Giving your info...

[stuart]

I was just browsing some of the spa manufactures sites out there and noticed that some of them ask for your name, address, phone number, email, buying cycle and other things before they will even give you dealer information!

I find this practice invasive and even a bit stupid on their part...What do they have to lose by pointing someone to their dealer without knowing who they are?

How do you as a customer feel about it...Would it make you just keep shopping? What about on other products? If you where looking at a new car and they did this would you give the info or would you just fill in the page with made up stuff to find out who the dealer is?

Think about this…What if you had to give your phone #  and address to someone before you could get a phone # out of the yellow pages?  

[Vinny]

Stuart,

I agree! It is a PITA but I wouldn't give out a phone number or e-mail address, at least not my home email address. I guess in the world of DVDs being sent out, they want to make you jump through hoops to get it.

One of the "top 4" does that and When the dealer didn't show me the lower series tub I wanted more info from the company and they had the dealer contact me - I didn't like that. I had 1 manufacturer refuse to give me any sales literature without going to the dealer - well I wrote that tub off my list!

I also have a problem with having only 1 local dealer given to me - not to play games but because suppose I don't like the dealer but like the tub. I don't know if dealers have to do anything to get listed but one manufacturer actually gave me to a dealer that was further away than another dealer.

I certainly liked the friendlier web sites, I could put my zip or another zip into the finder and up popped the nearest dealer!

Vinny

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Any web sites in general that require me to give personal information in order to receive their information, I move on to their competitor.

[Brewman]

Ditto.

Brewman

[wmccall]

Any web sites in general that require me to give personal information in order to receive their information, I move on to their competitor.

Same here, its a marketing person putting that stipulation in place.  If I want the DVD, sure I have to give up personal info, which in Thermospas case, is so they can keep calling monthly after you get it.  

But if I was a dealer, I would be pissed if they weren't giving out dealer info to whomever asked.  So far there was only one major brand that I can remember who did this.

[JcDenton]

I am very uncomfortable with this. In fact, it is often enough for me to move onto the next store. For example, I went to get a couple of batteries for my wireless mouse at Radio Shack a while back. Two batteries - that's it. But the salesmen wanted WAY too much information! Where I live, phone number, favourite colour etc. I haven't purchased anything from them since. For larger ticket items that have a warrenty, I can see this information being relevant for after the sale, but not for a couple of batteries.


Jc

[windsurfdog]

MasterSpas is guilty of this and I think it hurts'em in the long run.  I don't like the practice and I would think dealers wouldn't like it as well.  One of the best features of the net is instant and anonymous gratification and giving out personal info on an unsecured site is yet another chink in the armor.....as if we need more.....

[jsimo7]

I will not give personal info either until I feel it is needed by the company. When I want to be contacted I will let them know.

[Spatech_tuo]

I think these guys lose potential customers to the sites that simply ask for a zip code but let's not tell them.

[HotTubMan]

I was just browsing some of the spa manufactures sites out there and noticed that some of them ask for your name, address, phone number, email, buying cycle and other things before they will even give you dealer information!

I find this practice invasive and even a bit stupid on their part...What do they have to lose by pointing someone to their dealer without knowing who they are?

How do you as a customer feel about it...Would it make you just keep shopping? What about on other products? If you where looking at a new car and they did this would you give the info or would you just fill in the page with made up stuff to find out who the dealer is?

Think about this…What if you had to give your phone #  and address to someone before you could get a phone # out of the yellow pages?  

I am amazed at how many times I filled these out to receive info on a competitor and get nothing!

Personally I like the idea because it saves me a trip to the store to get info on a competitor, I just wish they would follow through. Maybe I am on a DO NOT MAIL list

[stuart]

I am amazed at how many times I filled these out to receive info on a competitor and get nothing!

Personally I like the idea because it saves me a trip to the store to get info on a competitor, I just wish they would follow through. Maybe I am on a DO NOT MAIL list

Seee...? and you thought it was just me in that ignored you!

[fatman]

In an age of identity theft, do not call lists, computer hacking and telemarketers I can't see why any hot tub company thinks it would be appealing to the average consumer to give away personal info just for a dealer location. A zipcode locator and an 800 number is enough.

[stuart]

In an age of identity theft, do not call lists, computer hacking and telemarketers I can't see why any hot tub company thinks it would be appealing to the average consumer to give away personal info just for a dealer location. A zipcode locator and an 800 number is enough.

Next thing will be a 900 pay number to get the dealer name!

[r100rs]

For example, I went to get a couple of batteries for my wireless mouse at Radio Shack a while back. Two batteries - that's it. But the salesmen wanted WAY too much information! Where I live, phone number, favourite colour etc. I haven't purchased anything from them since. For larger ticket items that have a warrenty, I can see this information being relevant for after the sale, but not for a couple of batteries.


Jc

As for RadioShack - I shop there quite a bit. The reason they want where you live and phone number is not to track your purchases but it is try and understand why you didn't use the store closest to you.  Was it because they didn't have the item, lousy customer service, etc...  I even wrote them wayback when to verify this and that is the response I was given.  Now I don't know if that is still true today.  If the data they collected can actually make my store better, I generally don't have a problem with it.  But then how can I tell if my store improved?  I don't know.

r100rs

[wmccall]

As for RadioShack - I shop there quite a bit. The reason they want where you live and phone number is not to track your purchases but it is try and understand why you didn't use the store closest to you.  Was it because they didn't have the item, lousy customer service, etc...  I even wrote them wayback when to verify this and that is the response I was given.  Now I don't know if that is still true today.  If the data they collected can actually make my store better, I generally don't have a problem with it.  But then how can I tell if my store improved?  I don't know.

r100rs

Plus its how you get on their mailing list and if you stay on it.  In this case for me its a good thing,  A local computer store keeps me on thier mailing list so I see their specials, which I buy a lot.