THE REWARDS RACKET

I feel somewhat sorry for cashiers in retail stores now days.  They are forced to, by their employers, give this spiel to each customer who transacts business at their register.  "Do you have a rewards card?"  "If you open a credit card today you can save 20% on this purchase."  "Do you have an e-mail address to receive specials and coupons?"  "Your zip code please."  It drives me nuts!  I love to have small talk with the customer service person.  I like to engage them, see them smile.  I want to be the person who is nice to them, treating them like they are part of the human race.   I realize it is not their own policy that they are carrying out with their bevy of statements and sales pitches designed to garner information and/or more business from me.  I really don't want yet another rewards card.  My wallet and/or key chain just can't hold them all.  Really I think most consumers would rather you just reduce the cost of the product and skip the "reward" savings or points garnered with each purchase crapola.  It is just one more thing to keep track of - REWARD POINTS!   If I do keep track of them, then I must make a decision on how to use them up.  Again, that takes time and effort that I don't want to give up to REWARD POINTS!  I realize that stores do market research analysis on demographics.  It helps them know what sells and who is shopping in their store.  I don't like it though.  I don't want to tell the cashier at Lowes or Menards what my phone number or zip code is.  It's none of their business if you ask me.  They have my money for their product now let's just call it even.  I do not like the length of receipts any more either.   Recently I went to Target.  Purchasing only 4 items, I left with a receipt that was (no exaggeration as I measured it!) 8 inches in length.  What in the world!!  How do I fit that in my wallet.  No wonder my wallet and purse look like a mess.  Nor do I  want to take the survey through the link that is listed at the bottom of the receipt.  Although, I would love to win the $5,000 if I did.  I just want the items I purchased listed, the method of purchasing used along  with store name, date and time on the receipt.  End of story.  That would take less than 4'.  This is excessive, creates consumer annoy ability and cannot be that effective compared to the cost of more receipt rolls used for each register.  I really do wish stores would leave me alone as I pay for my purchase.  Please just merely thank me for shopping there as I have just spent $125.00 in groceries.  You want more than that?  My zip code?  Nope.