Why is being honest such a pain? - Page 2

Worldwalker · 11-08-2010, 12:08 AM

The problem with grocery store cards is that without exception*, those grocery stores have higher prices than their cardless competition. They're paying for those cards and the processing of the same somehow, after all. The idea is that you'll go in there for one of the "sales" (prices reduced to almost as low as a cardless store's sales) limited to "registered customers" and then buy a couple of other items as well, all of which cost significantly more. I don't shop at stores with cards unless they're the only place open and I need one item that can't wait until tomorrow (it's happened), and I contact the corporate management of cardless stores and tell them how happy I am to be their customer.

As for Webscriptions ... ecommerce generally requires some information. I really don't worry about the people I'm buying books from knowing where to find me, any more than you worry about that junkyard knowing where to find you. They have your name! and your address! and your phone number!

I took a look. Quoting your post, it would appear that Webscriptions requires:

Answer a whole bunch of questions,

Name, address, phone number, email address, and pick a password.

Your credit card company insists on the name and address (and/or theirs does). Email address and password get you your books (they send zips by email) and get you back in to download them again, or in a different format, or when updated.

miss some, fill some in in the wrong format or something, do it over a bunch of times and have the machinery forget each time what I've already filled in,

If Webscriptions did that, it would be bad design. Very bad design. Thankfully, they don't. (as a side note, I'd really like to punch people who want me to do their formatting for them ... hello, dude, you're sanitizing that CC# before you let it near your database, I hope ... do your own formatting then)

pick a username that's already taken and have to start all over again,

Once again, that would be bad design (yes, I know it's done; it shouldn't be). And once again, Webscriptions doesn't do this. They don't even use usernames.

get the "capcha" wrong and have to start all over again...

Webscriptions doesn't use one.

and anyway why do they all need to know so much about me?

Your name, address, and phone number? Because they're doing business with you, and credit card companies utterly insist on having that information for anyone using a credit card. Kind of like the car parts place.

There are plenty of places you can tar with that brush of yours, but smearing it all over a company that doesn't do what you're objecting to is dirty pool. Oh, and so is getting me to go double-check how Webscriptions works, now I've got more on my TBR list. I didn't know the new Hammer's Slammers omnibus was out yet.... (note for my fellow addicts: #3 is now available)

*in my experience

carld · 11-08-2010, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Office max asks for zip code. I just say "no".......the sales clerks look at me as tho I"m being totally unreasonable.

I've stopped giving out my cell phone number to stores that want a "alternate number" for a check approval. You've got my phone, address & banking info on the check already.

Xanthe · 11-08-2010, 12:19 AM

I, too, answer "no" when a cashier asks for my phone number. Sometimes I'll give out my zip code, sometimes I'll say no, sometimes I'll give out the zip code of a town not my own.

When filling out forms, unless it's a doctor's office, I never give out my cell phone number. And even I don't know off the top of my head what my OnStar number is - lol.

Worldwalker · 11-08-2010, 12:32 AM

ZIP codes are for advertising targeting -- if they find they're getting a whole bunch of people from 12345, they'll start advertising there. That's never bothered me. If they'll add their flyers (usually with coupons) to the usual collection of grocery stores I don't shop at and replacement windows that do a renter no good at all that clutter up snailboxes in my area, I'm cool with that.

The ones that really peeve me (aside from the OP who accused Webscriptions of a whole bunch of things they don't even do) are the places that try to get me to sign up for Facebook. No, I'm not a member of Facebook. I don't want to be a member of Facebook. As much as I want your concert schedule, I don't want it enough to become a member of Facebook. And if you're one of those companies that shoves a pop-up in my face trying to get me to join Facebook so I can ... well, I have no clue, because I just cursed you and your descendants unto the seventh generation as I was leaving your website. Have I mentioned I'm not a member of Facebook?

Sweetpea · 11-08-2010, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmay

The worst part about registering at sites is that you never know who's going to sell your info to spammers. I've been using a service called sneakemail* for several years now. I started getting porn spam directed to the email address I'd created specifically for one online vendor. I contacted that vendor and SHAMED him royally all up and down for letting my personal information fall into the hands of a spammer. The best part was being able to turn off that email address and never get email there again.

*I'm just a happy customer; I have no affiliation with sneakemail or any of its employees.

