Chase is refusing to honor a cashiers check for $19.700.22, 82-year-old widow Willie Floyd’s life savings. Willie stored the check, originally drawn by her late-husband in 1985, in a $10 per year safe deposit box at the local bank. When she tried to shift the funds into a regular savings account last year, she was told that the check expired after five years, and that her life savings now belonged to the state.
Retail Services
Walmart: Santa Brings A MP3 Player Full Of Porn To A 10-Year-Old Girl
By 12.28.07
Daryl Hill of Cookeville, TN purchased an MP3 player from Walmart for his 10-year-old daughter. He handed the player over to his daughter thinking it was new, when in fact the previous owner had filled the player with pornography.
Morning Deals
By 12.28.07
Woot!: Franklin Merriam-Webster Dictionary with MP3 Player for $14.99Amazon: Platinum Nintendo Gamecube Console for $49.99 ShippedBarnes and Noble: Save 40% on one book online when using a MastercardHighlights From Dealhack Eastern Mountain Sports: Post Holiday Sale: Save up to 50% off Clothing &…
Amazon Expands DRM-Free Music Store, Adds Warner Music
By 12.28.07
Starting today, Warner Music songs are now available on the Amazon MP3 music store, in DRM-free formats and at prices competitive to what iTunes charges. According to Reuters, Amazon has now reached “deals with music labels Universal Music Group, part of Vivendi, and EMI. The remaining major recording group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, has yet to offer its songs for the service.” Sony BMG, you guys are very, very old dorks.
Best Buy Refuses To Stop Misleading Customers With Secret Website
By 12.27.07
Once again a reader contacts us to complain about Best Buy misleading their customers with an in-store only website that looks identical to the “real” website—except for the prices.
How To Get Cash From Best Buy With Only A Gift Receipt
By 12.27.07
Reader Nick writes in with a bit of social engineering.
Easter Creep: Target Hauls Out The Easter Products On December 26
By 12.27.07
We’d love to tell you exactly what we yelled at our computer screen when we saw the above photograph, but it would probably set off your company’s web filtering software.
Walmart Shutters Video Download Store
By 12.27.07
It’s official: Walmart is no longer in the video download business.
Morning Deals
By 12.27.07
Woot!: Sony VAIO VGN-AR550U Digital Studio Notebook PC for $1,349.99Buy.com: Kingston 1GB MicroSD w/Adapter for $10Amazon: Adidas Kids Shoes $14.99 or lessHighlights From Dealhack Buy.com: Jabra C820s Noise Canceling Headphones $50 ShippedGap: Clearance Sale: Clothing Store-Wide up to 40%…
Wal-Mart Gift Card Servers Malfunctioning Day After Christmas
By 12.27.07
John wrote in yesterday to tell us, “I just got back from Wal-Mart trying to buy stuff with my gift cards, but the employees told me that they gift card servers were down across the country. I waited for about 15 minutes as cashiers and managers tried to get my gift card to go through and nothing occurred.”
Best Time To Shop For Seasonal Bargains
By 12.26.07
Air conditioners, bicycles and outdoor gear, boats, and carpet and flooring.
Sears Repair Doesn't Show Up, Claims You Weren't Home
By 12.26.07
I’m not actually concerned with receiving an extension on my warranty as I just purchased another 5 year warranty from Sears on my fridge. Which brings me to my point…
Shopdropping: The Anti-Shoplifting
By 12.26.07
Have you heard about shopdropping? It’s the big new fad among burgeoning anarchists who, instead of stealing, spread havoc by smuggling unwelcome items into stores. Think Che shirts in Target’s clothing department, or unwanted bunnies roaming the pet store after Easter. It’s all very badass and has several stores in a tizzy.
At Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore., religious groups have been hitting the magazines in the science section with fliers featuring Christian cartoons, while their adversaries have been moving Bibles from the religion section to the fantasy/science-fiction section.
Is Consumerism Killing Democracy?
By 12.26.07
Political scientist Benjamin Barber thinks mindless spending is killing America. Barber went on Bill Moyers Journal to promote his new book Consumed, and to lambast us for being infantilized drones who drool over whatever big business shoves into our greedy little mitts.
The Apple Store For Education Makes Mistakes, Too
By 12.26.07
Reader Patrick sends the above screen grab with the comforting email subject line: “No Worries–Apple.com Can’t Spell Either.”
Retail: Can The Day After Christmas Save Christmas?
By 12.26.07
The International Council of Shopping Centers said same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year during the November-December period, appear to be coming in just below meager projections, though it said post-Christmas buying could help restore the shortfall.
California Supreme Court: Feel Free To Protest Inside The Mall
By 12.26.07
In a 4-to-3 decision, the court said a San Diego mall violated California law protecting free speech when its owners barred protesters from distributing leaflets in front of one of the mall’s stores, asking shoppers not to give the store their business.
Morning Deals
By 12.26.07
Woot!: Random Crap: 2008 Calendar Edition for $0.87 (plus $5 shipping)Target: Super Mario Galaxy for Wii for $37Target: Select DVD Box Sets for $19.99 or lessLowe’s: 75% off all “holiday decor,” while supplies lastHighlights From Dealhack Chefs: Year End Clearance Sale: Up to 70% off + Free…
