I have stopped shopping in a certain chain department store because I am sick of being asked, “Do you have X-credit card?”…”NO???” Would you like to apply and save 10% on your $22.95 purchase??” “NO????”
This doesn’t just happen at the check-out. The store hires strange alien type people to follow you around the store asking you if you want to apply for the fucking card. I’m not bitching at the lower level employees who are only doing what they are told (as I’ve told several of them), but the corporate marketing drone that made the decision to direct market for this cc company needs to have their ass kicked. I can go buy my cheaply made china crap from plenty of other stores, thanks very much! —10,000 Z-Points???
This article appears in Dec 1-7, 2011.
Tell ’em you’ll sign up for their card if they join your Scientology group.
Yes, so many places into this style of marketing gimmick. They have time and staff for this crap, but not to open more cash registers, when needed, or have ‘real’ help on the floor etc. Grocery stores are often really into it now as much as department stores.
yeah it sucks to fill those out only to get turned down eh?
lol.. seriously though. I agree. I’m sick of plastic-pushers.
Ob…you don’t want a credit card from them…do you own a dog ? or Cat?
Maybe they would like a nice shiny new card…I would like to have a card with my dogs name on it. My next dog, I’m gonna give it a try.
I wonder how difficult teaching it to use its pin number will be ?!?
Why should the drone have his or her ass kicked. This method obviously works or they wouldn’t do it. If you’re not interested, just keep eyes forward and walk by.
the op said she didn’t blame the employees and had said that to them. smile and say no thank you
OB, just tell them you already have that card but it’s in your car. Same with “Would you like to support _____?” and “Would you like to donate to ______?” …. good answer “Thanks, but I already did online. I’m just waiting for the tax receipt. Could you provide it for me?”
I haven’t encountered people following me and asking me about credit cards but that’s the kind of thing that would make me spaz out and get kicked out of a store.
I hate it when they try tactics like “No? So you aren’t interested in saving money?”
and no, i don’t want your crummy fucking cel phone service either. for 9 days in a row, and by a least twice, by same guy.ramone.
What I LOVE is when they’re all “but you don’t have to activate it!” Like it has nooooo affect on your credit score and debt ratio.
UM HELLO! Even if you don’t activate it, that credit factors into your debt ratio. So let’s say you fall for this two or three times… then you decide to apply for a car loan, but OH HAY you don’t qualify because your debt ratio is too high because OH HAY you’ve got those cards on there you didn’t activate.
And these un activated cards actually stay in your credit file for about two years.
AND the more credit reports creditors run on you and the more cards you have, the lower your score is… which means you could end up being turned down for something important based on that alone (like, say, a mortgage).
… and you didn’t even activate that stupid card.
Hope the 10% off was worth it!
PG, the drone I was talking about was the one who devised this method, not the rep on the floor.
I used to work at the store insinuated here. The employees have little choice but to push the card, not meeting the stores credit card sales quota for the week/month was detrimental to your future employment.
Although I was lucky enough to be in a department that I could use a lack of opportunity as my excuse, cashiers are not so lucky. Some are pushier than others, but it’s also a competition in the store, the more cards you sign up the more rewards you get.
I agree 100% it’s annoying, especially if they ask more than once. But much like the upselling at movie theatres and fast food restaurants the employee has little choice about asking, it is shoved down your throat as being your job to rip off people willing to save a pittance by signing up.
just take a deep breath and think….
what would godzilla do?
I am glad that you were one of the few nice ones who didn’t blame the employees 🙂 A lot of people take offense, especially this time of year and don’t understand that it’s part of the job. I have had friends from a certain grocery store who if they didn’t ask for a donation or credit card signup the customer was treated to a chocolate bar which came out of their pay…sketchy 🙂
I always feel sorry for the “front line troops” in situations like this, they’re only doing as they’re told to remain employed.
A smile and “No Thanks” usually ends it.
You could always take the application and when it asks for address, put Occupy Caledonia?
LOL Baz – like the Occupy Twat in Fredericton who legally changed his address to Phoenix Square. Do you suppose Canada Post will deliver his UI cheques and “High Times” subscription to a cardboard box outside City Hall.
I’m waiting with baited breath to see if the NDP/Lawyer person actually manages to haul HRM Council and the Bedford Beast into court over their busting of their Charter Rights by rounding up the occupiers. I’m curious to see what “mud boy” actually looks like, he was the guy who was always on the news with a clock full of turf and turds.
Miles Why’s account of his “incarceration” belongs right up there with such other classics of “prison literature” as Lindsay Lohan’s “Prisoner Without a Name; Cell Without a Number” and “Night” by Paris Hilton.
I hate the pestering as well..if I wanted your card, I’ll be a big girl and ask about it. However at my job, the one person I forget to ask if they have THE PRECIOUS POINTS CARD, is the one person who bitches at me for not reminding them when I don’t scan it. Because I’m like a babysitter or their mom or something. If it were up to me, I would never ask and if you forget or take too long getting it out, you lose.
I worked at this dept. store before and yes you’re right. The big wigs up in management force you to promote their cards forcefully at every available moment. They will even sick secret shoppers on you to make sure you’re properly tricking the customer into these high-interest cards. Saving 5 or 10 bucks off the purchase is definitely NOT worth the shit credit score you will have after you fail to pay for 28% interest rate store card. That’s how these corps get rich and we get poor.