Nordstrom used to offer online shoppers free shipping—if (and this is a big if) they ordered at least $200 worth of merchandise. But the high-end retailer just announced it is joining the ranks of L.L. Bean and Zappos, which …
Amazon
Customer Service Done Right: When an Actual Human Being Answers the Phone
The ninth circle of customer service hell usually begins with a phone call looped through a maddeningly automated system known as IVR (Interactive Voice Response)—you know, the one in which you “Press 1 to continue in English” …
Simple Way to Save Over 20% On Groceries (And Save Time, Too)
The takeaway from an experiment in comparison shopping for groceries is that consumers could save a significant amount of money, as well as time, by never setting foot in the store.
10 Stores with Great Back to School Deals Right Now
Even before the recent drama on Wall Street dampened consumer sentiment, the National Retail Federation said it expected back to school spending to be flat this year, with families limiting their purchases of clothing, gadgets, …
You’ll Never Guess the Hottest Retailer in the U.S.
Things Are Bad Unless You’re Amazon, Starbucks or Expedia
The markets have been sinking steadily, fed on a diet of weak economic data — GDP growth in the second quarter came in at an anemic 1.3% — and debt ceiling deadlock (which, finally, appears to have been broken). Yet, in the …
Can You Buy Stuff Online Without a Credit Card?
Last week, Apple introduced OS X Lion, the newest version of its Mac operating system. Among the usual tech buzz about features, innovations and glitches was Apple’s striking choice to make OS X Lion available only via the Mac …
No Deal: Skip Borders Underwhelming Liquidation Sales
When something’s called a liquidation sale, the prices just have to be good, don’t they? Actually, they don’t. And here’s proof they’re not at Borders right now.
10 Things That Are Actually Getting Cheaper
We live in a time when the costs of things like gas and gold have soared, just as a laundry list of everyday expenses such as coffee, rent, health care, used cars, and bacon are approaching or have already reached all-time high …
States Try to Squeeze Taxes Out of Online Travel Sites
For years, Expedia, Orbitz and the like have avoided paying most state sales taxes because their businesses aren’t physically located in those states. But now legislatures and courts are cracking down on online retailers. Will …
How Much Will Students Really Save Using Amazon’s E-Textbooks?
It’s a very frustrating part of the college experience. You pay more than $100 for a textbook, haul it home and then never open it. You turn it in at the end of the semester and get a pittance back. Heck, even if you read the …
5 Reasons Borders Went Out of Business (and What Will Take Its Place)
Forty years ago, when Borders opened its first store in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the book industry was a different place. But for years, Borders acted like it wasn’t, culminating in the announcement this week that it would …