Parents are staying away from small toys this holiday season, says a survey from America’s Research Group, and planning instead to buy more expensive tech items.
Retail Services
Where To Save On Flat-Screen LCD TVs This Year
By 12.7.07
Once again, patient shoppers will be rewarded with holiday price-drops on flat-screen LCDs, but the discount won’t be as steep as last year; 17% vs. 34%. WSJ says the deal-hungry should confine their searches in the 40,46, and 52 inch size categories. 42 and 47 inch won’t see much in the way of discounts as they’re mainly produced by budget TV makers who will find it difficult to cut their prices much more. They predict larger discounts on the 1080p than the 720p models as well. C’mon dad, you know the Heat Miser just isn’t the same if he’s not in high-def.
By 12.7.07
../../../..//2007/12/07/riot-police-had-to/
Riot police had to be called to quell 120 angry Chinese tourists in the Vegas-like resort territory of Macau. The tourists complained they were being forced to shop even though they were on vacation to gamble, and they began rioting after their tour guides took them to a cold beach and locked them out of their tour busses. [Reuters]
9 Better, Cheaper Ways To Search Amazon
By 12.6.07
The Amazon home page has somewhere around 16 different sales pitches, and more unnecessary graphics than a MySpace page. Here are 9 money-saving ways to shop the site without waiting for another customized ad to render.
Dell Will Sell Computers At Best Buy
By 12.6.07
Dell is going to start selling laptop and desktop computers at 900 Best Buy locations in the U.S. says the WSJ. Dell has already started hocking their wares at Walmart, and has deals with “Staples Inc., France’s Carrefour SA and Gome, China’s largest electronics retailer.”
Costco Finds Item You Accidentally Left In The Parking Lot And Holds It For You
By 12.6.07
I wanted to let you know that Costco customer service is awesome. Last Sunday, My family went to Costco to shop. I saw they had a good deal on a chair mat. Right before we checked out, I went back to get it. As we were headed to the exit, my wife figures out they overcharged her for something. So (with help from a CSR) we split up so I could load the car. Well, I put the chair mat somewhere and forgot about it. (probably against the car) I realized it later that night that I had forgotten it, and had written it off. Today, I went to Costco to get a prescription filled and I thought I would ask about it. Apparently an employee found it, logged it, and put it back on the shelf. The CSR told me to get another one off the shelf and gave me a note to get through the cashiers with it. The cashier then radioed to the receipt checkers, so I didn’t even have to wait in the exit line!
Well, damn. That’s really nice! Good job, Costco.
Gift Guide For People Who Love Data
By 12.6.07
If you’re a data and/or gadget junkie, or you know someone who is (and they’ve already got enough Ambient Devices), infosthetics has put together a guide to 20 info-centric gift ideas—like this $29 poster that maps the “genealogy of pop/rock.”
Shoppers Chill Out: Retail Sales Down 4.4% From Last Year
By 12.5.07
Reuters is reporting that retail sales are down 4.4 percent compared with same period a year ago.
By 12.5.07
../../../..//2007/12/05/a-reader-reports-that-tmobile/
A reader reports that Tmobile customers can access their accounts again over the phone and internet again. Previously, the giant West Coast storm had knocked the system out of commission.
What It Feels Like To Buy Pre-Cut Onions
By 12.5.07
I bought pre-sliced onions at the supermarket last time I went food shopping. Just because it was totally stupid, and i wanted to know what it felt like to buy onions someone had thoughtfully chopped for me and placed inside a little plastic tub.
Original Video: Attention Macy's Shoppers, Are You Debt Free?
By 12.5.07
We sent Gawker video wunderkid Alex Goldberg to the front of Macy’s in New York to ask shoppers if they were debt free, and if that would have any effect on their holiday spending. Overall the answer is no.
Gift Idea: Porn Star's Old Breast Implants (Autographed)
By 12.5.07
Mary Carey recently had her crappy 36-D implants replaced with a more suitable set of all-weather steel belted 36-DDDs, and “while under anesthesia she realized [the old implants] could be used to raise money for breast cancer research.” Yes, anesthesia does crazy things like that, we hear. She’s auctioning them off on eBay (up to $210 as of noon today).
GE Recalls 92,000 Microwave Oven Combos
By 12.5.07
GE is recalling 92,000 microwave/oven combos because “door switch in the microwave oven can overheat and ignite plastic components in the control area, posing a fire hazard to consumers.” The CPSC knows of 35 fires caused by the overheating door switch, one of which set fire to the adjacent kitchen cabinets. Whoops.
Cellphones Could Replace Boarding Passes
By 12.5.07
You might be able to board flights using just your cellphone, if a three-month test program by Continental Airlines at Houston International Airport is successful. Under the proposed system, a special code, in a mass of black and white boxes, gets sent to your cellphone or PDA. At the gate, the airline scans it with a barcode reader. You must still show photo ID. Air Canada has been using it since September and says the number of people using it has doubled every week since inception. Imagine that, a new security procedure that is both more secure, and more convenient. Just hope your batteries don’t run out.
Morning Deals
By 12.5.07
Severe Flooding In The Northwest Knocks Out T-Mobile's Customer Service
By 12.4.07
Hey ya’ll. I just wanted to alert your readers to the fact the T-Mobile USA’s customer care (1-800-937-8997) is offline right now. It has been since sometime yesterday. Apparently they house all their system stuff in Seattle, WA or Portland, OR or one of those currently waterlogged states. Well, it has caused all their stuff to crash. I called last night and then again this morning and waited past their automated system telling me that they could not view my account info thru the IVR and that the CSR’s were unable to view my account info and to call back later. I spoke with a polite rep Cassie who said that they did not have an ETR on when their systems would be back up and running and that I should try calling back later on today.
We called T-Mobile and sure enough they’re currently unable to pull up anyone’s account info due to the storms. No word on when it will be back up.
