I stopped by a Wal-Mart in Englewood today to pick up some cheap army toys for a little friend (special request). After I swiped by credit card, the console asked for my zip code and I just didn't feel like cooperating with their marketing program so I entered a false one. My card was rejected! No way that it was for lack of funds, it's one that I hardly ever use and it worked at the gas station just minutes before. I paid cash and left.

More often than not, I don't provide extra information about myself during retail transactions. Cuts Deluxe doesn't need to know my phone number. Uh-uh. I don't mind them not knowing when my last haircut was. I didn't mind giving the information to my membership retailer, since I trade that for lower costs and higher interest rates and rebates. Maybe Wal-Mart was looking out for my safety by asking for my zip code but I would rather take my chances and not have them know where I live.