Hello ;

We are in receipt of your email in regard to the question(s) asked at the self checkout registers. Mr. Womack at The Home Depot, we take the privacy of customer information very seriously. We do not sell, trade or misuse customer information. From time to time, we may invite out customers to provide limited identifying information, such as a zip code, to help us better serve our customers.

Once a year for one week in the fall, we ask customers if they would like to provide their zip code at the check out, which provides some indication of where customers travel from to visit our stores. During that week we also ask if customers are shopping for personal or business use to help us better understand what brings people to our stores. We recently learned this function was activated early on some checkout stations, and we have turned it off, since spring is a very busy time of in our stores.

Your feedback on this topic will be taken into consideration as we look at ways to better serve our customers. The Home Depot is committee to providing our customers a fast and convenient checkout, and we will weigh that carefully with our desire to better serve out customers. Thank you for contacting us in regard to this issue.

Sincerely;

Virginia Johnson, Sr. Customer Care Representative
The Executive Response Team
Southern Division
1-800-654-0688 ext 76567
Fax 770-384-5038
virginia_johnson@homedepot.com

Consumer007

virgilstar

There really should be a button that allows you to choose not to answer. That's all. Seriously guys.

rbdfoxes

so

you go into a giant faceless corporate store and then the MACHINE TAKING YOUR MONEY isn't sensitive enough or whatever?

wait, what?

mmejanvier

I know, in California it's the law you have to be 18 to buy spray paint, and it's generally locked up behind glass. When I moved to Arkansas I needed to buy some at Wal*Mart, I was surprised to find it out in the open, and something you could purchase at self-checkout anonymously. Apparently not only does the urge to stop destroying property suddenly end when you turn 18, but it also ends when you cross state lines.

Lucky225

Actually, the reason why minors can't buy spray paint is because some doofuses use spray paint to get high.

Zyada

Ixnayer

DomZ

DomZ

DomZ

Perhaps my time means nothing to YOU. However, I think it might mean something to the dozens of children I try to positively influence on a daily basis. And they just might remember something about me too...ya know, considering they are orphans and all.
Sorry your time is so meaningless to you.

The Bambino

And the title of this article is completely misleading, and more deptive than anything HD is doing. You put a provocative title on a post to generate more clicks and ad revenue. Then on the follow-up page, we see the ral story and that this person is just a paranoid crackpot.

The hypocrisy on this site is breathtaking.

StevieQ

12345, lol. Mine is usually 01234 or something like that.

gomakemeasandwich

gomakemeasandwich

ginnylavender

The first in 2003. I was a sophomore in High School and needed PVC pipe for school (I was on the props & set building crew in the Drama Club). I went alone to Home Depot to buy the piping and they gave me a really hard time about buying it. I told the cashier over and over that it was for a high school play prop (the cashier was probably a year or so older than me). A supervisor was called over, they asked for ID, which I didn't have... I guess you had to be 18 to buy PVC Pipe. I now know that people build bombs with it...... which is no fun.

The 2nd occurance was in 2004. I was 17 - in my senior year of highschool. Again I was shopping for the Drama Club - this time I needed spray paint. Home Depot wouldn't sell it to me because I was under 18 (because the urge to destroy property ends at 18 as everyone knows).

In retrospect, I completely understand these situations, but at the time I was infuriated. I'm 21 now, and realize that I must have seemed like a bomb-building, property-destroying delinquent.

BeccaThePromoMami

I really don't understand the difference between being accurately marketed to without your consent, or being inaccurately marketed to against your consent? Except of course that maybe that if you put in FAKE info it would make the experience even WORSE.

Yeah wtf were you talking about again?

LibertyReign

Paranoia - Greek, Highly aware

LibertyReign

rsturgill

12345 = Schnectady, New York.

I have "lived" there for years! And have a "business" there also!

maztec

sean77

Sudonum

i've been in the opposite illogical situation. the supermarket near where i went to college has about 15 checkout lines, probably 5 or 6 of which were self checkout. if you ever went to the grocery store after about 10 or 11 (which, being near a college and in the middle of a town ended up being a lot of people), they shut down all self checkout lanes. but then they would have 1 or 2 cashier lanes open, which would lead to a huge line of people trying to check out. damn inconvenient. there was never a paucity of employees in the store, so i never understood why they couldn't have the normal employee or two responsible for overseeing the self checkout. at least have one self checkout lane open for people who are there to buy a late night snack or a box of condoms or something.

amightywind

Who said you had to answer HONESTLY? :)

wesrubix

Classic slippery slope line of thinking. It's 100% irrational to think that punching in Home or Business will give way to the monitoring of your health records next time you buy dairy.

tristax

Consumerist, please spend an extra two minutes looking at these "news" items before you post - your credibility is truly waning.

