Retail Services
Morning Deals
By 2.14.08
By 2.13.08
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Sears will eliminate 200 “support” positions as part of their new “deck chairs on the Titanic” strategy. [Chicago Tribune]
New York Wants To Tax Amazon.com Purchases
By 2.13.08
To help fill New York State’s budget gap, Gov. Eliot Spitzer has revived a plan to impose sales tax on some goods purchased online that are not currently taxed, notably things bought from Amazon.com. The state estimates this will bring in $47 million a year.
By 2.13.08
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Sprint is picking up their bags and moving back home to Kansas. [AP]
Sears' "Ultimate Appliance Promise" Vs. Reality
By 2.13.08
Reader David writes in to contrast the Sears Ultimate Appliance Promise (“a promise only Sears can make”) with reality. He notes that although there’s a cute graphic on the “promise” that implies that Sears will deliver every day of the week… he had a hard time getting Sears to deliver no matter what day of the week it was:
Bank of America Angers More Customers With Unjustified Rate Hikes
By 2.13.08
More about Bank of America’s inexplicable rate hikes against good customers who never pay late: the Charlotte Observer talks to some recent recipients of BoA’s infamous rate-increase letters from the past few weeks. The first person they talk to is a 60-year-old woman who “had never been late on a credit card payment, just refinanced her home at a lower interest rate, and just been rewarded by her credit union with a lower rate on her credit card there.” Bank of America just raised her card from 13% to 24.99%.
Morning Deals
By 2.13.08
Follow Up: Woman Tasered Last November At Best Buy Will Not Have Charges Filed Against Her
By 2.12.08
On November 26th, a 35-year-old woman was shopping at Best Buy in Daytona Beach, Florida when there was some sort of communication breakdown, and a police officer who was at the store tasered her. We wrote about it here, and it turns out there’s a video of the event here. At the time there were few details, but the full story has since been pieced together and resolved, and last week the Florida state attorney said “charges won’t be pursued because there is no evidence that Beeland committed a crime.”
Woman Sues Best Buy For $54 Million Over Lost Laptop
By 2.12.08
Raelyn Campbell is suing Best Buy for $54 million for losing her laptop and lying to her for months about it. She bought a laptop from Best Buy with an extended warranty, it broke, she sent it in for repairs, months later she didn’t have her laptop and after getting the runaround the store finally said it had lost her laptop and offered her a $900 gift card. She paid over $1,100 for the laptop, she paid for software on it, and it had irreplaceable photos, music, and personal information, including her tax returns. She freely admits she chose the high figure to attract media attention. She tells the Red Tape Chronicles “I can’t help but wonder how many other people have had their computer stolen (or) lost by Best Buy and then been bullied into accepting lowball compensation offers for replacement expenses and no compensation for identity theft protection expenses.” She also has a blog.
Morning Deals
By 2.12.08
Best Buy Hikes Price On Popular Budget Laptop, Gets Caught
By 2.12.08
If you were eyeing the “budget-priced” Gateway P-6831FX and thought about picking one up at your local Best Buy, you’ll want to wait until this Sunday, February 17th, when Best Buy says it will lower the price again.
Sprint Muses Unlimited, Flat Rate Pricing Plan
By 2.11.08
The days of hoarding over your cellphone minutes like Ebenezer Scrooge over pieces of coal could be over if Sprint follows through with a plan to offer a flat-rate, unlimited voice call plan. It’s but one “nuke” in the new CEO’s brain arsenal of tricks designed to disrupt the industry and regain market share for the beleaguered cellphone service. “If we can’t be different, we can’t win,” says CEO Dan Hesse.
Not Even Geek Squad's CEO Can Get Your Computer Fixed
By 2.11.08
On May 3, 2007 a reader wrote in to explain an issue he was having with Best Buy’s Geek Squad. His computer was randomly shutting off and generally acting crazy. His warranty was with Geek Squad so he took the computer in for repair. Geek Squad wiped his hard drive and returned the computer without fixing the problem.
The $6,516.67 Sprint Bill
By 2.11.08
JD writes:
My device was stolen in Mexico. I reported it. The Sprint rep. suspended the WRONG line. My bill comes a few weeks ago: $6,000+. My Sprint bill was $6,000 this month and two calls to Fraud Prevention/2 tickets/and my bill is almost due (with no response or adjustment, was was promised within 2 business days, twice). I don’t know what to do at this point…
It appears your claim has gotten lost somewhere within the deep dark bowels of Sprint’s billing system. The best thing we can suggest at this point is to call the Sprint Executive Customer Service line at 703-433-4401 and get your claim expedited. Oh, and happy Valentine’s Day.
Best Buy: Name Your Own Price For This DVD
By 2.11.08
Reader Jared says:I was at Best Buy looking for ‘The Fountain’ on DVD. I found three copies in the drama section, and three different prices. No tricks here, no collector’s / special editions. Just the standard widescreen version at name-your-own-price. Guess they’re trying to emulate Radiohead?
