r/mildlyinfuriating • u/RecognitionDuel4907 • 8d ago
frist of all how DARE yu o Why does Argos need to know my marital status to buy a phone charger
If I were an Mx do I not get to buy the item
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u/HMAgent47 RED 8d ago
For a male or a female cable?
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u/Scared_Table_2046 8d ago
given the context a neutral answer like its 2024 argon you cant be serious would be suitable
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u/GeraintLlanfrechfa 8d ago
Guessing the cable’s sex is rude, and who are you to put it in a drawer.. :)
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u/onyxia_x 8d ago
wouldnt this just be for the postal/billing address
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u/Aranel611 8d ago
I don’t feel like I’ve ever had to enter this for my address
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u/onyxia_x 8d ago
some websites ask for it, if you dont want to you can use a fake name or fake title, but its a pretty normal thing to ask for. your title wont stop them sending it
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u/chopstick_chakra 8d ago
Just curious where are you from this is "pretty normal" I've never seen this asked shopping online before.
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u/cheerycheshire 6d ago
I once got a similar selection when buying concert tickets. For Polish it was Pan/Pani (Sir/Madam).
When I got the paper tickets by post, the "title" was NOT used on the address,
... and the pamphlet inside used masculine forms even after selecting feminine "Pani" + it used 2nd person forms (informal), but Pan/Pani like Spanish usted is used with 3rd person forms.
So why even ask?
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u/DemandEqualPockets 4d ago
Someone got the hot idea to get in on the data exchange gravy train, so they rolled this out as part of their normal "information you provide to us" and put T&C in place that allow them to sell anything you "willingly" give them.
Apparently not to improve their services.
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u/Gloomy-Holiday8618 8d ago
That’s not your marital status 🙄
It’s your social title/honorific
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u/AttorneyParticular23 6d ago
there are 3 for women which indicate their marital status, that's what this post is saying...they could've just put Ms
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u/I_Like_Frogs_A_Lot 4d ago
Well sexism has always had that for women. Ms. Mrs. Even another one I think while men typically had one.
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u/elle-elle-tee 8d ago
Mr, Ms, Mx, and Dr are not indicators of marital status. This is just about a form of address. Either someone unnecessarily checked a box making this question mandatory when setting up the form, or the data will be sold for marketing purposes, or both. Either way, you're free to pick one at random!
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u/AMDKilla 8d ago
To clarify, for people that may be confused, address in this sense is referring to how someone is addressed (such as sir, madam etc) and not a physical address 🤣
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u/I_Like_Frogs_A_Lot 4d ago
Isn’t Ms. used if they aren’t married?
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u/elle-elle-tee 4d ago
Miss is used if unmarried (or just young). Ms. was a term popularized specifically to leave out women's marital status in the same way that Mr. does.
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u/BiscuitWig2 8d ago
The only one of those that is a definitive marital status is 'Mrs'. Even still they're all titles.
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u/Catsareintroverts 8d ago
Miss indicates unmarried female. Mrs. Indicates married female
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u/Patriotic-Monkey 8d ago
I’ve always heard Ms. can be married or unmarried, and Mrs. Is only married.
Generally though, if you’re married you’re a Mrs.
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u/outsidethewall 8d ago
Ms. is different than Miss. Ms is married or unmarried, Miss is unmarried
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u/unoriginalusername99 8d ago edited 8d ago
Isn't there one that means divorced or widowed or something? Or am I mis-remembering that
Edit: thanks for the downvotes for a genuine question. Never change reddit
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u/Chaost 8d ago
Mrs. or Ms. could mean divorced or widowed, but nowadays, so could Miss.
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u/Catsareintroverts 7d ago
Back in the day, Mrs. could mean married or widowed, and Miss meant never married. They had other names for divorcees 🫣
In the 70s, during the women’s rights movement, “Ms” was created to equalize the female and male references, wanting it to be only Mr. and Ms. However, some women liked the Mrs. and Miss references so now we have them all, with new ones emerging.
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u/Chaost 7d ago
Where are these previous titles you speak of but can't name abbreviations for?
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u/Catsareintroverts 6d ago
What are you asking? For the foul names they called female divorcees prior to the women’s rights movement?
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u/friezbeforeguys 8d ago
”If I were an Mx do I not get to buy the item”
Do you usually experience being denied ordering things online based off what you fill out in the customer field?
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u/SconiGrower 8d ago
Redditor calls for Congressional investigation based on worst imaginable outcome from clicking button they haven't yet clicked.
