This coming from a guy who posted in another thread that you should just give the police your ID even though it is not required by law.
As a retail store manager I can tell you why you are asked for this info:
ID: Simply to make sure you are old enough to purchase the item. Take note that very rarely is any info transferred into the computer. So stop being a jerk to the poor girl that is just doing her job. That bluing kit has a chemical that some kid has killed themselves and the poor excuse for a parent sued some company somewhere and won. So now to limit liability you DOB is asked for. Don't like it, thank a sleazy lawyer.
Zip code: This one baffles me when people refuse. It is used so the store knows where it's customer base is and can spend ad dollars wisely as well as determine if they need to open a store in a given area. Somehow people think they can be tracked by this info?!?!
Phone number: For the same reasons as getting a zip code. Although I do understand refusing this one.
I really don't understand why people want to give a poor $8/hr cashier a hard time over this stuff. If you want to effect change write a letter to the corp office policing disagreeing with the policy. It is much more effective. Please leave the store personnel out of it as they can't effect change and usually have by little input in the policy anyway. Also if you do write to the corp office and mention the problem is with the store personnel; guess what, it will get pushed back down to the store and your letter will do no good to effect change in the policy.
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