My area code: Why would a grocery store ask customers for thier phone number at checkout? That was the case at Natural Grocers in Davenport Iowa today. I asked the checkout clerk why...

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

Why would a grocery store ask customers for thier phone number at checkout? That was the case at Natural Grocers in Davenport Iowa today. I asked the checkout clerk why she wanted that info. She said she didn't know and that she was just "supposed to ask for it".

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

usnret wrote:

Why would a grocery store ask customers for thier phone number at checkout? That was the case at Natural Grocers in Davenport Iowa today. I asked the checkout clerk why she wanted that info. She said she didn't know and that she was just "supposed to ask for it".

Statistics for marketing. How many people from what area codes shop there.
Curious, how close to another area code are you?

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

Longshadow wrote:

Statistics for marketing. How many people from what area codes shop there.
Curious, how close to another area code are you?

Big Brother??

dustie Loc: Nose to the grindstone

usnret wrote:

Big Brother??

Marketing/advertising people from the store home office, doing research on where their customer base is concentrated, so they can plan their advertising to reach areas most effectively / best likelihood of return on their advertising dollars spent.
If they want to look for expanding their customer base into areas a little outside the current most represented area(s), the guesswork is vastly reduced.

Not a spying big brother plot.....at least next to no likelihood.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

dustie wrote:

Marketing/advertising people from the store home office, doing research on where their customer base is concentrated, so they can plan their advertising to reach areas most effectively / best likelihood of return on their advertising dollars spent.
If they want to look for expanding their customer base into areas a little outside the current most represented area(s), the guesswork is vastly reduced.

Not a spying big brother plot.....at least next to no likelihood.

Correct.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

usnret wrote:

Big Brother??

Nope, marketers for the store.

JimmyTB

Radio Shack used to ask not only for your phone number but your mailing address also. You could decline to give it but if the 3 customers ahead of you in line gave it to them you could be in line for 10 minutes. That's why they were always a store of last resort for me

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Your area code is useless for marketing information. It does NOT indicate where you live, but where you lived at one point in time (when you bought a cell phone). In the old days when you moved you had to get a new phone number. Not so today.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Some stores used to ask for zip code.
It narrows the geographic location more than an area code.

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

My local grocery stores do this also. They used to have "loyalty" cards that gave you a discount on special items, now those cards are trashed and I am encouraged to sign up/join their program online and use my phone number as my ID. When I input my # at checkout the sale/special prices replace the standard prices and I save $$. There are no phone ads yet. Ace Hardware also uses phone #'s.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

usnret wrote:

Why would a grocery store ask customers for thier phone number at checkout? That was the case at Natural Grocers in Davenport Iowa today. I asked the checkout clerk why she wanted that info. She said she didn't know and that she was just "supposed to ask for it".

There are folks that "Harvest Info" from Facebook and other sources (birthday, location, address, SSN's, email, etc.) and, pretty soon they have enough info to open a credit account (or 10) in your name.
IMHO, one piece of info may cause damage, while lots of your info scattered around the web can/will cause a big problem.
Nationwide there is a huge problem with check theft (filled out or blank) from mailboxes. The checks are "Washed", made out to themselves, and cashed.
If they don't wash/cash the stolen checks just look at the info they have gained from your "Blank Check" . . . .
Did you ever wonder why our doctors used to lock up their RX pads?
Forgery is a nonviolent crime that receives very little attention.
Why make it easy on the bad folks out there?
When circumstance forces you to write a check use fraud-proof ink pens for check writing: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=fraud+proof+ink+pens+for+check+writing&crid=GHPRG5N3MBZ8&sprefix=check+writing+pen%2Caps%2C77&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_17
Best Wishes For A Happy New Year,
JimmyT Sends

PS: I'm sorry for the rant, but I used to have a "Rumor+" security clearance. <grin>

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Don, the 2nd son wrote:

My local grocery stores do this also. They used to have "loyalty" cards that gave you a discount on special items, now those cards are trashed and I am encouraged to sign up/join their program online and use my phone number as my ID. When I input my # at checkout the sale/special prices replace the standard prices and I save $$. There are no phone ads yet. Ace Hardware also uses phone #'s.

That narrows marketing down to the individual.
Area Code & ZIP are general in nature.

Nodpete Loc: Naperville, IL

Here's one for you. I bought a lot 42 years ago in an unincorporated area of a neighboring town. Two years later, it was annexed by another town. Then they changed my area code number, and then changed it again, and did it the 3rd time. I've also had 3 zip codes. All of this in the same house. I had to change my business cards each time. Finally, everything has been the same these last 20 years.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I had 3 different area codes in my first house in MA. My current area code is not for the area I'm living in. Area codes don't necessarily mean anything these days. My wife has had people not answer her phone because her area code was not in the area she lives and works in because they think she's somewhere else.

twowindsbear

usnret wrote:

Why would a grocery store ask customers for thier phone number at checkout? That was the case at Natural Grocers in Davenport Iowa today. I asked the checkout clerk why she wanted that info. She said she didn't know and that she was just "supposed to ask for it".

Since you seem to be bound & determined to NOT give YOUR phone number, just give A phone number. Give the local PD's non-emergency number, city hall's number, the mayor's office number, make one up. . . you get the idea by now.