Do retail sites still keep your personal info if you don't buy anything?
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52201)
Staten Island, New York
December 26, 2020 1:32pm CST
My mom wanted to buy some new bed linens that seemed to be on sale online at Nordstrom Rack. I told her I'd go on the site myself and see if I can get any discounts applied to the order through my Capital One Shopping or Swagbucks accounts.
The only way I was able to try and apply any found codes was by first entering my name and email and then my address and phone number. In the end, no codes worked, so no additional discounts could be applied.
I talked to my mom and we decided that even with the discount that was already given on the site the bed lines were expensive and we were not gonna order them. I went ahead and removed them from my shopping cart and closed the site's tab.
But this made me wonder... Even though I did not complete the checkout process and ordered the stuff does that mean they still have all that personal info I entered into the site when I was in the check out process? If they do then it is wrong on so many levels...
And I also wonder why you have to enter all that info before you can even try to apply any codes and see if they work and give any discounts... Sometimes you can't even know the total of your order or what your shipping charges will be until you enter all that info.
7 people like this
6 responses
@DaddyEvil (174558)
• United States
26 Dec 20
Yes, any site you enter personal information into both keeps your information and sells it on to others. That way, even if you don't buy anything now, they still keep you in a mailing list (both online and snail-mail) so they can attempt to get your business later. They also get to sell the information you gave them on, so it is a win-win proposition for them!
Of course, you are allowed to request that they delete your information from their online site. But you can't do anything about them having already sold your information on to others. (As other sites spam you, of course, you can request each additional site remove your data. But in all likelihood, they have also sold your information on to others, too. *shrug*)
I keep 'throw-away' email addresses to give to companies like that. After I give them one, I cancel that email account and don't worry about who else may have gotten it before I cancelled it.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174558)
• United States
28 Dec 20
@lovebuglena Yes, since you "give permission" by giving the site the information in the first place.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
28 Dec 20
@DaddyEvil But I never give them permission to sell my data to others. They do that of their own free will. Is there a disclaimer on sites that says your day may be sold to others... I've not seen it.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Dec 20
I know this has been going on for a long time but Is that even legal to sell our info to others?
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222527)
• United States
27 Dec 20
What Carol said. You should be OK; but if not, have them remove your info.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
26 Dec 20
Well, I am sure if you delete your card info surely that is not stored, but it would not surprise me if it still keeps there on the site. I know that sometimes when I eliminate an item from my cart, sometimes the site whatever I am on, will send an email and say do you still want this item?
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Dec 20
I never entered the card info thankfully.
I've had that happen to me as well. Either I get an email asking if I am still interested in that item or they are recommending me that item...
1 person likes this
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
26 Dec 20
@lovebuglena Yes. It makes everything easier when you don't have to re-enter info every time you order. If you get an email from them, I would complain.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Dec 20
But you have account with them, no?
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Dec 20
I don't know if they still keep that info or not. I never thought about that until now.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Dec 20
@CarolDM That is wrong. They shouldn't keep our info if we do not actually check out.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
28 Dec 20
That means your personal data are no longer in their site. That's why you have to reenter them.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
28 Dec 20
I should not have to enter all my personal information to find out what my shipping will be and what the total will be or if I can apply any discounts. I should be able to do that without providing them my info first.
1 person likes this
