# I just want to buy my crap and leave the store (long, mild and over reacting) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 12, 2005, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221 "2005-09-12T07:30:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/41 "2005-09-12T17:32:54Z")
I’m still wondering why in the hell would anyone need an extended warranty on shelves. I mean, I can semi-understand on an HDTV or game console, but shelves? Are they insuring against termite damage or something? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/42 "2005-09-12T18:29:07Z")
I’ve found that it’s very satisfying to say, in a completely straight tone, “Well, it sounded like a stupid warranty the _first_ two times you explained it, but this third time is really winning me over.” when asked about the warranty repeatedly. How much _was_ the warranty on the shelves? The most absurd one I’ve ever been offered was a two year $15 warranty on a cheapo $32 DVD player. I laughed and pointed out that I’d probably be able to buy a new one for $15 in a year. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/43 "2005-09-12T18:30:49Z")
Yeah, seeing an ID is a violation of the merchant agreement and so is tacking on a fee. Glasses? I’ve almost always had a backup pair, but the backup was a previous pair of glasses or sometimes my sunglasses. So it’s not like I was spending money on two pairs of glasses with the same perscription. And as for the OP: Kinda a jerk coming from my retail experience perspective, where thank god I never had to try to sell anyone something like an extended warranty. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/44 "2005-09-12T18:52:48Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > The sales person tried to talk me into getting her a “back up pair” until I said, “Look, I’ve worn glasses since I was 13, and I’ve never needed a back up pair. She doesn’t need them for reading, she needs them to see. They will be on her face all the time except when she’s sleeping or in the shower. She’s not going to lose them.” He also mumbled something and moved on. Oh how I wish my parents had splurged on a backup pair. It would have saved me walking around like a dork with white adhesive tape holding my broken glasses together. And then about that geeky wardrobe… ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/45 "2005-09-12T19:08:19Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > And he card catalogs each and every one of them. And we have to check them out just like a library. Don’t let him see [this](http://www.delicious-monster.com/) then. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/46 "2005-09-12T19:32:07Z")
The register lady acted like a trite little turd. Since when is it policy to ask for ID on a $40 credit card sale? I’ve been buying with my Visa for about 10 years and can count on one hand how many times I’ve been asked for ID, and those instances were for very large dollar amounts. Hell, Visa has a whole advertising campaign based on how you don’t need ID like with a check when you use their card. The cashier crossed the line on that one. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/47 "2005-09-12T19:35:20Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > The most absurd one I’ve ever been offered was a two year $15 warranty on a cheapo $32 DVD player. I laughed and pointed out that I’d probably be able to buy a new one for $15 in a year. I was once offered a $20 warranty on a $10 universal remote. The guy didn’t push it, though. He knew it was stupid but he had to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/48 "2005-09-12T19:52:52Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > The register lady acted like a trite little turd. Since when is it policy to ask for ID on a $40 credit card sale? I’ve been buying with my Visa for about 10 years and can count on one hand how many times I’ve been asked for ID, and those instances were for very large dollar amounts. > > Hell, Visa has a whole advertising campaign based on how you don’t need ID like with a check when you use their card. The cashier crossed the line on that one. Every time I use my Visa card at the supermarket, they ask me for ID, without fail. On the little keypad I use to swipe it, before I can press “OK” to complete my transaction, it even flashes “Show ID to cashier to continue,” and then they ask me for it. I wonder why this is. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/49 "2005-09-12T20:12:56Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Oh how I wish my parents had splurged on a backup pair. It would have saved me walking around like a dork with white adhesive tape holding my broken glasses together. And then about that geeky wardrobe… I don’t want anyone to think I didn’t get my daughter a back-up pair of glasses because I’m cheap. She’s been wearing them since she was 7 or so, she’s now 13, and since they are on her face while she’s awake it’s never been an issue where she’s lost them. So, based on my daughter’s past behavior, I did not see the reason for the extra expense. Postscript, though, her exam was on Aug 31. Her lenses were supposed to arrive in 7-10 days. They have not arrived yet and Sears doesn’t know why. They’ve said they’ll call the prescription fulfillment center and see what the delay is. ---
