Date: April 22, 2025
Author: Chloe Davis
I’ve been holding onto this little secret for a while now, and I think it’s time I finally admitted it. So, a few years ago, I worked for a well-known retail company, let’s just say it was a giant in the industry with an app that has perks for both employees and customers. As part of my role, I was required to use my work email as the “Account Owner” email for the app’s beta testing. Super simple stuff, just a quick sign-up and you’re good to go.
Here’s the funny thing: when I eventually decided to leave and move to a new job, I asked the company to change the “Account Owner” email back to my personal one. That was the email I originally used when I first set up the app, and I figured it would be an easy switch. After all, they made it clear that we could edit the email on our side of things, and it only took about 45 seconds for me to figure out how to do it back when I first started.
But nope. When I reached out to customer support, I was told it wasn’t possible to just change the email back. Instead, they said I had to create an entirely new account. At first, I tried to be polite about it, but the more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it sounded. I’d already been using that email for years, and they were making a huge deal out of it. Honestly, I was pretty annoyed, but I also realized that it wasn’t worth going back and forth over. I figured I could still access the app, and it didn’t really matter if my email was connected to an account that no longer had any association with the company. So, I let it go.
Here’s the kicker: I still have full access to the app, with all the same features and perks I had before. I’m not supposed to be getting those employee discounts or insider features anymore, but guess what? I still get them. I never bothered to switch my email, and the app has never caught on. I know that sounds shady, but it’s not like I’m abusing the system or anything. I’m just using the app as I did when I was an employee, and I’m not really sure how it hasn’t been flagged yet.
I mean, I don’t feel too bad about it, since I’m not taking advantage of anything that would have a huge impact on the company. But I can’t help but chuckle every time I make a purchase and get those discounts. It’s the kind of thing that feels a little rebellious in a way that only someone who’s worked in retail for too long would understand.
So, yeah, the app still thinks I’m one of their employees. And to be honest, I’m probably going to keep it that way as long as I can.
