I always knew salespeople were audacious. I didn’t know until yesterday that some of it stems from the audacity of their higher-ups. We went to South Coast yesterday in search of, well, lingerie. So we found the Victoria’s Secret. I went to look for my size in a rack of something and a cute, sparkly-faced saleschick interposed herself asking what size I was looking for. A dialogue ensued regarding weight loss and undergarment entropy and how many different sizes I had been found to need in the last few months. I was about to do as she was implying was The Way here and go try on their samples rather than sully the merchandise when she brought up the "Angels Card."
"You get over $75 in potential savings over the course of a year, and two years of our catalog!" she chirped.
I pulled out my standard response. "I wouldn’t use it enough."
"Oh, you don’t have to. It’s completely free."
Fine. "Eh, why not."
"Fantastic! It’s just five easy questions." Uh-oh. The catch. "Do you have a credit card for reference?" I did. Swipe. "And can I have your social?"
Riiiiight. Like I’m going to give that out to someone I don’t know, who doesn’t work for the SSA or my employer, in the middle of a store full of strangers. "I’m sorry, I don’t give out my social."
I don’t think I’ve seen anyone look so confused in weeks. "But–but we don’t give your information out to anyone."
"That’s fine, but I don’t give out my social."
So, no Angels Card. Not that I want it, at that price (or the price they charge for underwear, either). But I’m left wondering, what the fuck does Victoria’s Secret need with my social? The credit card should be enough, and handing that over was borderline. If it’s free, it’s free. You’re not promising them any money or business, and in fact you start out by costing them in paper and printing expenses. You don’t need to be a citizen to buy underwear. What gives?
They wouldn’t want to sell heavy weaponry in
the battle of the sexes to a potential
terrorist! Goodness no, exports of lingerie
are now controlled through the Patriot Act. 🙂
Yeah, I’ve just marked myself as reluctant to cooperate with the regime. I can just see it….”Fire one! Fire two! Fire….three?” “It’s a push-up, sir.”
The Angel Card is their credit card. I am still trying to fight them over merchandise that I returned to them, that was purchased on an Angel Card, that they say I owe them for.
But they say that they recieved the returned merchandise…..Return=pay?
The only reason they need your social is because it is a credit card…. credit check!!! I’ve seen it in many stores who offer cards on the spot (instant credit.) They use your credit/debit card as a reference (they usually can only get your current mailing address that way as well as the credit limit, etc. on that certain card I think) and then your social is for the actual credit check! None of the information stays in the store and there is no way for them to look it up. There is a piece of paper that prints out with the information so you may verify that it’s correct but they will either tear it up or give it back to you – if they don’t, just ask for it!!!
as a employee of Victorias secret, its important that you know that the angels card is a credit card, thats why she needed your social. So the company can show there credit burea that that is your info and that only you can use it. The credit card simply shows them that you have some established credit, since are credit card carrier company is not a first credit grantor.
Ok lady….. i work for Victoria’s secret and let me tell you… i dont know how the hell you got a “credit card” when you dont “give out” your social??????????!!!!!! If you didnt want it you could have said i am not intestesed first you agree and then tell them “oh i dont give out my social” ……..CUT THE DAMN CRAP….I wonder where you work cuz i want to come over there and do the same thing to you……….. here is a helpfull hint ……… RESPECT OTHERS AND THEY WILL RESPECT YOU !!!!
First, a helpful hint: follow your own advice. I’d rather have deleted your comment, but it seems that in your ranting you missed my point. My credit card, which is real, was obtained through my bank, who already had my social because I gave it to a single person, in writing, in a one-on-one setting. The employee in question was standing with me in the middle of a noisy store, during a sale with several new-item promotions and thus many customers around, and was asking me to tell her, verbally and loudly enough for her to hear, my most sensitive and abusable piece of personal identification. No.
Also, as an employee of VS, I imagine you can corroborate the information above that the Angels Card is a credit card. It was misrepresented to me as a “discount card,” which is why I agreed to sign up. Had I been told the truth, I would have declined on the spot.
