Republic (maybe other stores) demanding email address before purchase

Cleany

Something happened to a friend of mine that I found disturbing, but I couldn't find other examples so I thought I would share it here, hoping others with similar experiences might post.

My friend's daughter who is in her early teens had to get her mum because a republic store in Hampshire refused to accept payment without her giving them her email address. My friend (her mum) promptly told them where to go and they accepted payment.

This kind of thing is totally wrong, shops have no right to demand personal information off anyone as they buy their goods. I would like to hear more detailed legal info from an expert. There are probably thousands of people who have been duped into giving personal information away by retail staff, not realising their rights, or how badly retail stores can behave. (Of course others might not mind).

Please share it here if you have had any other experiences like this (including demanding a post code for a refund based in the law, not the stores policy), if this kind of thing is widespread it needs to stop.

Naf

Shops do have the right to choose who they will or won't do business with; in theory they'd be entitled to refuse your business on the basis you wouldn't give your e-mail address. The refund, on the other hand, they shouldn't be refusing on this basis.
I'm not saying for one second that I agree with them; I fully agree its just not right.

Cleany

I don't think it can be legal that a retail outlet can simply refuse to sell something to someone unless they have good reason. They couldn't refuse someone because they were disabled, or of an ethnic minority, so why would they be able to refuse on such arbitrary grounds as someone not divulging personal information?

somethingcorporate

Because it is their private property. You cannot force a shop to sell you anything, ever.

They do not even have to give a reason.

geordieracer

Cleany wrote: »

I don't think it can be legal that a retail outlet can simply refuse to sell something to someone unless they have good reason. They couldn't refuse someone because they were disabled, or of an ethnic minority, so why would they be able to refuse on such arbitrary grounds as someone not divulging personal information?

They can refuse to sell anyone anything as they please.

And an email address hardly constitues 'Personal information' when you have signed up using one on this very forum. So your happy for a nice database like MSE to have it but your not happy for a store to have it because you think it is wrong.. Go figure.

jamespir

its not really that personal you can alwyas give them a fake one

System

yeah just tell them its [EMAIL="mindyourownbusiness@hotmail.com"]mindyourownbusiness@hotmail.com[/EMAIL]

Naf

If you're that bothered, get a free hotmail/gmail/yahoo account purely so you can give it out, give a fake address (say a number on your street that doesn't actually exist). I sometimes use a number on my parent's old street that doesn't exist. They're not going to find out unless they try and use your details for something, which they shouldn't be doing anyway. Catch 22, and who cares anyway?

misssarahleigh

I agree with the OP it's more the principle of the matter.

And obviously you can make one up. But why should you have to.

We were discussing something similar at work about questions being asked by companies etc who really don't need the answer.

My example. When I fill out the dentist form it asks me how much I drink and smoke of at all. I write across the section. None of your business. I have done before for something else as they may WANT to know but they don't NEED to.

They obviously want the email to send the newsletter and promotional emails. Whenever i'm asked I just say i don't want the emails so no, you can't have it.

Although i'm aware not everyone has the confidence to do this.

Elle7

They ask when you pay, but I've never given it...I'm already on the list, so I usually just say that, but I've also just said no thanks. They've never pressured me! Maybe the staff member was confused, or maybe your friends daughter misunderstood a question with a command. The staff in the four Republics I've been in have all been very helpful.

somethingcorporate

misssarahleigh wrote: »

I agree with the OP it's more the principle of the matter.

And obviously you can make one up. But why should you have to.

Because it's their goods and they can put whatever terms in that they want to to sell their goods (given they are legal).

They may put in "we'll only serve you if you come in wearing purple" and there is nothing you can do about it.

The principle that this company has decided is that they will not sell without you jumping through hoop x, therefore if you want to shop there you need to jump through hoop x. Lots of companies do it with goodwill returns, if you don't like it take your custom elsewhere.

It's hardly inconvenient to misspell / give a fake email is it?