Consumerist readers are on to you, Target. After reading the site for awhile, people are moving the sale cards over to see what the price used to be before it went “on sale.” [More]
pricing
Walmart Debuts Truly Unbeatable Sale
Yes, we suppose the only way to beat this sale is to have a store give you money for taking the thing off their hands. [More]
Publisher: "If You Can Afford An Ebook Device, You Can Pay More For Ebooks"
Imagine trying to buy a book from Big Generic Bookstore and watching the cashier add $5 to the sticker price. “What are you doing?!” you cry out, waving a fist menacingly at him. “You look like you can afford it,” he says back to you with a hint of entitltement. That’s basically what a publishing industry expert said in a piece he wrote last week about ebook pricing. [More]
Blame Manufacturers For Annoying Hidden Prices Online
Have you been noticing more and more lately that no matter which online retailer you visit, you have to add the item to your shopping cart to see the price? Blame it on manufacturers, who are taking advantage of a 2007 Supreme Court ruling to be more aggressive about controlling pricing online, writes the New York Times. [More]
Customer Punches Grocery Store Manager Over Price Of Crab Cakes
A man in Sandusky, Ohio, grew so angry at the price of some crab cakes that he punched the store manager “five or six times,” head butted him, and spit in his face. According to the Associated Press article, there was a pricing error in the customer’s favor, and the manager had offered to give the customer the first crab cake at the incorrect price but wanted to charge full price for the rest. [More]
Think Carefully Before Buying Diapers At Target
Reader Sarah was shopping for some diapers when she noticed something strange about Target’s pricing. Yes, the well-documented insanity continues in the diaper aisle… [More]
AT&T Hints That It Might Introduce Usage-Based Pricing For Smartphone Customers
What do you say when everyone keeps complaining that you can’t handle traffic on your network? If you’re AT&T, you say “We just need to charge more money” and “Our customers who are actually using their phones as advertised are ruining things.” AT&T’s head of consumer services, Ralph de la Vega, told investors today that usage-based pricing is going to happen eventually, and that the company is planning on giving heavy users–who make up 3 percent of their customers–“incentives to reduce or modify their usage.” Somehow I’m guessing he doesn’t mean coupons or cash-back bonuses. [More]
CVS Challenges You To Explain Their Reverse Sale
Reader Kyle took this photo of a “discount” at CVS. [More]
Having A Picture Scanned At OfficeMax Is Like Being On A Game Show
Adam and his wife never know what they’re going to be charged for scanning services at OfficeMax’s ImPress print center. I like to imagine that the ImPress employee stands in front of them holding a very long microphone, and tries to build tension before a coworker flips over the Actual Price card. [More]
Generic Winn-Dixie Snack Bags Must Be Awesome
Reader BrotherFlounder is wondering what’s so special about these generic Winn-Dixie snack bags that makes them more expensive than similar brand name ones.
Target Pays New Jersey $375K To Settle Fraud Charges
Target has agreed to pay New Jersey $375,000 to settle charges that it sold baby formula and non-prescription drugs that had expired, and that it charged higher prices on some products than what was displayed on the shelves.
DVD Price War: Harry Potter, Star Trek For $10
Walmart announced yesterday that it will be slashing prices to below wholesale on 10 of the most popular DVDs that will be released soon, says the LA Times. Target announced that it will be matching Walmart. Amazon has not yet responded.
Avoid The Diabolical Target Lysol Disinfectant Wipe Trap
Target loves to keep you on your toes. Which is the better deal? 110 wipes for $4.79 or 80 wipes for $4.79?
This Grocery Store Bakery Price War Seems To Be Heating Up
We don’t quite know what to say about this Mid-Atlantic regional grocery store bakery price war. It is intense, baby.
TiVO: Save $100 By Saving $50!
Reader Tim is canceling TiVO and going with the Comcast DVR and was presented with a retention deal that he was able to resist. Why? Because $299.99 – $100 doesn’t equal $249.99.
Great Deal At CVS
Reader Evan spotted this smoking deal at a Los Angeles CVS. He didn’t specify what exactly a “CVS HLTH GRO THPST” is, but at that spectacular discount, who could pass one up? I’ll tell you who — those wise consumers who hold fast until the price drops even further, to $3.19.