
I get paid to sell you the item orginally, and to take it back, which is usually a longer process, so there is lost revenue. If you lie to me and tell me that it is broken, which happens all too often, then our technicians in the back waste money verifying that you are a sack of shit and it does indeed work fine, or that you spilled coffee inside it but you paid cash so we don't know who you are. If the packaging is less than pristine, we lose money again because the next customer won't pay full-price for something that is used.
Other examples: the customers who buy several cables because they don't remember whether they needed a parallel cable, a firewire cable, a USB cable, or a serial cable. But it's okay if we buy them all and return the ones that we don't need, right? I live 5 miles away. Certainly, Sir, Ma'am. Of course, the extra time and paperwork diminish our profits, but the customer is always first.
Or: Can I return this ream of paper, I've only used half of it? Or: Can I return this CPU, it's only two months out of warranty? Or the customer who buys RAM (which has a life-time warranty) at $29 for X capacity, and, if price rises to $49 for that same capacity, tries to return it it? And if they have paid cash, is often successful? Or: the customer who deliberately damages equipment just so that he can return it? Or: the customer who tries to return products that he knows he didn't buy at our store?
All of these things have happened to me on numerous occasions, so I entirely understand the need to collect customer information. We aren't selling it to anyone, and if you are so fucking paranoid that you worry about such shit all of the time, please take your business elsewhere.
Be careful: don't step into the blade of the black helicopter on your way out.
Footnote: Yes, I know restocking fees would solve many of the problems listed above, but then we would be penalizing the customers who do have legitimate cause to make a return.
Re:If only Curcuit City would stop (Score:5, Interesting)
Still, at least retail outlets themselves are squeaky clean, and would never employ people who are "too fucking stupid" to know the difference between VHS and SVHS VCRs. Or push expensive extended warranties onto people using scare tactics like telling the customer how unreliable the item they've decided to buy is (just after telling them how reliable it is in order to get them to buy it). Or force their staff to describe extended warranty schemes to every customer, even if the customer says they're not interested, on pain of losing their job if they don't. Or routinely misrepresent items that they sell. Or point you towards an item that is not really what you want, but they get better commission on it. Or argue that a software glitch in your STB is not a valid reason to return it, because "everything has bugs in it these days". Or put up "No Refunds" signs which are illegal (in the UK). Or take 12 weeks to service an item under warranty. Or put a hold on your account without telling you because they screwed up and undercharged you by $50, when you have put about $30,000 worth of business their way in the past year. Or sell you a DVD and AV amp together that they know have an incompatibility, and refuse to refund the money for either item. Or refuse to accept a return of a reference book on the grounds that it is factually inaccurate in many important ways.
You're right - customers are a real problem, damn them.
Tim
Re:If only Curcuit City would stop (Score:5, Interesting)
I got treated just like the parent poster, but the bitch of it is - they denied selling me a DVD player, based on the persons past history who USED to have my phone number.
They asked my phone number, looked it up, and this happened:
THEM: "We can't sell you this. The computer says we cant serve you any longer"
ME (confused): "Impossible."
THEM: "It says so on the computer"
ME: "Impossible."
THEM: "Well, that's what it says here."
ME (Craning to see computer screen): "Thats not my name, or my address"
THEM (Scurrying to block my view of the screen) "Well, I'm sorry sir.. blah blah.."
ME: "Let me talk to your manager"
THEM: "I am the manager"
ME: "I just moved here from another country a week ago. I've never even heard of Circuit City in my life. You people are fucking morons. It's not like I'm writing a bad cheque, I'm standing here with 4 100$ bills in my hand and you dont want them?"
CUSTOMER BEHIND ME: "Hey, you know Best Buy will beat their sale price by 10%"
ME: "Sweet, thanks bud"
I haven't been back since. That's one god-awful store full of overpriced crap for dipshit execs with more cash than sense.
