To want to be able to buy an item in a shop without giving my name and address?

[carlywurly]

This has happened three times this weekend. White company, tk maxx and white stuff suddenly don't seem to be able to let you just pay at the till without giving them your name and address. This is for a straightforward purchase, not an exchange or return.

I really find it unnecessary and intrusive, plus it holds the bloody queue up. Going to politely decline to give it from now on.

Just say no, its okay, they will still sell the item to you.

YANBU. Tell them you're not giving out the information.

what i normally say is that i dont want to give out my name and address and if it important i will shop somewhere else.

If you're going to shop there often, it might be nice to have a purchase history on file in case you need to return something. We do it at stores where we purchase warranties or if there's a 90 day return policy because I am bad at keeping receipts. Also, sometimes they mail coupons and sales. :)

But if it's a once in a while thing, I'd decline.

Just say no thanks. It's not a problem.

Is this a new thing? I've never been asked my address in a shop

Its irritating, though, like being asked if you want to buy out of date chocolates in Smiths!

Will certainly make me think twice about shopping in certain shops in future.

Ah see, if it's some kind of anti fraud return thing, that would be ok. Or if they were going to give me a discount. I suspect I'm more likely to get extra marketing mail through the post though.

Nope, I don't give them mine.

Oh arse, is this happening here now? I used to travel to the States a lot and you couldn't make a single purchase over there without giving your address. I've had it here with a very few stores and really hate being asked.

And it's a marketing thing, I'm sure. When I said I didn't live in the States, I was always able to make the purchase regardless.

I've noticed more shops doing this lately, irks me too.

Its irritating, though, like being asked if you want to buy out of date chocolates in Smiths

I blame WH Smith for some of the obesity crisis. Putting the idea into people's heads that they need a toblerone when they just went in to buy a protractor and some A4 paper. Why?

Stores usually ask me for my ZIP code, but not my full address. They ask for my email address for coupons, though.

I don't give out my address ,unless I'm having something delivered of course. I just say no, and thats an end to it.

It doesn't give you any extra rights at all, it's for their benefit only. Just keep the receipt.

That's nothing compared to the ones that want your email address so they can bombard you with crap on a daily basis.

I always say no to the chocolate at the till as well. It's easy once you get into the habit.

It is unnecessary to give your address for a purchase in a shop. Just say "no". Same for telephone number - I say I'm ex-directory (although I'm not) Haha

They will have been instructed to do so by H WH are probably on a marketing drive. You can decline, they will be able to override that part o f the till.

I have a specific email address I give out at times like this. That way I get the benefits of discount vouchers without spamming up my inbox.

I'd rather not be asked. I don't want to be asked if I want anything to eat with my coffee, either. If I wanted something to eat I would form my requirements into a sentence and speak them out, in much the same way as I did when I requested my coffee.

It's so they can send you crap through the post that you don't want, and so they can spam your inbox. I just tell them I don't have time as I'm in a rush, it really pisses me off though. On the rare occasion I've felt sorry for them and agreed, I've had to block the email address as I've been sent emails every two days I've been in each store once so I'm far from a regular customer. I'd rather not have my email spammed. Cheers.

You should ask if it means you're going to be signed up to any mailing list. I used to work in a shop where we had to ask customers and most of them were afraid we would send them loads of stuff but actually there was no mailing list at all. The details were just so that we could see purchase history of that customer, it flags up anything odd like recurrent returns etc. But this shop did trade items in as well as sell, so the "membership" had a purpose rather than just being a marketing tool.

Really it's just like a tesco clubcard but without any points. I guess if they can see on your purchase history that you regularly buy boys' clothes there they can tell you "Did you know, we have an offer on school uniform at the moment?" or similar.

I hate this too and am a Starbucks name refuser as well. On the very very very rare occasion I have to go into one, and they ask my name to write on the side of the cup I give them the look and say 'I don't think so'. Then I keep looking at them whilst I am in there.

I bloody hate this.

I also hate how in the airport you aren't able to buy anything without them scanning your boarding pass. I don't want to give them my boarding pass. It's none of their business who I am or where I'm going.

Last time I was buying Ribena in WH Smith in the airport she made me hoke my boarding pass out of my luggage when I said it wasn't handy.