this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2024
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Privacy

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Store making me feel like an outcast because of privacy concerns (sopuli.xyz)
submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
118 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Okay the title is a bit exaggerated, but honestly not far off. This post is very mundane and a bit long, but thought it fits the community.

I'm visiting my home country and went shopping for pants, there were "30% off everything!" signs with a tiny text underneath that said "member discount" (don't have membership). Not a problem, did not notice and I don't care for such marketing tricks to get you into the store but okay.

Picked up couple of pants, went to the cashier and they asked me "do you have our membership?" - I answered no and expected the follow up question whether I'd like to join, but, to my positive surprise the cashier just happily responded "okay, not a problem!" and continued to bag my stuff.

I stood ready to pay and then the cashier said "now I just need your phone number and you can pay". Hold up. What. I did not expect that, I honestly had a burst of anger inside me (never gonna take it on a cashier, they are just doing their job). I asked nicely why do I need to give my phone number and I was told that to register me as a member so I can get the discount.

I declined and said I don't want to join and would like to just pay.

The entire interaction after questioning why they need my phone number was awkward, as if I had been the first person to decline, the weirdo, aluminum foil hat wearing hermit.

This was just one of many interactions in the recent years that make me feel as if I was a weirdo for not sharing all my info around. The worst is when everyone keeps telling me "its just an app, just download it and use that why do you make things complicated" or "just sign up you don't need to pay anything".

Thank you for reading my mundane rant, would you like to hear more? Just sign up for my weekly mailing list! ~~Your email will be shared with our 12 453 partners~~

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Why don't you just lie ... Each time a different name surname email address physical address phone number ... Yeah sometimes it's Mandatory to use a real address for delivery purposes just put a random name in and add a post-it on the doorbell saing something on the line of leave packages for Crudelia demon here please. Temp mail for most discounts is enough... The test cases in which they do not only ask for your phone but also want to verify it it's pretty slim ...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

That's the advice I've gotten here pretty much, and will probably deal with it in that way from now on!

It is sad that we have to do that, but don't think this will change any time soon.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

Yeah usual 2024 dystopia

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

This is sadly very common where I'm from, except you don't even get a discount from it. I've taken to just politely declining, since I'm sure the person working the cash is probably pressured to get people to give their personal info.

"And can get your email?"

"No thank you"

"I need your email for the receipt"

"I appreciate it but no thank you"

It's a slight non sequitur while still being polite. Saying "no thank you" when someone is pressuring you works well in many situations.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

The receipt is rarely optional for the store though, if you ask for a print out they would have to do it

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

I do this all the time.

"Can I have your address?"

"For a haircut? No, will it let you skip it? Ok good do that then, thanks. I don't need 50 new mailers a month about damn haircuts, you feel me."

Problem solved.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 hours ago

“I don’t have one” is what I typically say lol

[–] [email protected] 28 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Every time this happens to me, the clerk/cashier just shrugs and is like, "okay". They get it, but are obligated to try anyway. The best you can do is be polite.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 hours ago

100% would never want to make their day tougher than it already probably is.

This hermit politely declined, paid, thanked, and left. The anger I felt was towards the retail company and the clerk doesn't need to witness that.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

"Would you like to donate money to us that we pretty pretty promise will go to some vague charity while we reap the tax benefits? No? Are you sure? Fine, we'll just ask you next time (regardless of your answer this time)."

[–] [email protected] 9 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

What tax benefits? Sure they can deduct the donation, but that just cancels out the income from you giving them the money to donate. It's net zero for the company.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I hear the charity tax myth all the time and I don't understand why everyone just believes it.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Obviously, it's not possible for a store to claim a tax deduction for a customer's charity donation. But, the store can claim tax deductions for the cost of collecting the donated money on the charities behalf.

Costs would include: a percentage of the staff members salary for asking the customer to donate, equipment costs to modify the registers to process donations, a percentage of the credit card transaction fees, a percentage of the shop lease costs, etc etc.

Initially, it sounds ridiculous as the real costs of what I listed above would realistically land somewhere between zero and shit-all. But we can be sure that the businesses that ask their customers for charity donations have all the numbers geared heavily in their favor.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 hours ago

Except all of those things you listed would be business expenses which aren't taxable as they would be deducted from gross profits as part of the calculation for determining net profit (which is the taxable part of profit) and if they're also using that as a charitable contribution then they are deducting it twice which the IRS tends to frown upon. Or at least they would if they had any kind of worthwhile enforcement mechanism for dealing with corporations.

I would assume the tax agencies of countries outside the US similarly frown upon such double deductions, possibly even with effective enforcement.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago

Would you like to donate to the Cut Child Hunger in Half fund?

Plot twist: Literally

[–] [email protected] 3 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

They are told to try to convince people to sign up. So they're going to act manipulative in order to get you to. It's just part of their job. Just keep refusing and don't think much of it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Yeah, I'm a bit sad that even offline shopping is showing clear signs of dark patterns, but guess it is just so.

Nothing against someone just doing their job though. Can't always choose where you get your living from.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

Agreed, but to be fair, retail has been doing this for over like 10 years at least lol. It's the most common with clothing shopping. It's nothing new.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours ago

Very true, this is nothing new and just wanted to stop for a moment and rant about my mundane experience and love the the discussion this sparked here!

[–] [email protected] 13 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I stood ready to pay and then the cashier said "now I just need your phone number and you can pay". Hold up. What. I did not expect that, I honestly had a burst of anger inside me (never gonna take it on a cashier, they are just doing their job). I asked nicely why do I need to give my phone number and I was told that to register me as a member so I can get the discount.

"Sure thing, It's +XX 111 222 3333" Just give them garbage.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

That's probably exactly what I'll be doing from now on. Was hoping for the simple "would you like to join?" but guess that's out of style.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I think the cashier was under the assumption that you wanted the discount, and asked at the end instead of immediately after you said you weren't already a member. It doesn't feel rude or invasive, from my perspective, maybe just phrased as an underpaid employee.

What I do recommend is a VOIP phone number and attached separate email for all marketing purposes. They can track and sell that as much as they'd like without impacting your personal details or necessary accounts.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

Haven't looked into VOIP phone numbers before, thanks for the tip!

Could have been that too. I was polite and didn't fuss about it thankfully!

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