We have our own domain name. With a catch-all email box. So, we can use any email address we want. If we have to hand out an email address, we use: theirocmpanyname@ourdomainname.nl. If we get spam on that address, we know immediately who sold our information and we'll never deal with them again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I, too, answer "no" when a cashier asks for my phone number. Sometimes I'll give out my zip code, sometimes I'll say no, sometimes I'll give out the zip code of a town not my own.

When filling out forms, unless it's a doctor's office, I never give out my cell phone number. And even I don't know off the top of my head what my OnStar number is - lol.

I only give out my phone number if I order online. If a brick&mortar stone would ask my number I won't give it to them, they have absolutely no need for it. Zip code they can have, I don't care about that (you can't trace me by my zipcode, as that is not unique).

Figlilly · 11-08-2010, 02:25 AM

You could always try www.bugmenot.com

James_Wilde · 11-08-2010, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corona

When you're forced to reply to an e-mail to sign up: http://10minutemail.com

Are you sure that address is okay, Corona? I just tested it and I'm having problems with my email program. Fortunately I'm on a Mac, so hopefully, if it's a fishing site or something, I'm maybe less vulnerable than if I were on Windows.

One other point. The email program has just asked for my password to my main account. Naturally I'm not providing it.

Update: apparently my ISP has, coincidentally, just had a service problem. I'll wait till they're back on line and I can check the site again before I remove this message.

Second update: yes, it was my ISP's downtime and not anything fishy with the address. Sorry about that, but in the two or three minutes between my last reading my mail and sending a test mail to the site Corona names, my ISP went totally down for a couple of hours. I have now tested again, and find no reason to doubt the integrity of the site Corona has named, and what is more, I've bookmarked it for just those situations for which it is intended.

Sorry if my message could be interpreted as a questioning of Corona's useful suggestion.

GreenMonkey · 11-08-2010, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Figwit

You could always try www.bugmenot.com

There's a bugmenot extension for Firefox also. Then you can just rightclick and it runs through the bugmenot list of usernames/passwords.

bookoffers · 11-08-2010, 03:47 AM

I easily get bored doing the things repeatedly. When I encounter such thing I leave the form with no doubts.

Partly painful, cause your time being wasted in such thing.

kcmay · 11-08-2010, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddos

Nothing wrong with store loyalty cards, if you do it right. I've got cards at QFC, Safeway, and Albertsons, and none of them have my proper information. Of course, I don't remember what phone # I gave so if I lose the card I can't get discounts, but if that ever happened I'd just fill out an app for a new card with a new fake name, address, and phone #.

Hahahaha! I do this too. The local Kroger has the cheapest gas around, and the loyalty card knocks $0.10 per gallon off that price. But to get this price, you have to spend $100 on groceries. The fortunate part is that I prefer this store to its loyalty-card-free competitor.

kcmay · 11-08-2010, 06:51 AM

What drives me crazy most of all is being asked to provide my SSN to doctors' offices. I'm not applying for credit, and they bill my insurance directly. They don't need my SSN.

Seanette · 11-08-2010, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmay

What drives me crazy most of all is being asked to provide my SSN to doctors' offices. I'm not applying for credit, and they bill my insurance directly. They don't need my SSN.

Actually, they do, since the insurance company uses that as part of your identifying info when you enroll (I've done health insurance enrollments).

SaraD · 11-08-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmay

What drives me crazy most of all is being asked to provide my SSN to doctors' offices. I'm not applying for credit, and they bill my insurance directly. They don't need my SSN.

I also worked in health insurance enrollment until my son was born July 2009and now I am home with him. Shortly before I left the company it had become Medicare policy that any insurance company with members over a certain age had to provide SSN's to Medicare for those members or face fines. Of course there was ramp-up time, etc for the program, but another example of the government sticking its nose into business and causing pain & misery all around. Previously the spot was there because it makes for a unique identifier and helped prevent duplication of applications in the database, but no harm no foul if it was left blank.

Worldwalker · 11-08-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmay

Hahahaha! I do this too. The local Kroger has the cheapest gas around, and the loyalty card knocks $0.10 per gallon off that price. But to get this price, you have to spend $100 on groceries. The fortunate part is that I prefer this store to its loyalty-card-free competitor.

If you've got a Publix in your area, check their prices. They're consistently much lower than Kroger's here. And I haven't seen Kroger's gas prices as low as Hess

jbcohen · 11-08-2010, 11:00 AM

Mozilla Firefox has a password manager in the web browser. Can't speak for Crome or Optra but IE seems to be the only one out there that doesn't have this ability. Sign up once and Firefox will put the login info in the databse and I never have to login again. Have done that here with this site.

