my personal details on returns? rubbish.

[DaddyCool]

DW has had about 7 arguments with shop assistants over the past few months. Not all stores ask for this, no shop assistant seems to actually know why they need personal details on returns and with all the messages we get telling us to be careful with our personal details, why do we need to provide this?

Does anyone know why we are asked to provide details on returns? It's starting to really hack us off.

I think it's to do with checking the returns are legit. Perhaps they are suspicious that their staff have a racket going.

It is for audit purposes to check that refunds are real customers and to cover the colleagues' backs in case of stock loss/discrepancies etc.

i always thought it was in case they discovered damage that was the fault of the buyer

Market research.

I always give a slightly different postcode.

I asked about this - and was told it's to guard against dishonest staff doing some fiddle or other (don't know how such a fiddle would work though).

If you decline to do this, they'll process the refund anyhow. I won't give out my personal details, and it's never been a problem.

If I have to return anything, I give my own name, but my work address.

If anyone questions it I tell them the item was a gift for a colleague & if they need to contact me, they can get me at work so no problem

why argue with shop staff doing as they're told? email their head office. and just write any old thing on the receipt.

Agree with PP, why is she arguing with the shop staff about this?

I wanted to pick you up on the idea that we need to 'be careful with our personal details'. We do, but our name and address hardly falls into that category. Names and addresses can be easily found in any electoral roll, telephone directories and all manner of other places. If your DW was being asked for PIN numbers she'd be right to decline. But not a simple address.

Agree with other posters, I'm not sure what she hopes to achieve by arguing with the staff instore, who have no control over what head office make them ask!