In the last three years, New York has collected $19 million in unused gift card balances under the state’s unclaimed-property laws. Best Buy added $135 million in unspent gift cash to its total operating income over the past two years. “For individual retailers, unspent balances can range anywhere from 2% to more than 10% of all gift-card sales,” notes BusinessWeek.
Retail Services
By 1.28.08
../../../..//2008/01/28/a-lowes-worker-says-that/
A Lowe’s worker says that at least at his store they’re marking down all open-box appliances 50% to try to get rid of them before the end of their fiscal year. This type of stuff varies by store, so your best bet is to grab a manager and see if they’re willing to bargain.
Banks Make Up For Their Subprime Losses By Charging You $3 To Use An ATM
By 1.28.08
JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America now charge $3 for non-customers to use their ATMs. Wachovia increased fees at a potion of its ATMs, and the average fee that your bank charges you to use another bank’s ATM has risen as well.
Alltel Service Down For All Of Minnesota?
By 1.28.08
According to two frustrating calls to Alltel I made yesterday and today, service is down for all Minnesotans. When I called yesterday and spoke to technical support, the representative was unable to tell me if I would receive any compensation for the time their service was down (she suggested I call customer service and ask them. “Aren’t I speaking to customer service?” I asked. “No, this is technical support.” Helpful.)
Sears' CEO Has Been Fired
By 1.28.08
Aylwin B. Lewis, CEO of Sears, has been asked to step down as part of Sears’ restructuring plan, says the Chicago Tribune. In a prepared statement, the billionaire hedge fund guy who controls Sears, Eddie Lampert, explained the reason behind Mr. Lewis’ departure:
Sprint's Company Policy Is To Rip You Off
By 1.28.08
Sprint has been charging a TortDeform blogger’s family $6 a month in local Texas taxes for the past three and half years, but the problem is the family hasn’t lived in the Lone Star State for three and half years. In addition, Sprint has also been charging local Nevada taxes where they now live. When the family asked for a refund, Sprint said they would refund only the last three months, because of “policy.” The blogger’s dad is an attorney, and plans on taking the issue to court. Oops, looks like Sprint picked the wrong partner to tango with.
Reader Escapes Verizon Contract Without ETF, Even Though He Has Text Message Plan
By 1.28.08
Until now, we’ve been telling people trying to escape their cellphone contract without early termination fees based on a raise in text message prices that it’s necessary that they don’t have a text message plan. However, reader Mtman says he used a novel argument to get out of his Verizon plan, even though he did have a text message plan!
Get Out Of AT&T Without ETF Thanks To Text Message Rate Increase
By 1.28.08
AT&T is raising the rates for sending text and picture/video messages to 20 and 30 cents, respectively, giving customers a chance to break free of their contract without early termination fee if they use the now-classic “materially adverse changes to contract” argument. Inside, how to deploy that tactic, as well as the text of the rate change notice.
Target Refuses To Honor "Free Shipping" Promotion
By 1.28.08
Reader James saw the above “free shipping” promotion on Target.com and decided to order the entire “collection,” only to find that just one part of the “collection” qualified for “free shipping,” and he’d need to pay a $154 shipping charge.
"Customers Are Avoiding Sears Stores In Droves"
By 1.28.08
On paper, the merger between Kmart and Sears looked almost fool-proof. Investors were confident that hedge fund manager Eddie Lampert had the midas touch, and that Sears’ real estate holdings were worth more than $150 on their own. Sears’ well-regarded brands would be paired with Kmart’s convenient locations—and everyone would make tons of money.
Morning Deals
By 1.28.08
Home Depot Lets You Keep $199 Power Tool That Rang Up For $0.01
By 1.27.08
Johnny was pleasantly surprised when the $199 power tool he grabbed off the clearance rack rang up at the self-checkout for just $0.01. Home Depot, of course, stopped him before he could leave and asked for the item back, but Johnny wasn’t fast to part with his new toy.
I told the manager well that’s to bad because I ALREADY PAID FOR IT!!! and if you don’t return MY PRODUCT!!! that I PAID FOR!!! that I would call the cops because you are now stealing from me. I will call Weights and Measures. OH YEAH and my attorney.
Read the full story after the jump.
Expensive Flowers Are Better Than No Flowers On Valentine's Day
By 1.26.08
According to enterprising scientists, people buy last minute Valentine’s Day gifts to avoid a fight, rather than to express love—as any lazy lover can attest. The marketing researchers devised three experiments to prove that our susceptibility to negative advertising is directly impacted by how long we wait to whip out the wallet.
Amazon: Let's Ship The Flat Wrist Rest In A Giant Box
By 1.26.08
“I wonder if other readers have experienced the wasteful excessive packaging used by Amazon.com. I recently ordered a Gel Wrist Rest and a hardcover book (to qualify for free shipping). The two items were shipped to me separately, probably because they were coming from different warehouses. Though that itself is wasteful, I can understand why it may be necessary. But when the Wrist Rest arrived, it came in a GIANT box filled with paper stuffing (see photo). The box measured 24″ x 12″ x 18″. The wrist rest is about 20″ long, but flat. Is it possible that a company that sells all of its various products by mail doesn’t have a long flat box that could have been used instead?”
Best Buy Refuses To Honor 2 for $25 DVD Sale
By 1.26.08
Silly Jason. He thought a Best Buy sign reading “2 for $25” meant he could buy two DVDs for $25. He obviously didn’t read the part of the sign that requires customers to buy Saw IV.
Alltel Tells Father They Won't Waive ETF For Soldier Deployed To Iraq Unless He Is Deceased
By 1.26.08
Mark writes in,
My son recently was deployed to Iraq. His cell phone carrier is Alltel. Prior to leaving for Irag, he cancelled his cell phone coverage before the completion of his 2 year contract commitment. As his father, I telephoned Alltell, explained the situation and asked Alltel to have the $200 early termination fee waived. Alltel explained they only waive the $200 early termination fee if the party is DECEASED.
Seriously, that’s just messed up.
Diane Von Furstenberg Sues Target For Copyright Infringement
By 1.25.08
“Defendants’ infringing dresses are ‘wrap’ dresses made of materials designed to look like silk jersey, a style consumers and the general public have come to associate with DVF,” the complaint said.
