My buddy is getting married and I'm the best man, so the other day we had to go for a tux fitting at Moore's. When we got there they wanted our personal info so they could let us know when the tuxes were ready and we could pick them up.
They wanted my phone number, my email, and my address, which I gave them but then they asked if I wanted a membership card which I declined. When I asked what they do with my personal info they said it's completely private and only used to contact me when my clothes are ready.
That same day I start getting emails about sales at Moore's and I've been getting emails from them ever since.
This is why I specifically decline giving out my personal info to any store I shop at. Every store seems to have this same technique, as soon as you buy something from them they want all your info, do you want an emailed receipt? Can we have your phone number? What's your email address?
I don't believe it's all private due to the events that happen soon after your information is given out, email ads, spammers, weird phone calls from the states.
One of the oddest things I've had to deal with is google ads, I got a call from them years ago asking if I wanted to update my ad I had with them, but I never asked for a google ad and never contacted google myself personally, but they had all my information, my business name, my address and phone number.
I thought that maybe I forgot that I gave it to them but in reality I never did, so I told them no thank you and take me off your list and after a short argument I finally got them to remove me from google ads, or so I thought.
For ten years I have been arguing with google and now they have resorted to artificial intelligent phone calls where you can argue with a computer simulated person. I realize now that this all must have started because I gave out my business information to some other company that needed it and they gave it to google.
Isn't google big enough? Do they really need to have an aggressive marketing strategy that targets every person on the planet with a business and won't take no for an answer?
I have a small business that only serves its surrounding area I have no need for my information given out out to a worldwide audience that can use that information for nefarious deeds.
Keep your information to yourself and only give it out if it's absolutely necessary. That's what I think, but you can do whatever you want to.
Scott Goerz
