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.
Eighteen fields on the form - too long
Eleven of the fields are mandatory
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.
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.