Yesterday I received an email offer to sign up from a retail outdoor store that I frequent called Eastern Mountain Sports or EMS. It was a point based reward program offering you discounts and special sales announcement. Since I go there several times a year I would figured it would be worth it to me to sign up.
I clicked on the site and started to fill out the form before I came to a screeching halt. For me there are several things form.
1. Eighteen fields on the form – too long
2. Eleven of the fields are mandatory
3. I am giving permission to use my email for this rewards program. Why is one of the required fields a phone number? That was a non-starter for me. The secondary phone number is a cell phone which is optional but they are asking for my carrier.
4. If you are going to collect all this information from me I think it is mandatory that you explain why you need it and how it will be used.
For example – “collecting your cell phone number will allow us to send you a text message about a special sale”
None of this existed.
So as a result I will not be joining the rewards program.
