Yeah, I've donated without consent on multiple occasions to the Arby's fund. Whenever I order through the drive-through, they give me a large every time, even though I was never asked if I wanted the size upgraded.

3 replies

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morganlh85

@temporaryscars: This happens to me at Burger King often.

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oneliketadow

@temporaryscars: Let's be fair, Arby's needs the money.

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donnie5

@temporaryscars: Funny. I donated to the McDonald's fund this weekend. They must have the same fund raiser management...

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Fabuloso

\"As he is ringing up my order, nothing else is discussed. I pay with my credit card, leave the store, look at my receipt and discover that this assistant manager has decided to add a $1 donation to Livestrong to my order without my knowledge or consent.\"

Thats when you go back to the store and get your $1 back. problem solved for you. Glad i could help.

November 24, 2009 10:32 AM

18 replies

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cave12man

Seriously, Ill be damned if I just walk away from the store after realizing that. Wouldn't it have been easier to go right back into the store than to go home and write a corporate email for $1??

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bravohotel01

@BB_User: I, for one, bow to the new LOGIC OVERLORD BB_User.

Inconvenience level to turn around, go back into the store and get the matter fixed: no big deal.

Inconvenience level to turn around, go back into the store to get the matter fixed, failing, then calling CC company and getting a chargeback: bit of a hassle.

Inconvenience level to drive home steaming, toss and turn all night while eating pillow, then next day looking up address to Tandy Corp, drafting a letter/email to same, and x-posting to Consumerist: major--put life on hold, stop the presses! This is one dollar those fat cats won't be getting! (\"Don't you hate pants?\")

I understand that many people are not very good with...\"confrontation,\" but this is ridiculous.

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ZukeZuke

@BB_User: Nicely played.

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KyleOrton

@BB_User: Since the $1 over charge was made to charity, I would return and request they leave the donation and discount the charger at least $1.

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Erik_says_this

@BB_User: I'd like to sign up for your Logic 101 please.

November 24, 2009 6:40 AM

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That's Consumer007 to you

And I'd like you to explain your worthless slam please. BB-USer was correct, that is the quickest most efficient way to solve the problem, assuming one is lucky enough to spot it right away. What is illogical about that?

Maybe you need Civility 101.

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Fabuloso

@Erik_says_this: Logic Classes require a $1 donation to attend lol

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Woodside Park Bob

@BB_User: No. That doesn't solve the problem. The problem is that the store charged him for something he didn't authorize. It is theft.

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bobloblawsblog

@Woodside Park Bob: why arent cops being called?

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brain_grenade

@Woodside Park Bob: Actually, he did authorize the purchase by signing the signature capture pad after paying with his credit card. An itemized product list of your purchase (with pricing included) is displayed above the sig capture box. Pay attention, I say.

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Fabuloso

@Woodside Park Bob: ok call the cops and arrest the store. better get get the patty wagon i dont think she will fit in the back of the squad car. Dork!

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t0ph

@Woodside Park Bob: You are correct, Bob, the theft was the problem. The solution, as pecan said, was to immediately go back, get your buck back, send a letter to corporate and maybe cc the consumerist.

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pecan 3.14159265

@Woodside Park Bob: He could have just gone back to the store, gotten his $1 back, then sent a letter to corporate.

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wickedpixel

@pecan 3.14159265: actually the correct solution would have been to go back to the store, get his $1 back, return the charger as well, take his business elsewhere, then send a letter to corporate.

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pecan 3.14159265

@wickedpixel: True..though next, someone's going to suggest that he should've never gone to The Shack to begin with. That's a line we do not cross here :-)

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Cyberxion101

@pecan 3.14159265: He should never, ever have gone to Radio Shack to begin with.

Line crossed!

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JeffM

@pecan 3.14159265: But honestly, it is a dollar- who cares? In this situation I wouldn't have tried to get my dollar back, but would have most likely written corporate.

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danno5-0

@JeffM: It's only a dollar...
Fool, its the principle of the matter. Money shouldn't be taken w/o ones consent. On a corporate, that's theft of a large sum of money.

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pecan 3.14159265

@JeffM: Money is money. He was literally, right outside the store. Yes, it's only $1, but it's $1 that the store took without permission. It's not acceptable to be stolen from, regardless of what was stolen.

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nybiker

@pecan 3.14159265: You're right. Good cause or not, no store should be stealing from customers. And let's face it, you're probably not going to get the tax deduction anyway (IANAL). And to pile on to the theme, how do we even know that RS (oh, sorry, The Shack) is going to give the entire buck to the charity? We don't.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)

@pecan 3.14159265: The only downside is that he has to physically re-enter \"The Shack.\" Gives me the willies just contemplating it!

