Good news, everyone! I don’t have an aging hulk of a CRT television in my living room anymore. No, I have a high definition television, thanks to the power of my mind. At least, that’s what a recent study tells me will happen if I wish hard enough.
ELECTRONICS
Newegg Files For $175 Mil IPO – Going All Hollywood On Us Now?
By 9.28.09
Popular electronics retailer Newegg filed for a $175 mil initial public offering today, becoming the 3rd internet darling in recent memory, after Zappos and Mint, to seek a cashout. Let’s hope Newegg doesn’t switch their business model from being entirely beholden to customers to being entirely beholden to shareholders. Otherwise, the customers’ battle cry of “It’s Newegg or nothing!” will be getting a tryout. [Reuters] (Thanks to GitEmSteveDave!) (Photo: Matt & The Camera)
Best Buy Too Lazy To Find Your Item Unless You Order It Online
By 9.9.09
Reader Michael went to Best Buy to pick up a hard drive that he saw on sale. The website said that the item was in stock, but when he got to the store there were none on the shelf. The employee he questioned said that the item was out of stock but explained that the website was slow to update. So Michael went home, ordered it for in store pick up and… can you guess what happened next?
Funai Finally Answers The Phone, Offers Refund For Dead 5-Month-Old TV
By 8.22.09
Thanks to their own determination and a tip from a fellow Consumerist reader, Tavie and Gina have finally found someone at Funai willing to not only answer the phone, but grant them a refund for their Sylvania television that died after only a few months of use. The amount of effort needed to get this result is a little disheartening, but we’re thrilled at the happy ending, and we now have helpful information for other customers who encounter problems with Funai.
Recycle Your Sex Toys, Get A New One For Free
By 8.21.09
You recycle your other used electronics, so why not recycle your unwanted sex toys, too? Dreamscapes, LLC is providing an incentive for consumers to do just that. As long as they wash them really, really well first.
Target Advertises Cheap In-Store Hard Drive Online, 'Varies' Price At Stores
By 8.18.09
Silly Jeremy, thinking he can use an online Target ad for an in-store only price to gauge the actual price of an item at his neighborhood Target.
TiVo Now Offers Exciting New DVR Immortality Transfer Fee
By 8.16.09
TiVo customers have a few different choices when paying for their service plans. The one that’s gamble of sorts is the “lifetime” plan, which includes service for the entire life of your device and currently costs $399. Lifetime service is technically transferable when a TiVo is replaced under warranty, but Nate discovered a new feature: a new $150 fee to transfer service from the original DVR to the replacement.
Watch Out For Best Buy's Extended Warranties
By 7.30.09
HD Guru took a deeper look at the extended warranties and service plans Best Buy pushes on customers who buy expensive electronics like hi-def TVs. You probably won’t be surprised to find out that the fine print negates a lot of what the person or pamphlet on the sales floor will try to promise you—but you might be surprised at just how useless these plans can be when you get right down to it.
V-Moda Replaces Headphones After Wear Leads To Static
By 7.24.09
Xavier bought a pair of nice quality headphones from V-Moda, and liked them so much that he carried them along everywhere he went. When he started having problems with the device, he inquired about repairing the earbuds, but V-Moda had a better idea.
The 7 Types Of Employees You Meet At Best Buy
By 7.10.09
Gizmodo paired up a former Best Buy employee with a professional illustrator and created a taxonomy of seven Best Buy employees you’re likely to meet whenever you shop there. The two who probably get the most coverage on our site (and who are probably the most annoying in general): Pervy Geek Squad Guy and Slick Careerist Manager.
Best Buy Ties Up A Grand Of Guy's Money For A Month
By 7.7.09
Disregarding our sage advice, former Best Buy employee Patrick wanted to cash out his 401(k) when he left the company. But he found getting ahold of the money was tougher than getting out of the store without being offered an extended service plan:
NY Attorney General Fines, Closes Down Infamously Scammy Camera Stores
By 7.1.09
If you bought cameras or electronics from any of these stores recently you were probably scammed: Best Price Camera, Foto Connection, 1 Way Photo, 86th Street Photo, Broadway Photo, Camera Whiz, and Sonic Photo. Or perhaps you bought something online from one of their astonishing array of alter egos and websites (see full list).
More Insider Tips When Buying From Radioshack
By 6.17.09
There’s clearly no love lost between D. and D’s former employer, RadioShack. A little over a year ago, D. sent us some insider tips on what to watch out for when you shop at RS. Now here comes a follow-up, with more information on cell phone sales tricks, warranty pitches, and used merchandise.
Rumble In The Strip Mall: Best Buy Calls Out Walmart
By 6.17.09
Sure, Best Buy emerged victorious over Circuit City in the Battle of the Big-Box Electronics Stores, but they still have to compete with general discounters like Walmart. Which is why in a new ad campaign, Best Buy calls out Walmart specifically, attacking their employees’ presumed lack of product knowledge compared to Best Buy employees.
Best Buy Tries To Convince You To Buy The Wrong Memory Card
By 6.12.09
Reader Phil is annoyed. He called Best Buy to see if they carried MiniSD memory cards. He was told that they did, but when he got to the store — all they had was MicroSD. Instead of just apologizing and letting Phil get on with his day — they tried to convince him that he was wrong, and his camera took MicroSD. It doesn’t.
Former Best Buy Salesperson Says: Electronics Salespeople Are Useless
By 6.12.09
Over on CNET, blogger and former Best Buy salesperson Sharon Vaknin shares her acquired wisdom with the Internet, putting together a list of the “7 things electronics salespeople won’t tell you.” What are they?
Meet The New iPhone, Not Quite The Same As The Old iPhone
By 6.9.09
Another year, another iPhone. Next up to drive early adopters furious is the newly announced iPhone 3G S, which opens applications faster, goes easier on the battery, packs a sharper camera, records video, includes voice control and adds a compass that points to the inevitable reality that Apple will announce a fourth iPhone next year.
