Lebell

After the Carter's store at the Outlet Mall called us with a recorded advertisement I don't give out a phone number anymore.

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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis

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Bacchanal

I've never had anyone at Best Buy ask for my number, however, Toy's R Us and Radio Shack do all the time. I always tell them 867-5309, and nobody ever gets it.

My only real complaint with BB as far as checking out is they always try to give me 8 free weeks of whatever magazine, but that's very easy to decline, and if I go to the right cashier, she knows I'm not interested, and doesn't even bother asking anymore.

lindseylatch

I don't like giving fake numbers, because that fucks up whatever they're doing. Best to just say "no thank you" and walk away.
I would rather be excluded from their study or whatever than completely screw it up. People's jobs could be dependent on it.

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"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities"
"If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him."
"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."
-Voltaire

ryborg

Sounds just like those websites where you have to enter where you live...ugg I hate it and always put in bullshit. I hate being asked for crap like this and wish they would just fuck off.

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Solve two problems at once. Feed the homeless to the hungry.

Amnesia620

The BestBuy here has asked for my number once. I've not had any calls from them in the last 4 years, and I enjoy being a customer of theirs and a part of their Reward Zone program where I earn points for everything I purchase, no matter how large or small, in which I receive gift certificates towards anything/everything in their store.

I can't say they've ever given me reason to dislike or disagree with the way they do things. I find nothing really wrong with the way they do things...however, I do definitely understand the concern for this and other similar practices from companies.

In an age where we are quite conscience of the value of our own personal information, a suggestion and idea I've thought of is I find a "code" of (with or without your actual area code) your birthday and numeric (first/last name) initials work just as well. (See example below for clarification).

This has worked several times for me. Otherwise, as mentioned often above, just say "No, thank you". This works as well...

Regardless of your opinion on this practice, most of these companies offer great prices for merchandise, have good to great hours, friendly staff, etc. Focusing on the positive always helps.

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For example, I find that a lot of college girls are barbie doll carbon copies with few differences...Sadly, they're dumb, ditzy, immature, snotty, fake, or they are the gravitational center to orbiting drama. - Amnesia620

GakFace

They ask for it.. then again I'm using my points card and so its for verication purposes...

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RoboBlaster:
Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

smooth

i used to work for a female clothing store and one night I asked for this hottie's phone number at the register. she smiled and thought I wanted it for myself. i explained it was necessary for the computer, then it spat out a receipt. she looked on it and saw that her number was printed right on the receipt. then handed it to me and said, why not you keep it for yourself

so I call her and we screw for 2 years. yay
now she's a prostitute, I hear. double yay
so I guess the moral is it depends on who's asking and who's gving. wth

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"The theory of a free press is that truth will emerge from free discussion, not that it will be presented perfectly and instantly in any one account." -- Walter Lippmann

"You measure democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists." -- Abbie Hoffman

passthru

If it's a member of the opposite sex at the register, you should just say "Tell me yours first".

Cynthetiq

eh, I don't care. No one ever calls my landline anyways.

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Val_1

Never give out your phone # to a store. Are they going to call and ask how your purchase is doing? No, it's for marketing. Last time I was at BB, they asked me for my phone #. I told them I didn't have a phone. Oddly enought, I was buying a phone. Sometimes I give out 555-1212 as my #.

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I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.

-Frank Sinatra

xepherys

I can confirm at least some retailers do use zip codes for CC verification purposes, and I am happy to providce my zip code for them. Phone numbers, however, are a different matter.

paulskinback

This would never happen in England. There would be a public outcry. I happen to have spent some time in the states and used to buy my CD's etc in best buy and was concerned that they asked for my phone number.... i told them klondike 5 3226 - which happens to be the number for homer simpsons Mr Plow.

call mr plow, thats my name, that name again is mr plow
call klondike 5 3226

the girl didnt click which amused me even more

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'Everything that can be invented has been invented.- - 1899, Charles Duell, U.S. Office of Patents.

'There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.' - Ken Olson, 1977, Digital Equipment Corporation