Just bought a 2m section of flexible tube for a gas stove, and the sales clerk asked first for my phone number, to which I replied "I don't have one". Then she asked me for my name, to which I replied "I'll pay in cash". She then insisted it was so "the cashier will call you by name", to which I replied "I'm not giving you my name, I'll pay in cash". [Edit: she apparently got a bit upset when I refused to give info, but ended up entering "no name" according to the receipt]

Am I wrong for not wanting to give personal data for an item paid in cash, in person? No other hardware store ever asks me for my personal info.

Should have given your name as Skibidi, James Skibidi.

no you're not wrong. if they super persist, your first name is the name of their store.

"So the cashier will call you by name" means they don't care if it's your real name, just react when they call it.

Not wrong at all. More people need to learn to say no instead of mindlessly complying to every request.

Like the guy at Walmart that wants to look at your receipt when you leave. I just say "no thank you" and keep on walking.

They try to do this at King Soopers and I always say, “Not unless you’re giving me recipe ideas from the ingredients.” No one has stopped me yet, or offered any recipes.

A new water company (currently the government want to privatise these) was checking water meters last week. long story short they broke one and the cap on the hole keeps popping up outside my house on the pathway.
Rang them today to tell them about it
"what's your address?"

I had to obviously give them that - I guess I could've said I was a neighbour, and just given them the location.
Wanted my name and phone number.
I said "I don't want or need to give that, I am just telling you about the manhole cover."

"I need to get your name and phone number to continue"

"I don't know my phone number, my name is private Jones. I have been put on hold two times already.
a lady and a child already tripped over this cover, I don't care if you can't continue. I have given the information, and it won't be me that anyone sues if they break something tripping over it."

I stayed polite and we ended the conversation.
but holy shit. You are not wrong to not give it to them.
They are wrong for persistently asking for it.

This is in a Spanish-speaking country, so maybe should've said "Aquiles Baeza"

"what's your email?"
"You don't need it"

I always found that really weird. Like, what's the point of self-checkout then? Just hire a damn cashier, or two.

You were not wrong. Fuck them, their scam, and their privacy invasion.

A few years ago, I bought a computer at some kind of Walmart, with my debit card, exactly like cash. I kid you not, the clerk then asked for my IBAN out of the blue. I was dumbfounded. He told me he needed it for the transaction. I refused and he said nothing.

I'm pretty sure this tactic works with a lot of people who don't know better. If I gave him my IBAN, he would have subscribed me to a monthly insurance. The CEOs who force this should be in jail.

James T. Skibidi

Yes, my name is Mr. Buttlicker and I'm hard of hearing.

Either the cashier wanted to ask you out on a date or it was all BS pretext for data harvesting.

They really can't stop you.

If they honestly suspect that you are stealing, and have evidence, (They are recording and watching you at all times) they will take note of what you stole, but they won't call the cops until they've caught you three times, or you've taken over $1000 worth of stuff. (Amount may vary by state) That way, they can easily prove that it was no accident, and that you have a pattern of shoplifting. It's an easier case to win, and you get a third degree felony, instead of a misdemeanor or summary charge.

Don’t you know who I am? I’m John Purchase! Anyway, you’re right to push back. These scumbags always want personal info to use against you. But it’s not the cashier’s fault that someone who makes 1000x more an hour than them told them them they have to ask though. So have a little fun and give a fake or funny name, but don’t be a dick (unless they make you be one). 2 cents worth of advice from some idiot on the internet.

Oooh - now the game has advanced rules! I love it (I mean, I don’t really love anything about it, but am just trynna stay sane and fight the power).

if its to call out your name just give what you would to a coffe shop. does not need to be your full name or even your real name.

When this happens to me I just thank the cashier and leave

As much as I recommend giving the finger to authority, always make sure you aren't doing something that's ACTUALLY illegal. If you're drawing attention to yourself while committing a crime, you're not accomplishing a damn thing.

999 999 9999 Adolf Hitler. Sorry, what's that? You don't want to say my name? Weird

I thought places that identify as a membership club could ask to look at receipts.

"I've got some flexible tube ready for pickup for.... Tubey McTubeface?"

tubemaster P.

I subscribed to the RadioShack battery of the month program. Just call me John Hancock of Pennsylvania Ave.

This happened to me once when picking up pool filters and other supplies. I was paying with cash and the woman asked for phone number. I told her I didn't have rewards with them or anything and she said they had to get name and number for anyone paying cash. The whole situation was ridiculous. I thought about giving a fake name and number but instead I just decided to leave. It was only a few hundred dollars worth of stuff, and the store won't notice if one person stops shopping there. Though if enough people did what I did, they'd take notice. You never know if you're refusal will be the final straw that will force them to change.

I use the name Rick on a lot of forms; as per my username, that’s not my name.

Yep. When I don't want to give certain information away, I simply say no. Regardless of their response my answer is no, I'm not interested. That's it. " I'm not interested", is my explanation. If they don't like it, I can go somewhere else, or I will do without.

Yes. That definitely is an exception.

The reason you always have to stop for inspection at those places, is because you legally agreed to it in the terms of membership.

If you decline, they can revoke your membership.

Depends on if that's part of the membership agreement.

@aol.com

I work at a retail store where we ask customers to give us some personal information. It genuinely does help as a proof-of-purchase if a customer wants to return something but has lost or forgotten their receipt. We can just look it up and handle their refund as usual.

However, I never push back if a customer simply doesn’t want to provide that information. I consider it a personal privacy issue. It’s completely reasonable for customers to be suspicious when data breaches happen every day. You are doing nothing wrong.

It amazes me that you worry about possibly being in the wrong for not consenting to have your data collected for a purchase. A lot of this mess we're finding ourselves in this world would have been avoided if people would show assertiveness against such policies.

I usually just say "no thanks to any of that" and they just carry on.

Yes. If other stores stop you it's kidnapping

We don’t need to bring ink and paper into this. I can’t imagine a scenario where I’d have to prove I bought a donut.

John with a W

Yeah, I feel kinda bad for lashing out at workers.

In my defense, today is kind of a bad day for me, and I may be a bit confrontational when approaching this particular store for reasons

I remember Barnes and Noble asking for my phone number to buy a paperback copy of 1984.

I was like nah man.

Eh you might need the allibi...which is why I charge everything.

I am John "Spartacus" Smith

Nice try! That's what a Rick would say

Mine stopped doing it. I always said no but I've seen numerous people flip out on them after just leaving the checkout. Not even the self checkout. I flipped out on them once also after a long day.

I had the same issue when I called a utility company to report a cable hanging about sedan level on the street. I was on my way to work and got annoyed and said something similar: it's your cable, so if it damages someone's car or decapitates a motorcyclist, I guess the lawyers can cal you. What's your name?

They thanked me for the time and when I got off work, it was fixed. 🤷‍♀️

Reminder that these people are just doing their jobs; try not to direct your ire at them.

First name 'Not', last name 'Provided'. Can spell it if you want.

Jawn your order is ready!

No OP, I don't provide info needlessly either.

I have an email alias that starts with annoying@ and the name I use with it is Jabroni Fictitious if someone is being really insistent and I want the thing without walking away.

This huge consumer electronics chain here does it. It's their default to ask "which phone number should I put it on?", but before they get to the excuse of where to send the electronic receipt, I just tell them "no, you don't need it".

Welcome to shopping at Radio Shack 40 years ago.