Petite Sophisticate Told Me to Lie

New to shopping, right MJJ? This has been going on for years. When
asked, I make up a phone number on the spot or tell them to put in the
store number. When it comes to zip codes, I don't remember the last
time I gave them an honest answer. Usually I give them my sister's
zip code--who lives 650 miles away from me. Why blow a gasket for
something so trivial? Or don't you have anything else to take up your
time? Maybe you should get a hobby.

I give the number for the Cubs switchboard. 773-404-2827 and my name
as Kerry Prior. If they want my address I tell them 1060 W. Addison,
Chicago IL. Apt. 12 (the section our season tickets are in)

When I get this question, I always answer "It's unpublished and I
don't give it out" and then they enter some kind of code. I've never
had anyone press me for a number.

I'm guessing that the person at the register just didn't know how to
override it, or maybe her store doesn't have an override option.

I agree,it wasn't worth blowing a gasket over - just ask for the
manager to get it resolved.

I'm not going to say much different than what everyone else said.

First, I get your irritation. I don't mind giving out my zip code, but
I balk a little at giving out my address, phone number, and e-mail
address.

Second, trust me; the store doesn't necessarily like it either. I used
to work for Garden Botanika when they had brick-and-mortar stores, and
they had a similar policy, only this one required a full address. And
it didn't matter if you showed up twice in one day; each transaction
required an address input. Customers would vent about this all the
time, and I agreed with them, but as others said, the front-line
person isn't the one to target with your wrath.

All in all, I think your letter makes a very valid point about having
an override in place for customers who don't wish to give out their
information, but until that changes, the associate can either put in a
fake number on their own, or you can just...lie. And there's nothing
wrong with lying to protect your own privacy.

I just say I have a private number and leave it at that.

"What would happen if I had children with me? Are you suggesting I
would need to lie in front of them? Is that the example you want to
set, whether at Christmas or at any other time?"


This is a very good question. What WOULD happen if you'd had children
with you, who'd seen you blowing a gasket over something so trivial
then flooding a cashier with tiresome questions over this. I doubt she
likes the policy much more than you do. What would the children think
if they saw you treating another person like this at Christmas?

Ok honey settle down. I agree that no one needs to lie. When these
associates say "can I have your phone number starting with area code"
my response is simply NO. I've never had them force me to give it. I
am not doubting what happened to you. But I guarentee that it was this
employee being an idiot and not knowing what to do. Not the actual
company telling her to do it that way. I worked for a computer repair
shop and we did the same thing. If the customer refused to give their
number the associate would just input a fake number. She was just
lacking common sense when she asked *you* to make up the number.

And then you FREAKED out and went off on this tangent about lying in
front of children. Get a grip.

I never give mine out - I just tell them that the information is not
released. They can generally override it. When I'm forced into
giving something, I use the local correct time line. It's a free
service from a big phone company. All they get it they call it is an
ad for phone service, the correct time, and a weather forecast.

Works great for those pesky on line forms too, because it's a valid
number. Some of them won't take 555 numbers.

That's a great idea. It protects your privacy but it's still in your
area and thus accurate information.

In situations like this I just give them an old phone number of mine
that was disconnected years ago, so in reality you are still giving
them "your" number. This also gets around having to remember your fake
number or make one up.

Just last week I was at the auto parts store and they asked me my
phone number. As a knee-jerk reaction, I gave them my disconnected
phone number from five years ago. Guess what? They still had MY actual
info under that number even though I hadn't shopped there in over a
year!

The system works! (sort-of) LOL.

I love the answer one poster gave which was to give the number to City
Hall!

Great idea!

I also find this practice annoying -- I don't think it's fair to take
it out on the cashier though. They have very little control over what
happens. Take it up with management or upper management.

if its just for marketing i wouldnt give it out ,. but also wouldnt
give the lady a hard time for doing her job. i would just make
something up , if your kids are with you and are young tell then you
dont tell strangers your phone number. i have a store and only ask for
the address and phone info on big item sales & if a customer ask why i
let them know its for warranty information in case you lose your
sales slip so i have record of when you bought it, or if you need
parts i know what you have so i can sell you the right upgrade later
on

Why...Why....WHY is this such an issue to people?!

When I worked in a party store we had to ask for zip codes. The reason
was because wherever they got most of their business from, they would
mail out fliers with coupons and special sales prices for "friends
only". I lived on the other side of town but no matter how many times
I spent my money there, or used my zip code in place of a customer's
who refused to give theirs, they never sent the fliers to my
neighborhood.

Why make the employee's life and job difficult? If you dont want to
give a number tell them no and to put their own in. If that doesnt
work then walk out. You dont have to lie but seriously, would it kill
you to do so?

I dont know about you, but people are ALWAYS complaining about prices.
Getting a flier with discount coupons for a store I frequent sounds
like a good deal to me!

I have shopped many stores where they ask for my number or zip code
and I freely give it to them. Not only do I not receive anything from
them but I have never had a phone call from them and we do not suffer
from telemarketers either. (Also people just trying to do their job
and make a buck.)