**Author:** ![The\_New\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@The\_New\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_New_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/50 "2005-09-12T20:22:30Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > Hell, Visa has a whole advertising campaign based on how you don’t need ID like with a check when you use their card. They do? That’s false advertising. I get asked for my ID all the time. The problem is that the credit card companies are big fat pieces of shit that refuse to come up with a coherent security policy. They’d rather take a big hit with fraud and make up the difference with oppressive fees and high interest rates. They have at least 3 security schemes that are all enforced sporadically at best. That shit is ALL OVER the map. But that’s a whole rant for another day… I liked the OP’s story, but the ending kind of surprised me. It sounds to me like you fucked with her, so she fucked with you back. Seems like you came out even, so why the indignation at the end? ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/51 "2005-09-12T21:13:43Z")
> [@The New Guy](#): > > They do? That’s false advertising. I get asked for my ID all the time. The problem is that the credit card companies are big fat pieces of shit that refuse to come up with a coherent security policy. They’d rather take a big hit with fraud and make up the difference with oppressive fees and high interest rates. They have at least 3 security schemes that are all enforced sporadically at best. That shit is ALL OVER the map. But that’s a whole rant for another day… The real problem is that you are completely full of shit. Spare us your stinking, peanutty twaddle. Checking ID _can_ be against the terms of the card service agreement because it allows merchants to suppress card use. If you refuse to show ID or cannot furnish ID, oh well, you just have to pay in cash. If you accept plastic, you have to _accept_ it. Putting the little decal on your shop window but trying to turn people away from actually using their cards as a payment method violates the agreement. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/52 "2005-09-12T21:58:17Z")
What about those bastards that put the visa logo in their window and then try to tell you “sorry, there’s a $5 minimum on visa purchases”. But all I wanted was a coffee and a bagel. ---
**Author:** ![CantUseMyRealName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@CantUseMyRealName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CantUseMyRealName)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/53 "2005-09-12T22:38:46Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > What about those bastards that put the visa logo in their window and then try to tell you “sorry, there’s a $5 minimum on visa purchases”. > But all I wanted was a coffee and a bagel. i posted a link earlier that had the official mastercard policy and where to report violations. here it is again [http://www.mastercard.com/cgi-bin/c...ate=ContactUsMV](http://www.mastercard.com/cgi-bin/c...ate=ContactUsMV) i’m sure visa has a similar page, but i don’t have time to scour their site looking for it. as for amex, just call the toll-free number on the card and they will deal with the merchant on your behalf. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/54 "2005-09-13T02:11:22Z")
Visa’s merchant’s agreement is a PDF file ([here](http://usa.visa.com/download/business/accepting_visa/ops_risk_management/rules_for_visa_merchants.pdf) if you want it) but looky [here](http://usa.visa.com/about_visa/newsroom/press_kit/faq.html?it=search#anchor_18) for the info on stores asking for ID (they’re allowed to request it if fraud is suspected, but not as SOP). ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/55 "2005-09-13T02:54:10Z")
I’m going to print this out. Old Navy ALWAYS asks for ID. I was, in fact, turned away from making a very large ON purchase (by my standards - it was about $80, certainly not enough to suspect fraud) when I was not able to produce ID becuase I had inadvertently left home without my driver’s license. I’m going to ON and refuse to show my ID, and if they say “sorry” again I believe I’ll show that page. If they still refuse to take it I’ll just turn the bastards in! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/56 "2005-09-13T03:21:38Z")
When I was working retail, we only had to ask for ID if the back of the card was unsigned. Otherwise, no problem. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/57 "2005-09-13T04:48:37Z")
