The short answer: when it’s no longer new, of course—early adopters are the pawns in the great game of consumer electronics, easily sacrificed by both sides in order to fuel product launches, establish word of mouth, and help discover any 1st-gen bugs. (*cough* iPhone *cough*) SmartMoney says on average, wait six months after a product is released before buying it, but they also provide a list of specific advice for things like cellphones, computers, and cameras.
shopping
TypoTrawler Finds Misspelled eBay Deals
By 9.19.07
TypoTrawler scans eBay looking for misspellings. Savvy eBay shoppers know that misspelled listings result in fewer bidders, because they’re harder to find, so they offer the opportunity for getting a lower final auction price and/or making the item easier to win. You can select which categories you want to view and you can vote on which items are really misspelled or not, as well as click through to the eBay page.
30 Code Words For Sugar
By 9.18.07
It’s yesterday’s news that you can eat healthier by avoiding foods full of unnecessary sugars, and that sugars appear on labels under different names, but you might be surprised to see just how many different guises sugar and sugar-related substances can assume.
The Earlier Ingredients Are On A Label, The More There Is Inside
By 9.18.07
Did you know that ingredients on ingredients labels are listed in their descending order of proportion?
5 Furniture Shopping Tips
By 9.17.07
Despite the crummy real estate market and generally listing economy, now is a good time to go furniture shopping, apparently. That’s partly because consolidation and increased competition has squeezed out everyone except for discount-happy big box retailers in some cities, and partly because business is down overall this year so everyone is trying to attract more customers with markdowns.
Morning Deals
By 9.14.07
9 Ways To Break Your Shopping Addiction
By 9.14.07
If you compulsively shop, shop to cheer yourself up, experience regret after spending money you don’t have, run up high credit card bills, and generally behave like a freshman college student at your first beer blast, then… well, we don’t want to go all Dr. Phil on you, but you might have a little bit of a problem. Sharon Epperson, author of “The Big Payoff,” offers 9 tips on how to curb your addiction.
Morning Deals
By 9.13.07
Good Laptop Bags For Guys
By 9.13.07
Buying a decent bag for your laptop can turn into an epic quest if you’re at all picky—there are a hundred bulky or badly built bags our there, and some flat-out ugly ones that look like they were designed by camels. A member of Ask Metafilter posted the following request earlier today: “I need a bag for a man with a computer.” His qualifications included that it should be padded, stylish, affordable, and not too bulky.
Morning Deals
By 9.12.07
Tips For Shopping At Thrift Stores
By 9.11.07
Sometimes it seems like thrift stores are on the verge of extinction. What used to be a necessity for college students, “alternative” types, artists, and practical moms have mostly been replaced by “super-low prices” at big box stores, or dirt-cheap fashions from retailers like H&M, Steve & Barry’s, or Old Navy. Still, if you’ve got the time and the right attitude, and you’re okay with that vintage/hand-me-down look, you can find some good bargains at thrift stores.
Morning Deals
By 9.11.07
Receipt Check Policies For Costco, Sam's Club, And BJ's
By 9.6.07
In most cases, a receipt check is voluntary, but several wholesale shopping clubs make you agree to them as part of the membership contract.
