Sherwin-Williams is a joke

[inreb]

Went into S-W on a whim. Been using Color Your World for all my paint needs. Usually take advantage of their annual Sept. 1/2 off sales to stock up.
Anyway, a new S-W openned in the 'hood. I pick out the products I need, head for the register. Now the pressure starts. If I hand over my personal info I become a "prefered customer". No skill testing question or manual dexterity tests, just the info, please.
As a matter of principle I never parcipate in points, air miles or other store gimmicks. I hate that type of manipulation.
What is it with these people?? Now I gotta run to S-W every time I need something? What a con.
Why punish people that don't want to participate. Is that anyway to treat a customer??

PS, stripping wallpaper sucks the big one

[Brian P]

Hear ya on the wallpaper. After the nightmare of peeling off multiple layers of wallpaper from the previous owner of my previous house, my new place is wallpaper-free and will stay that way!

[El Zilcho]

What is it with these people?? Now I gotta run to S-W every time I need something? What a con.

Why would you have to go there every time you need something?

[FiReSTaRT]

Most of these chains just need your info for zoning and inventory purposes, even though some (like PA) also send you advertisements. Nothing sinister about it but I still prefer not to give them any of mine because who knows when they'll turn around and sell it to a bunch of data providers.

[inreb]

Why would you have to go there every time you need something?

Because I want the best deal I can get, so I'll have to go there first to check the price to compare to the other stores. Not doing that would be not excersising due diligence.
That's the ploy. They know I'm greedy. They know I want to save 15%. So they come up with a gimmick where I'm a "prefered" customer. Baloney! How does one become prefered by just giving them your private info. Price minus 15% is the standard price as far as I'm concerned. They'd be happy to sell it at that price all day long.

[inreb]

....

[inreb]

Most of these chains just need your info for zoning and inventory purposes, even though some (like PA) also send you advertisements. Nothing sinister about it but I still prefer not to give them any of mine because who knows when they'll turn around and sell it to a bunch of data providers.

I don't know retail so I'll take your word on that. It sure seems like a hook to get you on board as a regular. So you get lazy and stop shopping around. Then all of a sudden the 15% off isn't really 15% off but you don't know the difference because you're not looking around anymore.
It's like loss leaders. Put the milk on cheap so you'll come into the store and, oh, while I'm here I'll by a bunch of over priced stuff. It's the manipulation that irks.

[eastcoast_gsx]

It really is irrelevant anyway. (Guarding your info that close)

It's all out there for pretty much anyone. I am pretty vigilant about who I give info to but the reality is that there is NO real privacy anymore.

Get something like this. (it is sometimes bundled with house insurance)

http://www.melochemonnex.com/residential/identity_plus

Most times you are protected from abuse (esp financial transactions as they want to move you to the plastics and they have to offer some sort of ID guarentee) but it would still be a ROYAL PITA to deal with it all IMO.

[El Zilcho]

Because I want the best deal I can get, so I'll have to go there first to check the price to compare to the other stores.

Bastards!

[inreb]

It really is irrelevant anyway. (Guarding your info that close)

It's all out there for pretty much anyone. I am pretty vigilant about who I give info to but the reality is that there is NO real privacy anymore.

Get something like this. (it is sometimes bundled with house insurance)

http://www.melochemonnex.com/residential/identity_plus

Most times you are protected from abuse (esp financial transactions as they want to move you to the plastics and they have to offer some sort of ID guarentee) but it would still be a ROYAL PITA to deal with it all IMO.

It was just the basic:name address tele #....no worries there, my snot bubble protruding lower lip pout was in regards to the hook. I hate all these incentives that we pay for one way or another anyway. Manipulation.

[inreb]

Hear ya on the wallpaper. After the nightmare of peeling off multiple layers of wallpaper from the previous owner of my previous house, my new place is wallpaper-free and will stay that way!

I got lucky on this go around. Wallpaper over oil painted walls. Lots of time and elbow grease, but doable. Previous time was wallpaper on drywall. THAT WAS BAD!! Ended up drywalling over the old drywall. The room shrunk by an inch both ways.