RokMartian

thesabre

My enjoyment at my NY HD was 20 people on line, ZERO human cashiers, and four self-checkouts but only ONE was working. Seriously, has anyone ever been to a store that has ZERO cashiers!?

stuartny

Wow. Are you really this stupid, or are you paid to lie to people about their information being involuntarily collected? I have seen a lot of really stupid ignorant crap on this site, but this definately takes the cake. Go back to sleep kid, and remember the government loves you.

Yeah.. anyone who believes that a retailer has to pay taxes in the state where the CUSTOMER lives is stupid enough to believe that corporations do not voluntarily violate your rights and share personal data.

By the way even if your argument had any validity whatsoever it wouldn't apply to the self-check-out in the middle of a store. You cant shop online at the cash register. It IS a physical location. J.H. Christopher, the crap people will come up with and/or believe to convince themselves they are free..*vomit*

LibertyReign

bobblack555

vildechaia

Coyote

"Is this purchase for home or business?" is less likely to cause confusion.

bonzombiekitty

bonzombiekitty

pinkpuppet

Lie

Any time a business asks for my phone number, zip code or address, and I feel they don't need it, instead of arguing I just make shit up. Its far easier than arguing.

Mike_Hawk

Yeah, I bet that'd go over like a shit covered brick.

Dakine

I actually like that feature: It's optional, but it sure as hell makes returns a ton easier if you can't find your receipt!

LUV2CattleCall

Your "time" means nothing.

Our lives on this miserable planet are a spek on a gnats ass. Yours will be over before you know it. And probably no one will remember anything about you.

So yes, bitch and complain.... LOUDLY.... while you still can.

Dakine

Dakine

Good job. Fuck them and their stupid questions. I'll answer theirs when they start answering mine.

Dakine

Dakine

i'd love to be in the head of the HD employee when confronted with the problem. and leaving without your items is just impractical and wasteful. how much gas did you burn just driving over there? instead of leaving without the items, why not just go to a regular checkout line? or tell the employee to pick something for you? or better yet, just hit a button and pay your cash and realize it's just going to be part of a stastistic, and that sometimes, maybe, just maybe, not every company has a personal vendetta against you.

amightywind

It just so happens that some grout sealers sold by Home Depot (specifically the Stand 'n' Seal brand) have been linked to respiratory illness. Maybe Home Depot wanted to issue a warning to people who would be occupationally exposed to the fumes?

SuperJdynamite

I've left an entire cart full of stuff in the checkout line before and walked out because of this.

ReticentEnigma

But really, I don't exactly understand what the OP's issue is. She had no problem making up a zip code, and could have just as easily picked (or made up) either "home" or "business," whatever her intended purpose was. Hypocritical, no?

suzy-q

BugMeNot2

LionelEHutz

glycolized

I can understand not wanting to give up information, but given that you're paying cash already, is there really any reason you're afraid of just punching in random information like you did with the zip code? I doubt they have facial recognition software or thumbprint scanners for those who pay cash to associate this type of information...

krunk4ever

When I read the title I thought someone had tried to by some restricted combination of chemicals and Homeland security had swooped in.

hatrack

superchou

From the EPIC website (Electronic Privacy Information Center)

[epic.org]

The use of the Social Security Number on public documents remains one of the most controversial topics in privacy regulation.

Recently, the Census Bureau has engaged in a study to see whether the public will object to the collection of Social Security numbers on census forms. The Census Bureau has created a program called SPAN, Social Security Number, Privacy Attitudes and Notification Experiment.

The experiment would consist of asking 20,000 people to fill out their special census form, which would include their SSN.

Meanwhile, the Census Bureau has begun to expand interagency sharing of Social Security numbers.

In 1998, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration approved the Census Bureau's request for the file of SSN applicants (also called the Numident File).

The Administrative Records Steering Committee continues to assess whether or not a public outcry would follow the use of SSNs in the Census.

Their studies have recognized that there are numerous considerations, particularly due to issues of controlling data."

And we're concerned about a self-checkout at Home Depot?

dotcomrade

I requested assistance from the employee assigned to the area…I was told my transaction would not be completed without providing the information requested..."

