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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

People giving their email at tills

110 replies

Northernlass99 · 14/04/2019 15:44

Went in three shops today which asked me for my email address. Not directly but....
‘Would you like a 10% off voucher emailed to you’
‘Have we got your details on our product registry’
‘Are you on our system’

I just say no thanks.

AIBU to be surprised how many people just gave their email address? They don’t know anything about what it would be used for, weather it would be sold on, would they receive spam, are the company GDPR compliant, do they have enough security to prevent hacking of your information etc.

Of course you can always unsubscribe but it may have been sold on by then.

An emailed receipt might be handy but surely at the end of the day they are just after your contact details to sell you more stuff?

OP posts:

Accountant222 · 14/04/2019 19:30

Dunelm are worst for this

Gravelface · 14/04/2019 21:47

As with another poster above, I get the concept but really resent it when they just say "what's your email address?"

TwistinMyMelon · 14/04/2019 22:27

What I REALLY hate is when you have to "log-in" to unsubscribe to an account which you barely remember setting up let alone the password, and you can't be arsed with resetting the password, logging in etc etc

Original poster

Northernlass99 · 15/04/2019 08:32

I didn’t know about staff having targets to meet. In my mind this definitely shows it is not for our benefit, and the companies desperately want this info. TO SELL US MORE STUFF!!! I know you don’t have to buy it, but it’s constant relentless pressure to buy, and I could do without it.

Agree it is useful for a big ticket item or to get an e-receipt but so often they are not even offering an e-receipt, they just want your personal information. They don’t ask if you consent to being contacted or added to their mailing list, or that of their ‘trusted partners’ but this is what they will do.

OP posts:

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/04/2019 10:07

In my shop we don't have the ability to print out paper receipts and the only way the credit card/till provider offers receipts is by SMS or email.

So what happens if someone doesn't have an email address or use text messages? I know the majority of people do but there are some that don't.

PetuniaPetunia · 15/04/2019 10:12

I'd much rather have the paper receipt and don't want any advertising.

winbinin · 15/04/2019 10:13

I know I’m a bit slow on the uptake but having a separate receipt email is a genius idea. I going to make one now. And another one for flights so I will no longer panic when my confirmation email is hidden in hundreds of unread messages. Brilliant !

Elphame · 15/04/2019 10:15

Was told by assistant unless I gave my email they wouldn’t process the purchase at the till

Curry's tried this on me - I called them out on it, a manager was summoned and after a lengthy attempt to browbeat me he reluctantly "allowed" me to buy my £500 item!

SrSteveOskowski · 15/04/2019 10:22

I'm Irish in Ireland. I was in the UK last week and was asked for my email address when making a purchase.
My email address is in Irish.
I suspect the poor guy in Debenhams hasn't recoverd yet

DippyAvocado · 15/04/2019 10:25

In my shop we don't have the ability to print out paper receipts and the only way the credit card/till provider offers receipts is by SMS or email.

Is this even legal? Surely you are obliged to provide proof of purchase to people who don't have an email address or mobile phone. I can't believe people can be forced into providing personal details simply to get proof of purchase.

Don't have a go at the staff on the till though because they get no say in the matter, they basically need to get a set % of emails out of all their customers every day or they get shouted at by management.

If, as we are assured by many on this thread, the email address is only for an e-receipt, why are management so bothered about the percentage of customers who provide their address. It is the customer's problem if they want to return an item and don't have a receipt. They can only be bothered because the company wants to send you marketing guff and is relying on customers not bothering to opt out once they've started receiving things.

ForalltheSaints · 15/04/2019 10:38

YANBU to be concerned at people who don't say 'no thanks'. It is asking someone to do something, not to opt out to something. Maybe also if there are shop staff who get told off if they do not get a certain number of responses is something that needs intervention, perhaps by law. Anything to make life more difficult for Philip Green or Mike Ashley's businesses who have a large percentage of the high street has a silver lining.

ForalltheSaints · 15/04/2019 10:39

The other one would be to have a gmail or hotmail account with an embarrassing name or something too rude to write here.

Sarcelle · 15/04/2019 11:58

Dippy makes a good point. If the sole reason was to provide a customer service so that they never lose the receipt, why are their targets being set to get staff to do it? It's a marketing ploy, no other reason for it.

I will just say no, or I only have a work email and it would not be appropriate. I hate being bumped into things that arenobody else's business.

Penners99 · 15/04/2019 11:59

I just say I don’t use email.

Butterymuffin · 15/04/2019 12:03

If, as we are assured by many on this thread, the email address is only for an e-receipt, why are management so bothered about the percentage of customers who provide their address*

Exactly. They aim to get something out of it (or rather you) or there would be no targets.

adaline · 15/04/2019 12:05

I work in a shop where we have to ask - but I hate doing and I absolutely refuse to give my details when I shop!

However it is a mystery shop criteria for us (and I'm sure many others) so please don't get stroppy with the sales assistant who is just doing their job.

UbbesPonytail · 15/04/2019 12:10

The last retail job I had 100% used e-receipts to build a marketing database. Obviously, we were all supposed to turn a blind eye to HOA doing this but it meant I only ever asked ‘and do you have an email address for e-reciepts?’ and only if my manager was stood next to me.

chocolateavocado99 · 15/04/2019 12:18

I hate it as well. I am trying to have less in my life and that includes junk email.
I bought something in Decathalon a few weeks ago and they told me that they couldn't sell me anything unless I gave them my email address.
I always give a fake one by changing a few letters in my name but this time it was random email that I just made up on the spot!.

managedmis · 15/04/2019 12:27

I always say 'I live abroad'

That or 'I'm on day release'

SlothMama · 15/04/2019 12:30

Personally YABU, people can always say no! If it's an email to receive an electronic receipt I will give my email. Saves paper and means I can return clothes easily as I tend to lose my receipts anyway.

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 15/04/2019 12:42

Try telling New Look about ereceipts

Twice now I have never received it online though I obviously gave my correct email address . I ask for a normal paper one now , especially in NL . Luckily the products are fine as I tried them on in store etc but none the less.

Original poster

Northernlass99 · 15/04/2019 13:32

'I'm on day release' - definitely gonna use that!

The AIBU wasn't about being asked, it was about the number of people who just give their email without asking anything about what it is for or what the shop will do with it.

Again, why give a fake one, why not just say no? (unless they refuse the sale, which is ridiculous)

OP posts:

PuppyMonkey · 15/04/2019 13:38

Steve, I also have a pretty unusual Irish name. I’d be there half an hour at the till spelling it out, repeating it, spelling it out again.

bellinisurge · 15/04/2019 13:43

I just politely refuse. They want to monetise your email on a marketing list. Even though there are rules against it where this isn't properly explained to you, I suspect enough people don't realise this to make it worthwhile.

Sarcelle · 15/04/2019 13:52

Is it illegal to refuse to sell you something if you refuse to give your email?

I think if you buy a tv you have to give some personal details because of tv licensing but buying anything else should not require you give personal details. They never did before so why now. Rhetorical question, I know the answer, GDPR. They are trying to get back all the people who did not tick to stay in when the deadline for GDPR came in. Where I work we have a monthly email to customers and we lost a lot of subscribers around that time. We are not selling anything, it's an info thing, but the principle is the same.

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