pressured to sign up for credit cards at store...

[ez]

Are any of you getting sick of being pressured to sign up for a store credit card to get 10% off your purchase? When you say no, these clerks will stand there and argue. Target is a really bad offender. I would consider getting one sometime, when I make an expensive purchase, but not for 100 bucks or so, and they don't seem to get that. Anyway, I've had my eye on some outdoor furniture that I was maybe gonna get at the end of the season when it goes onsale, so I'm thinking with the 10% discount I could save 40 more bucks. Well, dh sees a $99 dollar digital camera at target yesterday, and he calls me and asks if he should get it, and I say, yeah as long as we can take it back if we try it and don't like it. So he buys it last night and he takes out a blooming Target charge card to save 10 bucks!!!!Ugh!!! So today, he informs me the camera is a piece of junk (he was trying without success to get it to work last night) So now hes taking it back.....so he got the stinking credit card for nothing! Some places ask you for your name as your checking out, and then they run a credit check on their computer, and tell you you are preapproved for their card. I think that is really an invasion of privacy to ask your name and run a credit check without letting you know what they are doing. Okay, well, I feel better now....thanks for the vent!

 

[GlennandAnn]

ez, I feel your pain!! The worst offender to me is Victoria's Secret. Do you know how much underwear I'd have to buy to make their credit card worth my while?! I know it comes with a coupon book, but you have to buy the exact thing on the coupon- what if I don't want a red lace thong?! I hate it when stores try to strong arm me into opening an account. Lately I've gotten smart and started saying I already have the card but don't want to use it.



Ann

 

[floridafam]

Yup. I get asked every time I'm at Gap Kids, J. Crew, etc.

I just say "no"

I did take the 15% off once at Gap for giving them my e-mail address. Seemed like a fair enough deal.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by GlennandAnn
Lately I've gotten smart and started saying I already have the card but don't want to use it.

I work retail, and I hear that one a lot. I actually really like it, because it lets me "off the hook" as well. I'm not pushy about the cards anyway, though - I ask one time, and if you say no, I shut up about it.


Floridafam - you get asked every time, because if the associate didn't ask you and their manager was listening, s/he could get in trouble. Don't get me started!

 

[SC Minnie]

I usually use my Disney Visa. When asked if I want one of their store cards, I just say 'No-- I get Disney dollars by using this one'. That usually shuts them up.

My problem with the Target one (which I do not have) is lately they have people walking around the store asking if you want to sign up for it.

I used to work retail too and we had to 'push' the cards. We got points for everyone we got. I would only suggest the card and if they said no that was the end of that.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Just tell them you already have one and they'll shut up.

 

[my3kids]

I got followed around the store and repeatedly requested to get the Target Card. The more I walked around to avoid the person, the more I kept putting in may cart! By the time I was ready to check out I had so much I went to find her to get the card.

Most of our credit is in either both our names or my husbands, so it actually wan't bad to go ahead and get a store card for my own credit history.

I got 10% off that day, and they sent me a $5.00 gift card shortly thereafter, as well as another 10% off coupon.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Ez (and to everyone else I ever bothered attempting to get them to sign up for the damn Target card), I really, really REALLY apologize.

About 3 !/2 years ago, I worked for Target. I was a cashier and we HAD to ask people to sign up for the stupid card. The mgr on duty would often send 3-4 (depending on how busy it was) cashiers around with little boards and pens and apps so that we could ask random people in the store. As if asking them when they came in the door wasn't enough (because they often had tables set up to get apps). We were almost always given a # of apps we had to get that night, whether or not they were approved didn't matter. All that mattered was get the app, get the app, get the app. They even gave little prizes (like free candy bar, etc) for the person who would get the most # of apps in a given period of time. If we didn't get the required # of apps by the end of the night when we closed, after we finished our closing duties, we often had to go 'help' other depts. One night, I think I spent an HOUR rearranging baby food jars because it was a very slow night and so we didn't meet quota.

I'm really, really, really sorry for anyone I ever bothered trying to get them to sign up for the Target Visa when I worked there. If I didn't ask, I'd get in trouble and I suspect the same goes for any store where you walk in and they immediately ask you to sign up for the store credit card.

TOV

 

[grinningghost]

Hate it. And when you tell them you already have one, sometimes they'll say, "well, if you use it, you can get an extra 10% off". Look, the interest rate on those cards doesn't do me much of a favor, even with the extra 10%.