If the Home Depot employee were properly trained, she or he would have offered to bypass these questions for the customer by entering the stores zip code and answering "personal" on her behalf.

I agree with Metaled that "Self checkout is to speed up your exit; not to take a survey..."

FWIW, If you answered "personal" you would not have been able to enter a PO # or Job name for tracking nor could you have entered some off-color language as was reported in this recent Consumerist story on Home Depot receipts:

[consumerist.com]

dotcomrade

It's death by a thousand paper cuts: the spam, the telemarketers, the receipt checkers, this. And meanwhile people here say "A papercut? Big deal."

lihtox

Televiper

Televiper

valb

nikalseyn

Televiper

MelL

bones

If you think any corporation is going out of its way to protect your rights by refusing to cooperate with government (including the IRS) you are as naive as your comments on this story make you out to be.

It amazes me how willingly Americans submit to all types of fascism. Not only do you submit, but you defend it, downplay it and criticize those of us who resist it.

LibertyReign

poornotignorant

c0dek

Damn McDonald's...

thesabre

beboptheflop

howie_in_az

This was the HUGE 8 piece Ryobi tool kit with the Miter Saw, Sawzall, Circularsaw, drill, Mini Router/Cutout tool..etc.. In a Huge Plastic Rollaway for taking on the Jobsite. The cashier took the little toolbox from underneath the cart, rang it up, then required us to remove the toolkit from the cart since the UPC was on the bottom. In the process, she set the toolbox on the floor so we would have room to put it on the couter for her to search for the UPC/Ring it up. After getting it back in the cart and back home, we realized we had not gotten the toolbox from her. Called at 9:30pm at night. The manager was already aware of the box and had gone looking for us, but we were gone. He put my name on it and put it at the entrance to the store for me to pick up the next day (they close at 10pm).
I took my receipt first thing when they opened the next morning, it was waiting for me as he said it would be. Thanked the manager who had saved it for me (it was the same guy), took the toolbox and went out the exit.. The security guard was standing there checking reciepts... I started to explain that it was purchased the night before.. He wouldn't even let me finish my sentence, he stuffed my receipt in his pocket and told me I could not leave with the toolbox if I did not have a receipt for it. I did, or I should say HE DID. He just kept repeating himself, pointing me back in the door like I was a little kid or a dog, just kept getting louder and louder. I almost had to run back into the store. Anyhow the manager was collecting carts at the end of the registers and when he saw me he came running to the door. Calling the guard by name several times and then telling him it was OK, that "I was OK". I hadn't said a word to him, he knew the problem when he saw me coming back in. I took my receipt from the guard, who just held it out and sort of scoffed at me. I had never been so flustered, upset and afraid. The guard looked like a 400 lbs (I'm 220lbs) Cholo/gang-banger in a rent a cop uniform. I think his appearance was intentional and he enjoyed intimidating me and having total control every single second. They gave him too much power.
That's another reason I was so upset at the store, the manager knew all about my situation and I hoped for an apology from the store and the guard.
So hope that answers your question, I am not an idiot, things happen some times!

metaled

MelL

And who said they had the right?

diddy0071

beboptheflop

When you buy any new electronics and register it, they ask you the same home or business use question. Do you not answer that either?

Shutterman

But she was paying by cash why not just give fake fake answers if your so concerned about if this is a business or personal transaction... Gee, zip codes and business/personal are just for demographics and possibly fraud protection...

Sometimes a survey is a just a survey. You may as rail against all form of credit since your information is out there somewhere if you're unlucky enough...

radio1

edosan

miguelggarcia

abz_zeus

Hvnsent309

metaled

christoj879

I really wish instead of stories like this, Consumerist would post a guide on how to deal with policies you don't agree with. I'll even provide a framework:

1. Leave the store. Employees, even managers, can't (or in the case that they can, won't) override company policy if you can't provide a compelling reason besides "I don't want to."

2. Decide is the issue is worth your time to get riled up over or if you should just go shop somewhere else.

3. Contact someone who has leverage to change the policy or someone who can get in touch with someone who can change the policy. In this regard, no, store employees can NOT get in touch with upper management.

4. Reassess your life and see if it really is so empty as to allow for temper tantrums over receipt checking, ID showing and survey answering where you're not even required to answer the questions factually.

FreeMarketGravy

aaron8301

milw123

If I had to guess, I think they're on to you. RUN!

edosan

ogman

*sniff* Thank you for reading my huge long comment.

