Are you a coupon clipper? No? Lots of people like saving money, but don’t really buy the sort of products that have coupons, or don’t have time to waste searching and clipping. These tips are for you.
retail
Why Do Americans Insist On Buying Cheap Crap Instead Of High Quality Merchandise?
Over at MSN Money there’s an interesting article about the tyranny of cheap crap that we, as a people, are accustomed to living under. Why do we buy a coat every year instead of one high quality coat that will last many years? Why do we buy crappy kitchen knives that go dull and become dangerous? Do we enjoy shopping so much that we’re content to keep rebuying the same stuff?
If You Can Find This Cooler, Walmart Will Sell It To You
Karen writes, “I am planning a trip to Chicago next month and was looking for a travel cooler, and found exactly what I needed…” Then she noticed something odd. Yes, this leprechaun of a cooler will reward you with awesome in-car chilling, if you can just solve the riddle of how to buy it.
Chicago Tribune Picks Up Grocery Shrink Ray
The Chicago Tribune quoted me in a piece on the Grocery Shrink Ray. Paraphrasing a food science. expert, it says, “Broadly defined, packaging costs often outweigh ingredient costs, Hotchkiss said. And a penny shaved off packaging can translate into millions of dollars in savings for a high-volume consumer product.” This is interesting because it means the greatest cost savings come from reducing package costs, rather than ingredient amount. Which means if they’re reducing ingredient amounts, they’ve got to be really hurting. Maybe if I really wanted to do my part to help the economy I should have spent that stimulus check on juice, cereal, paper towels, mayonnaise and ice cream.
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Best Buy will start selling musical equipment—guitars, drum kits, sheet music, groupies—in up to 85 stores across the U.S. this year. They’ll also offer group music lessons. Is there anything the Geek Squad can’t do? [Associated Press]
Modell's Beats Any Price, As Long As It's Not On Sale
Modell’s own peculiar definition of “low price guarantee, we will beat any ad” surprised reader Randy when he tried to get them to honor it on a baseball glove he bought, as it would even the most casual student of Logic or Semantics. He writes:
3 Ways To Spend Less While Shopping
Shopping is a war and you are outgunned. Stores attack your desire for self-restraint with armies of psychologists, marketers, and “brand gurus.” Defend yourself from overspending with three easy and effective tips from Alpha Consumer…
Target's Degree Deodorant Pricing Scheme Rewards Those Who Pay Attention
Gavin wants to know what’s up with Target’s deodorant pricing.
Bear Breaks Into Circuit City, Has As Much Luck Locating An Employee As You Do
Colorado Springs police say that the vandal who broke into a closed Circuit City wasn’t trying to steal electronics — it was a confused black bear.
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Here’s your daily dose of vitriol: an alleged former employee of Fry’s has posted a list of 100 reasons why you shouldn’t shop there. They range from ” Pushy sales people,” to ” I have never officially seen anyone clean, scrub and sanitize the bathrooms.” Bitter, very bitter. [Fry’s Forum]
Watch Walmart Spread Across The Country Like A Virus
We’ve seen “Walmart is a virus” videos before, but this interactive map showing the proliferation of Walmart from the early 1960s until 2007 is especially cool. Zoom in and out as the Walmart infection grows…
Sports Chalet Treadmill SALE!!! Save Two Cents!!!
Reader Lindsay spotted this sticker on a treadmill on SALE SALE SALE (for only two cents off) at Sports Chalet back in May. Probably a typo, or possibly an elaborate scheme by the Sports Chalet into convincing customers that he thinks they’re morons.
Entire Chicken Fits Into 50 oz Can
Science has taken us to Mars, plumbed the twilight depths of the ocean, and manipulated the very fibers of existence on the subatomic level, and now, minus giblets, put an entire chicken into a can. Commenter AlexTNOA alerts us that you can get it on Amazon, too, where the writeup says it’s, “…ready for soups, stews and quick dinners…Great to have on-hand in your pantry for emergency dinners.” Hm, how might those instructions read…something like: Open can, plop contents on plate, cover with plastic wrap, cook in microwave on high for 60 seconds, remove plate and wrapper, sculpt contents into shape of chicken. Serves 3-5…
Publix Helpfully Suggests That You Shop At Winn-Dixie
Kevin was shopping at the Publix in Birmingham, AL when he spotted this helpful sign.
Leaks: Need ID And Social To Buy iPhone 3G?
An Apple store insider has leaked to us what they say will be some limitations and barriers on buying the iPhone Apple and AT&T stores will apply to the new iPhone 3g that goes on sale this Friday:
Yikes: Blockbuster Dumps Plan To Buy Circuit City
Blockbuster has finished snooping around Circuit City’s medicine cabinet and the verdict is in: Blockbuster has changed its mind.