Based on your reaction to my post, I’m glad it wasn’t you who was helping me. Having worked in pure customer service positions, I do have respect for the men and women in the trenches every day, and I do my best to be a good customer. The employee I spoke to may have gone out into the parking lot on her break and bitched about me; that’s her right and her privilege. It is my right and my privilege as a customer to purchase and agree to only that with which I am comfortable, and it is my obligation as a human being to treat those selling it to me as I would want to be treated. If this policy is as difficult for you as it seems, please let me know before you go back under your bridge which store you work at, so that I can avoid going there in future.
On a funnier note, it seems someone has launched a comic book called Victoria’s Secret Service. The writer describes it as “a team of fabulous babe enforcers who protect the British royal family from myriad James-Bond-esque threats.”
Wow!! It seems to me there was more than one way to settle this situation. I would have walked away because dealing with SOME of the perky YOUNG gals working at many stores show their “upbringing” the minute they open their mouths. Showing their IQ is impossible because they have none to speak of. They do however know the price of a piece of gum which they chomp on like it’s the last piece on earth. I myself really love VS clothing and will continue to buy it via catalog so there is no need to deal with these young things who couldn’t care less about you OR the “old ladies clothes” they “like-have to sell-for sure!!”
Mary, I’m quite insulted by your comments about the YOUNG things in those stores. Not every young girl working in retail or food service has an IQ of nearly nothing. I, myself, am a product of retail and food service industry AS I am working to put myself through college in pursuit of my B.A. in Economics. And I’ll have you know mostly my entire VS is comprised of the same individuals. As for the topic at hand it is very to disguise a credit card as a discount card, etc to cloak customers into signing up. But from an internal standpoint, there is alot of pressure put on the sales reps to make those numbers. Some employees can’t leave until they make their sales. Again I am not condoning lying. As a consumer I just advise you to ask questions; and if you don’t want to be bother don’t be rude just say so.
My mistake, he 6th sentence SHOULD read:
As for the topic at hand, it is very WRONG to disguise a credit card as a discount card, etc. . . . .
My gosh people… lighten up!!! at least you have money to purchase lingerie and you have a job to go to!! Consider yourself lucky and move on!!!
I work at Vs and I know for a fact they can’t sign you up for the credit card w/o your social. So you would have to tell her. And as for the IQ, yours must be pretty low to even say something like that. At more we always say “Angel Credit Card”, but even still there is no way you can sign up without your social, it won’t let us do it. I mean to be honest I wish we didn’t have to sell it at all. But complaining to employees will not do anything, you need to complain to the corprate office. Tell them that most clients don’t want to be bothered with questions about a dumb card. Maybe they will change it.
that more was supposed to be “my store”, ha ha. That really helps with the whole iq thing. But now, not everyone who works there is dumb. At least there smart enough to have jobs.
Michelle –
If you’re replying to the original post, please note that it was written in 2003, and that it implies what further comments by me have reiterated: the salesperson did not, at any time, inform me that the Angels Card was a credit card. This thread was the first place I learned that bit of info. I imagine that policies regarding how the card is presented have changed since it was first introduced, possibly partly due to the issues described in the OP.
If you’re replying to another commenter, I hope you’ve read the dates on their comments; I don’t think most of them check this thread anymore.
i actually work at victoria’s secret and they force you to get credit cards at least one per two hours with the measly pay, and all the stress they still expect us to get credit and when clients say no they get upset at us and they cut hours they make us suspect from thieves
yeah, i work at a VS…i hate asking for credit because I know that I am probably leading the customer into all kinds of debt if they’re not careful…but it’s part of the job…and like Layla said, we are forced to get credit…credit = hours, hours = pay….we do what we have to do…
hi , I have a question . If somebody know where can I buy Victoria’s Secret customer returns (without tags or with cut tags) ? any on-line catalog? website ?
thanks , kate