Implications Of making Phone Number Mandatory

[janeread]

I've made the phone number mandatory, so that if we have problem with the order (usually card not authorised) we can phone them to sort it out.

Yesterday someone phoned me and said they didn't want to place an online order, so I took the order over the phone. She wouldn't give me her phone number, until I had assured her that we would only use it in specific circumstances, and not to badger her to buy more. I didn't think to ask till i came off the phone if that was her reason for not ordering online.

So my question is does anyone know if you lose customers if you make phone numbers compulsory in the check out process?

your experiences much appreciated.

Jane

[jont]

I think your phone number is the last private sanctuary most people have. Email addresses are easily changed, spam envelopes can be binned without opening but answering the phone half way through Corrie to be sold double glazing is another level of annoyance. I hate giving out my phone number and often will not when it is optional or provide a fake one if I know it will not be required.

That said - my own sites make the field compulsory. The effort required to sort out issues when you don't have a contact number are a real pain.. it is amazing how many people provide the wrong email address of only check the emails once a week. I do make it very, very obvious in the checkout (even to the point of making a joke that we do not give ANY details to double-glazing salesman) we will ONLY contact you if there is a problem with the order and NEVER contact you with offers, updates, marketing etc etc.

[pinbrook]

i use 999 as my phone number where it is mandatory and I don't want to give it

[george]

i use 999 as my phone number where it is mandatory and I don't want to give it

Which would probably alert us to a possibly fraudulent order!

[george]

This thread may be helpful...

http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=28638

[Darren B]

Which would probably alert us to a possibly fraudulent order!

Fruadsters always use mobile numbers or made up ones, i never send anything if i get the slightest doubt and then i ring them, if i get no reply i then email them and sit on the order until i hear

I have only notice 1 order with 0000000 for the number all the rest seem ok, i have not checked them

cheers
Darren

[pinbrook]

Which would probably alert us to a possibly fraudulent order!

I've never yet had a transaction declined.

i only employ this as a tactic if I feel I am being asked for a phone number unnecessarily.

As a shopkeeper if I have a payment where cvv/address/postcode passes and there is 999 or a very obvious made up phone number I'll still let it through. Probably because I am very protective of my home phone number I can empathise with others who feel the same. Theonly time I'd reject an order if there was a made up phone number is if there were other dodgy things about the order.

Using phone number to help root out fraudulent orders is no longer viable unless you have landline as being mandatory so you can employ the landline/192.com check. There are so many people now only with mobiles that I do not see the difference between using a mobile and 999 as a phone number. There is no sure fire way of looking up a mobile number and matching it to the owners home address - even if this did exsist anyone can have a mobile number with a PAYG bought for cash, thus no amount of checking will ever find an address for this.

[brian.mc]

We make phone number mandatory, mainly because many of our orders are for same day delivery, people tend to place an order online and then forget about it, so might not read their emails in time to resolve any problems. Telephone number gives us a chance to contact them immediately. We ask for day & night numbers, but only make the day one mandatory.

To put their minds at rest we have included the following in the privacy section of our Terms & Conditions:-

We will never contact you by telephone with marketing information. The only telephone contact we will ever make with you will be to discuss an order you have already placed with us.

This seems to work, and we rarely get false numbers given.