In last Sunday’s blog, I resisted the urge to rant about library fines (or the lack thereof), so this week I feel that I’ve earned the right to whine just a bit.
Indulge me, won’t you?
Last week I went to Macy’s to buy a small two-quart Dutch oven. I have a huge 8 quart version for when I want to cook in big batches, but sometimes I just need a pot for one. I’d been keeping an eye on the price, and when Macy’s put them on sale, I snatched one up.
I was in a bit of a hurry, but the clerk was not about to let me go without getting some information.
Am I paying with my Macy’s charge card? (I was not.)
Did I have a Macy’s charge card? (I do not.)
Did I want a Macy’s charge card? (Long sigh. I did not.)
Did I understand that I could save 10% if I opened up a Macy’s charge card? (Yes, I did.)
And I still didn’t want to sign up? I just wanted to leave money on the table?
At this point, I’m fully annoyed. The woman was not pushy, and I know she was just doing her job. But an inconvenient part of modern life is that you can no longer just go into a store, take something to a sales clerk, slap some cash on the counter and get out of there.
First you have to play twenty questions. You can’t even go to a drug store or gas station without being asked if you have their loyalty card, if you want their loyalty card, and do you want to give them your e-mail address for coupons?
The Macy’s woman went for the e-mail question next.
“Do you want to give me your e-email?”
I did not.
“But you will get coupons.”
“Look,” I finally snapped. “Five years ago I bought a bra from Victoria’s Secret and they’ve been e-mailing me ten times a day ever since. Ten times a day!”
I could see that I had finally found a way to put us on equal footing – we now both wanted this conversation to end.
“But you see—” she began.
“I’m not saying Macy’s is going to send me ten e-mails a day. I know you’re doing your job. But I just cannot take all these e-mails from Victoria’s Secret anymore. And I can’t get rid of them. Even when I unsubscribe, they just keep coming.”
Finally, she cracked.
“I know!” she exclaimed. “I can’t get rid of those Victoria’s Secret emails either!”
“No matter what we do,” I told her. “We’ll be getting them until we die. Until long after!”
“Yes!” she agreed, then seemed to remember herself. “But Macy’s will not e-mail you more than twice a week and you can opt out…”
Surely she had to know that I wasn’t https://melanienovak.com/2022/07/24/macys-can-blame-victorias-secret-for-not-getting-my-email-address/giving her my e-mail.
In fact, I may never give out my e-mail, phone number, or address again. I don’t need you to swipe my loyalty card so I can get a free cup of coffee after spending one million dollars.
Just take my money and let me go.
I’ve got cooking to do.
In my new Dutch oven.
I think we call it a casserole dish in the UK, a Dutch oven means something rude! Tesco is one of our big supermarkets here, and I note that they now have a savings card without which everything costs twice as much. If you don’t use their loyalty card, it’s prohibitively expensive. Going to the shops isn’t just a choice of shops anymore, you have to buy into the ethos of the store, and that’s tiresome. Can’t you unsubscribe from Victoria’s Secret? After the Paddington 2 scandal, my email was doxxed and I was signed up for all manner of nonsense, but it proved easy enough to get uncoupled from the mailing lists…
I’d say the only real difference here in the US is that a casserole dish can be made of glass or steel, where when we refer to a Dutch oven is always made of cast iron.
I just googled what Dutch oven meant over your way and it made me laugh. Same concept as the cooking pot – keeps everything in!
I am always able to unsubscribe quite easily from everything except VS. I’ve unsubscribed multiple times and the e-mails just keep coming……
Try deleting an Amazon account. They make it near impossible to do so…the very notion of going to a department store for a potential Dutch oven would be considered an act of civil disobedience in Europe….
Deleting your Amazon account is an act of civil disobedience in the States…..
Fortunately, I’d imagine its a crime more often talked about in theory than actually achieved…
Yes, perhaps it’s more like climbing Mt Everest…..few succeed and many die in their attempts
I’d go into your local Victoria Secret shop, give them a blast of the old Dutch Oven and leave quickly….
Yeah, see how much sexy lingerie they sell after that!
Is the correct answer.
Nice pot though!
Despite my complaining, it was worth it for the pot!