A retailer requests my personal details

[cyclop]

Tried to buy some earphones from currys yesterday.They wanted my personal details but could not tell me why,even when the manager got involved.I walked out.Is this unusual or normal nowadays?

[Cyril Haearn]

Not normal

Go back another time or try another store

Best to pay cash, how much do they cost?

[Tangled Metal]

E-receipt perhaps. A trend where they get your email address for marketing purposes and for selling on to make money. All under the guise of being in your interest by allowing easy recovery of your receipt for taking stuff back.

We just say no, not interested. They want the sale, you don't have to give them the details so you're in a stronger position. It's unusual to make a big deal of turning them down. Most shop assistants aren't that bothered by it all. They're not usually gaining.

[661-Pete]

Just remembering - a few weeks ago my wife bought a pair of boots at Millett's and got an E-receipt by E-mail. Presumably this was their drive to go paperless.

Haven't been bombarded by marketing rubbish since then, but I suppose it may come.

[mercalia]

Tried to buy some earphones from currys yesterday.They wanted my personal details but could not tell me why,even when the manager got involved.I walked out.Is this unusual or normal nowadays?

didnt you know you now have to have a TV licence to use earphones so need your personal details to send to the TV licence/Capita people so they can harass you....

[thirdcrank]

The first place I remember doing this was Radio Shack / Tandy.

Staff were required to take the name and address of any customer who made a purchase, however small, in order to put them on the company's brochure mailing list, which often caused disgruntlement.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_Corporation

Rohan is another. I was in ASDA today and they've introduced the scanners that you can use as you shop. (I've no idea how recent this is, I don't do much of our food shopping these days.) Tesco base their similar system on their loyalty card but ASDA don't have one. I was going to use it but signing up required my email, and a lot more besides so I didn't bother. If they analyse any of this, I'm probably down as an incompetent geriatric when in reality I'm a grumpy git. I didn't see anybody else using it either, which they probably ascribe to a "lack of demand" when in reality, they are confusing automation with marketing. And they blame everything on the "discounters" who generally seem better able to respond to customer demand.

[Paulatic]

It can have advantages. I use Screwfix a lot and because of the distance involved I often take away more than I need for a job. A few just in case items. Weeks later stuff I haven’t used I simply take back. No receipt required as it’s all on their system. I keep an email address to use for companies like this it’s different to my personal email.
Growing up in a rural area everyone knew your details anyway without asking. Name, address, occupation, interests, smoker, drinker etc. Is it really much different that a computer knows it all and it gives you the same business relationship you’d have got, in the past, with local businesses.

[fausto copy]

Tried to buy some earphones from currys yesterday.They wanted my personal details but could not tell me why,even when the manager got involved.I walked out.Is this unusual or normal nowadays?

If they'd asked me, I would have simply stated that I've got a left ear and a right ear.

(Not that they're much use now that I'm deaf. )

fausto.

[thirdcrank]

One of the "benefits" of living somewhere like this is that I have two Screwfixes within walking distance on the A62, one northwards, the other to the South.

I'd still prefer to be on "don't ring me, I'll ring you" terms. In 2015, I had to arrange two separate funerals for close family members. This was around the time when the second Screwfix opened. I was expecting a call from the undertaker when the phone went. For one reason or another, probably a combination of ageing lugs, stress and a poor phone line, I couldn't understand the babble from the caller so I asked if this was the undertaker. It wasn't, it was somebody from one Screwfix trying to poach customers from the other, who persisted with the spiel in spite of what I had just said. There's probably some dark humour in there somewhere about DIY joinery. If they record calls "for training purposes" they'll have picked up some tips.

[pwa]

I've had Evans Cycles ask for my e-mail address when I've been shopping in the Cardiff store. I just said "I don't give it out" and they left it at that.

[softlips]

I always refuse to give it and request a paper receipt.

[rjb]

i just say email - whats that first or second class, and when they ask for my post code i say SW1A 1AA and give my name as REX. Havent had anyone doff their hats or bow yet though

[fausto copy]

Are you one of the corgis by any chance?

[mjr]

Currys are notorious for this. The related Dixons used to be too. I've not bought anything there for a very very long time as a result.

It can have advantages. I use Screwfix a lot [...] No receipt required as it’s all on their system. I keep an email address to use for companies like this it’s different to my personal email.

Your surname isn't Winter, is it? If so, I'm getting your receipts and catalogues from Screwfix! Seriously - I've used B&Q's Screwfix myself to buy some pipe lagging to use when transporting bikes and now I get stuff for Paul Winter too. I think their data processing may be [inappropriate word removed].

[Toffee]

Currys are notorious for this. The related Dixons used to be too. I've not bought anything there for a very very long time as a result.

It can have advantages. I use Screwfix a lot [...] No receipt required as it’s all on their system. I keep an email address to use for companies like this it’s different to my personal email.

Your surname isn't Winter, is it? If so, I'm getting your receipts and catalogues from Screwfix! Seriously - I've used B&Q's Screwfix myself to buy some pipe lagging to use when transporting bikes and now I get stuff for Paul Winter too. I think their data processing may be <i>[inappropriate word removed]</i>.

I know a Paul Winter