Retail Services
J.Crew Apologizes For Bad Website, But That's All They Do
By 7.30.08
A dozen readers (and probably a couple of PR flacks) must have forwarded us J.Crew’s email today, in which the CEO and president of the company extend a mutual apology for the non-workingness of their “enhanced” website and call center. Oddly, the email simply asks customers to “bear with us” but doesn’t offer any discount or sale. Well, maybe they figured driving more traffic to a broken site would only make things worse.
You Must Hurry, These TV Stands Will Go Fast
By 7.30.08
Walmart.com doesn’t just sell phantom coolers. They also have awesome deals like this priced-to-move TV stand. We guess when you already have low low prices, there’s not much room for extra discounts. (Thanks to Adam!)
If You Can Find This Cooler, Walmart Will Sell It To You
By 7.30.08
Karen writes, “I am planning a trip to Chicago next month and was looking for a travel cooler, and found exactly what I needed…” Then she noticed something odd. Yes, this leprechaun of a cooler will reward you with awesome in-car chilling, if you can just solve the riddle of how to buy it.
Morning Deals
By 7.30.08
- Amazon: Cell Phone Flask for $13.95
- Woot: The woot-off continues apace.
- Amazon: 25-65% off Nine West Element 9 Large Shopper bags
- BlogWorldExpo: 20% off with coupon code CONSMRVIP
Highlights From Dealhack
- OfficeMax: Soyo 20-inch WS Dual Input LCD $150 Shipped
- Carbonite: Unlimited Online Data Backup & Free 15 Day Trial
- Amazon: Save 50% or More off Sports & Outdoor Gear
Highlights From Bargainist
- Allegiant Air: Buy 1 air/hotel package & 2nd person flies free
- AMC Theaters: Free small popcorn w/fountain drink purchase coupon
- French Connection: 40% off sitewide coupon
Tmobile Introduces Month To Month Contracts
By 7.30.08
Hate long-term cellphone contracts? Starting August 6th, Tmobile will be the first national carrier to offer month-to-month plans, straight up.
Poor Reception? "Go To The Hilltop" Sprint Tells Customer
By 7.29.08
“Go outside, or to hilltop to make calls from your cell phone. Sprint does not guarantee call quality in buildings or homes,” a Sprint customer service rep told reader Nathan shortly before he canceled service. Sprint had told a long series of lies with various reasons and solutions that never materialized for why Nathan and his family couldn’t get any reception in their home. After wrangling for many months, Nathan told them to stuff it.
Morning Deals
By 7.29.08
- Amazon: Lego sale. 50% off 8 Different Items
- Walgreens: 6 Sharpies for $2 (in-store only)
- eforcity: iPod/iPhone charging cable for $7.99 (down from $43.99)
- DealExtreme: iPod/iPhone charging cable for $3.46
- Woot: It’s a woot-off!
Highlights From Dealhack
- Best Buy: Dynex DX-LCD32 32-inch LCD HDTV $490
- Tiger Direct: Unlocked Motorola RAZR V3 GSM Cell Phone $100
- Buy.com: Kodak Z1285 12 Megapixel Digital Camera $90 Shipped
Subway Says Get Off Your Phone Or Go To The Back Of The Line
By 7.28.08
Sean says he approves of the this sign that he saw at an Idaho Subway location today, but his wife wasn’t a fan…
Countrywide Home Loans Wins Consumerist's Worst Company In America Contest
By 7.28.08
Duhn duhn da duhn! Envelope please… yes, America has voted and… the Worst Company in America award goes to…. Countrywide Home Loans (now owned by Bank of America)! The final vote was…
Citibank: Sorry We Illegally Ruined Everything You Own Because Your Landlord Was In Foreclosure
By 7.28.08
Do you know what your rights are if your landlord is in foreclosure and people show up at your door to try to evict you instead of him? What if they load all your crap onto a truck and lock you out? No? Neither did “Tabitha,” a renter whose landlord was in foreclosure and whose possessions were destroyed as movers kept illegally loading them onto and off trucks over and over again.
By 7.28.08
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Best Buy will start selling musical equipment—guitars, drum kits, sheet music, groupies—in up to 85 stores across the U.S. this year. They’ll also offer group music lessons. Is there anything the Geek Squad can’t do? [Associated Press]
Morning Deals
By 7.28.08
- Woot: Neuton CE 5.2 Battery-Powered Lawn Mower for $299.99
- Tommy Hilfiger: Men’s Dress Shirts from $15 + $5 s&h
- SteamPowered.com: download BioShock for PC available for $14.99
Highlights From Dealhack
- Office Depot: TI-83 Plus Graphing Programing Calculator $75 & Free Shipping
- Amazon: Save up to 55% off Quicken Financial Software
- Best Buy: Hannspree 22-inch Dual Input LCD Monitor $200
Sorry Telcos, Landlines Are Now A Luxury Expense
By 7.28.08
But in this first real slowdown of the wireless age, consumers seem to be saying that home-based telephones are expendable luxuries, like Starbucks lattes or Coach handbags. And it makes sense. Confronted with high inflation, soaring energy costs, and stagnant wages, millions of households are facing choices about which monthly bills to pay and which commitments to maintain. And if it comes down to one or the other, the mobile or the home-based land line, it’s clear which is a necessity and which is an option.
Bank Of America Lets Identity Thief Withdraw $40,000 In A Single Day
By 7.27.08
Bank of America twiddled their thumbs as an identity thief withdrew over $40,000 from Chris Hooley’s account over five transactions in a single day. Chris canceled his Bank of America debit card immediately after he lost his wallet, which should have put a big red flag in Bank of America’s system to stop them from handing over tens of thousands of dollars to a stranger. Apparently it didn’t!
Halt Foreclosure Proceedings By Challenging Your Bank's Claim To Your House
By 7.27.08
Banks don’t always own the homes they’re trying to repossess, a crucial oversight that residents facing foreclosure can exploit to stay in their homes—though not without effort. Mamie Ruth Palmer successfully sued the Bank of New York after the bank tried to foreclose her home without possessing the note securing the property. After six years in court, the bank agreed to slash her outstanding mortgage in half and waive $12,000 in foreclosure fees so she could keep her home.
Disagree With Walmart's Bike Policy? Take Off Your Clothes In Protest!
By 7.27.08
BikeForums member ReachHigher stripped down to her sports bra and spandex after Walmart refused to let her enter the store with her $600 bike. A manager explained that since Walmart sold bikes, bringing in an outside bike would obviously be too confusing to handle. ReachHigher asked if they also sold shirts. “She said yes so I took off my jersey and said well then I’d better not bring this in either…”
10 Practical Tips To Keep Your Cellphone From Killing You
By 7.27.08
Have you heard, cellphones are deadly. Science told us so this week when Dr. Ronald B. Herberman of the esteemed University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute realized that cellphones emit death rays that fry your brain and turn you into a baby-eating Communist, or give you cancer or whatever. Dr. Despair isn’t a downer though! Inside, 10 practical ways to keep your precious little brain safe from those ubiquitous chirping cancer slabs…
