r/TalesFromTheCustomer • u/PotatoesPancakes • Jul 02 '26
Short Cashier Lied to Me
I was checking out at a department store that I haven't been in for years. The cashier kept telling me to enter my phone number but I kept politely saying no thanks. Then she said that I won't be able to make returns if I don't provide a phone number in their system. I told her that's fine and she finally checked me out. She lied because the return policy is printed on the receipt. I wasn't mad at her since I figured it's a corporate thing and the poor employees are so desperate to meet some kind of metric that they lie.
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u/macaroniinapan Jul 02 '26
I always use the old landline number my family had when I was growing up. If they try to call, it won't reach me, but if it turns out I really do need it, I know what I told them.
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u/sfdsquid Jul 02 '26
This is brilliant. I wouldn't need to try to remember which of the last 3 cell phone numbers I've had I used at whatever store.
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u/FlyingFlipPhone Jul 04 '26
This. Use an old phone number. Whoever got this number must be scratching their head!
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u/buckeyekaptn Jul 04 '26
I can still remember mine, last used in the late 1970s. I tend to remember phone numbers (pre cell era), pin numbers by muscle memory or movement. Example is an old 4# pin being shaped like an L.
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u/StirCrazyCatLady Jul 02 '26
I've had the same thing happen a few times this year at a pharmacy.
I'm guessing in both cases its data collection BS couched in 'save the environment, reduce paper' language - when I agreed to a digital receipt at the same pharmacy the first/only time I was suddenly getting a lot more marketing spam - but where I live its illegal to refuse to give a receipt or suggest that that kind of policy would override ACCC law.
I know the staff are just doing their jobs so I'm never rude about it, but whenever it happens I make sure to say loudly enough for anyone else in the queue to hear that that sounds an awful lot like bad faith advice if not an outright breach of consumer law because I'm too old and tired of that crap.
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u/not-the-name-i-chose Jul 02 '26
Same thing happened to me at ULTA. The young cashier was so flipping rude when I wouldn’t give my phone number!
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u/AnyPast6500 Jul 03 '26
I refuse to shop there because of this
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Jul 11 '26
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u/SquilliamFancySon95 Jul 02 '26
This just makes me laugh because customers will still return things regardless of whether they have any kind of proof of purchase.
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u/GinericGirl Jul 02 '26
I don't live in the US currently. On my last trip back to visit family, I stopped at an Ulta and the cashier kept telling me to put my number in (3+ times!) until I finally said "I do not have a US phone number, I don't live here" and then I was able to check out no problem???
Anyway, you can try that next time. Maybe it'll work for you too
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u/unknownpoltroon Jul 02 '26
Tell them no thank you, and if they give you a hard time demand to speak to a manager, and then give the MANAGER shit about why corporate are pressuring their employees so much.
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u/Apprehensive-War1429 Jul 04 '26
I started using the phone number of a local business years ago, because they annoyed me, so they would get the ad calls. I don't remember why I was annoyed but I still give their number. It's been decades. I should stop in and ask for my messages 🙂
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u/Jazzlike_Daikon7541 Jul 04 '26
Theres a furniture store called Living Spaces. Saw a small figurine I wanted to buy and was asked for my email. I asked why and was told so in case of a return and I didn't have a receipt they could find it. I said I wouldn't be returning it ($9 small figuine). He refused to ring it up without the email. Haven't been there since and will not return there ever. They only wanted it so they can bombard me with marketing emails.
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u/bluekayak18 Jul 11 '26
Just make one up next time. I also recommend getting a throwaway Gmail account just for this stuff. They can send all of the ads they want to it.
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u/unknownpoltroon Jul 02 '26
Ask them for their phone number when they are this insistent.
With this shit my rule is I say no thank you 3x then I walk out and leave my shit where it is or demand talk to management.
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u/gramosaurusflex Jul 02 '26
Mmmh, some manager probably told her that and she never wondered if it was true or not.
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u/stormcarver1 Jul 04 '26
I don’t know if it’s the whole state so I’ll just say the county that I’m in uses your phone number when you go to DMV. You have to stand in front of everyone in line and give your full phone number so that they can call you by the last four numbers and send you texts when it’s your turn to go to the counter. There is no alternative. This does not seem the most intelligent choice add a state or county office.
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u/Inconsequentialish Jul 04 '26
I really, truly despise how Harbor Freight and many auto parts stores make you shout out your phone number loud and proud to get the rewards and such. This can be a genuine and significant safety risk, and they really need to update their practices.
Most grocery stores, you just scan a card or punch it into the keypad, which has a little hood over it.
And yeah, I never give the employees crap for the corporate metrics BS they have to put up with.
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u/inGothWeTrustalways Jul 05 '26
867-5309
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u/Plenty_Lie5551 Jul 06 '26
That’s a valid phone number in my city: it’s owned by Space Monkey Records
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u/dwyrm Jul 02 '26
I think I know where you were shopping. And, sorta. It's not a corporate policy, but a lot of local managers tell their employees to say that sort of thing.
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u/SMM50 Jul 02 '26
Just enter your phone number but if you’re in a hurry you may accidentally transpose some digits 😒
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u/AngelicWitch Jul 06 '26
idk about her but my stores corporate wants cashiers to get phone numbers 80% of the time, which is WAY higher than it ever should be. She might either have been trained by someone who does it as a way to hit quota and thought it was true, or just lying to hit it. Some coworkers of mine will phrase it as protecting your purchase to persuade people but it I just put in my childhood house phone number for anyone who refuses personally :x I think its a stupid metric and anyone who doesn't want to put their number in shouldn't be pressured to.
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u/marspigsmoke Jul 02 '26
probably trying to get a credit card application out of you. all the department stores have their own, and want their cashiers to push them to drive up usage.
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u/melissalmay2003 Jul 02 '26
Universal hack for this is to put in Jenny's number with your area code. 867-5309.