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donnie5

@pecan 3.14159265:
I agree. The same logic should be used behind song stealing. Sure, it only costs a dollar on iTunes, but that is still a dollar that is not yours.

The more i read your comments, the more I like them.

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Ferris152

@donnie5: Way to muddle a perfectly clear issue.

Radioshack deprived the OP of a dollar that he can't use elsewhere.

Copyright violation doesn't deprive the copyright owner of the ability to sell a copy of the work elsewhere.

The same logic shouldn't be used because they are two different situations.

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tundey

@Woodside Park Bob: No it's not theft. It's a mistake.

November 24, 2009 6:45 AM

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That's Consumer007 to you

You really have no proof it's a mistake. NO means NO. And as has been covered on this blog before, there are plenty of punk cashiers at Radio Shack in abusive environments taking it out on customers.

November 24, 2009 9:05 AM

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Zabi

I don't see validity in your argument, you say \"NO means NO\", but the only option presented on the monitor for the employee is to cancel the donation. The customer HAS to be the one to hit accept on the screen. The only exception possible is if the customer is a person with disabilities, who requires assistance with that part of the transaction. So at some point, this consumer was faced with a screen he either didn't read or assumed was something else, and just pressed the green button. Also, I resent your statement of \"punk cashiers\" most of the employees at our store are definitely not in \"abusive environments\". Plus, certain payment methods (and certain products) require a phone number, partially because we have a callback policy for larger purchases and/or the payment method requires it. You will only get texts if you opt in to our text message program, which I'll be happy to show you how to if you'd like. :D Finally, if you'd like, I'll take a picture of the donation screen from the employee's pov, just to back my statement up.

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danno5-0

@tundey: There are no mistakes, only intentional acts.

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Eryk

@tundey: Mistakes are actions that are done inadvertently. Theft is done on purpose. How is it that you (or anyone else here) know what the assistant manager's actions were?

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katstermonster

@BB_User: Sooooo how does this help the other hundreds of people who are being charged without their consent? Corporate wants to know when their stores are doing shit like this.

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Fabuloso

@katstermonster: ok Captain Obvious it doesn't help anyone but that dollarless man in Kentucky. in fact it probably hurt who ever could have benefited from that $1 that Livestrong would have helped. Do you feel better about yourself now?

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bball123h

@katstermonster: This is The Shack. It's more like 5 customers.

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katstermonster

@bball123h: Heh. So true. I stand corrected.

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tundey

@katstermonster: How do you know \"hundreds\" of people have been charged? Gosh, way to leap to conclusions not in evidence.

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katstermonster

@tundey: Gosh, way to be a douche this early in the morning. I was making the reasonable assumption that since they're doing this to one person, they're doing this to more customers. Could it be a mistake? Sure. But I'm pessimistic. So sue me.

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spartie

its 6 weeks til christmas, that means its 7 weeks til new years, which means the store owner needs as many customers as possible to make a tax-deductible donation on their behalf.

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mythago

[[Obligatory post noting that the Vikings never wore helmets with horns]]

6 replies

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feyshadowgirl

@mythago:
you sound just like my F-I-L! The man is obsessed and can't go an hour without a vicking reference...it's getting kinda old and I now know more about them than I ever wanted too.

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h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes

@mythago: An homage to Flavor Flav, perhaps?

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com

@mythago: Maybe not, but it's totally metal. \\m/

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H3ion

@mythago: Wrong thread but thanks for the info.

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H3ion

@mythago: P.S. Both my Volvos had horns.

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nbs2

@mythago: [[Obligatory post noting that you posted to the wrong story]]

but, it does keep readers on their toes

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JulesNoctambule

I didn't have my glasses on and read the title as 'Radio Shack forced me to donate to livestock'. That would have made an interesting read, I think.

1 replies

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Tambar

@JulesNoctambule: Funny you should mention, as here in MormonLand, Utah, there is a 'tithing herd'; one tithes livestock if that's what one has to share w/ the church.

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keith4298

I asked them last week what percentage of the dollar would be going to the charity and neither the cashier nor the manager had any clue. Forgetting about the fact that the law says they need to tell you if you ask, it's just not worth it. Give all your money online to reputable sources and get a deduction the old fashioned way.

5 replies

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billy

@keith4298: >>>I asked them last week what percentage of the dollar would be going to the charity and neither the cashier nor the manager had any clue.

I'm sure that someone at Radio Shack corporate would know the answer. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, it's Livestrong (the actual organization) that needs to disclose how much is charity and how much is overhead.

