Booking things online: making it difficult

[Robin Orton]

Why when you book things online (theatre or train tickets, appointments at the optician) do you have to set up an 'account', with a password? Why can't you just book, pay (if necessary) and go away?

[chrisj1948]

For some sites you do not need to generate an account. You still have to supply 90% of the information required to set up an account (the delivery and billing addresses, contact numbers, card details etc.) so if you are sure that you are never going to use that site again you gain a little by not opening an account, but for a second purchase you would have to provide the details all over again.

Paypal seems to be gaining ground as a payment method for on-line purchases because it enables you to use an 'account' which already has the necessary information.

Regards
Chris

[Robin Orton]

Yes, I can understand that if it's something you have to pay for there and then whenever you use the site. I suppose it's having to produce yet another password (which I shall inevitably forget) that irritates me. If I'm going to pay them, rather than vice versa, why do they need me to prove that I am who I say I am?

And I still don't understand why I have to open an 'account' to book an optician's appointment. Is it so that they can bombard me with spam?

[robbieduncan]

Use a password manager. I am a big fan of 1Password