About a month ago, we wrote about Walmart’s new logo, and its resemblance to one of Kurt Vonnegut’s favorite drawings. It’s happened again, although we might be, um, stretching it. While browsing Ikea the other day, we came across their Visen bathroom set, and, well, judge for yourself.
Retail Services
By 8.13.08
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Best Buy will start selling the iPhone on September 7th, making it the only retailer other than Apple and AT&T to offer the device. [Associated Press]
Are We Nearing The End Of Credit Card Consumerism?
By 8.12.08
Is it possible? Can this country’s insatiable appetite for consumer goods be slowing down? No! Surely not! US News & World Report’s Alpha Consumer, Kimberly Palmer took a look at consumer demand and its relationship to cheap credit.
Walmart Says You Can't Scan That 1925 Family Portrait, Because Copyright Lasts Forever
By 8.12.08
If you combine a mindless and petty tyrant with Walmart’s draconian photo rights policies, you get a story like the one Boingboing reported today, where a woman in Florida was told she couldn’t scan an 80-year-old portrait of her dead grandmother, because its copyright is surely held by the studio that took it—and copyrights last forever.
Target's "Buy Two And Save" Speedstick Deodorant Deal Stinks
By 8.12.08
This is now our third, (yes, our third) post about “buy two and save” or “special value” deodorant two packs at Walmart and Target. This lovely example comes from Tucson, AZ.
Citibank's Website Glitch Tricks Man Into Overpaying $755, But They Won't Issue Refund
By 8.12.08
Citibank’s website isn’t reliable, at least according to them. Matt assumed that a website from a bank could be trustworthy, and that if there was no scheduled payment showing up, then he must have forgotten to arrange it. He scheduled a second payment, but then both payments went through one day apart. Now Citibank refuses to give him a refund: he should have called or emailed before rescheduling, they’ve told him, and not trusted what the website was telling him.
Whole Foods Seeks To Define Its Prices As Bargains
By 8.11.08
As the economy sours, premium stores like Whole Foods are struggling to keep customers, reports the New York Times. To remain competitive, the pricey natural grocery store is offering guided tours to customers who want to cut costs but can’t stand to set foot in Winn Dixie.
Backlash: Etsy.com's "Sexy" Mass Murderers?
By 8.11.08
There’s some backlash brewing against Etsy.com for a fashion article about recreating “Bonnie Parker’s look” in which they describe Bonnie & Clyde as, “rather infamous characters in U.S. history, and for good reason: honestly, what’s sexier than a nefarious duo driving cross country on a crime spree of such massive and public proportion?” The author of the article is being taken to task in the comments and the Etsy Bitch blog has picked up the story as well.
Walmart's "Buy 2 And Save" Old Spice Deodorant Deal Stinks
By 8.10.08
Quick, what’s 2 x 2? Did you get 4.32? No? Then you should be able resist Walmart’s “Buy 2 And Save” Old Spice “special.”
Fisher-Price Walkie-Talkie Picks Up Trucker Talk; Now Tot Wants Pot And Strippers
By 8.8.08
A mom in West Virginia says her 3-year-old’s Diego walkie-talkie, which is supposed to have a range of 20 feet, picked up some blue talk from truckers who may have been 275 miles away. “They said we should go smoke some weed, and were talking about being in a strip bar, some really explicit things,” the mother told the Asssociated Press.
Sprint Says It Lost Some Of Those 2.8 Million Customers On Purpose
By 8.8.08
By all accounts, Sprint has hit an iceberg and is leaking customers like the Titanic, but new CEO Dan Hesse says that they lost some of those customers on purpose because they were just crappy customers. As strange as this sounds, it does match up with what we’ve been hearing from (former) Sprint customers.
Throwdown! Connecticut Sues Countrywide For Deceptive Lending
By 8.7.08
Someone ring a bell because Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has just sued Countrywide (and, of course, Bank of America) for deceptive lending practices. They’re seeking damages of $100,000 for each violation, as well as “up to $5,000 per violation of state consumer protection laws, disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains and an order compelling the company to cease its illegal practices.”
Best Buy Refuses To Replace Your Defective TV Because You Followed Their Instructions
By 8.7.08
Umar bought a DLP in 2005 with a $400 Best Buy Performance Service Plan. The TV keeps blowing through expensive bulbs (Umar has replaced 7 $275 bulbs in 3 years,) and rather than wait 2 weeks for a technician every time this happens, Best Buy provided a telephone number and told him to order and replace the bulbs himself. Now, because he followed their directions, Best Buy is refusing to cover the TV under the “lemon” provision of the service agreement.
Morning Deals
By 8.7.08
- Woot: Compaq 6820s 2GHz 17” Widescreen Notebook for $529.99
- Great Day Of Play: Free one-day paintball pass (supposedly good for any field, the site is sponsored by paintball equipment manufacturers)
- Amazon: Logitech diNovo Edge for $84.99 after rebate
Highlights From Bargainist
- Apple Store: Save $400 off Refurb 20-inch 2.4GHz iMac
- B&H Photo: Dane-Elec Meizu M6 4GB Portable Media Player $50
- Newegg: BlueAnt Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Speakerphone $85
Highlights From Bargainist
- Saks off 5th: 25% off any 1 item, more coupons
- Express / Express Men: 20% off coupon + earn $25 GC w/$50 purchase
- Pearle Vision: Free eyeglasses w/complete pair purchase