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Traveshamockery

@keith4298: +1000. Collecting donations like that is a convenient way for the company to get a big tax writeoff while screwing you out of your own. Plus, I don't appreciate being put on the spot like that. I plan my charitable giving, thank you very much, I don't have to be forced into it at the register in front of a bunch of strangers.

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captadam

@keith4298: I never donate at the register ... I don't really care if it makes me look heartless.

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nybiker

@captadam: Well, if you're heartless, then I'm heartless too. I don't do it at movie theaters and I don't do it in the nyc subways.

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AstroPig7

@captadam: A cashier once tried to shame a friend of my wife’s into donating to a breast cancer research fund by asking how she would feel if her mother were dying of it. Sadly, her mother had just died of it during the previous month, and after snapping this information at the cashier, she broke down in tears and ran from her till.

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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh

@AstroPig7: Woah. That is why there are some things you just don't say. Sorry to hear about your wife's mother. I bet that cashier hasn't made the same mistake since then.

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speedwell (!)

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Sociopaths who would actually pronounce a question like the cashier's don't care enough about the people they damage to keep them from doing damage again. Take it from someone else whose mom died of breast cancer.

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tbax929

Although this isn't what happened in this particular situation, I'm so over stores asking me to donate to this or that every time I check out. I know it's not the employees' fault, but it really bothers me.

As if that isn't bad enough, my local supermarket often has groups standing outside of it asking for donations to some cause or another. I just say no and move on, but I wish they'd stop that.

November 24, 2009 2:52 AM

10 replies

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Billifer

That's why I like shopping at Target: they do not allow solicitors on their property \"regardless of the cause.\" If you read the sign as you walk in the front door, they tell you that basically because they don't want you to be distracted while you're buying their stuff, but hey, at least they're honest... and it works!

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bah84

@tbax929: I once had an on-site interview for a \"marketing\" job with a company who sends people out to those parking lots and doorways on behalf of other companies (D.A.R.E., for example). I would be okay with this, except that the guy I was working with was telling people \"Oh this is a Disney product but we have a deal with them to sell with our fundraiser,\" etc. Obviously anything Disney will have the logo, familiar characters, etc. I couldn't believe his nerve, and how many people got suckered into it.

My point: if you want to donate to these charities or causes, find their website and make sure your money is actually going to the right place.

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looneytunes

@tbax929: The groups of beggars outside the grocery store drive me insane. Every weekend there's a different group of cheerleaders or dancers or football players looking for spare change so they can buy new uniforms. And there's always a parent standing nearby to give me the stink eye when I say no thanks and walk away. Guess what, kid? When I was your age, I wore the same ratty uniform that the kids before me wore. Now get off of my lawn!

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Kuchen

@looneytunes: At one of my local grocery stores, there is a concession trailer right outside the exit that different groups sell things out of in the summer. There's some sort of treat that's sold, and a jar if you want to donate more. The Kiwanis always have hot dogs. $1.50 for a hot dog, chips, and a soda. They know how to get my donation dollars.

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PsiCop

@tbax929: +1. The trolling for charity is aggravating. And the assumption that I would want to donate to cause X just because the store values it enough to have its employees solicit for it, is just plain invalid. I donate to the causes I choose to donate to ... period.

As for running the gantlet of \"beggars\" getting into and out of stores ... that also is wearing thin. Especially during the holidays, which are now pretty much on us already, the stores are hectic enough without that added hassle.

The bottom line is that soliciting at registers, and allowing charities to beg in their doorways, allows the stores to \"look good\" but doesn't actually cost them anything ... after all, it's their customers who are doing the donating, not them. I refuse to do their work -- and make their donations -- for them. If the store wants to donate money to a cause, they can. No one is stopping them. And if they do, that's terrific. But the stores shouldn't be allowed to make themselves look good just because their customers donate to a cause.

Enough is enough.

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subtlefrog

@tbax929: Yes. For a while, the stores here had banned all the people in the parking lots, with a very self-congratulatory bit about how shopping should be hassle free. Yet...they are back. The worst part is that they tend to be collecting signatures for petititions (& money, of course) for things that I would be willing to support - just not in a damned parking lot. Too sketchy.

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BambiTLK

@subtlefrog: Some of the charities have started handing out shopping lists for their charity/cause. The approach and ask you to buy a few things for them while you are in the store. The last one I saw was a bunch of teenage girls collecting things for unemployed single teenage moms. A woman was arguing with them about why condoms weren't on the list.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)

@BambiTLK: That's kind-of awesome.

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pecan 3.14159265

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): The teenage girls collecting things for charity or the woman arguing with them on why there aren't condoms?

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The Cynical Librarian

@BambiTLK: That woman deserves a medal.

