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

[drfostersbra]

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!!

[Timeywimey8]

Well maybe customers need to start asking to speak to a manager, expressing their concerns, and insisting that the manager passes on the feedback.

But all I've got when I've tried that is "they don't listen to us, you'll have to write in", and if I have been bothered to write in, I've just had meaningless platitudes back.

So maybe giving false info is the only way to stop this.

But retailers do what they like. Remember the VAT/boarding pass at airports storm? All that happened was that they started saying that it was their terms and conditions that you had to show your boarding pass and if you didn't show it they wouldn't sell to you.

[DadDadDad]

BlackPepperCrab - you may be right, but I'm still not convinced on the direct marketing point. You are saying that they match the name from the credit card with your postcode, search some address list and work out who you are. That seems a bit convoluted, and error-prone.

On the statistical point, I really don't think that's such a bad thing that businesses do this. If they see they have a lot of customers in a town and so decide to open a store there, then surely that's great for those customers! Providing this information can be irritating, but I don't see the need to be so grumpy about helping a business research its customers.

[SingingMySong]

it's increasingly often just a way into asking for the rest of your details anyway ('can I just grab a quick postcode.... sigh, ok.... right, great, and what house number is that....?)

This. I suppose they also have your surname from your bank card. I think I could do a fair bit with surname and postcode, if I were inclined, though I'm not suggesting they all are.

I'm not particularly precious about my privacy - I don't really mind Asda asking me my postcode once in a blue moon, I sign up to Boots and Tesco reward cards and consider the perks a fair trade for the data they collect. But with them it's my choice whether to play or not, I'm still welcome as a customer if I don't. I hate Matalan demanding (and it is a demand, not a request) my full address every time I want to buy a pair of pants.

[BlackPepperCrab]

DadDadDad On a small scale, yes it does seem a bit incredulous. However, there are plenty of marketing/advertising companies whose sole purpose is to compile such databases, so if a firm signs up for their services it does make the whole process a lot more linear.

[SingingMySong]

Oops, cross-post.

[Mittens1969]

I agree with some PPs that there’s no harm in giving them my postcode, as it only gives them the road where I live. But email, no way, I hate getting lots of junk emails.

[purpleprincess24]

My DH bought me a Michael Kors watch in Florida and they emailed the receipt to me. The same day I received emails selling fakes!

Someone in the store must have passed it on, no such thing as coincidence

[SingingMySong]

Dad cross-referencing and using giant datasets is where it's at. Big Data and all that. Big data IS messy and full of errors, but that's what cleaning algorithms are for.

I don't think it's about who they send physical, expensive brochures to in the expensive post. It's much more subtle, drawing out customer types and behaviours.

[Pigface1]

OP, YANBU. And not only NBU - also it's your legal right to refuse.

I'm actually currently writing an article about how retailers will have to change these practices from 25 May 2018 - which is when the EU General Data Protection Regulation comes in. As of that date they'll be facing fucking massive fines for data protection breaches - which I think some of these practices are.

[kittykarate]

You are saying that they match the name from the credit card with your postcode, search some address list and work out who you are. That seems a bit convoluted, and error-prone.

Yeah, but the margin of error is small and the actual effort of doing that matching is miniscule. Never mind when they ask for your house number to get it really targeted. There has been a lot of very interesting ( well interesting to me but I don't get out much ) stuff going on in the data mining and aggregation software space which makes crunching this type of data much more cost effective than it used to be.

[liverbird10]

I'm a Store Manager and I do agree that it's bloody annoying to be asked for your email/postcode etc at the till.

I can assure you, however, that it is much, much MORE annoying to have Regional Managers and Head Office constantly barking at you for your store's lack of "data capture" on a daily basis, when your customers (quite understandably, IMO) don't want to give emails.

It is a KPI, something we are measured on, and therefore something that any annual potential wage increase is partially dependent on.

God knows we hate spam emails as much as the next person, but have a bloody heart!