Re:Why is this bad? (Score:3, Interesting)
I bought a cd reader from them on black Friday last year, it was a 2 hour special. It was $50 but only $5 after rebate. When I installed it at home, it did not work. When I tried to take it back they offered me a different model in exchange as the one with the rebate was unavailable, of course this was $50 and no rebate. I was not paying that much for a cdrom drive, I only bought the damn thing initially because it was supposed to be $5. I refused and then they offered to take back the one I had for a $7 restocking fee. I argued back and forth and I was getting no where with the person that called himself manager at the time. I always take into consideration that there are two sides to every story, I try to see things from the others perspective when I deal with someone, this helps me understand a specific dealing and how to work with it. In this case I had a brain implosion as I could not understand the managers thought process or line of thinking. So, I took the next best step. I ripped the UPC symbol of the box, threw the cdrom and the rest of the box on the floor (with a decent force) and left the store. Yes it was somewhat irrational but I was very frustrated at what these guys were doing, we definitely had a misunderstanding..
It was cheaper for me in the end to send in the fucking rebate on the broken POS then it was to return it and pay a restocking fee. Previous to that I ran into a similar instance with them on a Sony car stereo, in the store the demo unit played every brand of cdr media and format (TAO/ DAO) I brought with me to test. I bought it and installed it in my car, well guess what, it only played like 2 of the 10 I tried in the store. Not specifically CC's fault but they refused to take the item back as in their eyes it was not defective. Their technical reasons (ie bullshit)for why it did not work were comical. Based on those experience and other smaller ones in the past, I made the assumption customer satisfaction is not one of their core initiatives.. I have not stepped foot in a CC since.
What? No more memorable altercations? (Score:5, Insightful)
cashier: Name? ...
guy: Cash.
cashier: *First* name?
guy: CASH! I'm paying with cash!
cashier: Ok. I'll need to get your name and address. What's your full name?
guy: GOD DAMN IT You don't need to know my name and address!
It always made me wonder what kind of marketing genius is willing to piss off some of their customers that badly.
Thank you Dick Dick, for your purchase. (Score:5, Funny)
I noticed before I left, and was sure to thank the Dick helping me.
Here's how to deal with people asking your address (Score:5, Funny)
Q&A at Radio Shack [netfunny.com]
But... (Score:3, Funny)
Oh come on now (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah, cause there's absolutely no reason whatsoever that an employee at a relatively small, yet cluttered, business might need to know when someone enters an exits the store.
Nope, they have absolutely no right to know that you've entered their store, even if they might be the only person on duty at the time, and currently helping a customer in the back look for some obscure AV connector. Since, you know, no possible way a two-man team could distract the employee while simultaneously stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise right out the front door.
Jeez people, I like my right to privacy too, but let's not go off the fucking deep end here.
Just Say NO! (Score:5, Interesting)
Um, they're still asking ... (Score:3, Informative)
He asked me for my name, address, zip code.
I Fought Radio Shack and Won (Score:4, Interesting)
Well, one day (this must have been 1989) I went in and bought something minor and the shop assistant asked for my name and address. Well, I knew darned well what they wanted it for, because I was getting three Tandy catalogues all with different variations of my name and address so I told him "no".
He said: "But you have to give me your name and address."
"Why?"
"Because I can't sell you this without it."
"Rubbish. You just want to put me on your mailing list."
Well, the argument proceeded and he wouldn't sell me the stuff and frankly REALLY pissed me off big time.
This was a bad move, because in the UK you're not allowed to collect personal information to store on a computer system without a) making it clear an b) registering that you are going to do so.
I checked Intertan's (Tandy's parent company) registrations details. It turned out that they hadn't registered properly. BIG mistake number 2.
So, I complained to the Data Protection Registrar that I believed that Intertan were breaking the law. They tried to contact Intertan. Intertan refused to talk to them. BIG mistake number 3.
Eventually this escalated and finally Intertan caved in and stopped asking. Well at least for a couple of years. I stopped shopping there in the end. Mind you, so did everyone else and they shut down :)
true story (Score:5, Informative)
Anyway, I went back to the same store I got it from, talked to the manager, told her I was not amused over this incident. I mean, what if I had milked the batt dry and had tossed it?
From then on I always refuse this info when asked at ratshacks or wherever, latest was at some car parts store, I tell them it just slap ain't happening, they can enter any name or whatever to make their cash register work, or "no sale".
This data mining stuff I can see two sides of, but my default is it's too likely to be misused and as such I'm against it now.
It also happened to me once some fool at a job I worked snagged my soc sec # and used it somehow (probably gave or sold it to someone, I never found out exactly) to get some utilites turned on, like a year later I get this bill for gas service at someplace I never lived at. No amount of arguing would make them drop the bill, and the threat was pay it now or lose gas service at the place I lived. What a crock, I HAD to pay it or lose use of my hotwater heater and stove and furnace, not an option at the time.
