I do not want your rewards program
Probably complaining to the void, may revisit and articulate further.
Why does every storefront on the planet now insist upon a rewards program?
Yesterday I visited REI to pick up an inflatable pillow before a camping trip (I know, I know, it's overpriced; it was around the corner and I needed something asap). At the cash register, the employee politely inquires if I participate in their rewards program, to which I decline.
The usual exchange unfolds.
Oh, would you like to sign up? We can offer you [blah blah blah] benefits.
No thank you
Are you sure? You can save [maybe a dollar] and [minimal fraction] on your next purchase!
Yes, I'm sure
Now this isn't my first solicitation rodeo and while I'm particularly bothered by continuous bombardment of demands for my contact info from retailers, it's not much of an issue. The normal exchange and refusal stays respectful.
In contrast, what is not respectful is employees making snide remarks about my not having their rewards program. The bloke at REI yesterday directly addressed it and continued
Would you like your receipt printed or emailed? Oh wait I can't email because you don't have an account
and then in passing as I left
guess this will hurt my denominator aha
???
I don't mean to be an ass and understand employees are pressured (speculative) with sign up quotas, however this was blatantly unprofessional and left a particularly sour taste after I was already ripped off shopping at REI. I can't be bothered to report the behavior to the store because I'll likely never visit again and frankly will forget about this within a week, but is our bar so low? Or rephrased, how much emphasis are employers placing on retail staff for this sorta thing?
Perhaps I'm unlucky. Roughly half a year ago visiting my local Best Buy I had an exceedingly worse encounter where the staff started berating me for not wanting to provide my phone number and email.
Why would you not want this? You would save [a couple bucks]?!
The tone and lack of tact had me in disbelief. I tried to calmly explain that saving a couple bucks really didn't sound appealing if it meant joining yet another mailing list I wouldn't care for.
I hope my delivery of these encounters doesn't imply I harass employees or otherwise instigate such talk. I prefer to be in & out of the store as fast as possible and keep to the typical "hi how are you" "yes found everything I needed" formalities.
Speculating further, this is likely systemic of decreased in-person traffic with most transactions occurring digitally now. But that shouldn't mean I'm pinched for still driving out.