Retail Services

Morning Deals

By Ben Popken 11.6.08
  • Buy.com: Nokia 500 4.3″ Auto Navigation GPS for $99.99 Shipped
  • T.G.I. Friday’s: Buy One Entree, Get One Free
  • Newegg: Corsair 8GB USB Drive for $9.99 Shipped After Rebate

Highlights From Buxr

  • Chadwicks: 40% off one item with coupon code: CH18567
  • Brylane.com: 40% off One item w/ coupon code: BHOFF40
  • PC Micro Store: Coupon Codes: 20% Off Your Whole Order w/ coupon code: 20%SuperTue And More

Highlights From Dealnews

  • Buy.com: Refurbished Gateway AMD Dual Core 2GHz 14″ Laptop for $500 + free shipping
  • AT&T Internet: AT&T High Speed Internet Basic for $15/month + Wi-Fi access
  • InvisibleShield: ZAGG invisibleSHIELD Full Body Protection for MacBook for $44 + free shipping

Highlights From Dealhack

  • Puma.com: Save 20% off All Footwear & Apparel + Free Shipping with Coupon
  • REI Outlet: Save up to 50% off Clearance Sunglasses & Optics
  • Brooks Brothers: Save at Least 15% off Everything Store-Wide
2008 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

2008 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

By Ben Popken 11.5.08

Want to make sure your present makes it in time for that special holiday moment? Check out Dealhack’s list of over 130 retailers and their shipping deadlines. By the way, deadlines for sending mail to military post offices are coming up very soon. If you’ve got something heavy, you should probably order it by this Friday, November 7th. Lighter stuff, by November 28. Checked the list and don’t get caught like I did one year, having to write a humorous fable to explain why all my presents would be showing up the week after Christmas.

Best Buy Sells "New" Laptop Used By Employee

Best Buy Sells "New" Laptop Used By Employee

By Ben Popken 11.5.08

Best Buy sold Clif a “new” laptop one of their employees had bought, used, and returned. They made up for it by giving him an actually new laptop with a slightly better configuration, then tried to upsell him to the Best Buy extended warranty. Two things I enjoyed about this story: 1) The clerk he went to return the laptop to was the same employee who had used the laptop (Clif knew this because he saw the guy’s resume on the laptop) 2) Clif then subsequently asked to speak to the manager in private and explained the situation there. That’s the classy way to do it.

Morning Deals

Morning Deals

By Ben Popken 11.5.08
  • KB Toys: 20% off entire order, even sale items, 11/9 5-6pm, in-store only
  • Woot: Dremel Duo Kit 7.2v 2-Tool Kit with Stylus and Driver for $59.99
  • Overstock.com: How to get 20% off at Overstock.com using Microsoft Live search
  • Amazon: Robert Pattinson: Eternally Yours for $4.99. Includes over eight pages of hunky full-color glossy photos! Swoon!

Highlights From Buxr

  • Walmart: Free sample of Orville Redenbacher’s Natural Lime & Salt Gourmet Popping Corn
  • Adorama: Lexar 4 GB Professional 300x UDMA Compact Flash Memory Card for $4.95 after $70 rebate w/ Free shipping
  • Buy.com: Kensington RDS FM Transmitter/Car Charger for iPod for $15.99 w/ Free shipping

Highlights From Dealhack

  • 1-800-Flowers: Save 15% off Seasonal Flowers & Plant Orders with Coupon
  • Best Buy: Kodak C913 9.2MP Digital Camera $100 Shipped
  • Amazon: Polaroid POGO Mobile Photo Printer $100 Shipped

Highlights From Dealnews

  • Amazon.com: Three pairs of Dickies Men’s Double Knee Work Pants for $16 after rebate + free shipping
  • Dell Small Business: Dell Vostro 200 ST Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz Slim Desktop PC with 19″ LCD for $399 + $30 s&h
  • Meritline: Emergency Portable Universal Phone Charger for $7 + free shipping
Walmart Stores Begin Playing Christmas Music

Walmart Stores Begin Playing Christmas Music

By Ben Popken 11.4.08

Joel Sackey in San Antonio, TX reports that both his local Walmart and Sam’s Club, effective November 1st, have started playing Christmas music. (Photo: vidaarctique)

Best Buy Threatens To Replace A $2200 Sony Laptop With An Asus EeePC

Best Buy Threatens To Replace A $2200 Sony Laptop With An Asus EeePC

By 11.4.08

Is there a difference between a Sony TZ ultraportable laptop and an Asus Eee PC? Reader Ignacio bought Best Buy’s accidental damage protection plan for his $2200 Sony TZ laptop, and when he did, indeed, drop it — Best Buy threatened to replace it with a $600 Asus Eee PC, and finally decided to issue a $1200 gift card — the price of a 15″ Dell notebook. Fair?

Black Friday Is Getting Silly: Best Buy To Hold Essay Contest

Black Friday Is Getting Silly: Best Buy To Hold Essay Contest

By 11.4.08

Retailers are scared this year, what with the whole economy coming crashing down around their ears and all, and the Black Friday marketing frenzy should be crazier than ever this year. Best Buy is even holding an essay contest. The topic? Why Black Friday shopping is an “important family ritual.” Yes, seriously.

44% Off At Kenneth Cole Today

44% Off At Kenneth Cole Today

By Ben Popken 11.4.08

Kenneth Cole: 44% off online, or print this coupon and use in-store. Today only. (Thanks to Steve!)

