Retail Services

Do You Want To Save 10% By Opening A Target Visa? Just Kidding!

Do You Want To Save 10% By Opening A Target Visa? Just Kidding!

Reader Nancy says that Target rejected the 10% coupon she received for being a Target Visa card holder. When she asked why, the cashier told her it had probably been used, but had no more information.

Morning Deals

Woot: Soundcast Audiocast Wireless Audio System…

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Just in case you weren’t already sure that “Rent To Own” was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad deal… Read this. [ABC News]

EEEPC Return A Recursive Hellhole

EEEPC Return A Recursive Hellhole

In the battle for customer satisfaction, if Mike’s letter is any indication, it appears that ASUS is (still) under siege attack by General Incompetence.

Target Will Not Let You Return These Shoes Because They Are "Worn"

Target Will Not Let You Return These Shoes Because They Are "Worn"

Reader I. ordered some shoes from Target.com, only to find out that they were so big that they fell off her feet when she tried them on. No worries, she would just print her receipt and bring them back to her local Target. Right? Wrong.

Amazon Ships 8 Plates In 13 Boxes

Amazon Ships 8 Plates In 13 Boxes

Reader Gibson ordered 8 plates from Amazon, and they arrived in 13 boxes. We’re sure the operations research management scientists at Amazon shipping have an answer as to why, in the context of the entire shipping infrastructure, this was the most cost-effective solution, but it escapes us mere mortals. Full pic inside.

Verizon: 'You've Earned A New Phone' (Just Not From Us)

Verizon: 'You've Earned A New Phone' (Just Not From Us)

Is this Verizon promotional email being over-enthusiastic with its subject line, or is it actually misleading? A phrase like “you’ve earned a new ___” doesn’t usually get followed up with, “Just pay us anywhere between $100-$200 for it,” unless it comes from a scam vacation offer. Or Verizon. As Bryan notes in his email to us, “The subject line must mean something like when you tell Verizon, ‘You’ve earned my suspicion and contempt.'”

Morning Deals

  • Threadless: All shirts $12
  • Amazon: Tonka Sand Force Dump Truck & Loader $4-$5 each, squirting trucks $6 & up
  • Steep And Cheap: Black Diamond Momentum AL Climbing Harness for $22 Sold out, but they have other deals on outdoor gear.

Highlights From Dealhack

  • Tiger Direct: Refurb NEC VT590 XGA LCD Projector $400
  • Brooks Brothers: Summer Clearance: Save up to 60% off Men’s & Women’s Fashion
  • Buy.com: Fantom GreenDrive 1TB Low Power USB Drive $150 & Free Shipping
Expect Fewer Deals At Home Depot, Lowe's

Expect Fewer Deals At Home Depot, Lowe's

Home Depot and Lowe’s are starting to realize that the surging housing market — which had fueled their own sales for the last few years — is really and truly over and it may not be coming back for a good long while. What does this mean for their customers? An emphasis on lower prices every day — and fewer promotions.

Reach A Nice Best Buy Customer Service Supervisor

Reach A Nice Best Buy Customer Service Supervisor

Only use this contact info if you can’t get help from the store and the regular customer service line isn’t doing it for ya.

Target Generic Costs Less, But It's 1/2 Strength

Target Generic Costs Less, But It's 1/2 Strength

Conventional thinking says that you should buy based on better unit price, but Target knows this and has figured out a way to trick you. On the left is a name brand joint-strengthener, on the right, Target’s generic. Going just by unit price, Target looks like the better deal. But let’s see what’s going on on the back label…

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This Best Buy coupon for free Apple software for students isn’t a very good deal after all—you can get educational discounts at the Apple store, and through September 15th you can get a free iPod Touch or Nano with your computer purchase. Our advice: skip Best Buy and go directly through Apple. (Thanks to Matt and yasth!)

Morning Deals

  • Target: 12 pack Coke products for 25 cents YMMV
  • Office Depot: Acer Extensa AMD Dual Core 1.9GHz 14″ Widescreen Laptop for $430 after rebate + free shipping
  • Highlights From Dealhack

    • REI: Labor Day Clearance: Save up to 30% off Clothing & Gear
    • Meritline: PQI 8GB SDHC Card now $25 Shipped & Other Discount
    • Buy.com: Dynex DX-LCD32 32-inch LCD HDTV $480 Shipped

    Highlights From Bargainist

    • Kmart: Jeans, all apparel BOGO 50% off
    • Hoover: Summer Canister Sale: Save up to 56%
    • JC Whitney: Up to $40 off purchases coupon
    Sears Is Out Of Kitchen Appliances

    Sears Is Out Of Kitchen Appliances

    He just laughed when I went through my story of frustration with the Sears service personnel and told me he had had 75 similar calls in the last 2 days. His bottom line: Sears is not sending him product and he has nothing to deliver.

    Best Buy Employee Arrested For Using Customer Credit Cards

    Best Buy Employee Arrested For Using Customer Credit Cards

    A Customer Associate for a Best Buy in Las Cruces, New Mexico, was indicted on Thursday for credit card fraud—three counts of making fraudulent purchases over $2500, three counts of making fraudulent purchases over $500, over 20 counts of falsely signing credit card slips, and 1 count of disposing of stolen property.

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    “Condom!” is a free ringtone for your phone. It’s being promoted in India as part of a campaign to normalize condom use, but there’s no reason you can’t put it on your own phone to impress and amaze fellow diners, bus riders, church goers, etc. It’s also catchy! [Crave]

    Morning Deals

    Highlights From Bargainist:

    Check Your Own Receipt Before You Leave The Store

    Check Your Own Receipt Before You Leave The Store

    Although stores often claim they employ receipt checkers to make sure you got everything you paid for, you still might get ripped off. This past weekend, three stores tried to sell us items that did not match their price tag or description. Each time, we politely pointed out the difference to a manager, and each time, we were rewarded for doing so, either with a reduced price or a better item than the original one we wanted. Let us tell you about our exciting weekend, inside.