When stores ask for personal info, comply or don't buy
QUESTION: A few days ago I was paying for my purchases at a retail (national chain) clothing store in Colorado Springs. The head manager demanded to know my phone number and my home address and insisted that she couldn’t “complete my transaction” nor could she “get out of the system” unless I gave her that information. I've heard of other businesses demanding the same information from their patrons at the checkout counter. What I want to know is, are we customers REQUIRED to give that information before we can pay for our purchases and leave the store?
-J. Moore
ANSWER: Rebecca Herrera, director of operations at the Better Business Bureau, checked with several agencies. The Federal Trade Commission does not have a law enforcing whether companies/businesses can require customers to give this information. In short: it’s store policy. Her advice is that when the person at the point of sale says she can’t complete the transaction without personal information, the consumer must make the decision whether or not to continue with the purchase.
posted by Linda Navarro @ 1:22 PM
3 Comments:
Fake address / fake phone number...problem solved.
I normally have given fake info, because I live in Woodland Park and I don't want more big box stores up here. But now, some credit card machines require that the billing zip code is entered to process. Argh!
I'd like to know if they can legally ask a child for this same info. My 12 year old daughter was asked for her home phone number while shopping with 3 friends who are all clearly under the age of 18.
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