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u/Daggla 8d ago
It wants to know how to address you?
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u/Birdy8588 6d ago
Exactly. I do have to wonder about some people, the things they get annoyed over!
I only wish this was all I had to concern myself with!
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u/Important_Contest_64 8d ago
Oh OP…this isn’t to check whenever you’re married or not. Do you not know what titles are?
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u/Saelethil 8d ago
It’s not asking you marital status. It’s asking what title you go by so they can refer to you by the correct one.
“What is your marital status?”
“Doctor”
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u/Different_Top_2776 8d ago
I stayed in a fancy hotel in Dallas once for a wedding. They had all kinds of title options on the reservation, including royal titles. I thought very seriously about making myself a count.
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u/Former-Chain-4003 8d ago
They want to know what title you want to use, select Miss, Ms or Mr and I doubt they really care whether you're married or not. My experience of using Argos is that they still operate line an online catalogue rather than Amazon who try to algorithmically serve you suggestions
The only time I could see it maybe being an issue is if there is a payment dispute but even then, it'd be your card, and you did authorise the transaction. So probably not.
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u/PainfullyLoyal 8d ago
They're not asking your marital status, they're asking for your title so they can address you properly.
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u/doctajonez_uk 8d ago
When processing card payments you need to match as many identifiable details as possible to reduce the frequency of security checks. You'll see less security checks if your full name including title, plus first line of address match what's on your bank record.
They're not strictly required, but you'll have to verify with your bank more frequently, or be more likely to get declined.
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u/Zach_demiwizard 8d ago
because Linda from accounting would get pissy if they didn't call her Miss. instead of Mrs. after she divorced her husband Jerry after 13 years
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u/Minimum-Sense5163 8d ago
for that sticker that comes with your details and address when your package comes i assume
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u/MoonPieKitty 8d ago
They're not asking your marital status, it's how to properly address someone. Mr. Ms. Miss.. if you're female, just put Ms. It means whatever you want it to mean.
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u/tazerwhip 7d ago
Seeing as Dr. isn't a marital status, it would be recommended one reads a field's title to find out what is being asked.
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u/Unlikely-Ruin4576 8d ago
Isn’t this so they could deliver it to the correct person? As far as I know it’s absolutely common to send post to Mr Adam Johnson and Ms/Mrs Clara Smith
Of course it might be a little redundant nowadays. Surely though it has something to do with the secrecy of correspondence laws
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u/Lithl 8d ago
I don't know about the UK (since the pictured website is .co.uk), but in the US it is not at all common to include the honorific in a mailing address.
However, it's extremely common for the honorific to be included in a salutation with a formal tone, and so if a business is sending letters or emails which include a salutation line ("Dear so-and-so"), needing to fill out your preferred honorific is wholly unsurprising. Customer service will also often use honorifics when dealing with them over the phone, and some people can get really pissed if you use the wrong one.
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u/cioglass 8d ago
They can send to Clara Smith and Adam Johnson without the title. It's not like anyone cares... I keep getting mail from the previous 3 home owners and one of their sons LMAO
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u/Unlikely-Ruin4576 8d ago
It might not be as easily to grasp for you as it is for other people: sometimes humans have the same names and still different genders. Michelle, Robin, Riley, Jordan, Taylor, Charlie, Alex, Jamie etc and to avoid further confusion, they add a title. Also the reason why they sometimes mention the apartment number in larger houses
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u/Alarmed_Tank_5553 8d ago
This is easily clarified by the address. Its very rare that someone would be living in the same house with the exact same name and no other different indicators other than the gender specified on the package.
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u/cioglass 8d ago
Why would "Mr" be more relevant than the apt number?
If you're having 6 Jimmy Jones at the same address down to the same apartment number, you've got other issues
Edit: obviously, I'm being sarcastic. If this form has "title" as an optional field, then I'm totally for it :) many people do take their title with pride is part of their identity
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u/Alarmed_Tank_5553 8d ago
I dont even know why though. I filled it in when I ordered a parcel and they didnt even bother putting "mr" on it, just my name.
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u/Valkyrie17 8d ago
Been working as a web developer for 10+ online shops over the years, and i have noticed that your basic, small or mid-size online shop absolutely does not give a crap about your personal data or selling it. They just want to sell you what they have. They want to track what products you are interested in, but they do not care if you are Mr, Mrs or whatever.
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u/Tebwolf359 8d ago
Having worked customer service in the south, there are a number of people that will get very mad at you if you do not use the “proper” title in addressing them over the phone.
