I went to Sears to make a routine automotive parts purchase. I went to pay cash, but they wanted all kinds of personal information, insisting on my name, address and phone number. When I didn't want to give a number, they said what about my cellular phone or beeper number. Since when do you have to give your name, rank and serial number to make an ordinary purchase? You don't have to give
personal data to clerk"Any Sears division, whether it's hardware or furniture or whatever, if it's cash up front, we don't ask those questions," said Conrad Verdugo, assistant store manager at Ala Moana Center. "It's none of our business."
The only thing he could think of was that you bought an item for which the store keeps a record "in case there were a recall or something like that. That's normal procedure."
But if it was just a routine auto part, as you indicated, then that would not be the case, he said.
Asked what would happen if a customer refused to divulge any information, Verdugo said he wouldn't press it but would say it's for your protection. Generally, people understand, he said.
You did not leave a contact number or give details as to when your encounter took place. But call Verdugo if you wish to discuss the matter.
Meanwhile, speaking about retail transactions, Jo Ann Uchida, executive director of the state Office of Consumer Protection, said there is "no information that you have to give. It's a voluntary transaction, especially if you're paying cash. That would hold even if you're paying by credit card, she said.
"You're the consumer, and if they want your money, they should take your money on your terms," she said. She notes that many businesses ask for addresses/ZIP codes for marketing purposes and said she declines to give them. "They should be happy with just taking my money," she said.
I was in the Ala Moana Center Woolworth's to buy a backpack, which had a tag that prominently said $9.99. But when the cashier rang it up, it was almost $25! When I pointed out the $9.99 figure, she said that was merely the suggested price, not what Woolworth's charges. The real price was posted inside a folded tag. I didn't buy it, but my concern is that there are a lot of foreign tourists who may not notice the discrepancy when the price is rung up. I think this is deceptive and the backpacks should have been marked more clearly.
"The item (you) wanted was mistakenly placed on a rack that was prominently signed at a different price for a different item," said Andy Romeo, spokesman for Woolworth's USA in New York.
"The bottom line is that, as a company, we have integrity in our pricing and we do not hide information from customers. The issue here was that the item was not in its correct rack."
Asked whether leaving the suggested price tag on the bag might be deceptive, Romeo said he couldn't comment on that because "I'm not aware of that being any part of the details" regarding your complaint.
However, since you believed the item was priced at $9.99, he said to contact the Ala Moana store manager to get it at that price.
If you have questions about the pricing practices of any retailer, contact the state Office of Consumer Protection. Executive Director Jo Ann Uchida said her staff would have to "look at the entire situation" to determine whether a practice is appropriate.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
Text Site Directory:
[News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Community]
[Info] [Letter to Editor] [Stylebook] [Feedback]
© 1997 Honolulu Star-Bulletin
http://starbulletin.com