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h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes

@subtlefrog: It creeps me out when a stranger starts walking after me in a parking lot. Some deeply rooted instinct makes me want to run away.
@captadam: It's a crappy way to make money, but I get that it's worked well in the past. What I hate is when the kids ask me for something and I have no clue what they're trying to get from me. Yesterday I came out of the grocery store and some kid with a clipboard mumbled at me; it took me several tries to figure out that he was selling newspaper subscriptions for his baseball team...I think.

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failurate

@subtlefrog: Where I live, it is usually well off kids with their well off parents selling candy or some other crap to fund an activity that they should probably be paying for themselves.

That combined with the inevitable guy in the parking lot who is out of gas and needs to get his sick kid to the hospital in some other city (because the absolutely massive regional hospital just a block or so away doesn't do this or that).
Grocery shopping just sucks now days.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)

@failurate: Around here some parents have started asking what the buyout is -- what amount do they have to donate to the school/extracurricular to get their kid out of selling shit and not let the for-profit company get a cut, while still allowing their child to participate in the activity.

It's often as little as $50.

I buy girl scout cookies. That's about it. And I've started asking my friends whose kids are selling if I can just GIVE them $10 instead of buying something. (So far, oddly, nobody's taken me up on it.)

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nybiker

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): GS cookies are the only thing I'll buy. No wrapping paper. No popcorn. No 'holiday' cards. One of the bummers about being unemployed was that this year I was only able to treat myself to 2 boxes of GS cookies. In years gone by, oh the joy of 5 or 6. Next year I'll have to say no, if I'm still not working.

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barb95

@failurate: I went to catholic elementary school and had to sell a certain amount of candy each semester. We didn't have a choice, it was a requirement to fund certain things at the school. If we didn't sell the chocolate, we had to pay for it. Now, my family was not rich. My parents worked two jobs to give me a good education and could not afford to buy the candy. So I was that kid outside a mall selling my chocolates : )

November 24, 2009 11:11 AM

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failurate

Well, when you put it that way... I'll buy a chocolate next time I see them. I do like chocolate and helping people.

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nybiker

@barb95: My grammar school education was the same, but I do not recall selling any sort of candy. Granted, we might be of two generations, but I do know my parents were paying tuition and doing the weekly envelope to the church. Ah, Monday mornings and the gospel quiz.

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captadam

@subtlefrog: I hate when I see a bunch of children trying to sell overpriced sweet things for the local youth baseball league or whatever. I know the theory says that people won't say \"no\" to cute children. But I have no problem doing so.

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The Cynical Librarian

@captadam: I also do not have that problem (of saying now to children). Though my lack of that problem does make me look like a jerk when I'm the only one in my office that doesn't buy cub scout popcorn.
Whatever kid; I can make my own popcorn!

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sweenitodd

The touchpad that you pay from gives you the option of donating or not.....my guess is he hit the green accept button before reading the screen and did it himself...

5 replies

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thewildboo

@sweenitodd: I just saw this scheme for the first time yesterday at Stop & Shop. It came up asking if I wanted to donate $1 to whatever and the pretty green \"accept\" button was to agree to the donation. Thankfully I read things but it would be very easy for someone to click the green button, since it is on the credit/debit card machine, thinking they were just approving the sale. I think it's very sneaky.

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pecan 3.14159265

@je suis whore: I like them because it places the burden on the consumer. If you hit yes the first time, you made a mistake. If you keep hitting yes because you forget it's there, it's totally your fault for not learning from your mistake. I prefer to get the message on the screen rather than get asked by the cashier, who probably doesn't even want to ask it, but has to.

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Hogan1

@sweenitodd:

This is the most plausible explanation. More then likely this was actually an error on the part of the OP then shennigans on the part of RS. It's very easy to skim through the menus when making a purchase. For example Petco, IKEA, etc all have the $1 donation options. They're clearly labeled but if you are in a hurry you might just hit yes without looking.

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mmmsoap

@sweenitodd: This seems very likely, but I would expect that his response from RS Corporate would reference that the authorization was made at the terminal. Did they not mention that?

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kerry

@sweenitodd: That's my guess, too. I know other retailers that do it (PetSmart and PetCo come to mind) and if you're not paying attention it's easy to hit \"ok\" thinking you're approving the total when really you're approving the donation to a charity.

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halcyondays

RadioShack is kinda scammy anyway. I go in there about once a year and they always want my phone # even when I'm paying in cash. I always tell them that a) I don't have one, or b) it's the same as the store's phone #.

10 replies

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kerry

@halcyondays: I just say \"no,\" when they ask for it. Sometimes they get flustered, and then I tell them to enter all zeroes. Apparently on some systems you can't bypass the phone number entry. I've never had the guts to say 588-2300 or 867-5309.
Most places I shop ask for my zip code, for the same reason. I've noticed that the zip code places are better at taking \"no\" for an answer.