I agree with you that the carpetbomb probably isn't the best response. I think with this type of thing, the ideal response would be more general and diffuse. What I'd really most like to see is consumers challenging intrusive marketing and information gathering wherever it arises. I'd like to see people questioning what retailers want their information for, and every now and again leaving their stuff on the counter and walking out.

The practices are too pervasive for anyone to reasonably do it every time, but maybe if more people were willing to walk out when they have the time or when their intended purchase isn't really essential, it'd start to have an effect on the practices in general.

spanky

Karyuu

dveight

Buran

B

Jabberkaty

linoth

eelmonger

eelmonger

jeff303

You do have an OPT out. It's called go somewhere else.

trk182

I no longer shop at Target too because they use a bold red logo, LIKE THE COMMIES.

Rbastid

Buisness or personal:
-non issue just use personal.

Fun is buying a padlock 6 feet of galvanized chain and a hacksaw and not being able to use the self checkout, while people look at you trying to figure out if you forgot to get the quicklime.

00exmachina

MonkeySeeMonkeyDo

This issue is important enough to her to vote with her feet - hurrah.

However I still maintain that this is not enough of an issue to warrant an Executive Carpet Bomb. We have people receiving repackaged damaged merchandise (or floor tile) then being refused a refund. People being double charged, cancelling contracts without refunds, I think more major issues are appropriate.

While this woman has the right to her opinion, Consumerist recommending an EECB is serious, as each one sent for a trivial issue reduces its power and that potentially affects all of us who may someday be unable to use this tool as it will have lost its effectivenes.

SkokieGuy

Asking for a zip code is probably so they know how far their customers will go to shop at the store. I like the idea of entering 90210. That would be an excellent choice. Or even 20500 (the White House's zip code) would be good.

Asking for personal or business is probably an IF...THEN statement in the program. If it is for business, it may ask if the purchase is tax exempt or something along those lines. If it is for personal use, then no need confusing people with asking them if it is tax exempt.

I agree that this is *not* EECB-worthy. This is such a pittance of an issue to get worked up over that it would lessen the power of an EECB to use it in such frivolous ways.

Now, if they had called the cops on you for lying about your zip code, then maybe an EECB would be justified.

OMG! Take a chill pill!

S-the-K

Hasn't this lady noticed that nearly EVERY gas station which lets you self-pay with a credit card asks for your ZIP code? It's a fraud-prevention method. If someone found your wallet, I guess you'd be shit out of luck, but generally, it's a decent attempt at preventing credit card fraud (especially with $3.50/gal gasoline)

This lady needs to chill. Even if the ZIP code question is not about fraud protection and is instead to provide marketing information, it isn't harmful.

Knowing what ZIP code she's from gives them a rough idea of what markets their store is serving.

Her letting them know about whether it's for business or personal use also lets them gauge what kind of market they need to focus on for advertising/incentive offers.

Lady needs to take off her foil hat, and an EECB would be extremely unwarranted in this case.

farker

i'm glad that right off the bat, a lot of comments have been along the lines of 'quit yer bitchin.'

MobileMilitia

If you had asked, the reason why they wanted your info was to make sure you're not some kind of "returns scam artist", or to have an address to send your refund check to.

Most stores will track how many returns come from a given customer to make sure they're not abusing the system (eg. Retail renting). Would you prefer a more restrictive return policy that gives you "10 days for store credit only for broken merchandise" instead of "30 days for full cash back for any reason"?

MercuryPDX

TheDude06

When I decline to give it, sometimes clerks shoot me a look that that says, "Well the person in front of you gave me their number. What makes yours so special? You must think you are better than them or something." Better? Maybe not. Smarter? Definitely.

Once, as I was gathering my bags to leave, there was a lady behind me who made it a point to look at me and loudly say her phone number like it was some sort of snotty "in your face" gesture. I felt like saying to her, "I hope you are that proud when telemarketers start calling your house at dinnertime."

Lambasted

Jim (The Canuck One)

John Whorfin

Nighthawke

TheBigLewinski

Davan

It still amazes me when people get all rude and indignant with the checker, when all they were trying to do was:
1. Their job.
2. Save an Oregon resident from paying tax on a purchase when they don't have to.

I've even seen OR residents get angry when they have to produce a drivers license to prove tax exempt status. The store will NOT take your word for it, so if you choose to not prove your residency then STFU and pay the tax or go shop in your own state.

