Apple Objects to Customer Information Being Included in Sale of RadioShack Assets

[doctor-don]

You may be laughing, but please take a look at this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtan...easons-not-to-give-stores-your-zip-code-ever/

"the California Supreme Court, which ruled in 2011 that stores cannot require patrons to furnish their ZIP code. California later confirmed the ruling in a law that bars firms from collecting personally identifying information during credit card transaction. Courts in other states such as Massachusetts earlier this year have reviewed the issue."

The ONLY reason to provide a zip code is so the credit card being used can be verified as belonging to the name on the credit card. That's why those gasoline pumps require your zip code when you put in the card to pay for your gas.

Other than that, it is unnecessary to divulge one's zip code at a store.

 

[Macinva]

I always refused to give Radio Shack employees my info -- I came in for a
pair of AA batteries, not to apply for a mortgage. If they insisted, I gave them
a false address, false phone number, false DOB, whatever -- as I do
with all retailers collecting data to sell. I told one kid my name was Michael J. Mouse, and my address was Disney World, Orlando, Florida. He duly recorded the information.

For me, if I was buying a $2 item and they insisted I give them my address, I'd simply toss the item on the counter and walk out. Same for email addresses, I've given phony emails before, the downside is if someone actually owns that address, they'll get the spam. lol I supppose "upyours@noway.com" isn't used.

 

[imageWIS]

What's wrong with giving anybody who you think shouldn't have your address a wrong address? 35 Miller Street sounds as good as any.

Not in NYC!

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"the California Supreme Court, which ruled in 2011 that stores cannot require patrons to furnish their ZIP code. California later confirmed the ruling in a law that bars firms from collecting personally identifying information during credit card transaction. Courts in other states such as Massachusetts earlier this year have reviewed the issue."

The ONLY reason to provide a zip code is so the credit card being used can be verified as belonging to the name on the credit card. That's why those gasoline pumps require your zip code when you put in the card to pay for your gas.

Other than that, it is unnecessary to divulge one's zip code at a store.

Radio Shack would ask for your ZIP regardless of the financial instrument used to pay for a purchase.

 

[mac8867]

I object to Apple claiming to have customers. They have been treating me more like a consumer lately.

 

[teslo]

imagine if Google went bankrupt and had to sell THEIR info...

 

[v3rlon]

If Apple doesn't win this, every privacy policy out there is just a bankruptcy or spinoff away from being null and void. Consider that for a moment.

 

[Going Digital]

But this is exactly the contentious. The data will remain with the same entity-- RadioShack--it's just a change of owner hands. It's not like RS is selling the data.

Incorrect, RadioShack are selling assets. The RadioShack corporation will be left holding the unsecured debts and become insolvent. The new corporation called General Wireless has has been created that will own the trademarks and other assets acquired. This is absolutely a sale of data by one (dying corporation) to another.

 

[wolfshades]

I only viewed Radio Shack as the 7-11 of electronics. Convenient, yes, but they knew that and they were not competitive with pricing. Had they been they could've easily expanded and competed with Best Buy or Fry's. It's their own fault. They've been around too many years before Best Buy..

I saw them that way too. Only went into their store when I was desperate for batteries. That's about it. Once walked around their shop to see what they had, pricing, etc. and came out laughing.

 

[thekev]

Then how much would Apple get out of such a deal? Presumably if you violate an agreement then you have to pay. Apple obviously doesn't care about the money they care about their information like the others but how much of that 26 million would they get?

One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. If the purchaser created liabilities, it isn't guaranteed to have any relation to the bid to acquire radio shack. They do add liabilities into the cost, but I don't think this is an issue of simply paying for information here.

 

[cmwade77]

What's wrong with giving anybody who you think shouldn't have your address a wrong address? 35 Miller Street sounds as good as any.

Same for businesses which request SSNs. I don't see why car rental guys etc. should have that or anybody who is non government, bank etc.

Just reverse two digits within your SSN and if somebody really makes use of it you will hear from them.

That is better than having to argue with a sales clerk who just follows "procedures" from some bean counter.

Haven't had a call in over 30 years of doing that, i.e. it is unimportant info
to corporations. Just info collection disease.

Radio Shack for sometime required ID that had your address preprinted on it, even if it was outdated, it was still a legitimate address at one point in time and this was for all purchases, not just returns. This policy was one of the reasons I wouldn't go there for a long, long time.

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I saw them that way too. Only went into their store when I was desperate for batteries. That's about it. Once walked around their shop to see what they had, pricing, etc. and came out laughing.

There was a point in time, before shopping on the internet made it big, when Radio Shack had knowledgeable sales staff and items that you couldn't get anywhere else.

Now, not only can you get these items online for less, but you can also get even better advice from those on the internet for free. Yes, you have to be cautious about who you listen to, but you can.

 

[Jon-PDX]

You may be laughing, but please take a look at this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtan...easons-not-to-give-stores-your-zip-code-ever/

Thank you for posting this.

I alwas figured they used the ZIP Code for demographics but I never considered they were connecting the name and the ZIP Code to get other information like address, phone number, etc.

Jon...

 

[jlc1978]

The users agreed to RS but does that mean they agree with this other company having access to their information when they didn't authorize it for anyone other than RS.

The question is:

Is the customer data an asset of RS and thus subject to sale or does RS' contracts and privacy policy trump the sale of the data?

I don't know and it'll be interesting to see what the court decides. If they allow it's sale some companies will become more valuable simply for their customer data than their sales.

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Thank you for posting this.

I alwas figured they used the ZIP Code for demographics but I never considered they were connecting the name and the ZIP Code to get other information like address, phone number, etc.

Jon...

What I never understood was why people think they need to give real information anytime a store or website asks for it, unless they are wanting something shipped or applying for credit. One store, that has since gone out of business, used to require a phone number to complete a sale. A stupid practice, but 555-1212 worked just fine, as it does with affinity programs such as those at grocery stores. I'm sure they are happy gathering marketing information from Warren Harding who lives on Penn Ave in DC. There is no need to provide real information unless w\you want marketing pitches from a store.