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taradiddle3

@kerry: I got major attitude at a Container Store once when I didn't want to give my phone number. I was snottily told that they didn't sell my information they just used it to notify me about sales. Ok, but is it really that inconceivable that I don't want to be notified every time they have a sale?

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kexline

@kerry: I don't really feel that the zipcode thing constitutes a privacy issue. There's plenty of unused retail space everywhere, so with one big blue exception, I'm happy to give companies a hint that they might want to open up shop somewhere closer to my house.

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pecan 3.14159265

@halcyondays: All stores ask for phone numbers, though, not just Radio Shack. The phone number isn't about how you pay, it's so they can put you on their mailing lists.

November 24, 2009 8:08 AM

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tbonekatz

I give them movie/television phone numbers if they insist, you know 979-555-8346. They never snap that there is no 555 number in general use. I use that online as well.

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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh

@pecan 3.14159265: I'd also like to add something the cashier at Lowes told me last week. My dad paid in cash for whatever he was buying and she asked for his number, and he asked why and she said \"Well in case you need to return that and you lost your receipt, we can look it up by your number.\"

I thought that was pretty good. She didn't ask for my number when I paid for my stuff and I asked why, and she said it was because I paid with my debit card, and they can use that to look up my receipt for the same reason.

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pecan 3.14159265

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: The funny thing is, at Nordstroms, they don't even look it up by your card, your phone number, or a receipt. I was returning a coat one time and the receipt had fallen out somewhere. I figured they could either look up my purchase or give me store credit, but the only thing the cashier did was scan the barcode on the coat's tags and tell me to sign the screen. And lo and behold, it had registered my refund to my card.

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PølάrβǽЯ

@pecan 3.14159265: \"The phone number isn't about how you pay, it's so they can put you on their mailing lists.\"

How do they mail something to your phone? If I find out my phone signed up for a PO box without my knowledge, I'm gonna be pissed!

November 24, 2009 6:47 AM

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That's Consumer007 to you

Just wait til the SMS messages start coming in! Time to up your text messaging plan! :)

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pecan 3.14159265

@Ursus Maritimus: They use your phone number to figure out your address. It's an easier way of getting your address rather than actually ask you your address. Now they're even asking for email addresses.

I'm signed up for various mailing lists for the stores I shop at. It's a good way of getting coupons. Once, when I was at a store, I used a coupon and the cashier asked me whether I'd like to give my email address to get coupons - and I had merely 5 minutes earlier given her a coupon I had printed from my email. I politely said no and moved on.

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Communist Pope

@halcyondays: I've memorized my county's sheriff's non-emergency phone number and pass that out to number-demanding businesses. Man I love doing that.

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ctyankee

@Communist Pope: I like to give out my ex-wife's phone number. Man, I LOVE doing that.

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tundey

@Communist Pope: Imagine your county sheriff's joy at having to field such calls. Why not just say \"no\" or give them their own number?

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tonberryqueen

@tundey: Or the Rejection Hotline number.

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hotdogsunrise

@tonberryqueen: I always say no and I'm never hassled further.

When they ask for zip codes, my dad likes to give the zip code for the NYSSCPA office in NYC. Why? I don't know. But he thinks it's hi-larious!

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tundey

So let's see: you got charge for something you didn't buy and you feel writing a letter to corporate is the best way to handle it? Come on, people! At least give the local guys a chance to resolve problems before going to their bosses. How would you like if your co-workers too every little issue they have with you to the company CEO? I bet you'll hate it.

Now, if there's a pattern that's been established and the store refuses to refund the \"donation\", feel free to use the corporate route.

2 replies

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lannister80

@tundey: The local guys can NEVER resolve anything.

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Hogan1

@lannister80:

Does it hurt to consider trying them first though?

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treimel

@Hogan1:
I wouldn't bother with the people who stole from me, but that's just me.

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adamcz

I'm also sick of stores asking me to donate. Why would I ever want to make my charitable donations $1 a time so that some corporation can take the credit for it, and so that the money goes to a bunch of random charities that I have not done my due dilligence on? The cashier at my grocer did not even know what percent of donations the charity in question wastes on administrative expenses before doing good deeds with the rest.

That's simply inappropriate - for someone to be requesting my money without knowing much at all about the group that it will go to. That's like sending 18 year old missionaries out looking for converts to their religion before they know all of the history and rules that they are expected to believe in. Oh wait...

1 replies

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PølάrβǽЯ

@adamcz: I can't possibly convey just how awesome I think your comment is!