Can of worms, society needs some sort of ID to go about your day to day business, but too many ways it can be misused or stolen. It's totally fubared now, because no solution addresses privacy concerns. Caych 22 "Danged if ya do danged if ya don't" deal there.
When asked for your name/address.... (Score:3, Funny)
Alan M Ralsky
6747 Minnow Pond Dr.
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
My trick (Score:3, Funny)
Me: I'd like to buy these batteries
Sales: I need your address
Me: You don't need my address (wave hand -- this part is very important)
Sales: I don't need your address
Me: You serve your master well and will be rewarded.
Good.. but... (Score:3, Insightful)
Any time I've walked into Radio Shack, they've asked for my name and address, of course. I say "You don't need to know that", politely, and they say "No problem sir" and then continue to ring the order through.
Even buying a pay-as-you-go Cantel phone from radio shack... not only did radio shack want my name/address, but of course, they want it for the Cantel activation as well. Nevertheless, a polite "Well why do you need that if I have to pay everything up front.". "Well sir, you don't have to give us your name, we can just put it in under John Doe, but that will cause a problem should you forget your PIN or should your phone be stolen and you want it deactivated. In this case, we wouldn't be able to help you."
Thanks, that made perfect sense, I can accept that. Right on sir, here you go, have a nice day.
You see... often that's all it takes, is some polite, non-confrontational intelligent questions.
Supermarker convenience cards? Lie. I'm serious. Just make some crap up and put it on the card. If you want to be really nice at the same time, keep the demographic information the same, but not your name/address/phone number. That way the store gets honest demographics, with no privacy violations. When tehy ask for ID, they usualy want it for cheque caching purposes.. just say you don't want that.
There is a difference between violations of privacy and straightforward information gathering; complaining about privacy is one thing, but taking a proactive stance towards it is another. If a majority of people refused to give information out at retail stores, fairly soon retail stores would stop asking.
giving auth data where appropriate (Score:5, Interesting)
Likewise, I've been very encouraged to see some of those automated gas pumps now requiring that you key in a zip code from the billing statement -- not just possessing a credit card. Since I'm already providing my name and billing information through the credit card, this is not the invasion of privacy that some folks think it is. Yay authentication and authorization!
On the other hand, it used to be particularly irritating when I wrote a check and a clerk would insist that I provide a home phone number or even two phone numbers instead of some useful authorization info. (They're permitted to ask in my locale, but not allowed to require it.) After a particularly nasty incident at Ikea a few years ago -- when I declined to provide the number an assistant manager looked up my name in the phone directory and wrote the info on my check anyway, accompanied with a lot of foolish and insulting comments -- I decided to print TeleCheck's local phone number on the checks as a home phone. It doesn't stop the bad practice, but at least it protects my privacy a bit without wasting my time. (And it never comes up as a bad number
Most frustrating of all (recently) was an encounter with a certain large bank. To make a long story short, they informed me that electronic funds transfers can be executed by any merchant with my bank routing and account numbers. When I pointed out that the numbers are identification and not authorization, they replied (paraphrased) "Posession of the number IS authorization. If you didn't give them authorization, they wouldn't have the number." Can you believe a major bank thinks that possession of your authentication data is equal to authorization? AAUUUGGGHHH!!! When I pressed further and pointed out that the account & routing data is on every check that anyone writes, I was informed that they (the bank) know it's awful, but that's what the US Federal Reserve rules require. Double-AAUUUGGGHHH!!!
IMHO it's disappointing when the local Chevron station provides better financial transaction security than the bank managing my 401K.
-Jon
Re:giving auth data where appropriate (Score:4, Interesting)
PSECU =)
Good - maybe everybody will get the message (Score:3, Insightful)
I also quit using my grocery cards when I found out that the stores use them to track your purchases for marketing purposes. Just last week I went through the checkout and the clerk asked if I had a card and I told her that I don't use the cards anymore. When she asked "Don't like saving money?" I shot back "No, but I value my privacy". End of conversation.
I am buying more things with cash now. When you buy with a credit card at Sears, they got your name & address and poof, more catalogs in the mail. Pay with cash and you're stealth, baby.