Don't go shopping with an "personal/political agenda" and don't start an argument with the checker, demand a manager, and create a scene.

The five people standing behind you in line laughing at your rant about how your "personal privacy" is threatened by a simple question asked only to save you sales tax ALSO would like to just buy their stuff and be on their way.

MercuryPDX

That woman needs to calm done and consumerist needs to stop reaching for "news".

Nicholas_schaulsohn

If you lie on the first question, you can lie on the second one.

The best way to discourage companies from collecting data like this is to make the raw data so polluted that it's useless. So lie, every time. If you're buying something for home use, claim it's business.

dotyoureyes

karmaghost

Anyone else planning on whining that the customer is being "overly-sensitive and paranoid", please feel free to refer to Sudonum's post above and spare us your "get over it" rants. Home Depot is just being too nosy, the customer chose to shop elsewhere. The end.

Imaginary_Friend

I just find it creepy how many people on this board are happy to put up with being tagged like antelope on "Wild Kingdom" because, you know, it's convenient for some ginormous corporation instead of asking the ginormous corporations to do their jobs, no more, no less. Can people get too upset about it? Yes. Is absolutely anybody who cheers on corporate data collection being a complete tool? Also yes.

picardia

This could be a valid complaint if:

-You didn't have the option of making up answer(you had no problem w/ the zip code).

-The self check out machine knows if you are lying.

All in all this is a petty nagg. I don't think this should be on consumerist. This is not like having to give your ID w/ a credit card purchase. This is not like having to show your reciept to the wal-mart greeter. This is a trivial nag, and if consumerist wants to keep consumers and companies watching to see real complaints, they shouldn't post grandma's naggs up on this piece.

PrestonBerryworth

Valhawk

When I read the story I was just annoyed. Just put in a fake answer and be on your way. Better yet intentional pick the wrong option and screw up their research results.

An EECB over this is overreacting and every EECB lessens their overall power. We need to hold them in reserve for issues that really mater not this stupid crap.

Valhawk

My friend's mother once went to the Apple store to buy something and when they asked her "credit or debit?" when she handed them her card, she said "I don't think I need to tell you!". Needless to say, it was a very, very long transaction.

Channing

hexychick

smoothtom

FreeMarketGravy

Balisong

I don't have time to piss around with all this crap. My time is $. My time is my personal freedom. My time is MY time. I refuse to spend it dicking around trying to "opt out" of every freaking annoying question that some store wants to ask me for whatever reason. I just don't care. There are certainly occasions in which I will fight my battles to the death, but making 37 phone calls to get $1.27 refunded to my CC isn't worth my time. Annoying and wrong? Hell yes. Worth my time? Hell no.
In order to WIN these battles, you must LOSE your time.
Mine is precious...maybe yours isn't, I don't know.

The Bambino

Lo-Pan

Sudonum

And Consumerist, please get off this hobby horse of businesses requiring ID for CC purchases, asking for receipts, or asking for (easily faked) personal information. It diminishes the credibility of the site, and wastes effort covering minor annoyances that could be better spent on exposing real issues.

AtomicPlayboy

surgesilk

And to the bend over crowd: The fact that someone raises concerns about something does not mean that their entire life is centered around this issue. The world is full of injustices, large and small, and in a civilized society, principled people will often expend some of their own time and effort raising questions about and trying to change things for the better. Intrusive marketing and information gathering is a very legitimate cause for concern to many people. Even if it's not a cause you have chosen for yourself, you should be thankful that there are other people who are raising questions and concerns about it.

And while I feel as though even having to explain this is going to make me stupider: Yes, it is easier and less time consuming to comply with what someone is asking you to do rather than to question it or resist.

To illustrate the mechanism for those who are still having a hard time understanding: Do you understand why Rosa Parks wouldn't move to the back of the bus? It certainly would have been easier and less disruptive if she had. Didn't she have anything better to do? What's the big deal? Moving would have been a minor inconvenience at most.

Go ahead and argue your case that the cause itself is illegitimate. That's at least a valid issue for discussion, but if you're basing your objection on expediency, it just makes you seem a little sociopathic or something.

(Now is the time for someone with poor reading skills to accuse me of equating marketing with segregation. 1-2-3 GO!)

spanky

My Shop Rite grocery savings card is registered under the name "Lord Horatio Fuzzlebottom" who resides at 123 Fake St.

Canadian Impostor

FreeMarketGravy