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I’m sure that most of you are familiar with this story: During a recent trip to your local store, you locate whatever widget you were looking for and approach the register to execute the transaction. As you hand over your cash/credit card/whatever, the cashier punches in a few keys into their system and idly asks, “Can I have your postal code please?”
Have you experienced this before? Most of the people I witness, when asked this question, pause no longer than the time it takes to ask themselves “Um, what’s my postal code again?” before coughing it up without a second thought. Sometimes the question is for your phone number, which people are all too happy to give away as well.
This is certainly nothing new. I remember being asked this question for several times over the past year, if not longer. Every time it is asked, my answer is a straightforward “No”. No, I do not want to give you my personal information because a) you have no need for it and b) it’s really none of your business. My “No” is given without malice, because I know that it is not the poor register jockey who has taken the initiative to collect this information for the store’s benefit. But it is interesting, and funny, sometimes, to see their reaction to my refusal. Sometimes they take it in stride (I am certain that we are not the only ones who decline), and sometimes they almost seem offended, as if we (my girlfriend feels the same way, bless her) were being rude by refusing to provide such an tiny innocuous piece of information.
I have been told that they collect this information for demographic purposes, to see where their clientèle originates, and I don’t doubt that this is one of the uses. It may be that this is the only use, but it is also entirely possible that this information (your address or your phone number) is given or sold to third parties advertisers who will gladly fill your mailbox with junk or call you up while you are making waffles.
What worries me most though, is that this seemingly benign question - once fully accepted by the population - opens the door to other, more directly invasive inquiries. They already have your name, address and telephone number. What’s next? “Can I have your date of birth?” “Can I have your license plate number?” “Can I have your Social Insurance Number?”
It may not get that far, but why encourage them? It’s really none of their business, and they won’t refuse to sell your whatever you are buying if you don’t answer their question. You may feel uncomfortable at first, as if you are the one being impolite by refusing to answer. Which is exactly what they are counting on.
Try it. Say “No”, it’s really quite liberating.
Posted by Aaron on December 10, 2007, 9:50 am permalink top | general
How about when you post comments on blogs they ALWAYS ask for your email??? :o)
But seriously, I always give my old childhood home postal code, a house I haven’t lived in since 1998!
But I am gonna try the firm ‘No’ next time…or in the spirit of the season, I’ll give the ol’ H0H0H0…
Fun times ahead!
I remember having been asked for my date of birth once!
OnePunch, maybe you are not visiting the right websites because some do not ask for your email to let you post (mine do not because I hate having to give my email everywhere). Luckily, you can have more than one email, which enables you to have a scrap one
I take advantage of you remark to complain though: Treacleminer, you do not like being asked for your postal code? Although, you require visitors to enter their email if they want to post on your website…
Yeah well the local hardware store doesn’t need to worry about you spamming them