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Original poster

To say No thanks when asked for my post code at the till

182 replies

drfostersbra · 03/10/2017 19:49

I'm always in a rush and I just want them to chuck my stuff in a bag and take my money, I don't want to be on a mailing list, have a store card, catalogue or emails, just fuck off!!

Each time they ask I say no thanks then they go all cats bum mouth with me for the rest of the transaction.

Joules, Jo Jo Maman and white stuff are the worst for this.

The other day I was buying my screaming baby a dribble bib in the Joules sale quickly before a music class and the woman serving told me that they were having a charity day and please could I donate in the bucket, when I said I was in a hurry and didn't have coins on me she gave me an application card so I could direct debit money or something. THEN asked for my post code and was thoroughly shirty with me when I said no.

It's so annoying!!

OP posts:
MrsSchadenfreude · 03/10/2017 21:55

I usually say that I live abroad. And am then told that I don't sound foreign. Hmm

melj1213 · 03/10/2017 21:55

The problem also is, when you give a false postcode, you are still giving the information and therefore the store will see it as a successful system.

As far as the store is concerned the assistant has done their job and got the information from the customer and will therefore continue to use the system in future as it is clearly successful

If, on the other hand, you just say "No thank you" then firstly most sales assistants will be more than happy to take that answer and move on (unless their store insists on them not taking the first no as an answer) and either the store takes longer to hit survery quotas or note that they have minimal uptake on their information requests ... either way they start to get the message that their system isn't working and they are more likely to stop it (and the sales assistants don't get screwed over in the process)

formerbabe · 03/10/2017 21:57

I usually say that I live abroad

Why bother? Just say no!

melj1213 · 03/10/2017 22:01

managers being genuinely rude/inappropriate to staff who have been given false postcodes need to be pushed back against. We are talking about big firms, with HR departments.

It really isn't that easy ... part of the job is getting the information - managers are rarely rude or inappropriate to the point of reporting to HR, but if you aren't hitting your targets then you can be pulled in for a warning/meeting.

At the end of the day retail workers are easy to replace so if you're not hitting targets or "defy the rules" to not even attempt to get the information requested then you can easily be replaced by someone who will.

AuntieFester · 03/10/2017 22:14

I always give a fake postcode/email/phone number unless a delivery is involved Grin
Staff get reprimanded if a customer gives out fake information? Hmm

melj1213 · 03/10/2017 22:20

We can be - if you give too many "fake" postcodes then it will flag up in the system and you can get pulled in "for a talk" if the manager suspects that you're not actually asking the customer for their details or just inputting random things - if a customer says no - to try and hit your quota.

MrsMoastyToasty · 03/10/2017 22:28

I don't give my postcode or email address.

The other thing that drives me crazy is when you want to get a refund you are asked for name, address, postcode and a signature. Why? They never wanted all this information when I bought the fecking item.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 03/10/2017 22:29

If they didn't argue with you about why you have to give the information I would just say no. However they do argue, they ask more than once, they try to make you feel sorry for them, so I give a fake postcode.

RicottaPancakes · 03/10/2017 22:35

So why do they "have to" have our postcodes? Never used to be a requirement.

Workingonthemoon · 03/10/2017 22:38

MrsMoastyToasty - they ask for your details when you return an item so they know it's not staff fiddling. That's why they always need a second signiture too. It's very easy for staff to refund themselves for purchases they didn't make. It also proves that they've refunded in case there is a dispute in the future.

Workingonthemoon · 03/10/2017 22:41

Anne, I'd just tell them I won't buy the item then and walk out. I can't imagine an item I'd want that much or was that exclusive to the shop I'd be willing to be bullied like that.

AccidentalyRunToWindsor · 03/10/2017 22:42

@MrsMoastyToasty long time since I was in retail myself but it was so there was prof the refund had been given back to the customer rather than the sales assistant just running refunds through the till for themselves.