I’m 6’4" and ugly, I have no problem with getting retail clerks to accept my ‘NO’. Bawahahaha When I got to Radio Shack™, I lie… ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/58 "2005-09-13T05:09:04Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > You don’t think she finds all of that as annoying as you do? You ever work retail? You ever have a customer being a jerk because of something your boss makes you do or you’ll lose your job (and no, it’s NOT necessarily easy to run out and find another retail job!)? > > I’d have saved all your irritation and let the manager know instead of getting an attitude with the cashier. It’s NOT HER FAULT. I’ll answer yours directly because it seemed these questions were asked several times. Have I worked retail? Yes. For several companies and I owned my own computer retail store for 7 years. I think I was pretty clear in my post that they make her ask those questions. From my post above: > [@](#): > > But if I go buy eggs I don’t want someone **being forced** into the situation of pushing a pound of hamburger on me. **I don’t like it and the check out person doesn’t like doing it**. I was annoyed at being upsold twice in one checkout. I was even more so annoyed that even though she saw both my credit card and ID she wanted me to remove the ID from the holder. There are very few people in the world with the first name of “Seven”. The picture on my ID is only a month old. There is no need to remove the ID for a $40 sale. I know she was just doing it because I chuckled at the “assurance plan” line. She doesn’t like having to say that. I know. My friend summed this up quite well. He said: > [@](#): > > Upselling is a fucking suck. I remember having to do it back in my days working at the cinemas. “For an extra quarter you can get the Large which as twice as much soda…” > > My soul died a little every time I had to say that. If she doesn’t like it she should adjust her attitude instead of coping one and looking at me like she wants to crack my skull and saying “No, I’m not”. She could have shrugged, smiled and said “thought I’d ask”. At the end of the day SHE is in retail and it is her job to help the customers and be nice so they return. My rant isn’t really with her as it is with the store. Forcing her to upsale is fucked up. She’s not a sales person and I doubt she gets anything extra for selling this stuff. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t get a cut for pushing lined paper at 99 cents a pack. She has no motivation to push this crap and she hates having to do it. It comes off as a bad shopping experience for the customer. Like I said, when I got to the counter it looked like she didn’t even want to be there. This is the main reason I avoid stores that upsale and push “plans”. I wouldn’t have bothered shopping there if I knew this store went in that direction. There is another store that started doing this (We’ll call them Suckit City). I walked out after complaining to the manager about their salesmen. That was in 1995. I haven’t spent a dime in that store since then. Does it matter to them that I will no longer shop there? I doubt it. But it matters to me. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/59 "2005-09-13T05:49:36Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Maybe the fact that you were buying 2 DVD shelves tagged you as an easy sell? Who the hell needs 450 DVDs? > > While that sounded a tad more rude then I intended, can you explain WHY you have so many DVDs? I only ask because there are very few movies (maybe 4 or 5)I would want to watch even 3 times let alone enough times to want to buy them. > > There are 365 days in a year, what is the plan behind owning 450 movies? Is it just the “I liked it, I must own it” thing or do you actually watch them frequently? My plan?? I plan on collecting 800 DVD’s. At that time I’ll take them all out of the case, lay them on the floor and hump the lot of them. You see, this has been a fantasy of mine for some time. Any less then 800 won’t do. It MUST be 800. I also plan on taking pictures and movies of the event and starting up [www.Hump-a-pile-of-dvds.com](http://www.Hump-a-pile-of-dvds.com) for all the other “pile o’ DVD” fetishists out there (there’s quite a few of us you see). Once the site is on-line I’ll charge $19.95 per month for people to log in and download movies and pictures of me humping DVD’s. I even plan a photo series of me dancing around naked with the Special Edtion release of The Dukes of Hazzard wedged in my naked, hairy ass crack. Before long I’ll make my investment back and the rest is pure, sweet, profit. I figure within 3 years I should be able to buy a small island. I’ll STILL have a pile of DVD’s to hump anytime I want - as well as a big ass pile of cash. Once on the island I plan on starting my own country and space program. When the moon shuttle is running smoothly I plan on transporting enough people to create a small city on the moon. Then I’ll move there, retire, and open an ice cream shoppe. I just want to clear that up because I wouldn’t want anyone to think I **watched** these things or had a hobby of collecting movies I enjoy. That’d be fucking stupid. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221/60 "2005-09-13T07:25:22Z")
If I buy a subscription during the first week, can I get a deep discount, like they do around here? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-buy-my-crap-and-leave-the-store-long-mild-and-over-reacting/321221.md?page=4)