I stopped into Best Buy on the way home from work Friday. I was looking to buy some batteries for our video and digital cameras. When the cashier prodded me for my phone number, I politely declined and paid for my items, not thinking much of it as I left. Only today did the signifigance hit me.

I love Best Buy’s product selection and I love its prices. I especially love its return policy. It gives me confidence when I shop to know my satisfaction is guaranteed.

But returns can be costly to retailers. Best Buy has competitive prices and margins to protect. Obviously, the phone number thing is for tracking customers, but it wasn’t until today I remembered the extent of Best Buy’s efforts to discourage bum customers.

Radio Shack used to pester their customers for their phone numbers. Customers eventually got tired of being hassled and instead told them where to go. They don’t do that anymore. Apparently

Your job as a retailer is to make it as easy as possible to spend my money. Used to be that shopping at Best Buy was effortless until you actually had to pay for your items. Then you’d wait in line all morning while two cashiers rang up sixty customers. Now the cashier hurdle is gone, but the phone number thing has sprung up in its place.

Hey, BB: you can’t have my number. Let it go. I never had a thing for you: we were just friends. And please don’t start treating your customers like statistics.