Shoes - Great! Store - Good deals, sometimes but not a fan of the staff or receipt policy…read more
I have to begin by saying, I love Clarks shoes. Their great. Unfortunately they've discontinued the particular model I've been wearing for a number of years, but I'll find something similar.
I've purchased shoes from this Outlet Mall location several times. Every few years, I go in, find my shoe and I'm done. I'm a targeted typical guy shopper. As much as I love shoes, I know exactly what I want with Clarks because I've been wearing the same model for years and just buy them over and over. Sometimes, I do take advantage of the "Buy One Get One 50% Off" deals.
Recently I went to get my "usual". I couldn't find them. I looked online and that is when I discovered that my "go-to" Escalade model has been discontinued. Fair enough. So, I found an alternative.
I took my would-be shoes up to the counter to purchase where there were two ladies working. As the section I was in is close to the counters, I can say I'm using the term "working" loosely. They had simply been chatting at the counter during my visit. Not a dig at them as I'm sure there was nothing really to do and none of the dozen or so shoppers in the store needed help.
It's been common for years at some stores to ask you for your phone number, email address, date of birth, blood type, etc., to enroll you for their benefits program. I'm simply not that guy, so I declined to give my email address. The woman at the counter then informed me that she could not provide a receipt to me without my email because they've gone "paperless".
*Pause for a moment of clarity* - I have nothing against "going green" and/or reducing waste. I commend it most of the time, actually. But a receipt? Now, I've gone to places of business where I purchase one or two items and receive a receipt between 12 and 18 inches, containing enough text that's nearly worthy of a hardcover publication. Transaction details, maybe return policy, done. Nobody needs more text on a receipt than in some of the books in the bible. God bless.
Aaaand, we're back....... So I ask the woman, "so if I don't give you my email address, you can't give me a receipt and if I have any issues, I can't return or exchange the shoes?" "Yes", she replied. I then surprisingly, yet politely, said, "oh, okay. I didn't know that. Thank you anyway." and headed for the door. As I was walking out, I heard the two hard-working busy-bees laughing about the exchange.
Now, I'm not Grandpa Grumps or anything, rambling with tales of "back in my day...." for everyone to not want to hear. But, like many, I have suspected that in the early days of agreeing to the "can I have your email address for our rewards program", some companies have sold that information which then resulted into the hundreds of junk emails that I currently receive, to this day. The only other explanation is that I am an incredibly popular guy. (I'm not.)
This was my first time hearing of this policy change. I guess some stores do it. They say it's to reduce and go paperless and sometimes, I guess I can respect that. Well, the amount of paper you shove into shoes and shoeboxes says otherwise. Use recycled paper for your receipts. But I could have done without the "can you believe that" / "OMG" laughter from the snarky little bit*hes behind the counter.
Would I go back? Fcuk no. Look, I get it. You say you're reducing waste. You're not. You want my email address for that? It's bulsh*t and a blatant lie. You, like other businesses, have an insatiable need for personal information for your own marketing needs (understandable) and to sell (greed). It should be my choice to release that information to you. So, for that reason, I'm out.
