This week’s flurry* of complaints about Best Buy and its constant demands for personal information reminded me of something I wrote a while back.  Specifically, we need a button or pin that indicates to nosy retailers and pushy clerks that we’re not interested in upselling, credit card offers, loyalty or discount cards, or giving up our personal information.  It could be as simple as a small button that says, “No Thanks!”  The button would serve as a readily identifiable indicator that this person will not respond positively to whatever the retailer is pushing and that the best way to satisfy this customer is to speedily and efficiently complete the transaction.  As I mentioned in the original post, it would serve as sort of a mobile “No Soliciting” sign.

* The flurry isn’t really a surprise, given the way Best Buy operates.  All you have to do is mention Best Buy to someone and more often than not you’ll get a horror story or at least someone who is unhappy with some facet of the experience. 

Some links:

• Will Collier (on VodkaPundit)
• James Lileks
• Kim du Toit
• GeekWithA.45
• SF Alpha Geek