Apple has applied to patent a wireless ordering system that would allow shoppers to place orders from, for example, their iPhones as they approached, oh, let’s say a Starbucks, bypassing an ordering line altogether and going straight to the pick-up counter. The system would also allow stores to keep data on repeat customers to speed up future transactions.
shopping
Use Your Gift Cards Immediately!
By 12.29.07
The Dallas Morning News and Consumer Affairs both say you should use those gift cards as soon as possible—otherwise you risk losing them, forgetting about them, or having them decline in value due to maintenance fees or expiration dates. We know this isn’t new news, but the idea that “$7.8 billion in gift card value will go unused this year” makes us cringe. If you really don’t want the card, consider selling it online, or giving it to a shelter or other charity that can make use of it.
What To Look For In A Pillow Protector
By 12.29.07
Do you spend the nights fighting allergies and biting your pillow in agony? Wait, that sentence didn’t come out right. Anyway, the vice president of a custom-printing pillow company tells Newsday what he looks for in a good pillow cover.
Morning Deals
By 12.28.07
Woot!: Franklin Merriam-Webster Dictionary with MP3 Player for $14.99Amazon: Platinum Nintendo Gamecube Console for $49.99 ShippedBarnes and Noble: Save 40% on one book online when using a MastercardHighlights From Dealhack Eastern Mountain Sports: Post Holiday Sale: Save up to 50% off Clothing &…
Morning Deals
By 12.27.07
Woot!: Sony VAIO VGN-AR550U Digital Studio Notebook PC for $1,349.99Buy.com: Kingston 1GB MicroSD w/Adapter for $10Amazon: Adidas Kids Shoes $14.99 or lessHighlights From Dealhack Buy.com: Jabra C820s Noise Canceling Headphones $50 ShippedGap: Clearance Sale: Clothing Store-Wide up to 40%…
Wal-Mart Gift Card Servers Malfunctioning Day After Christmas
By 12.27.07
John wrote in yesterday to tell us, “I just got back from Wal-Mart trying to buy stuff with my gift cards, but the employees told me that they gift card servers were down across the country. I waited for about 15 minutes as cashiers and managers tried to get my gift card to go through and nothing occurred.”
Best Time To Shop For Seasonal Bargains
By 12.26.07
Air conditioners, bicycles and outdoor gear, boats, and carpet and flooring.
Is Consumerism Killing Democracy?
By 12.26.07
Political scientist Benjamin Barber thinks mindless spending is killing America. Barber went on Bill Moyers Journal to promote his new book Consumed, and to lambast us for being infantilized drones who drool over whatever big business shoves into our greedy little mitts.
The Apple Store For Education Makes Mistakes, Too
By 12.26.07
Reader Patrick sends the above screen grab with the comforting email subject line: “No Worries–Apple.com Can’t Spell Either.”
Retail: Can The Day After Christmas Save Christmas?
By 12.26.07
The International Council of Shopping Centers said same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year during the November-December period, appear to be coming in just below meager projections, though it said post-Christmas buying could help restore the shortfall.
California Supreme Court: Feel Free To Protest Inside The Mall
By 12.26.07
In a 4-to-3 decision, the court said a San Diego mall violated California law protecting free speech when its owners barred protesters from distributing leaflets in front of one of the mall’s stores, asking shoppers not to give the store their business.
Morning Deals
By 12.26.07
Woot!: Random Crap: 2008 Calendar Edition for $0.87 (plus $5 shipping)Target: Super Mario Galaxy for Wii for $37Target: Select DVD Box Sets for $19.99 or lessLowe’s: 75% off all “holiday decor,” while supplies lastHighlights From Dealhack Chefs: Year End Clearance Sale: Up to 70% off + Free…
You People Are Buying A Lot Of Champagne
By 12.24.07
Not since the buying frenzy of 1999, when people bought champagne in bulk to ring in the millennium, have U.S. champagne and sparkling wine sales been so high. Volume for 2007 is expected to hit 900 million glasses, up 4% over 2006, says the 2007 Impact Annual Wine Study.
Woman Asked To Leave After Shopping At Walmart For 72 Hours
By 12.24.07
Police escorted a woman home after she was shopping, eating, and sleeping in a Georgia Walmart for three days straight. She blended in with the general Christmas madness and sustained herself by eating at the on-site Blimpie. When asked by employees at the end why she stayed for so long, she said, “I’m shopping.”
Morning Deals
By 12.24.07
How Do You Get The Most Out Of Online Reviews?
By 12.22.07
Products don’t advertise their drawbacks leaving shoppers to rely on online reviews as one of the only ways to determine a product’s true worth. Salon argues in an article heavy on fluff and light on content that reviews are just a meaningless muddle of questionable opinions. We disagree, but the article does raise one good question: how do you judge the value online reviews?
