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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to NOT want to give all my personal details when I buy a teddy bear?

67 replies

AlmightyCitrus · 16/04/2011 17:43

Went in a famous name baby shop today.
I fell in love with a small teddy (£8.50) and decided to buy it for my baby (not yet born, but I like to be prepared).

Shop assistant: Can I have your name and postcode?
Me; No. Why?
SA: We at least need your postcode.
Me: For a bear?
SA: Yes, if there is a fault we need your postcode.
Me: I'll have a receipt though.
SA: But I need your postcode.
Me: No.

Shop assistant looked puzzled, then took my cash.

Now, I can understand for certain things they like to take loads of details (TV's etc) but it was a bloody teddy bear.

I presume my info would really be used for "marketing purposes", and to send me loads of mailings that I don't want.

Imagine the nightmare that shopping would become if every shop was doing this.

I'm not BU am I?

OP posts:
2cats2many · 16/04/2011 18:01

I always say no as well. I was askd the same question at Toys R Us the other week and point blank refused. It's none of their bloody business where I live.

RubberDuck · 16/04/2011 18:02

I always give the queen's postcode - buggers up their marketing Grin

(SW1A 1AA btw)

MrsTerryPratchett · 16/04/2011 18:03

Repeat after me, "90210" Grin

dontcallmepeanut · 16/04/2011 18:04

I'll try that, rubber duck Grin

TheCrackFox · 16/04/2011 18:18

I'm going to start doing that to rubberduck.

Panzee · 16/04/2011 18:20

I always put a fake one in.

Original poster
AlmightyCitrus · 16/04/2011 18:35

I went in ToysRUs too and they didn't ask.

Dh reckons I should say I'm homeless and burst into tears next time someone asks. I was thinking that maybe I should whisper into the assistants ear that I'm on the witness protection program, and be all mysterious. Grin

It does get annoying though, as seemingly more and more places are doing it. Perhaps rather than demanding your details they should ask if you would mind answering a few questions for marketing purposes, and accept that some people just want to walk into a shop, choose something, pay for it and go.

And for those worried about the welfare of the bear, it is shoved in a carrier bag and stuffed in a box relaxing with it's new baby toy friends, and there is a small wooded area not 5 minutes from my house, where it will be able to shit to it's heart's content.

OP posts:
Groovee · 16/04/2011 18:36

Build a bear ask for your personal details. It means if you loose the teddy, they can open up and scan the barcode and return lost teddy.

microfight · 16/04/2011 18:37

I had this when i recently bought a new light for my bike. The conversation went very similarly to the OP's but they refused to sell it to me without my postcode. Apparently it was so they could match my card with my postcode?

MaisyMooCow · 16/04/2011 18:38

I've been asked for my postcode at ASDA checkout and more recently at the APPLE store when purchasing a gift voucher. ASDA only wanted the postcode but APPLE wanted the house number too which pissed me off.

PinotGrigioBlush · 16/04/2011 18:43

Yanbu.

Fabby yabu - harsh comment.

OliPolly · 16/04/2011 18:49

If you give them your post Code, how do they send you marketing mail? Dont they need your house number too? Brantano does this too

diabolo · 16/04/2011 18:50

OP - I agree with you.

Superdrug - last Saturday.

Realised as my change was given that I had been charged for 3 packs of Vitamins but I had only bought 2. Pointed this out to cashier, who called her manager to give me my £5.49 cash refund

He asked us to fill out an A4 form including our names, address, phone numbers, mobiles etc etc. When we refused to do this he said he couldn't give us our cash refund unless we filled in the form.

It got to the point where my DH threatened to call the police and tell them that Superdrug had stolen our cash and were refusing to give it back.

We got our money back - eventually, but what a load of hassle.

I will not shop there again.

psiloveyou · 16/04/2011 21:34

YANBU.
A few weeks ago we bought a new TV. They gave us the standard form to fill in. I was in a very grumpy mood that day and having no one better to take it out on I refused to fill it in.
But you have to said the assistant
I don't want to say I.
Assistant gets manager who tells me I must fill it for the TV licence people.
I say "I've got a licence so don't need to fill it in. Now are you going to sell me the TV or not?.
Yes says the manager but TV licensing wont be happy they will write to you.
How, I say. They wont have my address or are your TVs fitted with some sort of tracking device to follow difficult customers?.
They will know says manager with knowing look. They always know Confused

MillsAndDoom · 16/04/2011 21:39

Lol at they will know

scaryteacher · 16/04/2011 22:01

I live abroad and always give them my foreign postcode - confuses the hell out of them, especially in conjunction with my Brit debit card.

midnightexpress · 16/04/2011 22:05

psiloveyou, I think the shop was actually breaking the law by not collecting your details in that case:

'The critical method of detecting evaders is through the use of a database system known as LASSY, which contains 29.5 million addresses in the UK. This database is routinely updated with licence details and with details submitted by dealers in television receiving equipment, all of whom are required by law to provide TV Licensing with identifying information about everyone who buys or rents such equipment.'

CarefulWithThatAxeEugene · 16/04/2011 22:16

The only place I have been asked for a postcode so far is Lidl. I was quite happy to add my pc to their list because the only Lidl near me is in a town I don't like much. I wish there was a Lidl in another town in the opposite direction, then I wouldn't have to go to the crap town to do my occasional Lidl swoops.

RubberDuck · 16/04/2011 22:19

Now, I don't mind Apple having my postcode - but then I have had previous experience with them when their customer service was bloody awesome (computer problem - they scanned the barcode, immediately knew all contact details, previous tech support phone conversations etc and then fixed my computer out of warranty for free)

midnightexpress · 16/04/2011 22:20

See Apple I really do mind about. They are super-intrusive, along with Google, nosying about in your computer. I would be well wary of giving them my details.

heliumballoons · 16/04/2011 22:21

YANBU

It has never happened to me ..... but if it does I'll be residing with the Queen thanks to rubberduck. Grin

CharlieCoCo · 17/04/2011 00:16

well it could be in case they need to recall the bear. what if they found out it was faulty in some way like the eye was dodgy and they didnt have your postcode and you didnt know it was recalled so gave it t your baby...(assuming they can locate u with name and postcode, if not discard this post:o)

TheFarSide · 17/04/2011 00:25

YANBU. Clarks asked for my full address when I returned a handbag where the stitching had come undone. They said it was company policy but couldn't explain why they needed it. I refused, manager called, etc, etc, but I got my way in the end. As others have said, if they'd been able to give a reasonable explanation I might have complied.

HeadfirstForHalos · 17/04/2011 01:26

YANBU

Toys'r'us also did this to me at christmas, I refused and totally bewildered the girl at the tills!

twoistwiceasfun · 17/04/2011 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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