[El Zilcho]

It was just the basic:name address tele #....no worries there, my snot bubble protruding lower lip pout was in regards to the hook. I hate all these incentives that we pay for one way or another anyway. Manipulation.

You can give them fake name/phone number. They probably have your name anyway (if you pay with a credit card), so fake phone number would probably do fine.

[Declan Gunn]

the world is never going to be good enough for inreb

then again, what would gtam be without its share of pointless rants about the way people run their business.

[bear22099]

Went into S-W on a whim. Been using Color Your World for all my paint needs. Usually take advantage of their annual Sept. 1/2 off sales to stock up.
Anyway, a new S-W openned in the 'hood. I pick out the products I need, head for the register. Now the pressure starts. If I hand over my personal info I become a "prefered customer". No skill testing question or manual dexterity tests, just the info, please.
As a matter of principle I never parcipate in points, air miles or other store gimmicks. I hate that type of manipulation.
What is it with these people?? Now I gotta run to S-W every time I need something? What a con.
Why punish people that don't want to participate. Is that anyway to treat a customer??

PS, stripping wallpaper sucks the big one

Is this not the second thread you have started recently about how the big stores seem to tick you off? What is the real message here?

[inreb]

You can give them fake name/phone number. They probably have your name anyway (if you pay with a credit card), so fake phone number would probably do fine.

I'm a little slow on the uptake. Thanx, I'll mess with their heads next time.

[inreb]

Is this not the second thread you have started recently about how the big stores seem to tick you off? What is the real message here?

My puppy died.

[mxs]

Not that I unerstand the merit of your post, but why exactly couldn't you either politely decline to participate or just make up an address and phone number?? Man, what will you do when a real trouble/problem strikes you in your life?

[FiReSTaRT]

I don't know retail so I'll take your word on that. It sure seems like a hook to get you on board as a regular. So you get lazy and stop shopping around. Then all of a sudden the 15% off isn't really 15% off but you don't know the difference because you're not looking around anymore.
It's like loss leaders. Put the milk on cheap so you'll come into the store and, oh, while I'm here I'll by a bunch of over priced stuff. It's the manipulation that irks.

Having taken a few GIS courses and having done a few jobs in the industry, I can guarantee you that that's the MAIN purpose for them taking your contact info. Your postal code tells them where you are (also how far you're willing to travel) and then they link it with your purchase records so they can see where that store's customers are coming from and how far they're willing to travel to shop in their store. If they are planning on opening up another store, they can see how many customers they would draw from the store where you currently shop in addition to getting an idea as to what people in your area are buying so they can prepare their inventories better. Since your phone number is unique to your household, it's easier for them to identify your account by your phone number at the cash. At times, there are benefits to that (when returning an item at TD and you forget your receipt, they can still look up your account and confirm that you've made the purchase), but I still prefer for them to work for their data, so I don't give it out

P.S. Note to my colleagues... I tried to answer the question in plain English, so don't rip on me for the lack of use of professional jargon

[inreb]

Not that I unerstand the merit of your post, but why exactly couldn't you either politely decline to participate or just make up an address and phone number?? Man, what will you do when a real trouble/problem strikes you in your life?

I guess we're even.

[inreb]

Having taken a few GIS courses and having done a few jobs in the industry, I can guarantee you that that's the MAIN purpose for them taking your contact info. Your postal code tells them where you are (also how far you're willing to travel) and then they link it with your purchase records so they can see where that store's customers are coming from and how far they're willing to travel to shop in their store. If they are planning on opening up another store, they can see how many customers they would draw from the store where you currently shop in addition to getting an idea as to what people in your area are buying so they can prepare their inventories better. Since your phone number is unique to your household, it's easier for them to identify your account by your phone number at the cash. At times, there are benefits to that (when returning an item at TD and you forget your receipt, they can still look up your account and confirm that you've made the purchase), but I still prefer for them to work for their data, so I don't give it out

P.S. Note to my colleagues... I tried to answer the question in plain English, so don't rip on me for the lack of use of professional jargon

And they're willing to give up 15% for that?
I give my Postal Code to HomeDepot all the time. Free.