Why do websites make you register a username/password when shopping on them?

[kamil]

Have you guys noticed this? Everytime I try to buy something from a website it takes you through this long process of registering for a username and password.
Am I the only one this crap happens to? I don't remember seeing this about a year or two ago, it was very easy then. Point, click buy, enter your credit card number and you you recieve the item in a few days.


Is there a point to it? I've canceled many orders because it prompted me to register for their website.

[TheDon]

so you can order again in the point click manner most the time like at amazon.com with the one click shopping deal and if you are a freqeunt shopper so you dont have to enter all that crap again.. plus its easier for the govt to track spending trends

[kamil]

Originally Posted by TheDon

so you can order again in the point click manner most the time like at amazon.com with the one click shopping deal and if you are a freqeunt shopper so you dont have to enter all that crap again.. plus its easier for the govt to track spending trends

I knew all the above except "government tracking your spending trends"
I still think it's annoying, especially if are only going to buy once from the site.

[sfloriII]

I'm sure it's also so the company you bought from get demographic info about you.

BTW, I realized that Car and Driver sells its subscription info to people. I received a solicitation via mail for Sprint that had my name mispelled exactly the same way Car and Driver lists me on the address label. I also only use my first intitial "S" many times when ordering online or for magazine subscriptions. That way, like with the Sprint mail, I know for sure that they got my info from another company online.

[kamil]

Capital One also sells your information to other companies. I realized it the same way that you did, I had the wrong middle initial when I first opened a credit card account, now I get all types of solicitations from all over with the wrong middle initial.

[Eskimo]

I'm another one who finds it annoying that some web sites want one to go through a whole registration song and dance in order to make a simple purchase. I appreciate that some of them provide the option right from the beginning of the checkout process to either (1) register with them or (2) make the purchase without registration.

What really bugs me is industrial suppliers who won't let me view list prices without registering and logging in. Some won't even let me browse their on-line catalog without doing so!

[Eskimo]

Originally Posted by kamil

I've canceled many orders because it prompted me to register for their website.

If you want to make the message clear, then drop them an e-mail to let them know that they had your business right up to the point where they required registration.

Sure, they might just ignore it, but not everybody is stupid. The message might eventually reach someone who can do something about it.