Retail Services
Dialing 911 Could Be Dangerous
By 11.25.07
Dialing 911 sets off a loud alarm on newer Verizon phones, potentially putting customers in danger. Imagine dashing under your bed at the sound of an intruder breaking through the front door, only to wonder if you should call 911 from your cellphone because it would reveal your location. A Texas woman was forced to make a similar decision when she discovered that the security chain guarding her vacant property was missing.
She grabbed her new Casio G’zOne phone from Verizon Wireless, which to her horror made an audible alarm when she called 911.
Fry's Employees Sell Opportunity To Cut Black Friday Line
By 11.25.07
Fry’s employees in Renton, Washington sold Black Friday aspirants the chance to cut to the front of the pre-dawn line for between $108.79 and $200, including tax. Puzzled shoppers were assured that the money went to Fry’s, not the employees. A Fry’s worker explained the situation with disarming naiveté:
When KING 5 asked about this at the customer service desk, one employee said: “Oh they stopped doing that. They weren’t supposed to.” The employee said the store manager put a stop to it.
Anyone who paid the advancement fee will receive a full refund. The rogue salesmen will be sent to the back of the unemployment line.
Florida Shopper Punched In Face In Black Friday Scrum
By 11.23.07
A shopper was punched in the face in the 1am scramble outside a Macy’s in Central Florida at the Altamonte Mall. Way to shop, indeed. “They couldn’t open the doors because there were too many people pushing,” Rhonda Wega told the Orlando Sentinel. “It was chaotic.” Once again we have a problem with outward-opening mall doors. Guess they need to invent futuristic inward-opening inward AND outward opening mall doors, or better cordon off the area immediately outside the doors.
Minimize Your Risk Of Theft While Shopping
By 11.23.07
The Seattle PI has a report on car prowls at malls while victims are inside shopping, and some advice on how to minimize your risk. Never leave anything of value in your car, and don’t assume that by throwing a coat over it you’ll disguise it. Instead, put it in the trunk.
Black Friday Fisticuffs Erupt Over Box Of Shoes
By 11.23.07
Shortly after doors opened at midnight, two men got into a fight in a Long Island outlet mall store over a pair of Timberland shoes. According to a witness, an older man, who came with his wife and daughter, grappled with a younger man over the box as 300 people surged to watch. Responding Police threw out the older man and erected barricades to help channel the crowd into a more orderly flow. “There was neither a clear beginning nor end to the line,” reports Newsday.
Drinking And Shopping Probably Not A Good Mix
By 11.23.07
We can’t imagine getting through the crowds today without doing a shot of something first, but both the Houston Chronicle and the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas say it’s probably not a good idea—you end up doing things like buying a massage chair from Sharper Image and not remembering anything about it when it shows up at your front door the next day.
Thousands Mash Through Boise Mall Doors
By 11.23.07
Doors were broken, and shoppers were scraped and bruised as thousands surged through the Boise Towne Square Mall in Boise, Idaho at 1am this morning. Raw video shot by KTVB shows rampage hordes trying to squeeze themselves through just two doors at one mall entrance. It appears that some of the doors swung outward and it was impossible to open them with the crush of consumers pushed up against the glass.
7 Ways To Blow Your Holiday Budget
By 11.23.07
Bankrate is concerned that you’ll spend more than you can afford this holiday shopping season, so they’ve got a list of 7 “budget busters”:
No Black Friday Violence Reported So Far
By 11.23.07
A preliminary scouring of morning news turned up no reports of Black Friday violence. Very disappointing. Perhaps several stores being open on Thanksgiving helped to draw off some of the crowds. Maybe more people are shopping online. Perhaps a weak dollar has also weakened consumer’s shopping ferocity. Decreased consumer confidence could translate to shoppers being too timid to throw a punch. Maybe it’s too early to tell and we’ll see some trampling and wig-loss yet… or maybe, just maybe, the deals just suck this year.
The Best And Worst Tech Gadgets Of The Year
By 11.21.07
It begins—the year end “best of” lists! If you’re gearing up for the gift buying frenzy that will begin on Friday, here’s a quick slideshow of some of the most inspiring and least impressive electronics in the marketplace right now.
Facebook Ruins Christmas?
By 11.21.07
MoveOn.org is annoyed with Facebook over privacy issues. Apparently, people on Facebook can see what you’ve been buying on sites unrelated to Facebook and share this information with your friends. According to MoveOn.org, this is not only a violation of privacy (the feature is opt-out rather than opt-in), it’s been ruining Christmas/Holidays/Birthdays/Whatever for Facebook users.
30% Of Dinner Plates Contain Lead
By 11.21.07
A PDF containing the results and brands tested is available here.
Walmart Pays For Brain Damaged Employee's Medical Bills, Then Sues For The Money Back
By 11.21.07
A Walmart employee was hit by a semi, leaving her permanently brain-damaged and in a wheelchair. Walmart paid for her medical fees and her family successfully sued the trucking company. Now Walmart wants all the money she got from the trucking company. The family only has Social Security benefits and medicaid to pay for her 24 hour medical care. The company health plan contains a clause that allows it to recoup medical expenses it paid if the person also wins damages in an injury suit. This cost-effective management of the employee health plan is just another way Walmart delivers America everday low prices.
By 11.21.07
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News flash: Some retailers leak Black Friday ads on the internet on purpose! [NYT]