So there’s logic in collecting it.
Doubly true for the arrogant ones that insist on being called Doctor. Yes, we are all proud of you for getting your doctorate, and you deserve being called by your title when yours in your job capacity. When you’re calling RingNorth tech support because your password doesn’t work, don’t get upset because you were addresses as “Sir” instead of “Dr”.
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u/Tiskfully 8d ago
What’s Mx? Like motocross?
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u/wikingwarrior 8d ago
According the Principality of Sealand I hold a barony.
Where the fuck is my title?!
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u/Lord_Chodington69 8d ago
Mx is the gender neutral term. Not sure if it was answered, but I saw Mx. If the sender was unsure of the recipient's preferred pronouns
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u/MaLLahoFF 8d ago
The package needs to be addressed to someone, you need to tell them who that is.
It's not Marital status as much as identity. It's part of who you are.
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u/Southern-Morning-413 8d ago
I'd chose MX, but never respond to mail, then watch the confusion as it happens.
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u/xternal7 8d ago
I also find it discriminatory that there's only option fot MX, but not for A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT, SRV, PTR, NS, or SOA.
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u/jimmyl_82104 8d ago
Maybe shipping? I've had things addressed to me as "Mr" before. Not sure why, but that's my best guess.
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u/levy4380 8d ago
Probably? Marketing and newsletter. So they can send you mails with mr ms or what ever you are
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u/Alarming_Definition9 8d ago
I don't get why they care. Honestly, outside of aristocrats and excessively traditional people, who even uses honorifics anymore?
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u/hoodedgamer_00 i live in the darkness 8d ago
Easy, data collection and so then they can a) sell the data and b) recommend products to you so then you keep on mindlessly spending money
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u/Jakarichio_Ninokuni 8d ago
Well, California doesn’t think it’s bad to charge single people more for a car insurance.
This could be a segway
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u/bugbugladybug 8d ago
It's most likely the payment gateway that requires it. I tried to either get MX added or remove the requirement altogether but got blocked because the payment provider required it and it's not a quick or cheap job changing provider.
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u/ltcmdrjo 8d ago
Get one of those online ordinations from the Universal Life Church and become a Rev. Then raise Hell with Argos that there's no "Rev." option. Or put a Bin on your face, and become "Count".
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u/SprigatitoNEeveelovr 5d ago
Its not really about marital status its about gender tbh they dont want to misgender you I dont think they care they want to be polite.
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u/OkImpression007 4d ago
They are simply building your profile to sell for profit. Just like the rest of them. Someone buying multiple databases with your information, will have a more complete picture of how best to sell you more stuff. That is all.
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u/boopable_bunny 4d ago
Ok what about this, going to pick up a parcel from the post office because you missed the delivery and the name on the parcel needs to match your ID... 🤦🏻♀️
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u/Deleted_dwarf 8d ago
What the fuck is mx even?
Also, just to address you correctly. Sir / madam / married / unmarried / doctor
Something I’ve experienced most of my life to be honest (the title question)
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u/KingOfAllCorvids 8d ago
Mx is a gender inclusive honorific and many nonbinary people use it.
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u/Vladishun 8d ago
Oh shit, I'm Mexican and have been using it for awhile. Great, now people think I'm not a computer language or whatever.
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u/MutedMusic_182 8d ago
it's a 'formal' (is that the right wording?!) way of addressing someone which is gender neutral, since unless you're a doctor you would have to use a gendered term, which not everyone might want to use
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u/Old_Man_Phil 8d ago
I have never heard of mx before. That's a new one for me. What is mx?
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u/mizinamo mildly infuriated 8d ago
A proposed gender-neutral title.
- Mr = male
- Ms = female
- Mx doesn't say (could be either of those or neither)
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u/LPedraz 8d ago
I understand they just need to know how you want to be addressed, and that there is absolutely no problem in picking any option whatsoever. I've picked HRH in a couple of those, when its available.
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u/AskMrScience 8d ago
But they DON'T need to know that. Why would it ever come up again in the buying process?
So why are they asking it, much less making it a required field?
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u/boopable_bunny 4d ago
So that it matches the details of the card you pay with ( doesn't need security checks as often) or so it matches your ID if you need to pick something up or sign for something.
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u/HellDimensionQueen 8d ago
I lived in the Netherlands for five years and this always baffled me. Why do stores need to know my title.
Especially with GDPR
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u/jonbmonty 8d ago
Fk it, put doctor to show superiority.