I don’t go to Microcenter very often, but when I do, I dread the checkout process. I went a few days ago and had forgotten about this, though.
Before I talk about that, though, I’ll first mention that it’s a very fun store to visit and their general return policy is great. I built a computer last year and needed to return a number of parts. For example, the power supply didn’t fit my computer case very well, so I returned it for a more expensive one that fit perfectly, and there were several others parts that had to be upgraded, too. I had no issues returning things, and that earned my approval.
However, they are one of these stores that constantly ask for your phone number and address and it drives me nuts. You often need to provide this if you want an “account”, which gives you special privileges for returns that fall outside of the standard return policy time-frame. But the nuance there is critical: it is for returns that fall OUTSIDE the standard return policy time-frame, not INSIDE the standard return policy time-frame. However, the cashiers always make it sound like you “need it for returns”. It’s a subtle deception, but it’s kind of damning, in my opinion, and I don’t trust any company that uses these tactics to finagle your data from you.
I tried looking up any threads on reddit that also complain about this, and the few that I saw basically elicited rage from people who thought they were caring too much about their data: it’s just a store, get over it, Karen! it’s not like your information isn’t already out there! it doesn’t matter!
To those people who apparently hate privacy I think, “No, fuck you!” You do not need to provide a phone number, or an address, or an email to turn up at a store and pay money for something. Over the past few decades, these stores have done everything in their power to get more and more information from you, and it’s literally fueling the surveillance state. I’ve lost track of how many cashiers will randomly ask, “So what’s a good number for you?” and it’s like “Number? Why the fuck do you need that? Here’s my money, I’ll take my thing, have a nice day”. Or they’ll ask for your area code. Like, sorry, it’s not my job to feed your retail sales analysis, so I’ll pass.
There’s two general strategies: 1) make providing information feel like a requirement, or 2) ask just so gosh darn politely that people don’t hesitate to provide the information. Both are deceptions.
“Risky, you’re making a big deal about nothing!”
No, fuck you! I have friends and family who have almost been massively scammed due to emails and phone calls. This is not “neutral” information, it is information you should only ever provide when it’s absolutely necessary. Half the time, this information is immediately sold, and when it isn’t sold it gets hacked, and the company pulls a “We’re sorry” and does nothing. Goddam sporting goods store does not need my phone number. No retailer does!
When I bought a new phone to put GrapheneOS on, the cashier asked me for my phone number, and I had to go back and forth a few times with him. He thought it might have been needed for certain iPhones or Galaxies (why?), but he was able to figure out it wasn’t needed. Damn straight it isn’t!
Speaking of Microcenter, I remember back when I lived with my parents, getting ads mailed to me for years because I let myself be bullied into giving my address to them. That might actually be a more benign use of information, but ads are designed to part you from your money, too, so even though I will openly state that it is fun to shop randomly there, I’m not interested in more reasons to be parted from my money, and neither should anybody.
(I have a whole un-published post about trying to help my mom with her phone. It’s really hard to help someone technically illiterate and not also inject your opinions into things. I would love for my mom to remove the ‘teemuu’ app from her phone – they sell Chinese garbage using an addictive format that parts people from their money – but she doesn’t want to delete it, and that’s her right, but fuck these companies)
One problem with the world is that so few people care about their privacy. These subtle encroachments have happened over the years, to the point where people think of it as normal to just give all their information away. But especially with the scams that have been leveraged against people I care about, that information only seems innocent because it isn’t fucking you right now, but the moment it ends up in the wrong hands, it is very much a threat.
The Microcenter cashier seemed very frustrated after my polite but firm refusal to provide my information. No, I didn’t want any extended warranties, no I didn’t want to provide my phone number or address. When all was said and done, he acted kind of huffy, handed me my receipt, and let me pick my items up from the farthest back section of the counter and said nothing. I think they are rewarded for selling extended warranties and getting people’s information. I don’t hate them for it, but that guy could have skipped the attitude. More importantly, it’s a reminder to me that this retailer apparently thinks these things are quite good for business, otherwise they would not have created whole cashier incentive structures around them. Just something to think about!
(Wow, extra swear words today! I’m actually having a okay day, but this subject gets me worked up)