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MEoip

Ask back. I frequently put on a serious face and attempt negotiate an in kind deal to get money donated to the human fund (money for people) by the person requesting my funds. Occasional I had one manager start getting information on the charity before I broke and told him to google it.

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GitEmSteveDave_HazEnvy

I wonder if the OP just hit yes on the POS terminal thinking he was hitting yes for the credit amount. Some places, like PetSmart, do this when checking out.

2 replies

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Covertghost

@GitEmSteveDave_HazEnvy: It's quite possible.

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pecan 3.14159265

@GitEmSteveDave_HazEnvy: Maybe that's the case. He did pay with a credit card.

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Outrun1986

First of all I think its inappropriate that stores have people at the exits because the beggers DO block the exit and get in your way when you are trying to get out of the store. Some have stood RIGHT in front of the doorway and actually attempt to block you from getting out if you don't donate. I don't think this is a good thing if there was a fire or emergency in the store and they could not get out of the way quick enough. They have to be breaking fire codes by doing this.

Second every single stores asks me to donate at the register, if I donate a dollar every time I want to buy something in a store, I would be very broke. This does not include the beggers at the door or the candy bar salesperson that stands where the door greeter does in walmart. Yes we have had both here.

I don't care what store policy is, my policy is no donations at the register. I don't know where that money is going and chances are some of it is going right into the managers pocket. If I want to donate its going to be given directly to the charity that I want it to go to.

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formergr

I was *just* in Radio Shack on Saturday and made a purchase, and the donation screen is right before the screen where you sign on the credit card machine facing the customer.

While I wouldn't be at all surprised if a RS employee added the donation without his permission, it's also possible he accidentally tapped the screen and approved the donation without realizing it-- I in fact almost did it myself.

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liljimmynorton

The ONLY way to donate is to hit accept on the signature capture device. It cannot be added on by the associate, unless it was one of the livestrong bracelets. Please pay attention before blaming people next time. KTHXBYE

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PølάrβǽЯ

I refuse to donate to those that ask simply because I don't know where it's going. If I want to give, I'll chose who I give to and make damn sure I give directly.

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Tranquillado

\"Radio Shack still hasn't parted with the pilfered Washington.\"

\"Pilfered Washington\"? My, aren't you a hip blogger.

1 replies

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lannister80

@Tranquillado: Word.

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SkokieGuy

When cashiers ask you to donate to a charity, try smiling sweetly and say \"That's a wonderful charity, but I prefer to donate to it directly, so I get receive tax deduction for my money I give, not your employer\".

3 replies

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econobiker

@SkokieGuy: @vladthepaler: Excellent reasoning from both.

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nybiker

@econobiker: I'll do the +1 for you since you've already taken care of addressing the other two. Thanks.

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vladthepaler

@SkokieGuy:

Exactly. I don't understand the appeal of letting the corporation have the deduction.

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egoods

I worked at the shack with last years donation thing. It's a simple \"F1 for yes F2 for no\" so it's possible he accidentally pushed the wrong button.

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JimBoSlobish

A movie theatre I went to was running their yearly Will Rogers charity donations. Instead of asking customers if they would like to donate their hard earned money, they decided it would be easier to force it on those buying large fountain drinks. They had these really crappy signs printed out stating that any large drink will cost $5.00, instead of the normal $4.50, with the additional charge being sent to the Will Rogers Charity. Pretty shaddy to me. I worked at a theatre back in the day and was forced to verbally moleste people into buying \"stars\", with the proceeds going to Will Rogers.

I wouldn't go to that Cinemark any longer if they didn't have $4 matinee and $6 adult evening tickets (and very good film presentation).

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theSuperman

The only people that I donate to who ask are the Salvation Army people who stand around at the malls around Christmas time. They usually dont beg or ask for anything; they just stand there ringing their bell and saying Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays, depending on how non-denominatoinal they want to be).

5 replies

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morlo

@theSuperman: Please don't encourage the bells. I'm holding out for girls in bikinis

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econobiker

@morlo: \"I'm holding out for girls in bikinis.\" Maybe strategically placed jingle bells then...

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CheritaChen

@econobiker & morlo: I'm in South Florida, so this is entirely feasible. But I'd personally be persuaded by good-looking dudes in nicely-fitting jeans (and nothing else...except maybe a Santa hat).

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formergr

@theSuperman: I am in no way a grinch and really enjoy the holidays (I don't even mind carols!), but that bell ringing sets me on edge instantly. HATE it.

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scouts honor

@formergr: I'm with you. I can't stand that racket. Last year, I ended up buying more gifts online just to avoid it.

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kalaratri

@formergr: I actually avoid the entrances with the Salvation Army ringers because that sound makes me want to throttle the source.

