Invasion of the Number Snatchers
Paying for merchandise in a retail store is getting to be a mighty unpleasant chore.
Today I went to Borders and picked up a couple books. The very first thing the lady asks me at the cash register is,
“What’s your email?”
Not, “Thank you for shopping with us today.” Not, “Did you find everything you needed?”
“What’s your email?”
Now I don’t know about you, but the last thing I need is more people with my email address. So I say, “I can’t give you that.”
Thankfully, she doesn’t push it. Am I home free? No. She shifts gears and starts asking me if I have a Borders reward card. I don’t. It’s free, she says. It’ll give you this, that, and the other benefit, she says. I relent. OK, I’ll take a look. And then -
“What’s your phone number?”
Sheesh. All I want is a couple books. I say, “Sorry, I can’t give you that.”
She says, “Are you sure?”
Boy, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. The more she asks, the less I want to be in the store, period.
Does this kind of check out experience make your skin crawl? I used to avoid these situations like the plague until …
Just Say No!
Before meeting up with TJ McDonald and working on his PrivacyBuilders startup, I could never have handled “counter interrogation” so confidently*.
When checkout people asked for my phone number, I never knew what to say. I was flummoxed. Sometimes I’d lie and say I had an unlisted number. Other times (for shame!) I’d give them a fake phone number, like Elaine in Seinfeld. Occasionally I’d say something really stupid, like our phone was out of service. But most of the time, I’d spinelessly cave and give them my data.
But now, armed with some knowledge of the information game, I just say no. Now it’s the clerks who are flummoxed and fumbling. One of these days I’m going to respond to the “What’s your number?” question with one of my own -
“What’s your company’s privacy policy?”
What kind of answers do you think they’ll have?
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*One might say TJ taught me “counter intelligence”.
I’m going to Borders tomorrow — I am going to ask that exact question. I’ll let you know the answer. Great post!
Brad,
I’m currently developing an online consumer webinar called ‘Shopping with a Privacy Attitude.’ The idea is to empower consumers to take control. Until it is developed, here are some techniques for you and your readership to use when asked for personal information AND are not comfortable giving it away.
When asked for your phone number, respond with:
1. Do you know what time it is? or
2. What time does starbucks close? or
3. Have you seen my 3 year old?
When asked for you email, respond with:
1. What did you call me? or
2. You didn’t say please (even if they do) or
3. Did you see my 3 year old?
Lastly, if they ask for social security number, respond with:
1. How bout them Bears?
Seriously, Borders is actually a very good consumer privacy respecting company. They may ask for information but they don’t share it with other companies. Wouldn’t it be nice if you knew they were a privacy-safe compay before going to Borders, or even better, you saw my ‘Proud to be a PrivacyBuilders Select Company’ sign at the cashier?
Kim, can’t wait to hear how your Borders experiment goes!
TJ, LOL. Interesting point about Borders being a privacy-honoring company. If I had known that, I definitely would have signed up for their rewards card! But how in the world would I know? How valuable it would be if PrivacyBuilders can help them get the message out.