A reader named Michael wrote in to tell us about a recent trip to his local Walmart, where he and his wife picked up a pile of groceries totaling over $100. When his wife attempted to pay with her MasterCard at the register, she was asked for a photo ID. [More]
Retail Services
Walmart Auto Care Leaves Car Unlocked With Ignition On, Wanders Off
By 9.8.10
Peter copied Consumerist on his letter to Walmart about his baffling recent experience with a local Auto Care Center. The ever-helpful technicians–who, as he learned later, were apparently random people drafted to perform oil changes on an understaffed day–left Peter’s car unlocked and unattended in the parking lot, with the ignition on but the motor not running, despite his explicit instructions. Would you have shrugged the incident off, or been as angry as Peter? [More]
Master Criminal Steals $11,000 From Walmart Over The Phone
By 9.7.10
Time was, a burglar needed a gun or a knife to hold up a store. But kids today, they got all sorts of new-fangled ways of pulling heists, like the Walmart in Ohio that is now short over $11,000 because of a phone call. [More]
Don't Try To Price Match Online Deals At Walmart
By 9.3.10
Tony tried to get Walmart to drop its price for a car stereo by getting the store to price-match the item, which he found for much cheaper online. His Idaho Walmart, which Tony says has signs outside declaring it will “match any price,” turned him down flat, saying the ad needs to be printed in a newspaper. [More]
Which Transaction Is Faster For Small Purchases: Cash Or Credit?
By 9.3.10
Since we began writing about credit card companies now allowing merchants to require minimum purchases for credit transactions, we’ve received feedback from readers in both the comments and in the tipline about how credit cards are faster and more efficient than cash. At the same time, there are those who swear by cash when it comes to making purchases of only a few dollars. So which is it? [More]
Geek Squad Gets Some Sweet New Wheels
By 9.3.10
Sick and tired of seeing Geek Squadders rolling in those tired old VW Beetles? Then you’re in luck. Ford says they just made a deal to deliver around 1,000 new vans for use by the Best Buy nerd herd. [More]
Target Sells Facebook Gift Cards
By 9.2.10
This holiday season, give the gift of Mafia Wars addiction with Facebook gift cards from Target. [More]
Does Walmart Segregate Its Books By Race?
By 9.2.10
Say you’re shopping at Walmart and decide you want to pick up Barack Obama’s book The Audacity of Hope or maybe you’re an Indianapolis Colts fan and want to hear what Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy has to say in his book The Mentor Leader. But you can’t find either book in the Biography section… Oh, maybe you should look in those unmarked shelves that make up the “black” section of Walmart’s book selection. [More]
Couple Marries Inside Walmart
By 9.2.10
Frugal matrimony? Shelf-stocker falls for assistant manager? They met as their hands simultaneously clasped over the last of the same everyday-low-priced item? Possibilities, endless. I wonder if their marriage license got checked at the door. [More]
GameStop Pulls 'Medal Of Honor' From Stores On Military Bases Because Of Playable Taliban Characters
By 9.2.10
If you live on a military base and really want to buy the new Electronic Arts military shoot-em-up Medal of Honor, which has stirred up controversy by allowing players to play as Taliban members, you’re going to be out of luck shopping at the GameStop on the base.
Chase Declares New York State Lottery 'Illegal Internet Gambling'
By 9.2.10
Not everyone is fond of state lotteries, but you know what they’re not? Illegal. Still, Tim shared his experience with the New York State Lottery and his credit card company, Chase, where the bank chose to treat his lottery subscription payment as a cash advance, with the $10 fee and astronomical interest rate that goes along with it. [More]
Contacting Chase Executive Customer Service Saves Reader $240/Year In Fees
By 9.2.10
How can executive customer service help you? JP Morgan Chase gobbled up Jon’s bank, Washington Mutual, and his high-yield savings account along with it. He writes that when the bank eventually changed his account over to a different type, one that came with a $20/month fee for customers who didn’t keep a $15,000 balance. Instead of rolling over and paying $240 in extra fees or taking his money to another bank, Jon tried something different: he reached out to executive customer service. [More]
At Walmart, 'Chilled Pasta' Is Code For Wine
By 9.1.10
In an alternative universe in which both the internet and Walmart existed during the 1920s, we would have leaped to the conclusion that this shot by Eric signified a rogue rack of moonshine that was on the flipside of one of those rotating walls you see on Scooby-Doo. [More]
BofA Pays To Fedex You Multiple Loan Mod Opps You Don't Care About
By 9.1.10
BofA has been Fedexing Eli a loan mod opportunity once every two months for the past eight months. He has no intention of doing a refi, he’s never been late on a payment and likes his 5/1 ARM and low interest late. Wonder how many other homeowners is BofA frittering away their bailout bucks on by FedExing junk mail. Meanwhile, the people who actually want loan mods are stuck in purgatory. [More]
Amazon To Challenge Netflix With Subscription Video Service?
By 9.1.10
While many companies have recently gotten into the on-demand video business, only a small handful have attempted to follow the Netflix model of offering unlimited video streaming for a flat monthly rate. But the market leader could face a challenge in the near-future from Amazon.com, which is reportedly looking to start a subscription service that would compete directly with Netflix. [More]
When Will The College Tuition Bubble Burst?
By 9.1.10
This is a chart from the Carpe Diem blog showing the increase in college education costs, U.S home prices, and the consumer price index. If we had a housing bubble, the skyrocketing costs of higher education is a super bubble. [More]
Amazon Locks You Out Of Kindle Account, Ignores You For A Month
By 9.1.10
E-readers have a definite advantage over traditional dead-tree books when you’re going on vacation: you can bring a wealth of reading material in one small device. One difference, though: your analog bookshelf can’t lock you out. Your Amazon account can. That’s what Natalia writes happened to her. No one at Amazon has been able to fix the problem for more than a month now. [More]
BofA Tries To Foreclose On Couple With Current Mortgage
By 8.31.10
Even though they have made every payment in full and on time, Bank of America sent one couple a letter asking them for the deed to their house. [More]
