Do you give your phone # to stores???

Bird · Aug 20, 2004

Incidentally, Bob, Tractor Supply Co. has always asked for phone numbers and I gave them mine. It actually helps in some cases, such as when you have a farm and are buying things without paying the sales tax. It saved time because any time I did that, they already had all the information they needed and the transactions went quickly and smoothly. However, if someone wishes to not give a phone number, I don't think the clerk at Tractor Supply Co. would blink an eye; just get on with the sale.

DaveNay · Aug 20, 2004

(O.T.)

Hey Bird, didn't you just hit 12,000 in July?????

Dave

BIGUN · Aug 20, 2004

( I love going into Sears to buy anything. When they ring me up, they ask for my phone number and I spout off a different number everytime. Then they read off the name they have in the system for that number and I say "Yep, that's me" and hand them my cash /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. )

You’re BAD. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I know some auto parts stores track their warranties by phone number and that way all those people who lose their receipts can still get parts replaced under warranty.

I had bought a “lifetime warranty” alternator for my old Chevy pickup. It lasted about 3 years before it failed. I had kept my receipt, so I took it back and presented the part and the receipt. The parts guy didn’t even want to see the receipt but asked for my phone number.
It didn’t come up on his computer. I said, well here is the receipt. He didn’t care; he was only interested in why the phone number was not working. About then I happened to remembered that when I bought the alternator I was still using my ex-wife’s phone number /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif and I had given him my new number. So I gave him my old number and there it was, right on his screen. All was well and I got my free replacement alternator. Not sure what would have happened if I hadn’t remembered that small detail.

Currmudgeon · Aug 20, 2004

When I think about it, I just give a fake phone number, and an out of state one at that. I'd use my ex-wife's number, but she's dead. I should probably find a 1-900 **** number to give them. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

The store owner was a moron. All he had to do was enter any eight or eleven digits.

E-Mail addresses for marketing are another irritrant. I use a Mailshell.com spam trap. They give me an unlimited number of e-mail addys, so I always use vendorsname@mydomain.com. It raises a few eyebrows when I ask them to type in "tractorsupply" or "radioshack" for an addy, but it allows me to keep the account if it's valuable or delete it if it turns out to be a spam factory.

Bird · Aug 20, 2004

( Hey Bird, didn't you just hit 12,000 in July????? )

I don't know. I never think about those numbers at all until someone else mentions it.

Junkman · Aug 20, 2004

( I walk in and the sales guy comes up and I say I want to buy this model trimmer . . . point to it on the wall . . . pull out genuine gummint issued official legal tender style CA$H green money printed right here in the good old U.S. of A. and lay it on the counter.

First words out of the sales guy's mouth are: "what is your phone number?"
)

It is interesting that he went from the "sales guy" to the owner after I had posted. Had I had this information, I would have answered the question slightly differant. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

RobertN · Aug 20, 2004

You beat me to it! Ya! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bob_Skurka · Aug 20, 2004

Junk, I'm assuming he was the owner because of the name embroidered in his shirt.

The thing I found funniest about the exchange was when I suggested HE PUT HIS PHONE NUMBER in the computer and he said he didn't give out his number.

I half way regret buying the trimmer from him. But in the long run, I still would rather support a local shop than a national chain. And either way, he is the authorized repair shop for the brand.

So I guess the 2 good things that happened are that #1) I helped a local shop hold its own against the big chain stores and #2) I think I taught the local shop a little bit about customer's attitudes.

They were pretty much amazed when I picked up my money and walked to the front door, and I think that taught them something. I know "the kid" was very polite to me after the whole exchange with the sales guy/owner. Not that things ever got rude, they didn't, but they were certainly shocked, and I think that is good. Because maybe the next cash customer in the store will not have the same problems?

daedong · Aug 20, 2004

Bob,

Have you ever looked at it like this, By buying off some small locally owned business you probably are only extending their existence in business anyway not their long term survival, as in time the big boys will swallow them up anyhow. It's a corporate world out their and we are their slaves.

Bob_Skurka · Aug 20, 2004

we are their slaves. 

Well maybe in Australia you might be willing to become slaves to others, but I am one who is not quite willing to give up my free will to others. Nor am I willing to give up my guns. Nor am I willing to let the government take care of me. Nor I am willing to relinquish my responsibility for my own actions.

Nor am I willing to relinquish my phone number!!!!