That and I object to the way they run their charity and don't want to donate.

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QquegChristian

This Thanksgiving has been a particularly vicious donation season at grocery store checkouts.

Publix is asking us to buy a $10 brown bag of groceries for a needy family, but these are items that PUBLIX SELLS in the bag, so it seems profitable. It's like a few cans of veggies and a canned ham.

I'm sorry, but if I'm going to donate $10 to a needy family for Thanksgiving, there is better food than a canned ham that can be had with that money. I mean, Wal-Mart is selling $5 turkeys this year.

They'd be better off buying $10 1/4lb Burger King double cheeseburgers for that $10 than eating a canned ham. BK isn't real food either, but it does fall somewhere higher than canned ham on the real food meter (but probably below most everything else).

Giving needy families canned food is lazy of these organizations, especially ones that skim money off for operating costs.

1 replies

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h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes

@QquegChristian: The CVS near me did this for a local women's shelter. It was a plastic bag that contained a travel toothpaste, a few blocks of ramen noodles, a travel packet of tissues and some gum or some other tiny item for $5. I asked if there was any way to donate directly to the charity at that location and the clerk didn't think there was. I know how much those items cost and it's not $5, even if a small amount of that money went to covering the cost of labor to put those items in the bags (which it shouldn't).

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StanTheManDean

The IRS has limits as to the amounts that can be donated and legally deducted from your income tax

(can't deduct donations more than your income yada yada yada)

So, just tell the clerk/jerkwad that you have reached your legally allowable charitable deductions for the year and that the IRS will disallow the donation as it exceeds the allowable limits.

1 replies

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CheritaChen

@StanTheManDean: Right, because you really want to push the impression that you don't give to charity for any reason other than tax deduction. Shoot, I'm not wealthy; on average I donate a total of about $150 a year, and I never itemize my damn taxes. If I really were that crass and compassionless, I think I'd rather leave the cashier with a simple \"Not today, sorry,\"* than expose myself to a possible lecture.

*Which is exactly the response I use, anyway. I pick my own charities, tyvm.

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suburbancowboy

I am not a big RadioShack fan, but they are the sonsor for Lance's team this year, and I am glad that American Cycling at least has some high profile sponsorship.

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duncanblackthorne

That store manager should be fired outright for doing that, if not reported to the police. Theft is theft, regardless of whether it's $1 or $1,000,000; you, as a customer, steal so much as a candy bar and you could be arrested, or banned from the store for life. Same standard needs to apply. The Livestrong foundation is, I believe, a good charity, and they would be ashamed of this sort of behaviour.

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JohnDeere

im all for charity, but stealing money to give it away is so robin hood.

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PLATTWORX

I would go right ahead now and report this to Kentucky's Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau.

Yes, the store/employee must have to get a certain number of donations and this is how they are getting there. The $1 back would not be enough, I would expect swift action. They can get in alot of trouble for this.

I always chuckle when the largest supermarket chain in New England, Stop & Shop, asks at least once a year if I would like donate a $1 to the Jimmy Fund. I am not rude, but each time I want to say...

\"NO, but your multi-billion dollar company can donate $1 from your profits from this sale to the Jimmy Fund, that would be great. Thanks!.\"

Why don't these stores donate a portion of your purchase to the charity instead? Are they saying make nothing on each sale? I don't think so.

1 replies

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rosvicl

@PLATTWORX: I can recall one retailer, in my entire adult life, that offered me a chance to donate part of my purchase price to a charity: Some years ago, Powell's Books had signs up saying that if you the customer said \"It's for kids\" to the cashier, a percentage (10 or 15 percent, I think) of the price of your purchase would be donated to the local schools. The cashier seemed a bit surprised when I said \"It's for kids,\" but pleasantly so. (I hadn't heard anyone else do this while I was waiting on line.)

I would guess that the idea was to get us thinking of donating our own money, but then and there, every penny came from the bookstore's receipts, not extra money from my wallet, and there were no collection boxes or envelopes or such.

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danno5-0

Tacking an extra dollar w/o permission. That's kind of like me grabbing a pack of batteries as I leave the store w/o permission.

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Trick

I love companies that will take a donation on my behalf. They get all the credit and tax benefits for my generosity!

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hakka_lugi

Just in case no one knows this...Radio Shack is the Title sponsor of Lance Armstrong's (new) Pro Cycling Team....Team Radio Shack

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ellemm

I really wish stores would just stop this crap. A Dollar Tree store that I no longer frequent makes their cashiers beg customers for \"help for the homeless\" which amounts to them selling you an extra item at the register which is then put in a big box to be donated to some nameless organization. The cashiers don't know where the \"donated\" items go and I suspect they get put back into the regular stock at the end of the day. Not that it is any of the Dollar Tree's business, but I donate a not unsubstantial percentage of my pay to the less fortunate without the cash register arm-twisting. Plus I am shopping at Dollar Tree (!) so really, how damn much money do they think I have?

