Phone number mandatory?

[aurel42]

Hey A2A,

do you have a really good reason for making the phone number mandatory for Billing Addresses?

Unless you're using a payment provider which refuses processing without the customer's phone number, I would prefer if you didn't force me to enter a fake number in my account.

(I do have good reasons for not supplying information which is not necessary. Happy to discuss them, if they're not obvious already.)

Thanks,
Marc

[Oracle427]

Sure, can we call you to discuss? :p~

[Ron Attwood]

What's wrong with a fake number if the billing program thinks it's OK? It's not as if Lewis or Scott's going to ring you.

[aurel42]

What's wrong with a fake number if the billing program thinks it's OK?

I would simply prefer to not being forced to provide false information to A2A. I don't think twice about giving a fake number to most other outfits, because not being able to trust them is a given, but A2A is among a tiny number of companies that have never lied to me, disappointed me, sold crap to me, or marketed aggressively to me, and they don't bother me with DRM which means they trust me. It feels kinda wrong to lie, even if it's just a stupid field in an address form. I guess it's just the way I'm wired.

Since the requirement to enter a phone number is new, I figured I should speak up now or hold my peace forever.

Meanwhile, I did actually register using a fake number. Still would've preferred to be able to leave the field empty. Should the mandatory status of the field be dropped, I would remove that number from my billing address, knowing full well that it would not make the slightest difference to anybody but me.

[Ron Attwood]

Did you get the product you were after?

[Scott - A2A]

aurel42,

I hear you and agree. This must be a default setting in our new store, we'll remove this as a requirement.

Scott.

[aurel42]

I hear you and agree. This must be a default setting in our new store, we'll remove this as a requirement.

I appreciate it!

Did you get the product you were after?

I just registered with the new site to get access to the new installers and I set up my address so I won't waste precious seconds when the Bonanza is released.

[Buffy Foster]

Yay, Scott, for being on top of taking care of customers! \o/

[aurel42]

*bump*

[Scott - A2A]

Marc,

The next time you (or anyone concerned about this) makes a purchase and don't want to put your phone number it, try using a fake one. Frankly, I put in a random number whenever I purchase something from other retailers and they require it (like you, I just don't want my number on a million call lists). I suggest this because I can't see anywhere in our preferences that we require a phone number for the transaction. This may be something not directly in our control with all of the fraud today.

Scott.

[Buffy Foster]

Use 310-867-5309 and tell them to ask for Jenny.