Comments on: The Rant: Toys-R-Us http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/ Sometime editor, all-the-time mother, delivering facts, reviews, commentary, and rants. Occasionally in that order. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:02:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Gib http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-165204 Sun, 02 Dec 2007 17:18:22 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-165204 I've been giving TRU fake phone numbers for years, but it's always been our number, with like one digit changed. After reading the comment above, I think from now on I'm going to use phone numbers of people I don't like. I’ve been giving TRU fake phone numbers for years, but it’s always been our number, with like one digit changed. After reading the comment above, I think from now on I’m going to use phone numbers of people I don’t like.

]]> by: Chuck Foxtrot http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164626 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:44:31 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164626 As previously discussed on the Oregon LGBT ballot initiative, I have no issues with giving out some of my personal information, especially if it is readily available in the phone book (compare the name on my credit card with the phone book and there it is). But, if you'd like, you can give out my phreak filter phone number -- 248-341-0735. It dumps straight into voicemail that I never check. It's an AOL phone number that I got for free. I ALWAYS use it when I fill anything out. I've never received a telemarketing or advertising call on my real number in over 4 years of having it... As previously discussed on the Oregon LGBT ballot initiative, I have no issues with giving out some of my personal information, especially if it is readily available in the phone book (compare the name on my credit card with the phone book and there it is). But, if you’d like, you can give out my phreak filter phone number — 248-341-0735.

It dumps straight into voicemail that I never check. It’s an AOL phone number that I got for free. I ALWAYS use it when I fill anything out. I’ve never received a telemarketing or advertising call on my real number in over 4 years of having it…

]]> by: thelmajoy http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164454 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 04:31:31 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164454 It annoys me too when cashiers phrase it in a way that is not really a question, more of a demand, like: "Telephone number?" I always say "No, thank you." and that makes me feel better because I said thank you but also NO at the same time. I will never forget a shopping trip a couple of years ago when a Bed, Bath, & Beyond cashier looked at my signature I had scribbled on my credit slip and pushed it back at me and said: "You are going to have to do better than that." I looked up in disbelief, looked her straight in the eye and told her she could see my driver's license if she wished, but I was not going to re-sign it because that was my signature. She frowned and processed the transaction. Sigh. At the end of the day you've got to pity small people with small power trips. It annoys me too when cashiers phrase it in a way that is not really a question, more of a demand, like: “Telephone number?” I always say “No, thank you.” and that makes me feel better because I said thank you but also NO at the same time. I will never forget a shopping trip a couple of years ago when a Bed, Bath, & Beyond cashier looked at my signature I had scribbled on my credit slip and pushed it back at me and said: “You are going to have to do better than that.”

I looked up in disbelief, looked her straight in the eye and told her she could see my driver’s license if she wished, but I was not going to re-sign it because that was my signature. She frowned and processed the transaction.

Sigh. At the end of the day you’ve got to pity small people with small power trips.

]]> by: Bumble http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164420 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:07:52 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164420 Oops. Just ignore that first "want" in my second sentence. Dumb thing to do on an editor's blog. I might get my Christmas present revoked. ;-) Oops. Just ignore that first “want” in my second sentence. Dumb thing to do on an editor’s blog. I might get my Christmas present revoked. ;-)

]]> by: Bumble http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164416 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:04:22 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164416 I hear you. My store requires us to ask for phone numbers, too. Now they want also want us to get email addresses. Most people don't care, but every now and then it p!sses someone off, and rightly so. If you want to give people info on sales/coupons etc, tell them how they can sign up to receive it and give them the <i>option</i> of signing up; don't make it mandatory with <i>every freaking transaction.</i> Not only is it annoying, but this time of year it eats up more time than we have with 50 people in line for whatever doorbuster sale is going on. Especially when you get the person with the 50 character email addy with all the complicated misspelled words and underscores. Or the older folks who don't know their area code. Or the bozos who don't even know their own number and have to look it up in their cell phones. I hear you. My store requires us to ask for phone numbers, too. Now they want also want us to get email addresses. Most people don’t care, but every now and then it p!sses someone off, and rightly so. If you want to give people info on sales/coupons etc, tell them how they can sign up to receive it and give them the option of signing up; don’t make it mandatory with every freaking transaction. Not only is it annoying, but this time of year it eats up more time than we have with 50 people in line for whatever doorbuster sale is going on. Especially when you get the person with the 50 character email addy with all the complicated misspelled words and underscores. Or the older folks who don’t know their area code. Or the bozos who don’t even know their own number and have to look it up in their cell phones.

]]> by: wg http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164405 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:47:58 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164405 I have a friend that collects Star Wars figurines and a few other assorted things from Toys R Us. Every single time he went in, they'd ask him for his phone number, and he'd make up one on the spot to give to them. He was known to rattle off the phone numbers for the Gambling Assisstance Hotline, the internal contact number for the President of the Spirit Mountain Gaming Commission, and the phone number for the Toys R Us in a nearby town. Gotta find that comedy while you can. :) I have a friend that collects Star Wars figurines and a few other assorted things from Toys R Us. Every single time he went in, they’d ask him for his phone number, and he’d make up one on the spot to give to them. He was known to rattle off the phone numbers for the Gambling Assisstance Hotline, the internal contact number for the President of the Spirit Mountain Gaming Commission, and the phone number for the Toys R Us in a nearby town.

Gotta find that comedy while you can. :)

]]> by: Anne http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164282 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:16:51 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2007/11/30/the-rant-toys-r-us/#comment-164282 There's good news. At some point in just a few years there will be NOTHING at that store that your son will want. (Or at least there's nothing there my 12-year-old daughter wants.) I don't have to go there anymore. But you are so right. It is like entering a kind of hell, not improved by the help. I was in Wal-Mart today looking for something specific and very nerdy so I won't say what it is. I couldn't find it. For a brief moment, I almost asked the nearest Wal-Mart clad person for help. Then I remembered: I'm in Wal-Mart. There is no help. There’s good news. At some point in just a few years there will be NOTHING at that store that your son will want. (Or at least there’s nothing there my 12-year-old daughter wants.) I don’t have to go there anymore.

But you are so right. It is like entering a kind of hell, not improved by the help.

I was in Wal-Mart today looking for something specific and very nerdy so I won’t say what it is. I couldn’t find it. For a brief moment, I almost asked the nearest Wal-Mart clad person for help. Then I remembered: I’m in Wal-Mart. There is no help.

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