When I worked in this store, like I said, we asked for zip codes. Some
people, especially the older people got REALLY upset about this. One
woman insisted that we were going to steal her identity through her
zip code. Another customer tried to tell her that would be her SOCIAL
SECURITY number, not her zip code but she would hear none of it. What
always made me laugh was these same people who REFUSED to give their
zips would then pay with a check. So then, not only did we have their
zip code, but we also had their names, addresses, and in some cases,
their telephone numbers. ROFL!

Memorize the phone number to City Hall. When this question comes up
give them the City Hall phone number and let them get all the phone
calls.

Just give them 555 1212 and your name is Mr/Mrs/Ms Cash.

I was thinking as I read your letter how I may have allowed myself to
be lulled into trusting companies too much. I've filled out value
added cards for retail and grocery strores, knowing they use the
information to track my spending. Those applications ask for a lot
more information than a phone number.

I know it's a white lie, but your point is valid, why should people
feel pressured to give information every time they shop at a store?

Maybe if this store took that card approach, perhaps the need to lie
at the point of purchase would be eliminated.

I say my number is "867-5309" and I say "ask for Jenny"

I say my number is "867-5309" and I say "ask for Jenny"

When I worked at RadioSmack, we were supposed to get zip codes. (i
pity the people before me, they had to get full names and stuff) I
used to just input fake ones, but really random off the wall numbers
because I really HATED asking people for personal info when all they
wanted was some AA batteries.

I know its a principle thing, but really... life's to short to worry
about stuff like this. Just give a fake number and move on.

I agree that all this personal information stuff is pretty annoying.
I will give my ZIP code, but not my phone number or my email address.
But because it tends to cause confusion, I just give them some random
number, and I claim not to have an email address. If pressed, I'll
give them something like, "fake@aol.com." But I'm always friendly and
somewhat ironic about it, and most of the time it gets a laugh.

At my old job, we were supposed to get that info from our customers,
and we did have a standard fake number/email address for customer who
declined to give that information. We were trained not to press
customers. If they said, "I don't share that," we just said, "Not a
problem," and put in the code. I don't know why the girl at the
counter didn't just put in a fake number herself rather than try to
make you invent one yourself, but that would have been much easier for
all involved.

I have to agree with other posters, though, that pointed out that in
getting upset with the cashier you targeted the person least likely to
have written the policy, and the least likely to be able to change it.
Front line employees walk a fine line. They have to keep customers
from blowing a gasket, while still enforcing policies that tend to
make customers irate. Cut them some slack this holiday, would you?

Huh. Whenever I am asked this question, I tell the associate, firmly,
that my phone number is unlisted. That lets them enter either their
code for "unlisted" or some fake number that THEY make up. I don't
lie and I don't share my info. Works all around.
If they won't accept it, then they don't need my money all that bad,
now do they?

I understand your annoyance, and I share it. I also have no trouble
whatsoever lying to any business that wants information to which it
has no right.

nt

You wouldn't have been lying to the CSR. You are giving them a fake
number, and they know it. It is a "placekeeper". An invalid piece of
data that will fall through the cracks. They told you to make
something up; that's all you had to do. You could explain this
concept to a youngster, if you had one with you. But you didn't.

Fashion Bug asks for phone numbers also...I never give it and never
have had a problem buying anything from them.
I called Petite Sophisticates and while this may be a regional
managers decision to ask to see from what areas the clientel come in
to shop, its not mandatory by any means.

Maybe this clerk was doing this and copying down the phone
numbers...its happened before, not to me personally but to friends of
mine, which is why I never give out anything that personal!

Wow, way to be a jackass to the person who has the least to do with
the policy. Put the girl in her place, huh?


It really is used as a way to ascertain where customers are from.
There's nothing sinister about it, and they aren't going to call you
or send you anything. I've given my phone number or zip code to
several businesses and never had any solicitation or harassment
issues.

Having said that, there may have been a way to override it and she
just didn't know how. I used to work at a Cato, and we had to ask the
customers for their phone numbers prior to completeing the
transaction. When a customer through a hissy, we could just hit an
"override" key and be done with it. Instead of going of on the girl,
you should have just asked to speak to a manager. Even better,
politely asked. People will go a lot longer to help you if you're not
saying things like, "You want me to LIE???".

Much ado about...NADA.

It's not like LYING...with any intent to cheat, steal or harm someone.
She INVITED you to use a fake number. There's nothing dishonest about
that.
Do what posters below me recommended; use a 555 number.
I think the way you drilled the poor cashier who was just doing her
job is more harmful that this "lying" that you speak of.

Sheesh!

Oh, please, just do what LadyMac says, give them (area code) 555-1212

(Insert your area code) 555-1212.

Trust me that they don't mess with you on that. I understand your
point completely about lying and I *hate* giving personal information
about myself just to end up on someone's mailing list.

I give the above reference number and tell my son that it's so people
can't bother us during dinner or family time. He understands and
appreciates that.

Good luck.

That's unusual that the transaction itself could not go through
without a phone number. There must be a way around that. Maybe a
manager should have been called over to override that transaction.