Retail Performance Stores asking for customer name.

It's a fairly moot point for me as I have a very common name (in Montréal at least) and usually pay
via credit card. However, one problem I often see with our computerisation is when the shop asks me
more data than necessary.

For instance, I don't mind giving my name (and personal information) for a major purchase with
potential issues down the road, like a bicycle or a car... or even for a purchase with warranty like
a tent, sleeping bag, coat, etc. However, if I buy cash a patch kit at $2, there is no reason that
the transaction shouldn't be swift. IOW, ask for my name if you want, but don't get offended if I
answer "Why?" or decide not to give my identity. But more importantly, please, don't offend me by
taking 1-2 minutes to find the proper keys to punch my name in the cash register (and delay other
customers) for a minor transaction. After all, it shouldn't take more time to pay then it takes to
find the product on the shelves.

Michel

"Zoot Katz" <[email hidden]> a écrit "

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

At worst, just tell them "Cash".

That's what I say and if they get lippy or look perturbed, I tell 'em, "Jay, Jay Cash". ......

I used to use "Elvis" when waiting for a table. I started doing it in Montreal where the
Francophones regularly slaughtered my name into some unrecognisable forms. "Elvis" made it easy
for both of us.

If Zoot Katz bears any resemblance with your real name, I see all kind of funny possibilities in
French....

Michel

Quoted message said:

If Zoot Katz bears any resemblance with your real name, I see all kind of funny possibilities in
French....

such as...

Thu said:

Quoted message said:

If Zoot Katz bears any resemblance with your real name, I see all kind of funny possibilities in
French....

such as...

Actually it's, "Zut! . . .cats", like you stepped barefoot onto a hairball. Sorta moitié French et
half Anglais.
--
zk

"Pete Hickey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Mike Kruger

Quoted message said:

At places where I find this obnoxious, I used to give my name as Bill Clinton 1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue Washington, DC 90210

Isn't it a federal offense to impersonate a president?

Uses like this are covered under the same "satire" provisions that allow comedians on Saturday Night
Live to impersonate the president. I'm clearly not ACTUALLY pretending to be the president (note the
zip code is the zip code for Beverly Hills, California -- well known because of the TV show "Beverly
Hills 90210". The phone number was the number for "information"😉.

If I actually charged merchandise to the president (or, to anyone else!), that would be
another matter.

A "google" search on Clinton Impersonator turned up 5810 entries(*), including some like this:
counterfeitbill.comcb.htmlOpen ↗ and a page with photos of ten different Clinton
impersonators: internationalcelebrityimages.comBillClinton.htmOpen ↗ along with Hillary
impersonators like: hillarylookalike.comhillarylookalike.comOpen ↗

If someone wants to contend that American presidents as a whole have been better at providing comedy
material than leadership over the past, say, 35 years I'd say it "wouldn't be prudent" to agree.

(*) A Google search on "Elvis Impersonator" turns up "about 39,000" entries. A Google search on
"Eisenhower Impersonator" turns up 500 entries, but most aren't really Eisenhower impersonators,
just the words "Eisenhower" and "Impersonator" showing up on the same web page. In fact one site
entertainmentforhire.comDwightEisenhower.htmOpen ↗ notes "Online talent for Dwight Eisenhower
is currently under consideration and will be added shortly. Click hereto be notified when a Dwight
Eisenhower impersonator has been added. If you're a celebrity impersonator who performs as Dwight
Eisenhower, click on the mask below to email us immediatly!"(sic)

You may draw your own conclusions about American popular culture from these numbers.

In article said:

After all, it shouldn't take more time to pay then it takes to find the product on the shelves.

You've just reminded me of the times I've been stuck in line-ups behind customers whom insist upon
paying for every little thing with their debit card. And then nervously forgetting their PIN, and
punching guess after guess into the handheld keypad.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

Zoot Katz said:

Thu, 28 Aug 2003 03:04:21 GMT,
<[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Pete Hickey)

Quoted message said:

Isn't it a federal offense to impersonate a president?

Not if you're the former governor of Texas.

Damn! Beat me to it.

Tim McTeague

Mark Hickey said:

(Hunrobe) said:

So exactly why would anyone that:

1- is a "security expert" and 2- ">know(s)< what can happen with insecurities (?) and information
theft" and 3- doesn't want to even give their *name only* to a retailer when there is a valid
customer service issue involved

even *have* a personal webpage under their real name? You say it hasn't been updated in over five
years. If you're a security expert then you know that outdated personal info is actually a great
tool to find people.

There's really only one answer possible. He's a troll. In another thread he claimed to carry only
a passport for ID so he wouldn't get points on his license when he gets pulled over by the police.
Now THERE'S something we all have to worry about at least as much as giving our name to a bike
shop. Wonder what he does to avoid black helicopters or getting hit by meteors? ;-)

Troll? God, I hope not; we've already got one really good one here (hi, Fabs!), and we don't
need another.

And no, I don't use tinfoil on my helmet. And, did you hear the news about the possible meteor
hitting us in a couple of decades? Of course, as they refine the orbital parameters, it'll probably
be a miss.

Sam