The long of it

It seems to have become a trend. Buy one item--just one!--and the receipt is six inches long. Not only are the particulars there--store name, address, phone number and maybe the manager's name, date, time, receipt and terminal number--but there's very often a contest. Go online to such-and-such, answer the very quick (really?), non-intrusive (oh, please) quiz about this visit to this store and be entered for a chance to win an $X shopping card.

Have you done it?

Realizing my chances of such are just about zero, I rarely do. I did give the Wal-Mart one a try early in their game, but I think it's because I hadn't found what I'd set out to snag. And then, the questionnaire did not lend itself to my complaint. I will phone in, like when Chico's forks over with a survey, but then the reward is immediate: money off your next purchase, here's the code. Just what I needed was another excuse, uh, reason, to go in.

Sometimes there is a contact number if you have a complaint/compliment about your shopping experience. Not often, though. I think mainly they want your personal info to better "tailor" your shopping experience. Yes, that's what I'm sure of: every Big Box I frequent is tailoring my shopping experience there to fit me. And you. And you, too.

Thing is, I save every receipt: sales tax, in case the item doesn't work or wears out too soon, my very own price checks. So I've a bundle of paper, made wider and deeper by verbosity.

For once, it isn't mine.