Swagfest ’99, and a Question
typed for your pleasure on 3 March 2005, at 10.28 pmSdtrk: ‘L’enfer’ by Coralie Clément
Today, I ventured to the mythical and hazardous land known as Outsidemyhousevania, in order to run some errands. I was also expecting a call from an ex-coworker in order to see if we could get together on Friday, but as I more or less expected, she didn’t call back. :-\
So I filled the void in my heart with purchases! Hooray for Stuff!
+ the March issue of Newtype (woo hoo, ep.2 of Cromartie High school is on the free DVD! Now I can see if the series is worth buying)
+ Party of one: The Loners’ Manifesto, as suggested by Lily‘s lad, PBShelley
+ the Bye bye Beauté Cd by Coralie Clément. I’d never heard of her before, but there was some sort of sticker on the front that suggested that if you like Ivy, Stereolab or some other bands, that you might like this; plus the fact that I’m a sucker for Sixties-style French pop chanteuses forced me to pick it up. So far, not altogether bad, but the only similarity to Stereolab is that Coralie sings in French
+ the remastered version of The cure’s Three imaginary boys Cd (two disks, 20 extra tracks)
+ plus some sushi (eel & cucumber gunkan and one shrimp nigiri), five pieces of inari, and a can of UCC Coffee
So my question: When did BestBuy start ‘requiring’ your phone number whenever you make a purchase? I’m at the cashier’s desk, paying for the Cure Cd, and she asks me ‘Telephone number, staring with area code, please?’ I of course gave some number that doesn’t exist — or, at the very least, isn’t mine. And it wasn’t as if I a) made a large purchase over $200, or b) paid with a credit/debit card or cheque! It would be a little more understandable for them to ask for a phone number for verification *coughsolicitingcough* purposes, but this is a $16 Cd here! I remember when they started that bollocks, asking for ZIP codes at RadioShack years ago, and once again, I’d always lie, but that isn’t as ridiculous/invasive as asking someone’s phone number.
My other question: Does anyone actually give out their real number to these companies? If so, d’ya think they’d like to buy a bridge from me?
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
the Return of Stuff Week on December 15th, 2004
!!! (no, not the band) on July 20th, 2004
March 4th, 2005 at 12.05 am
I have read that Best Buy is in the process of trying to make each store over according to the profile of its purchasers; they have four or five different “profiles” to go by. One is a store geared toward soccer moms and their stuff, another for 30 something guys, and so on. Different profile stores will have somewhat different merch and layouts. And they want your number to help in that cause. One pleasant thing about being a good ten to fifteen years older than their typical cashiers is that I can tell them my phone number 867-5309 and not have them bat an eye, like I did the last time I bought something there.
March 4th, 2005 at 5.41 am
HA! I’m definitely gonna have to do that next time. 🙂
So I was right; it’s trolling for demographic purposes. Lovely. As long as the thirtysomething store layout isn’t TOTALLY XTREME TO THE MAXX, D00D, I won’t really care..
March 4th, 2005 at 6.35 am
Love the phone number stories, I rarely give out info if I can help it; likely they already have what they want LOL.
I try to minimize the number of stores I do business with. Nosy fucking parkers. MARKETING WEASELS DIE!!
Er, unless there are marketing weasels visiting here, in which case, heheh, nevermind!
Hope ya love the Rufus book as much as we do, damned empowering, in a good way, yeah!
Yay for stuff! 😀
March 4th, 2005 at 9.59 am
I counter with, “Give me yours first.”
When they balk, I give them Best Buy’s Media Inquiry number. *snicker*
It’s 612-292-4000. It’s easy to remember.
Moo-ha-ha
March 13th, 2005 at 9.32 pm
That`s crap isn`t it. I never give them my real no. They always ask for it iver here in Japan as well. I always give them fake names. I`ll have to try Spongebob next time. See if that works… : )
March 14th, 2005 at 2.38 am
Don’t forget; when you write that fake name, write it with authority. People have to see your signature, and say, ‘Wow, this book was signed by Spongebob, or Thomas Aquinas, or Heywood Jablome’ or whomever. It’s all in the attitude. 😉