“She tells me to punch in my telephone number (I use someone else’s) and magically 30 plus percent is saved just like that. ”

Perhaps that is a marketing ploy that is peculiar to USA?
I have never experienced this before in UK or any country I have travelled in.

In UK, we have store cards, which offer discounts. I have a few for the stores I shop in regularly - it’s so long since I applied for them, I can’t recall the info asked for - I think they wanted an email address but that is no problem for me - I always have a disposable “junk email” address ready to give for any retail or online purchases if needed. I never give them my main one.

Most folk I know do the same - I find that folk in UK are generally more savvy about marketing ploys nowadays.

Serena77 wrote: Per topic..yeah ...the games people play now.... even in marketing..

There's a song.. somewhere like that. I'm just a little tempted to post it.

The only other place I usually shop is a family owned grocery store by my property where they have specialty items. Not cheap but I know all the peeps. There I know I’m getting screwed but I’m supporting locals a bit so…

Have the same problem when staying in a hotel and want to access the free WiFi. You have to access it by entering your Email address etc.. I have a special Email I have set up for that so when the start bombarding me with all the links to this or that offer, I can just delete and ignore and it does not clog up my computer with all the spam that is sent.