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11-08-2010, 12:08 AM	#16
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	The problem with grocery store cards is that without exception, those grocery stores have higher prices than their cardless competition. They're paying for those cards and the processing of the same somehow, after all. The idea is that you'll go in there for one of the "sales" (prices reduced to almost as low as a cardless store's sales) limited to "registered customers" and then buy a couple of other items as well, all of which cost significantly more. I don't shop at stores with cards unless they're the only place open and I need one item that can't wait until tomorrow (it's happened), and I contact the corporate management of cardless stores and tell them how happy I am to be their customer. As for Webscriptions ... ecommerce generally requires some information. I really don't worry about the people I'm buying books from knowing where to find me, any more than you worry about that junkyard knowing where to find you. They have your name! and your address! and your phone number! I took a look. Quoting your post, it would appear that Webscriptions requires: Answer a whole bunch of questions,* Name, address, phone number, email address, and pick a password. Your credit card company insists on the name and address (and/or theirs does). Email address and password get you your books (they send zips by email) and get you back in to download them again, or in a different format, or when updated. miss some, fill some in in the wrong format or something, do it over a bunch of times and have the machinery forget each time what I've already filled in, If Webscriptions did that, it would be bad design. Very bad design. Thankfully, they don't. (as a side note, I'd really like to punch people who want me to do their formatting for them ... hello, dude, you're sanitizing that CC# before you let it near your database, I hope ... do your own formatting then) pick a username that's already taken and have to start all over again, Once again, that would be bad design (yes, I know it's done; it shouldn't be). And once again, Webscriptions doesn't do this. They don't even use usernames. get the "capcha" wrong and have to start all over again... Webscriptions doesn't use one. and anyway why do they all need to know so much about me? Your name, address, and phone number? Because they're doing business with you, and credit card companies utterly insist on having that information for anyone using a credit card. Kind of like the car parts place. There are plenty of places you can tar with that brush of yours, but smearing it all over a company that doesn't do what you're objecting to is dirty pool. Oh, and so is getting me to go double-check how Webscriptions works, now I've got more on my TBR list. I didn't know the new Hammer's Slammers omnibus was out yet.... (note for my fellow addicts: #3 is now available) *in my experience

11-08-2010, 12:19 AM	#18
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	I, too, answer "no" when a cashier asks for my phone number. Sometimes I'll give out my zip code, sometimes I'll say no, sometimes I'll give out the zip code of a town not my own. When filling out forms, unless it's a doctor's office, I never give out my cell phone number. And even I don't know off the top of my head what my OnStar number is - lol.

11-08-2010, 12:32 AM	#19
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	ZIP codes are for advertising targeting -- if they find they're getting a whole bunch of people from 12345, they'll start advertising there. That's never bothered me. If they'll add their flyers (usually with coupons) to the usual collection of grocery stores I don't shop at and replacement windows that do a renter no good at all that clutter up snailboxes in my area, I'm cool with that. The ones that really peeve me (aside from the OP who accused Webscriptions of a whole bunch of things they don't even do) are the places that try to get me to sign up for Facebook. No, I'm not a member of Facebook. I don't want to be a member of Facebook. As much as I want your concert schedule, I don't want it enough to become a member of Facebook. And if you're one of those companies that shoves a pop-up in my face trying to get me to join Facebook so I can ... well, I have no clue, because I just cursed you and your descendants unto the seventh generation as I was leaving your website. Have I mentioned I'm not a member of Facebook?

11-08-2010, 02:25 AM	#21
Figlilly Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 2514066 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis 2&3, Paperwhites, Kindle Touch, Kobo Clara, IPad Air2	You could always try www.bugmenot.com

11-08-2010, 03:47 AM	#24
bookoffers Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: NOne	I easily get bored doing the things repeatedly. When I encounter such thing I leave the form with no doubts. Partly painful, cause your time being wasted in such thing.

11-08-2010, 06:51 AM	#26
kcmay Addict Posts: 363 Karma: 500001 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Kindle2	What drives me crazy most of all is being asked to provide my SSN to doctors' offices. I'm not applying for credit, and they bill my insurance directly. They don't need my SSN.

11-08-2010, 11:00 AM	#30
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Mozilla Firefox has a password manager in the web browser. Can't speak for Crome or Optra but IE seems to be the only one out there that doesn't have this ability. Sign up once and Firefox will put the login info in the databse and I never have to login again. Have done that here with this site.