Republic (maybe other stores) demanding email address before purchase

somethingcorporate

Cleany wrote: »

Anyway a lot of people are saying shops can serve who they like, but surely that's simply not true. What about discrimination and disabled access laws?

What about them? they can refuse anyone without giving a reason. It's private property, no-one is entitled to buy anything that belongs to someone else.

If they had a sign that said "we won't serve whites / blacks / disabled / children / OAPS etc" then obviously they would fall foul of the laws you mention but they could refuse to serve a white / black / disabled / old / young person without having to give a reason as to why they would not serve them. They could also ban them from the property.

You cannot refuse to sell to a white person for being white, doesn't mean you cannot refuse to sell to a white person...

geordieracer

Cleany wrote: »

Heh thanks sarahleigh :-)

Anyway a lot of people are saying shops can serve who they like, but surely that's simply not true. What about discrimination and disabled access laws?

I've no problem if they did it to me, they would serve me without any information you can be sure of that. The real point is that people who don't know their rights or understand about privacy (a big issue at the moment in case anyone noticed) are simply going to get conned into giving up their email address. Ok this would mostly mean getting more spam, but I'm not ok with that nor are a lot of people. And that's the best case scenario. Email addresses can be used fraudulantly as I hope everyone is aware.

What about disabled access? What has THAT got to do with them wanting to sell you something and asking for your email address. And there is no discrimination if they do the same to EVERYONE as they are NOT discriminating.

I understand fully about privacy - your email address is probably in the hands of more people then you care to think of right now - and you really dont have to give them it if you dont want to - they are only going to use it for marketing.

Really i think your going a bit overboard on this.


misssarahleigh - Do whatever you like ill answer just like i did in here.They ask you for your oral health as,as has been answered above - oral cancer is fast getting a hold and this is through smoking and drinking..Nothing wrong with it and every dentist and even doctor asks the same questions when you register so i really am puzzled as to why you think its an affront to your perceived privacy

Zandoni

At the moment shops need all the trade they can get, I think it's extremely stupid to alienate customers in anyway.

I would be annoyed if a shop tried to insist that I gave them an email address and it would make me shop elsewhere.

Cleany

Thanks for the interesting replies. I'm still not convinced shops have the right to refuse service arbitrarily. For example, say a shop refused to serve a non-white person, without giving them a reason, so said person took them to court where they accused the shop of racial discrimination. Would a valid defence be that they had the right to refuse service because it's their private property? I really don't think so, yet that's what it appears some are saying.

Again thanks for the replies, and the reminder to book a check up at the dentist! :-)

somethingcorporate

Cleany wrote: »

Thanks for the interesting replies. I'm still not convinced shops have the right to refuse service arbitrarily. For example, say a shop refused to serve a non-white person, without giving them a reason, so said person took them to court where they accused the shop of racial discrimination. Would a valid defence be that they had the right to refuse service because it's their private property? I really don't think so, yet that's what it appears some are saying.

Again thanks for the replies, and the reminder to book a check up at the dentist! :-)

Well you'd be wrong. Do you think you can force a shop to sell you anything? a shop is not public property and you have no rights to purchase anything in their shop that they have on the shelves. You take said item and offer to buy it, they can accept or reject your offer. They don't have to give a reason, they can just say I am not accepting your offer, my property is no longer for sale.

System

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Well you'd be wrong. Do you think you can force a shop to sell you anything? a shop is not public property and you have no rights to purchase anything in their shop that they have on the shelves. You take said item and offer to buy it, they can accept or reject your offer. They don't have to give a reason, they can just say I am not accepting your offer, my property is no longer for sale.

I don't think you are right. I don't think a shop can refuse to serve a minority without a reason. Although it's private property there are laws about discrimination. For instance that b&b which refused to let that gay couple stay there were found guilty in the courts. I accept they don't have to give a reason why they are refusing service but if they do refuse service and the person who was refused service takes the complaint to the authorities then they will need to come up with a good excuse!

NeoNerd

Taking it back to a slightly wider realm - the general principle is that nobody is obliged to contract with anybody else. This applies to shops, tradesmen, professionals - you name it. There are restrictions on this, such as the ban on refusing to contract based on sex, age, race and several other criteria.

This doesn't mean that it's illegal to refuse a black guy service, only that it's illegal to refuse to contract with him because he's black. Or a man. If he looks suspicious, badly dressed or indeed for no reason at all, service can be refused. The B&B was found guilty because they refused service because the couple were gay. But the owner could have refused them service because he doubted they would pay, or if they smelled bad, or if he didn't like their shoes. Anything at all.

If the authorities attempted to prosecute, they must demonstrate that the refusal was based on a restricted ground. So they'd have to show that the refusal of service was based on race, for example, and that's not an easy hurdle for them to reach, unless the other party is pretty explicit about it.

I knew a law degree had to have some use!

Bongedone

goater78 wrote: »

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

I use billgates@hotmail.com

I hope its not his real address