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Original poster

Pushy sales assistants asking you to take out "loyalty" or "points" cards

87 replies

nutelladreams · 12/01/2022 19:32

This has happened to me a couple of times recently. Each time in a shop just buying something really mundane like shampoo or tea.
Today I was buying a coffee gift set for a friend and got to the till.. Assistant asked if I had one of their "points" cards and would I like one. Thinking it would be something quick and painless I said "ok", expecting it would be the kind of thing where your card just gets stamps each time you shop there or something.
Assistant wanted my name (fair enough), but then also my address, email, phone number and DOB.
It was a busy shop and I'm uneasy about giving out so much personal data just for the sake of saving a few pence off my next purchase.
I asked the assistant to stop processing my "points" card and just let me pay for the item and leave in the end as she was faffing around asking for so much and struggling to spell my name, address and email. Sigh.
Other people get frustrated by this kind of stuff in a shop?

OP posts:
shouldistop · 13/01/2022 06:40

She asked and you said yes. I don't see how she was being pushy.

FluffyBooBoo · 13/01/2022 07:00

Assistant asked if I had one of their "points" cards and would I like one. Thinking it would be something quick and painless I said "ok"

Your definition of pushy is VERY different to mine.

megletthesecond · 13/01/2022 07:11

This sort thing does make me avoid superdrug and wh smiths. I just like to buy and leave.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 13/01/2022 07:49

Blame the cunts in management not the poor front line staff.

I always give the same false DoB if it’s for one of these I actually want, they fuck off to the far side of fuck if they think they need the real one.

mogsrus · 13/01/2022 07:50

Just say ,,,not today thank you,,,,& leave it. I used to work in a shop where you had targets for those darn things, & I would suspect it’s the same every shop, the assistant gets fed up asking & getting rejected, but they are obligated to ask because the person being served just maybe one of those mystery shoppers that send details back to H/ O. result, the shop assistant gets carpeted for not asking, they are absolutely horrible things

JuergenSchwarzwald · 13/01/2022 07:57

It is really annoying - especially when there is a long queue and they are making it longer with all their faffing. Same in post offices.

BigYellowHat · 13/01/2022 07:59

They’re probably secretly thankful if you say no anyway.

angieloumc · 13/01/2022 08:01

I used to find it a bit irritating, until my DD 17 got a part time job in River Island. They have to ask every customer if they want an e receipt. DD hates doing it especially with masks but it's just one of those things. Not the staff's fault.

angieloumc · 13/01/2022 08:02

@BigYellowHat

They’re probably secretly thankful if you say no anyway.
Was going to add that DD loves it when a customer says no!
EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn · 13/01/2022 08:07

I stopped shopping in Paperchase when it got to the stage that saying ‘no thank you’ to all their offers took longer than choosing what I wanted to buy, and I emailed head office to say so.

Neverknowinglyunderfed · 13/01/2022 08:16

I find it so annoying.
I had a lovely birthday treat at a salon this week and before I'd even got up off the bed, 1min after the treatment ended, the therapist was trying to sell me the range they stock.
It really soured the experience tbh.

myusernamewastakenbyme · 13/01/2022 08:23

I was in Superdrug yesterday and the assistants were desperately trying to upsell at the tills... an £8 mascara and face packs were being pushed onto us...really pisses me off....Savers is horrendous for this too.

mogsrus · 13/01/2022 08:32

The shop I worked in even had wall of fame/ shame., most of the staff used to look at it & say who cares, the annoying thing is, when the assistant does their shopping they get the same treatment so it definitely is irritating. The only one I would ever look at is the one that is offered today that gets me a percentage off a product that I was going to get today, so I buy the product get discount destroy card otherwise nope!!

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 13/01/2022 09:24

@BigYellowHat

They’re probably secretly thankful if you say no anyway.
Actually, I hated it as it brought my figures down and inevitably resulted in a bollocking or "training" in how to be more pushy persuasive!
LadyPropane · 13/01/2022 09:26

@BigYellowHat

They’re probably secretly thankful if you say no anyway.
Yes! I used to work in a big pharmacy that made me ask customers loads of stupid questions before I could take their money. I absolutely loved it when they abruptly shot me down and demanded I hurry up. I hated having to fart about signing people up for things and taking details when there was a queue forming behind them.
Herja · 13/01/2022 09:40

Aye. It's shit. It's shitter for the shop assistant though... I was given a formal disciplinary for not opening enough store cards (not points only) by House of Fraser. They didn't count the ones you signed up, but who failed the credit check either. Wankers.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 13/01/2022 09:49