Morning Deals

By Ben Popken 11.4.08
  • Pfaltzgraff: Save up to 50% off Cutlery + Dinnerware Discounts
  • REI Outlet: Victorinox Trek Computer Messenger Bag $45
    • TVs Will Be Cheap, But Will Anyone Buy Them?

    TVs Will Be Cheap, But Will Anyone Buy Them?

    By 11.3.08

    Everyone seems to agree– this year will be the year of the cheap big-screen tv. The only question remains… will anyone buy them?

    Mom, Will You Open This? Amazon Announces "Frustration Free" Packaging

    Mom, Will You Open This? Amazon Announces "Frustration Free" Packaging

    By 11.3.08

    Anyone who was once a child or has been around a child during the holidays knows that toy packages are pure evil straight from hell. Now, according to a letter currently on the front page of Amazon.com, they’ve decided to dedicate themselves to removing this scourge from your lives.

    Can I Change My Social Security Number?

    Can I Change My Social Security Number?

    By Ben Popken 11.3.08

    Concerned about a recent incident in which his wife’s social security number may have been exposed (by a Bank of America employee, but that’s another story), Christian wants to know if you can change your social security number. In special circumstances, yes, the Social Security Administration will change your number. You need to show proof that 1) you’ve suffered harm from someone misusing your ss# and 2) you’ve made all reasonable efforts to otherwise solve the problem i.e. credit report freezes, closing accounts and changing account numbers, etc. If both of these apply, then you can simply visit your local SSA office, call, or visit www.ssa.gov/reach.htm.

    Consumerist Neighborhood eBay Garage Sale

    Consumerist Neighborhood eBay Garage Sale

    By Ben Popken 11.3.08

    Want to make some cash and get rid of some old stuff? We’ve got room on the virtual folding table for you to add your eBay auctions. Just list them in the comments on this post- a great way to clean out the closets and make some extra cash to pay down bills or build up savings. We’ll get this started with a few items of our own (all start at $.01). Add your in the comments.

    Chase To Fix 400,000 Option-ARM Mortgages

    Chase To Fix 400,000 Option-ARM Mortgages

    By Ben Popken 11.3.08

    Chase will turn 400,000 high-interest option-ARM mortgages into lower-cost fixed ones, the bank announced this Friday. Foreclosure processes on the loans will be stopped for 90 days while the procedure gets set up. Banks mainly have latitude to adjust the mortgages they themselves own. The complexities of modifying a loan that may have been sold and repackaged into a security are intricate. For one, hedge funds have threatened to sue banks if they modify the loans underlying their bonds. So hooray for the lucky 400,000. Only a few more million to go. If you’re a homeowner facing foreclosure and you’re unable to get your lender to work with you, try contacting the HOPE NOW hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE for free advice from a home preservation counselor.

    Best Buy Caught Using Sneaky Sneaky Tricks To Sell HDTV Calibration Service

    Best Buy Caught Using Sneaky Sneaky Tricks To Sell HDTV Calibration Service

    By Ben Popken 11.3.08

    I’ve read some bad Best Buy stories in my time here at The Consumerist, but this one really takes the asshole cake. To sell its special HDTV calibration service, this Best Buy in NC set up two identical model HDTVs, both showing ESPN. As seen in the picture tipster Robert took, the “calibrated” one is noticeably better. That’s because it’s showing ESPN HD and the one on the left is showing just regular ESPN. You can also see how a set of box have been placed in front of the non-calibrated tv on the left so you can’t see that’s it not ESPN HD. That, my friends, is quintessential deceptive marketing. Robert’s story of what he saw, and the rivers of bullshit and non-answer that came out of the Best Buy employees’ mouths when he confronted them about it, inside…

    Morning Deals

    By Ben Popken 11.3.08
    • Woot: Pentax Optio M50 8MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom for $89.99
    • Best Buy: How to buy the $265 HP TK-53 15.4″ laptop and other cheap laptops
    • GNC: Stamina 36″ Folding Trampoline for $7.97 Shipped

    Highlights From Dealhack

    • Mountain Gear: Save up to 75% off Apparel, Footwear & More
    • Old Navy: Save Big: $10 and Under Deals on Kids & Adults Clothing
    • Gap: Save 30% off Women’s Outerwear

    Highlights From Buxr

    • Starbucks: FREE Tall Coffee on Election Day
    • Office Depot: Save $15 on a ButterBall turkey with $100 purchase with coupon code:58226915
    • Big Lots: Polaroid 4011-TLXB 40″ LCD HDTV after coupon code: BL20PTASC for $439.99 + $50 Shipping
    Walmart Sells Lead-Tainted Facepaint For Kids

    Walmart Sells Lead-Tainted Facepaint For Kids

    By Ben Popken 11.2.08

    This facepaint for kids, sold by Walmart, contains lead. It says it right on the package. What the hell?! Maybe it’s the tubes that contain the lead, not the paint? Doesn’t sound right. Well, at least it doesn’t smear. Large version, inside.

    Geek Squad's Unionizing Efforts Met By Best Buy's Concerned Bulk Email

    Geek Squad's Unionizing Efforts Met By Best Buy's Concerned Bulk Email

    By Ben Popken 10.31.08

    Emails are shooting around to Geek Squad employees, encouraging them to join the Communications Workers of America union, so Best Buy retorts with emails of its own to voice its concerns. In an email sent by corporate management, Best Buy spoke of its concerns about unions, that unions would hinder its ability to speak with and negotiate with each Geek Squad employee individually. For, there’s nothing like the closeness created when one employee negotiates with a hydra. That’s just one fun piece of FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) in the email, posted inside…

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