Yes, Virginia, there is a city where $1,000 Christmas trees are real. Where, you ask? In — where else? — New York City. [More]
shopping
Amazon Opening ‘Amazon Go,’ A Convenience Store With No Checkout Lines
By 12.5.16
You know that feeling you get at the store when you realize you’ve once again chosen the wrong checkout line, the one that’s moving the most slowly? And self-checkout machines eliminate the cashier but not the lines (if the machines are even working). Amazon hopes to eliminate checkout-line frustration altogether with Amazon Go, its new bricks-and-mortar convenience store. [More]
Instacart Workers Say They Were Illegally Misclassified As Independent Contractors
By 12.5.16
To say that things have been contentious between Instacart and its hired shoppers and drivers would be a bit of an understatement, following backlash the company received when overhauling — and then again revamping — the way it handles tips. Last week, workers took things to another level, suing the grocery delivery startup claiming it broke state and federal labor laws. [More]
10 Things You Should Consider Before Paying For Any Retail Membership
By 12.2.16
Memberships, once the exclusive domain of warehouse clubs like Costco and BJ’s, are officially hot right now. From Amazon Prime and Walmart ShippingPass to subscription boxes (like Birchbox) and membership programs from retailers including Bed Bath & Beyond and Restoration Hardware, companies aren’t content until they’ve turned occasional shoppers into loyal members. But should you join? Will it be worth the money? How will you know if a membership program is right for you? We break it down. [More]
Bargain-Hunting Beavers: 17 Times Animals Went Shopping In Human Stores
By 12.1.16
Does it make you giggle to think about a beaver going Christmas shopping at a dollar store? If so, you’ll be even more tickled to know this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about an animal waltzing into a human business like it belonged there. Heck, this isn’t even the first time we’ve heard about a beaver doing that. [More]
Cyber Monday Set A New Sales Record… Or People Just Shop Online A Lot
By 11.29.16
This year, both Black Friday and Cyber Monday set sales records… for online shoppers. Americans armed with mobile devices, tablets, and computers pulled out their credit cards and placed orders, turning yesterday into the biggest sales day in the history of online shopping. Apparently, Cyber Monday isn’t as pointless as we thought, and rampant discounting does draw shoppers. [More]
L.L. Bean’s Duck Boots Still All The Rage, Continue To Be Backordered
By 11.28.16
Last year, L.L. Bean hired 100 additional workers to ramp up production of their iconic, unglamorous USA-made duck boots. Nonetheless, the popular footwear was quickly put on backorder. Now, the long-time retailer is once again putting some styles on backorder, despite increasing production, hiring additional employees, and making plans for a larger facility. [More]
Cyber Monday Is Now Pretty Pointless
By 11.28.16
Since 2005, Cyber Monday has been the end of Thanksgiving week, as office workers’ brains haven’t quite returned to work, and they use the time to shop online. At least, this is what online retailers must themselves as they schedule sales and other promotions for the additional shopping holiday. Yet is Cyber Monday still a thing, or do we all have shopping holiday fatigue by the time it comes around? [More]
Reminder: If A Retailer Sends You Something You Didn’t Order, You Can Keep It
By 11.28.16 — Updated: 5.15.17
In the madness of the holiday shipping season, mistakes are not uncommon. Sometimes, lucky shoppers find themselves on the winning end of those mistakes, like when you get 99 extra knives or when a retailer sends four iPods instead of one. So what’s an honest consumer to do? [More]
4 Scams To Avoid During The Holidays
By 11.28.16
It’s that time of year, where all your focus is on your quest to shop for gifts, decorate your home, and survive the gauntlet of holiday parties. But don’t let your ambition for discounts and seemingly great seasonal opportunities blind you to some common scams that tend to pop up in these final weeks of the year. [More]
Retailers Move Sales Earlier In Thanksgiving Week, Begin Black Friday Creep
By 11.23.16
Maybe it doesn’t matter whether retailers open on Thanksgiving Day or not. Trying to attract our dollars and our attention, stores moved their deals even farther back this year, in a holiday season arms race that will only end when they’ve gone all of the way around the calendar, and sales for the following year begin on Black Friday. [More]
Monday Projected To Be A Record Day For Online Shippers
By 11.23.16
In news that will surprise absolutely no one, the major package carriers, UPS and FedEx, expect to handle record numbers of packages this holiday seasons. As Americans shift more of our holiday shopping — and more of our shopping in general — online, that makes this Monday particularly important for retailers. [More]
Burning Down The Mall Because You Can’t Find A Shopping Cart Joins Long List Of Customer Overreactions
By 11.18.16
When you’ve been wronged by a business — or believe you have been — there are two ways you can try to resolve the situation: one, you can take a deep breath and calmly address the issue at hand by using your words; or, you can go the opposite route and overreact completely, and woe betide the poor mortals caught in your way. [More]
Abercrombie & Fitch Having A Tough Time Luring Shoppers Despite Rebranding Efforts
By 11.18.16
Abercrombie & Fitch has been trying hard to shed its former image, one strengthened by “cool” executives who didn’t want to deal with any uncool customers, but it seems those turnaround efforts aren’t proving as fruitful as the retailer would like: profits for the company tumbled in the last quarter, and sales figures are far from promising. [More]
This Woman Is On A Mission To Stop At Costco Stores In Every U.S. State That Has Them
By 11.15.16
Do you have a Costco store in your state? It may soon get a visit from a dedicated Costco devotee who’s on a solo road trip around the country right now, in an effort to check out a Costco store in every state that has one. [More]
Only Three Stores Opening On Thanksgiving At Mall of America
By 11.14.16
The Mall of America, tourist destination and temple of commerce, announced last month that it would not be officially opening on Thanksgiving Day, though it gave individual stores the option to open if they wanted. The only retailers to take the mall up on that offer were Sears, Macy’s, and The Crayola Experience, and Crayola is the only store staying open that lacks its own entrance. [More]
JCPenney Handing Out $500 Coupons To Lure Shoppers On Thanksgiving
By 11.11.16
Even though JCPenney is starting its Black Friday sales online next Wednesday, the retailer is still hoping it can convince some folks that they’d rather be shopping in physical stores on Thanksgiving than spending time with loved ones/taking turkey-induced naps by offering up coupons worth $500 off to the first people to come through the doors. [More]
Sears Will Open On Thanksgiving Then Close For Five Hours
By 11.8.16
For every retailer like REI, hhgregg, and TJMaxx that proudly announces they are bucking the trend of opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day, there’s a counterpart sticking to its guns and opening to holiday shoppers on an actual holiday. To that end: Sears will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. [More]
