To be tired of being asked so many questions for even small things in shops?

[Iris65]

I went to ask for a passport renewal form and was subjected to a three minute sales pitch about check and send. When I said no thank you I was asked where I was going on holiday and when, then they tried to sell me travel insurance. I went through the same 5 minute ordeal to post my passport form the next day.
In a department store every time I buy anything I am asked whether I want a store card, what my name and address is, whether I want to give my email for offers advance notice of shopping.
When I buy painkillers form the chemist they give me a three minute speil asking whether I take other medicine, telling me how often I to take them and other advice. Then they ask for me email to send me offers.....
I appreciate that in the chemist they have to give the info and it's fine. I just say 'OK, thank you.' But when did it become OK for every purchase to involve dealing with long sales pitches and dealing with requests for personal information.
I had one assistant ask for personal information saying 'It's not sensitive' and following it up with wanting my name, address, phone number, which bank I used - including sort code and account number! I told her it certainly was sensitive and walked away.

SingingforSanity: don't be ridiculous, it's not arseholeish to not want to give out your personal info to be traded between multinational corporations and hacked by god knows who. Yes, it's wrong that shop assistants are pressured into getting this data, but the idea that we should just accept it for their sake is stupid.

I always say no politely enough but it does feel blunt at times. I am used to doing it now so it has become second nature. Every single blummin shop wants my postcode or email or name and telephone.

I am sure in another few years everyone will cotton on to saying no and they will give up asking hopeful

I have a hearing loss and lipread. Can you imagine what a f***g ordeal it is for me?!

White Company say 'postcode?' at the payment desk, like it's a given. I don't think so. I always refuse to give it to them.

Body Shop, dreadful with pushy selling tactic. Fortunately I didn't feel the need to return.

Poor WH Smith staff if they're forced into the upselling

Butteredpars1ps

In my local Smith's it is now so crowded in the aisles with the display units (pure profit for the company) and it use to be so dark (they turned off one in every three lights to save money) that I also stopped going in.

Personally I think if everyone who finds it annoying stops buying them, then they might get the idea, but its been going on now for over 10 years now and the profit they make on these damn things is amazing.

I just feel really sorry for the staff, they go into work in a shop, where customer service should be a massive thing and end up pressure sailing like a double glazing salesperson

It irritates me too. Between this level of "customer service" in shops and being hassled by chuggers/street preachers/ street vendors etc on the High Street (and also the cost of parking), it's not doing much to encourage me into town instead of shopping online.

I know it's not the assistants fault. Years ago I had to do it in my student job at one of the early chains to introduce it (American company, sells trinkets and pierced ears ). Greet each customer, offer a basket, ask if they need help, ask about add-ons at the till, read the name off their bank card for parting greeting. Arrgh! I just want someone with a pleasant disposition and good manners.

I give a very old postcode...amuses me and they are none the wiser..and I agree it's annoying..

I hate that whenever I buy anything online that get sent a survey after, then a reminder for the survey.

oob

I ordered something at monsoon giveimg a fake number as i always do

Forgot id and they very kindly said i could have it if i confirmed the telephone number

Gave fake number

Forgot i was with pedantic child

"Thats not the right number mummy"

"Yes it is"

" No its not mummy"

"Yes it is"

And repeat

Agree with decline of wh smiths. The last 3 or 4 I've been in look like they're just teetering on the brink of closure. Piles of random stuff they're trying to flog, out of date chocolate, 'discount' books that can be bought for half the price in The works next door, half the lights turned off and no heating. I suspect they'll be going the way of BHS very soon.

singingforsanity I don't think rslys sounds remotely arse-holeish and I may try her/his tactics next time!

it's the poor sods who have to ask that I really feel sorry for

Me an' all Hardertobreathe.

They don't want too ask it any more than we want to be interrogated.

Usually it's just slightly irritating but I don't mind stuff like postcodes.

Debenhams though properly did my head in to the point being slightly freaked at the intensity of the sales thing and stroppy taking away my discounts I didn't care about anyway, Ive given it a wide berth since

Scary shit man!