I really wish they would stop doing this. It's really annoying and makes you wish you didn't buy their stuff.

 

[stinkerbelle]

I usually just say 'no' and most places leave it at that.

one woman at the gap 2/3 years ago however, hounded me and hounded me and finally (with an armful of clothing that I WAS going to buy) after teh 6th time she asked me to sign up for a card I said "I don't want the bleeping card and now I don't want this bleep either" and dropped everything at her feet and walked away.

however, I DID sign up for the gap card recently...hehehe..I like the $10 back you get with that and old navy...and, well, I shop...ALOT...so those are worth my while.

I have the gap and old navy store cards...that's it...no other store credit cards.

 

[MHopkins2]

Some store cards are better than others. Anyone who shops at Banana Republic should definitely get one of their cards. Once you spend a certain amount (I think it was $600 or $800 - which isn't hard to do at BR), you get their "Luxe" card. Luxe entitles you to free shipping on all Internet orders, free deluxe gift wrap (very nice stuff!), and free alterations on everything you buy, including sale items. That last one especially is a godsend for me.

[Disclaimer: I do not work for BR or any of their corporate cousins.]

 

[Deb in IA]

I agree; it's irritating.

I usually tell them one of the following:

1. I get frequent flyer miles on my VISA
2. I have too many credit cards already
3. I already have one of their cards, and I never use it

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I really don't like that at Target, either. "Would you like to save 10% today by opening a Target Visa card?" I used to work at Target a long time ago, and I hated asking that question....so I feel your pain!

 

[jpd3]

I'll sometimes say that I am in the middle of buying a house and can't have the extraneous credit cards and credit inquiries on my credit history before I close. Seems a little nicer. Of course, NO works pretty well, too!

 

[Rutt and Tuke]

I'm asked often, but I've never been pressured. Maybe once or twice, someone has asked me a second time and I just say, "I said I wasn't interested."

 

[JoNo]

yeah, I hate checking out at Old Navy b/c of this. Most of the time I just buy one or two tshirts that are like $5... So I tell them no thanks. Then they ask again & I go into my speil about why would I sign up just to save $1 off my purchase?

 

[Madi100]

I think this is one where you really need to put yourself in the shoes of the person who is asking you. I used to work retail, and I had to ask that sill question. I was select, though. I didn't ask a lot of people. I didn't ask people who weren't friendly to me when they got up to the check-out. But, really, it is not the sales associates who really care about the credit cards. Do you honestly believe that they are compensated enough to warrant the rudeness that sometimes comes with asking? Nope. I don't believe I ever received a thing for having the most credit card apps., which I did. Sometimes we had a store contest, that I usually came up with because I was one of the managers. I also bought the prizes every few months, so not much incentive for me.

However, this is the job of the associate. When you go to McDonald's you get asked if you'd like to try an extra value meal today. They have this nice HUGE menu posted for you, the value meals are given extra attention. So, don't you think that by the time you are asked to order you know that you do or do not want one of those? But, still they ask and quite honestly, I don't believe that the person who takes your oder really cares if you want one or not. It's their job. We all have duties to perform in our jobs that we don't like and aren't pleasant. With the credit card request, do you really think you are getting somewhere by being rude to the cashier? Let the company know you don't appreciate it. They are the ones who force it.

I get asked all of the time if I want a credit card. I just pleasantly tell them no.

 

[keerymom]

I personally don't think I should have to come up with an excuse why I don't want to sign up for one of their cards. I believe a polite no thank you should suffice, but it normally doesn't. I had one clerk look at me and actually start with "PLLLEEEAAAASSSEEE". I couldn't believe it. In my area I've found that Kaufmann's and JC Penney are terrible offenders.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by keerymom
I personally don't think I should have to come up with an excuse why I don't want to sign up for one of their cards.

I don't think so either - and really, it's better if you don't, since some stores train on "objection handling" for specific excuses. A polite but firm "no thank you" is best, for both parties.

I believe a polite no thank you should suffice, but it normally doesn't. I had one clerk look at me and actually start with "PLLLEEEAAAASSSEEE". I couldn't believe it.

That's clearly inexcuseable. Oy.

 

[tinkerbell81284]

JCPenney is my worst offendor because I use to work there and I hated asking people if they wanted a credit card!!! I always waited for them to ask me. The only thing I liked was getting the extra $2 for every applicate I got, other than that I hated doing it.

Tink