@Herja

Aye. It's shit. It's shitter for the shop assistant though... I was given a formal disciplinary for not opening enough store cards (not points only) by House of Fraser. They didn't count the ones you signed up, but who failed the credit check either. Wankers.
This is so typical of shit management - how about management thinking of ways to make it more attractive to customers rather than working out how to impose punitive sanctions on staff for not being able to polish a turd.
Cici22 · 13/01/2022 10:20

I used to work in debenhams and had to sell credit cards and loyalty cards. If people didn't want it or said no, that was fine. However it was really frustrating for them to be like. My minds changed, oh I didn't realise it was a credit card. After I read out to them the whole thing. Just pay attention to what is actually being asked of you. You are waisting peoples time. Fun fact the shop assistant doesn't want to do them either, but does it because it's there job. Stop acting offended because there asking for information. What do you honestly think there gonna do with it? The staff just want to get through there shift.... they won't care about your email, number or address!! Honestly neither will the other shoppers.

elelel · 13/01/2022 11:04

However it was really frustrating for them to be like. My minds changed, oh I didn't realise it was a credit card. After I read out to them the whole thing. Just pay attention to what is actually being asked of you.

I struggle with this and no doubt others will too.

Over the years I learn to expect certain things when I'm out and about but the first few times I was offered a store card (they were throwing them at you in the early to mid 00s) I genuinely didn't know what it was. I don't immediately pick up on unexpected conversation so I would definitely not realise straight away what you meant. I struggle with processing due to being autistic and sometimes I do need a second 'go' at it before I realise exactly what is being said.

I can guarantee though that you do not find it anywhere near as frustrating as I do.

DropYourSword · 13/01/2022 11:05

But...she wasn’t pushy!!
She asked. You said yes.

Cici22 · 13/01/2022 11:29

@elelel

However it was really frustrating for them to be like. My minds changed, oh I didn't realise it was a credit card. After I read out to them the whole thing. Just pay attention to what is actually being asked of you.

I struggle with this and no doubt others will too.

Over the years I learn to expect certain things when I'm out and about but the first few times I was offered a store card (they were throwing them at you in the early to mid 00s) I genuinely didn't know what it was. I don't immediately pick up on unexpected conversation so I would definitely not realise straight away what you meant. I struggle with processing due to being autistic and sometimes I do need a second 'go' at it before I realise exactly what is being said.

I can guarantee though that you do not find it anywhere near as frustrating as I do.

It's a legal requirement to read out 12 steps, and in each step it is a explained what's happening. How you have to work a min 16 hours. That a credit check is done etc, If at any stage you notice the person is not understanding, some has to have it re explained due to any difficulties they have and they haven't full understood, you give them the information to take away at there own pace to read and understand. That's completely different to people just not paying attention. Some people would do the whole thing, pay for the item and come back being like I just got a bill I didn't realise it was a credit card. Just really they didn't pay attention. I stop numerous applications for people who were vulnerable, or would try and open credit cards fraudulently. You would have to be on the ball, it's quite serious stuff. Or if they said they were applying for a mortgage etc. again I'd stop.

Again completely different to people not paying attention.

JovialNickname · 13/01/2022 11:35

My local Superdrug is really busy and there's only ever one person on the till. The last 2 times I've been in there the customer being served has said yes to the points card; and during the long laborious process 2 or 3 other customers in the queue have put down their items and walked out. How is that of benefit to Superdrug? I do think their card/offer pushing is too much

elelel · 13/01/2022 11:35

You said when you ask them and they say no when you read out the legal bit, so yeah, you interpreted people as not paying attention when they may have communication issues which mean they don't pick things up straight away

DedalusBloom · 13/01/2022 11:55

I am the bane of customer services as I will happily email a company and tell them that I put back £30 of shopping because the queue was moving so slowly due to the poor stressed woman on the till having to ask every customer if they wanted a store card and one person taking them up on it, necessitating 5 minutes of " how do you spell that..?" etc

I honestly can't see the benefit of most store cards. I feel very sorry for staff that have to push them endlessly.

My normal reply when asked is " yes I do but I've left it in my other purse" and then refuse their offer to look me up on the system saying " please don't worry, I'm actually in a bit of a rush."
Everyone leaves happy.

Chikapu · 13/01/2022 12:05

I used to work for BHS, I would regularly have to explain to management why I wasn't pushing their store card hard enough. If someone said no thank you, we had to keep trying to persuade them. There were incentives to get as many in a week as you could.
I hated it and it's one of the reasons I told them to stick it.