I understand that it's annoying but please don't ever fib to someone in the chemist when they're asking you if you're taking other medicines etc. We're not doing it to record data but to know that we are safely selling you a product that isn't going to interact with something you're already taking. I know it's a hassle to answer 20 questions but if you're diabetic for example, the sugar content in a product could make you seriously ill. Likewise if you're taking tablets for your blood pressure and ask for an antihistamine. We only ask these questions to ensure we arent putting you in any danger. Think how seriously Pissed you would be if we didn't correctly advise you and you ended up in hospital?

I worked in WH Smith at weekends while in sixth form and we had to ask about the chocolates or sweets. And there are hidden cameras at the tills. The manager would give you warnings and often pull you up if you were caught NOT asking. It's horrible. They also look at the chocolate sales and will pull you up if your not selling enough. That was over 10 years ago so it's not changed much!

"Give it 5 years, and someone will be giving a presentation remember WHSmith? Well they pissed their customers off so much they stayed away"
Absolutely this - I hope WHSmith are taking note.
Thanks everyone for the reminders about how dire it is to go high street shopping these days (do most of mine online).

When asked for my email address to email the receipt I just say no thanks, usual paper one please. Never had any come back. If asked for my postcode I ask why, then just say no thanks. It makes me cringe for the shop assistants, so I just try and be pleasant.

I know the guys in my local petrol station quite well. One recently started on the usual did I want BOGOF on the chocolates, did I have a points card etc. I was going "no thanks," "no thanks" till we both started laughing and he started randomly pointing at things and going "Blah, blah, blah...." It was funny but he seemed so fed up with the whole thing, such a shitty thing to do to your staff.

Our WH Smiths have just started scanning the same coupon over and over and not giving any out because they've realised nobody wants them

Chances that I will return to WH Smiths in February and spend £30 on stationery? Pretty slim...

I work in a shop and we have targets for signing up customers to our store card - 1 in 10 customers. And those who already have a card we need to scan it - 1 in 3. We also have products to sell each week that are cheap add ons. We also have to ask if you found everything you were looking for, and ask if you want a bag.
We hate it.
But every week we get bollocked in the office if we don't meet our targets. Then warnings etc follow.
I need my job.
I'm always friendly, and never pushy. I just say what I have to say, in a friendly and happy way. I understand if customers don't want to, and accept no thanks or whatever fine. Please don't be rude to me!
But I agree, please complain to head office about it, but without mentioning me, my till, your receipt number, the branch you were in etc as otherwise I'll get bollocked for that too..

I think some of the shit Smiths give you (voucher advertising the chocolate, receipt voucher telling you to buy a half price diary, probably a third bit of unneeded crap too) is more noticeable now that we're all less likely to be getting a carrier bag. Time was I would say yes to the bag and they'd slip all the other crap in without me caring much. Now, if I go in to buy a birthday card, I want to walk out with just the birthday card. I don't even want the receipt tbh.

Yanbu

Superdrug are always trying to flog stuff at their tills: "we've got 2 for 1 on these nail polishes, do you like any of them?" , "would you like to buy this mascara today for £5?" , "would you like any phone top up or stamps today?" Aargh!!

Boots are really annoying; their advantage card scheme has been running for donkeys' years now yet they will still ask "do you have an advantage card luv?". "no". "Would you like to open one?" - don't you think that if I wanted one, I would've found time in the last 20 years to bloody get one

I wear earphones so don't hear the questions

They quickly give up!

They don't stop at postcodes (to whever mentioned not minding those) if you're not already in their system. Then they want your email address, phone number etc

Joules asked for my date of birth, for 'security' I was returning or exchanging something I didn't give that to them either.

Fair point, glittery.

If ever I get asked for my postcode I give them Buckingham palaces postcode. Nobody had questioned it yet...

I hate being asked for my email to get a receipt. Or even, being TOLD I need to give them my email address for it. I never give it.