[liverbird10]

Must add that I have never given any customer 'cats bum face'.

[MissConductUS]

In my profession I get targeted for a lot of surveys. I stopped doing them unless there was compensation being offered, usually something like an Amazon gift card. I just got tired of people expecting that I would share information so that they could make money off of it with nothing in return for me. Now I'm "on the list" for the companies that do offer compensation for them.

As I mentioned previously this practice went extinct in the states a few years ago. Perhaps the same thing will happen elsewhere.

[BandHag]

I just say "I so rarely shop here".
You can give here a hyacinth bouquet emphasis

[ginplease8383]

I think the GDPR next year will mean they can't do this. The consent element of the regulations will make it harder

[DadDadDad]

ginplease - maybe, or maybe it will force them to ensure that they store your postcode anonymously, ie without connecting it to a customer's name, so that it is clear it only for statistical purposes.

[ForalltheSaints]

Pretend that you come from another country. Mind you, it's de rigour for any museum in France, Belgium or the Netherlands, and if they ask, I take it as a complement that they do not think I am the typical Brit abroad.

[Pigface1]

dad - it may mean they can still harvest postcodes alone - but I think it will stop them from requesting full addresses without making it clear (a) that the customer has a choice about whether to provide the data or not and (b) what the data will be used for. To be honest I think this practice isn't lawful even under the current legal framework but the DPA only provides for very low fines - the GDPR is going to make it a much more high risk issue.

Personally, though, I've never been asked solely for a postcode - it's always been a precursor to asking for a full address and name.

[Katyazamo]

I have to do this for my job. It's a new system. At the minute unless there is a manager breathing down my neck I just make something up. Wonder how long I'll get away with it...

[Rufustherenegadereindeer1]

We dont ask for postcodes

I hope no one from head office is reading this

ITS A SHIT IDEA...DONT DO IT

[tippz]

No I won't give a postcode - not even of a road 2 streets away from me. (Half a mile,) so that they get roughly the right info (where their customers are coming from.) As has been said, if you gave your postcode roughly - like only 2 streets away, it wouldn't take them too long to figure out your exact address if they wanted to, because your surname is on your debit card. I have a fairly unusual surname, and I am the only one within 7 miles, so no I won't be giving my postcode at all.

Some people are saying 'just give YOUR postcode, what you scared of?' and 'you could get the assistant in trouble.' If I don't want to give my postcode I won't. And I won't have anyone telling me I should.

It's bloody ridiculous asking for your postcode anyway. OBVIOUSLY, the majority of customers live near that store, or they wouldn't be bloody shopping there would they?

I also get pissed off with sales assistants trying to get me to buy extra guarantees that aren't worth the paper they're written on, and make out you're silly for not accepting the offer, (I'm looking at you Argos and Currys/PC World!) And also sales assistants who try and flog me an out of date terrys chocolate orange, or a storecard at the checkout! (Sign up now and get 3% off this transaction..' (No - fuck off!)

I also get pissed off with shops wanting to email me my receipt. I fell for this once, with New Look, and I got spam emails from them EVERY DAY for 3 weeks, until I blocked them. Now if any shop asks, I say I don't have the internet or any email address.

And before anyone says anything, I KNOW it's management telling the sales staff to say and do all of this. Doesn't stop me being pissed off about it.

[Rufustherenegadereindeer1]

I dont really understand why its so hard to say no

I seem to manage it and im useless at most stuff

[Joeymaynardslimegreendress]

Blimey they are ajways so nice, (apart from the BHS brum) I ajways tell them.

[CoughLaughFart]

God knows we hate spam emails as much as the next person, but have a bloody heart!

But this is the problem - you're expecting the customer to deal with what is your issue. Your manager is breathing down your neck - therefore you are the one who needs to push back. The customer isn't there to give information they don't want to give just to make your life easier.

[JustGettingStarted]

Make a spam email address at Google or hot mail or similar.

Mine is something like "spamfolder@yahoo... They clearly know what I'm doing, but I oh well