There was also the angle it could be used to track shoplifters who were returning items they had stolen through all my years as a retail manager I never did that so seems a bit pointless really!

donquixotedelamancha · 03/10/2017 22:43

"At the end of the day retail workers are easy to replace so if you're not hitting targets or "defy the rules" to not even attempt to get the information requested then you can easily be replaced by someone who will."

In the big companies that collect this sort of data it is not easy to sack someone for a customer giving them a false postcode. This is just silly.

"if you aren't hitting your targets then you can be pulled in for a warning/meeting."

Of course that can happen. It is uncomfortable. Just as customers are uncomfortable with the conversation at the tills. I'm sorry for anyone who has a shitty boss, but it is not the customers responsibility to make this easier by inconveniencing themselves. If they want to give false data they can do what they like.

AccidentalyRunToWindsor · 03/10/2017 22:43

@Workingonthemoon 'bullied?' Hmm

Workingonthemoon · 03/10/2017 22:46

Yes. The poster said "they do argue, they ask more than once, they try to make you feel sorry for them".

Workingonthemoon · 03/10/2017 22:47

They are trying to force you to do something you don't eant or need to do.

As I said, I can't be bothered with that so would just walk out if they can't accept the answer no but other people can't do that.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 03/10/2017 23:00

Email or postcode, I just say I'd rather not, thanks - nicely. I've never had any cat-bum faces.
It always feels a bit big-brother-ish (Orwell, not telly) when they want all this info.

Having said that, I did once give my email to Joules, and they email me when they've got a sale on - I've got a few nice things half price, and a really nice top recently for about 2/3 off.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 03/10/2017 23:32

I can’t wait to try this in Joules, they ask for my postcode every single time I go in. I get their emails, I follow them on Facebook and Instagram and they send me catalogues. If they haven’t got my bloody postcode by now it’s tough luck.

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 04/10/2017 09:20

Ms the reason they ask every time, is so they can build a picture of exactly what you have bought.

SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace · 04/10/2017 09:25

If they want my email address for a receipt, I say 'oh no, a paper one is fine thank you'

If they want my postcode, I say, no, I'll just pay for the jumper thanks.

Jack Wills infuriated me on Saturday when dd was buying something - there's only ever one person on the tills and a huge queue, and then they make it take longer with the ridiculous and frankly sneaky charade of -
Am I okay to just quickly take a postcode?
And what house number is that?
Right, so are you (other dd, me, ....?)

So on the lie that they just wanted to 'quickly take a postcode' they had her name and full address! I wanted to tell her to stop answering, but she would have been mortified.

It's so shit and annoying, and the only thing that stops me getting really annoyed in the shop is that I know the actual assistants don't have any choice but to ask. But it's bloody stupid.

MinesaPinot · 04/10/2017 09:32

I just say 'no thank you' when faced with all this (which seems to be on the up). And I always ask for a paper receipt. If the shops don't like it it's up to them, but I refuse to give my postcode/email address when you don't know who's around and who else is listening.

HotNatured · 04/10/2017 09:35

It's fine to refuse as long as you are v polite in doing so.

Retail staff don't actually want to have to ask you BS questions like this. Must make a mundane job even more dull.

HotNatured · 04/10/2017 09:37

And I find cat's bum face is only expressed when the cashier is faced with a snotty attitude.

Just be nice people !

Mittens1969 · 04/10/2017 09:50

I haven’t yet been asked for my post code or email address at one of the major supermarkets, but that’s because I mainly shop at places where we have store cards, so I’m already in their system. Otherwise I say no thank you to being given one.

I do get absolutely sick of being stopped whilst shopping to do a survey or to be asked whether I want double glazing. It’s especially annoying to be stopped when it’s pretty flipping obvious that I have my hands full with my DDs.

Point taken about false post codes, though.

Penhacked · 04/10/2017 09:55

What's scary is we are all if a generation that remember when this wasn't the case. Our kids won't be. I really hope they add data protection to the national curriculum in ICT.