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Silversmok3

Last time I worked at the shack,stores had a metric to meet for Livestrong donations.

Yes, that's right, stores were ranked on how many customers gave to charity as a sales metric, right up there in acessory attach rates, and battery sales.I never got around to investigating why they did so,since the staff wasn't paid comission , so im curious what profit or tax benefit RS got for people donating to livestrong?

To the OP, never leave an RS store without checking your recipt.Employees do sneak stuff on the receipt to get a loudmouth DM off their backs. Its not often, but ive seen it happen.

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JanFlushingMI

Petsmart is notorius for doing this. I always make them refund it. I prefer giving to my local animal shelter on my own.

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RSMan

I work at radioshack. We CANNOT force a $1 donation, that has to be selected on the credit card pad. All we can do on our register is clear the prompt, not accept it. I would like to hear from the Radioshack employees and to see your reciept. Also, resistors do not prompt a service plan offer. I believe the OP is lying.

November 23, 2009 9:49 PM

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Mr. TheShack

I work at RadioShack. We have no way of adding the $1 to your bill, only canceling the prompt. That means you hit \"OK\" before reading. Had you gone straight back, they would have voided said order and re-rang it up. I'm no apologist for RS, I hate it. But come on, admit fault where it is due.

November 23, 2009 9:55 PM

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Zabi

I work at RadioShack, and it is pretty much impossible for us to add that donation. The prompt pops up on the cc terminal, the only option we have available is for us to cancel the donation. If anything, the consumer saw the green \"accept\" button, and pressed it without bothering to read it. Granted, the employee should have recognized that the donation was going through and explained it to the customer. I had someone do this today actually, I wasn't ready for them to run through the cc terminal, but they did anyways. The donation prompt auto popped up, and they ery quickly pressed the green key because they assumed it meant that they were confirming the purchase. Also, we don't track the numbers for charitable donations...

November 24, 2009 3:06 AM

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Billifer

@failurate Wow, you must live across the street from me! Seriously... The joys of daily life. Oh, don't forget the magazines. Teens selling magazines, my god they're everywhere.

November 24, 2009 1:03 PM

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Saphyre1960

You shouldn't have to worry about pushing any extra buttons. Stores are supposed to be there for retail sales not charity sales.
Rat Shack was wrong.
As for mailing lists, I never give my email or my phone number out when they ask, if they push it on the phone number I give them a 888 number. There is no reason you should have to part with personal information to buy batteries.
I donate what I can every year to the charities I know will use the whole amount of the donation. If stores think the consumer is too stupid to notice a missing extra dollar here or there they are very wrong.
I bought something on line 3 years ago and I got signed up without my permission or without any extra keystrokes, to a place that sells ticket books and travel vouchers. Tickets like B1G1 free movies, dinners, mini golf etc. Buy one get 50% off on plane tickets to odd places during off peak times etc. I had $50 a month taken from my bank account to pay for the books and vouchers for a grand total of $800 by the time I got them to stop through the Better Business Bureau...and had to close my bank account. Unfortunately the bank I was with at the time said it was an approved \"sale\". I told them it wasn't and I closed my account.
I know we live in a world where it is \"caveat emptor\" but doing things like this just assures that there will not be a second purchase made in a store that cannot be trusted.

November 25, 2009 9:31 AM

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nycdesigner

I forced them to refund my dollar; when they said they couldn't because it was a credit card, I yelled some more and they finally took a buck, plus tax, out of the till.

November 25, 2009 10:46 AM

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RSCustomerCare

Thousands of customers have eagerly contributed to our point-of-sale collection for Livestrong in just the first few weeks. It’s been tremendously successful so far. But RadioShack doesn’t intend for any customer to feel compelled to support the fight against cancer. We regret the error that apparently occurred here; among the thousands of contributions received, these two mistakes certainly were not intended. We are contacting the customers mentioned here directly in an attempt to refund their $1 payments via over-night express as quickly as possible. And in the days ahead, we will remind our employees how to manage this point-of-sale process correctly.

RadioShack Customer Care

November 29, 2010 12:04 PM

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MastaVern

As a radioshack regular, i can tell you that the option to donate to livestrong has always been the customers choice. you have to click yes, or select the donation ammount on the credit card machine before it can be added to the ticket. then every time i have donated another screen comes up asking you to confirm the donation. sounds like someone was just in a rush and just kept hitting yes with out looking to see what he was doing.