Remember those price code hack posts we wrote earlier this month? MONEY magazine is working on a feature about ’em.
retail
It’s Science: The Brains of Spendthrifts Fuction Differently Than Tightwads
By 1.24.07
We are a definitely a tightwad, but what does that mean, really? That we avoid buying things, even if we know we need them? That we still don’t own a microwave? What’s wrong with us? The New York Times has the answer, via Stanford and Carnegie Mellon Universities.
Gap CEO Resigns
By 1.22.07
- Mr. Pressler, a former Disney executive, arrived at Gap four years ago with plans to cut costs and restore the chain’s place in the retail firmament after years of sluggish sales.
Why Do You Hate The Gap?
By 1.19.07
- Earlier this month two key executives, Denise Johnston, president of Gap’s adult division, and Ivy Ross, head of product design for Old Navy, left the company, bringing to 10 the number of senior executives who have vacated key spots at the company, including Kyle Andrew, vp, marketing for the Gap brand.
Best Buy Bends After Screwing Blogger
By 1.18.07
Jorge spends over $2000 for a new JVC TV from Best Buy, based on an ad which said the price included a stand. TV arrives, no stand. Jorge goes to his Best Buy in Denver, Co, asks for it, and the assistant manager refuses to honor the ad.
TJ Maxx & Marshall’s Hacked, Tons Of Credit Cards Stolen
By 1.18.07
In mid-December, someone cracked into TJ Maxx’s computer system and stole a huge swath of credit cards.
Are You Being Sold?
By 1.17.07
Frank Furness’ humorous motivational talk for sales people (positing two Indian con-girls as the world’s greatest salespeople) advises six basic concepts for making a winning sale:
Life at $7.25 An Hour
By 1.11.07
- Shannon Wilk, 33, who makes $6.25 an hour, said that of course she would like to earn more money. It would help her. It would help her 18-month-old daughter. “It would be good,” she said, “but also, for me, I live in income-based housing, and if I get a raise, my rent would go up, and I would lose my assistance.” Even the tiniest raise would affect her, she said, and with nowhere to go, the last thing she can afford is a raise to $7.25.
Interesting stuff. —MEGHANN MARCO
Confessions of a Porn Store Clerk
By 1.5.07
- I knew somebody who did layout for a porn magazine, and he got really burned out looking at naked people all day. It started to affect his sex life. Has anything like that happened to you?
Best Buy Calls 911 On Customer Asking For Refund
By 12.30.06
Best Buy calls 911 after Consumerist reader RJH asks for a refund on a nonworking Tony Bennet CD.
Holiday Shopper Survey: Netflix Top, CDW Bottom
By 12.27.06
A survey of 10,000+ consumers ranked the best and worst shopping sites during the the 2006 holiday season.
Old Man Gets Gun After Getting No Home Depot Help
By 12.19.06
You know Home Depot’s got a customer service problem when this happens…
American Apparel Sells Out
By 12.19.06
Privately-held American Apparel will sell itself to a small investment firm for $382.5 million. NYT reports,
Unused Gift Cards Profit Retailers By $4.8 Billion
By 12.19.06
Six percent of this year’s gift cards will go unused, netting retailers $4.8 billion in free money, the AP reports.
Cellphone Dealers Won’t Sell Nice Phones To Less Profitable Customers
By 12.15.06
Cellphone dealers will sometimes hold new and limited quantity cellphones from existing customers, preferring to sell them to more profitable new customers or contract upgrades, members of HowardForums allege.
Best Buy Profiles Customers
By 12.14.06
Best Buy drills its salespeople to size up incoming customers, label based on type, and sell accordingly. This news is two years old but is new to us. Here’s the breakdown:
What To Do If A Store Blacklists You From Making Returns
By 12.6.06
Speaking of making returns, retailers are placing some serial returners on blacklists. This is mainly to prevent abuse, like these scammers who stole over a million dollars from Home Depot in fraudulent returns, but sometimes legitimate consumers can find themselves on the return blacklist. Based on first-hand experience, Become’s Pocket Change tells us how to get off the list. — BEN POPKEN
Retailers’ Return Policies
By 12.6.06
Retailers are getting stricter with their return policies this year. If you’re not hot about the Marshmallow Shooter or Toshiba SD-4990 DVD Player grams got you, keep the receipt and don’t take it out of the package. Here’s the return policies of some of the major retailers. — BEN POPKEN
