Nokia has already had a few problems rolling out its new touchscreen 5800 XpressMusic phone, including earpieces that go bad in humid weather and firmmware that wouldn’t work on certain big-city 3G networks on the US model, but now they’re screwing around with something serious: customers’ money.
Retail Services
Best Buy Taking Over Circuit City Credit Cards
By 3.31.09
“Good news about your credit card account,” proclaims the letter Wilman recently received from Chase. Starting in May, you’ll be able to use that Circuit City card to make purchases at Best Buy. We think this is more like “mixed feelings” news, but on the plus side you won’t have an otherwise good credit card account closed (assuming you care about your FICO score). See the Chase letter below.
Morning Deals
By 3.31.09
- CVS Pharmacy: [Drugstore] 20% off everything online w/ coupon spring20
- Newegg: [Portable Video] Flip Video MinoHD HD Video Camcorder $209 Shipped
- JR: [Water Filter] Brita On-Tap Replacement Filter for $15 + $5 s&h
AT&T Supervisor Takes Back Refund Offer Because You Dared To Question Her
By 3.31.09
Claire was told the wrong thing by an AT&T Wireless rep regarding international long distance, but when she called back to sort things out, she came up against the Nurse Ratched of the AT&T call center—a woman who refused to give in, or offer any help at all. In fact, when Claire finally admitted defeat and said she’d accept the credit that had been offered to her, the supervisor refused. Apparently Claire only had one chance to accept that and since she said no, it was off the table.
By 3.30.09
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The website freeshipping.org has launched a new blog named “Go Frugal,” aimed at helping consumers find ways to save money. [Go Frugal]
Worst Company In America: Home Depot VS Citibank
By 3.30.09
Did the Home Depot not improve your home? Did Citibank mess up your mortgage? Which is worse?
Morning Deals
By 3.30.09
- Quaker Oats: [Freebies] Free True Delights Granola Bar Sample
- REI: [Cycles] K2 Easy Street Bike for $300 + $74 s&h, more
Walmart Violates Company Policy, Pretends Not To Accept Bike Returns
By 3.28.09
The Walmart in Norman, Oklahoma refused to accept bike returns until a district manager, acting on a reader tip, reminded the store that they were violating company policy. Reader Keia tried to return the “shoddily constructed,” “dangerous piece of garbage” for a bike that Walmart sold him, but an employee, backed by the store manager, explained that since Walmart could repair the bike, their return policy didn’t apply. That didn’t sound right, so Keia went over their heads…
Citibank Won't Accept The Extra Money You Sent To Payoff Your Student Loans
By 3.28.09
We’re all about to see more money in our paychecks thanks to lower payroll taxes, but if you want to use the savings to payoff your student loans, you better act on the one day that Citibank will take your money. At least that’s what Citibank told reader Valori, who tried sending the bank a check with instructions to apply it towards the principal on her student loans. The bank instead applied it to her usual monthly payment and told her that the only way to pay down her principal was to “setup an automatic payment on the Citibank website to debit on the same day as [the] automatic payment is direct debited.” Does that seem easy to anyone?
Best Buy Might Replace Your Lemon Of A Laptop If It Breaks A Sixth Time. Probably Not.
By 3.28.09
Please don’t pull the cord on Howard’s laptop or it will die. Best Buy‘s Geek Squad has failed five times to coax his laptop’s ailing battery into holding a charge, replacing both the battery and the hard drive, and shipping Howard the same incorrect replacement battery three times. Howard now wants Best Buy to honor their lemon policy by giving him a new laptop, but it seems like every Geek Squad agent has a different copy of the replacement policy, and none of them apply to Howard. It’s almost like he’s asking for a price match! Let’s read his story, inside…
Shopper Arrested For Saying "The F Word" At Walmart
By 3.27.09
Well, here’s a truly weird story, disorderly conduct charges have been dropped against a Texas woman who dropped an f-bomb at her local Walmart.
Bank Of America Charges You To Cash Its Own Checks If You're Not A Customer
By 3.27.09
Bank of America doesn’t think cashing checks drawn on its own accounts is a service that should be free to no-name people who come in off the streets—they want $6 for that privilege, one reader recently discovered.
Do Not Think About Walmart's Website Price Matching Policy Or Risk Brain Damage
By 3.26.09
Reader Doug bought a TV at Walmart this morning — and then he returned a TV at Walmart this morning. Why? Because even though Walmart’s website lets you buy things at the lower website prices and have them shipped to the store for free — you have to wait for the warehouse to ship the TV to your local Walmart — even if they already have the TV in stock.
Worst Company In America: Best Buy VS T Mobile
By 3.26.09
An international cellphone giant VS the big blue monster… what is your whim?
Worst Company In America: Walmart VS HP
By 3.26.09
A controversial retailer VS a computer company with a black hole for a warranty repair operation. Which will you choose?
Bealls Florida Says Amazon Confused Listings On 12 Piece Dinnerware Mini-Fiasco
By 3.26.09
It took a while, but Bealls Florida has sent us their official explanation for why people who thought they were buying 12 plates through an Amazon sale received just 1 earlier this month.
Target: For Want Of A Shoe, A Customer Service War Was Lost
By 3.26.09
Target sold Shawn a defective shoe, and then gave him defective customer service when he tried to get exchange it for a functional shoe. Here is his amusing story, which he was kind enough to submit already written in the third person.
