Beauty

[Venezia]

Years ago Sears set up their system so that the cashiers couldn't complete a transaction without entering a phone number - really!

Even if you paid with cash, they had to enter a phone number.  When I went in to purchase a new microwave and got asked I said my number was unlisted and I didn't give it out.

The cashier couldn't get past that field so I told her to simply put in the correct area code followed by all 9s.  It worked and she was amazed.  I told her I worked in I.T. and it would be impossible for them to vet every phone number.  All the system would do was check for a numerical field.  (They could verify a legit area code but trying to vet the rest of the number would be virtually impossible.)

Some systems will now exclude all 9s, so I just substitute 9 followed by all 1s or something similar, if I can't complete a purchase without a phone number.

[Venezia]

On a different note, I kept getting asked for my birthday, whenever I went into Ulta, which wasn't all that often.  I just said I wasn't interested and unknown to me, the girl entered my birthday as that current month - October!

My birthday is not in October, but I get a "free birthday gift" every October now.  It took me a while to realize what she'd done.

[beach-mom]

I  just give them our home phone and my email. I like BBW and I like getting coupons.  

[monicakm]

How rude!  I haven't read all the replies so this might already have been said.  They get incentives when you sign up with your phone number so you can get ads from them.  Asking once and dropping it would have been the polite thing for her to do.

[phoenixbrd]

@Knit-Chick i don't give out personal information unless it is absolutely required.    I think you handled the situation well and the eye-roll was unprofessional.

[jackthebear]

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@RollTide2008 wrote:
It has never occurred to be to be petulant about giving a phone number for a rewards plan. Weird.

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it is annoying that she declined and got push back about it,

[Knit-Chick]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@You should have turned the tables and insisted the clerk give you her phone number.

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I wish I had thought of that! 

[Knit-Chick]

Thanks everyone.... always good to get everyone else's opinions.  To those who said I should have made up a number, I could have but then she would have asked for my name and email for their program.   I only had a few items and just wanted to pay with cash.  I never did order online, so they saved me some money

And I completely understand how these sales associates are just doing their job and don't always have the easiest of jobs.  I've been there.  We all have bad days, and I always try to keep that in mind.  You never know what someone is dealing with.  But I was very friendly and polite, even when I told her I changed my mind.

[RespectLife]

@Knit-Chick 

I don't care how nice the fragrances are, I would NOT go home and order.

I wouldn't give BBW one dime of my hard earned money.

Part of a good corp, is training your employees properly. 

Just like Starbucks, these companies allow their employees to be rude and inconsiderate to customers.

Whatever they have, I can find something similar elsewhere.

[50Mickey]

Gee I would like to know there these stores are that have employees  follow you around and keep asking if you need help. The stores that I frequent  have very few employees working and you have to hunt up an employee to complete the purchase. 

As for B & B W I am happy when I enter the store and they ask if they can help. Usually I am looking for a particular candle or hand cream and I have no idea where it is located.  During the height of the pandemic before the vaccines this store did the best job of enforcing mask mandates and limiting the # of people in the store. They also had sales associates stationed at the door offering a squirt of hand sanitizer to everyone that entered. For this alone I appreciate them.  I give them my phone # so that I can receive the monthly 20% offers and offers of free items. I have done this for years and I have never had a problem.