Blame the marketing monkeys at the DMA for this mess, they drove us into it.
Actually, despite all the paranoia... (Score:3, Informative)
And for people who are offended by the idea of needing the name and address for warranty stuff, well, you shouldn't be. Warranties on most items (other than things like wireless phones or computers) are NOT tracked by serial number, contrary to popular belief. The serial number of that 900 mhz cordless bargin bin phone you just bought is not on the bar code of the box, and therefore it's not entered into the computer when the clerk scans in the UPC.
I work at a radioshack, and I hated asking for names and addresses as much as customers hated giving it out, but it never ceased to amaze me just how many people thought that the shack was in cahoots with the FBI, despite signs on the front of the cash register which say "WE DONT GIVE YOUR INFO TO ANYONE AT ALL."
Anyway, no one ever seemed to mind the whole name and address thing when they wanted to get a refund on those little items like karaoke machines they happened to buy on a friday and bring back on a monday (it's like a free rental service!), but forgot their receipt. Now if someone wants a refund on something but they've forgotten their receipt, they're screwed.
Opting out was always easy (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Now? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Now? (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, actually you can. Catch is, you have to go to the same store that got your info in the first place, as they can only remove people from their local database. And about 1/4 the time it doesn't work anyways because the system decides there is some type of 'pending transaction' in your name, but it's still worth a shot.
And as a side note, now instead of asking if we can have your name and address we ask if you'd like to receive our monthly sales flyers, then get your info if you say yes. We've only been doing this for 1 day so far, and I'm absolutely blown away by the number of people who say 'yes'. It's something in the 80% range.
Even stranger is the probably 10% who say 'I already get them.' Some of our guys started exlpaining to those people that if they don't make a purchase and give their name and address once every 90 days, they'll stop receiving the flyers. Probably half of them say 'Oh, really? In that case, my name is...'
And one final note, since several posters have mentioned catalogs, getting on our mailing list won't get you a catalog because we don't print them anymore. It's all on our website, and on a really crappy behind-the-times CD that we're supposedly going to eventually start giving away. (For the moment, each store only has 1 CD for it's own use.) Not giving out catalogs pisses off a lot of people. But hey, it's kind of comforting in a way that they haven't completely decided to listen to the customers, that would just be freaky.
Re:Hello (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Its about time! (Score:3, Informative)
But I always gave them a fake name and address. No I'm not paranoid.
Hey, if the shoe fits....
But seriously. I worked at Radio Shack for many years and most people didn't mind giving out that information. Of course, back then, only Radio Shack actually asked for that much information and the current privacy issues were less numerous than they are today.
Most people didn't realize it, but Radio Shack not only measured what percentage of customers gave their names and addresses to an individual store, but we tracked it at an employee level. Anything below 80% was unacceptable, but to be blunt, 90% was easy and didn't require badgering anybody. Anybody who got below 90% was just not asking. Hell, I once led my city in names-and-address percentage when the other 25 stores in town had gotten their point-of-sale systems up and running and my store was still stuck with handwritten receipts.
Re:Its about time! (Score:3, Insightful)
I figure if I'm going to be paranoid, I might as well be a real paranoid.
Re:Mailing lists? (Score:5, Interesting)
Yes, you got added to a mailing list--Radio Shack's. Nobody else got your address. They were religious about that and if anybody ever suggested to the people in marketing that it was otherwise, they witnessed somebody turning purple with apoplexy.
They jealously guarded their lists because they viewed their mailing list as a competitive advantage. Nationwide, marketers who send direct mail advertisements are ecstatic if they get a response rate of 1/2 a percent. Radio Shack had something like a 40% response rate on its direct mail advertisements. They weren't about to give that up to anybody else.
Re:Albertsons does not ask for info (Score:3, Insightful)
I gave out ONLY my phone number, because you get a handy key fob that states, "If keys are found, please return to your nearest Albertsons Store". If they get returned, Albertsons will call you and let you know they have your keys. Without any other information, phone numbers alone are a pretty innacurate way of tracking people.
Unfortunately Albertsons felt they had to offer one of those cards, fortunately, they're not asking anything from you for it. All you accomplished by being rude and not bothering to ask any questions or read the form, was to make some poor schlub put your groceries away, and you got to shop somewhere else.