Wendy’s was on track to boot Burger King off its perch as the No. 2 hamburger chain in the country, so the King is fighting back by stealing a page from pizza shops’ playbook: In four test markets, the brand is offering home …
Odd Spending
Dollar Stores: The One-Stop Shop for Home Decorating?
Forget about Ethan Allen, or even IKEA. The hottest way to outfit nearly every room in your home is by scouring for treasures at dollar stores.
Meet the Puppet Who Made $11,000 Last Year from Silly Online Videos
Fiverr.com is an online marketplace where people tackle any number of bizarre gigs or “micro-jobs” in exchange for payment of a whopping $5. Users might offer to place 100 flyers on 100 cars, or design a company logo, or record a customized message while imitating the voice of a “Star Wars” character. One of the “stars” to emerge in what …
Spin for Extra Discounts with Groupon’s Creepy New Gimmick, ‘Clicky’
The new game/marketing promotion from Groupon is called Clicky. That rhymes with “icky,” an apt description of the “Clickable-Value Wheel” that looks like a carnival game of chance, only with a human mouth and eyes, producing a …
Check Out the New Walgreens — Where You Can Get Sushi, Cognac, a Smoothie, and a Manicure
For more than a year now, shoppers have been able to buy cheap six-packs of private-label beer at Walgreens around the country. The brew, Big Flats 1901, is often described by reviewers as “drinkable,” high praise considering it costs about 50¢ a can. Ironically, though, the brand-new upscale 27,350-square-foot Walgreens in downtown …
The Secret Cause of Buyer’s Remorse
Being able to hold things before we buy them makes us more satisfied with our purchases.
Hostess, Maker of Twinkies, To File For Bankruptcy
Talk about sweet sorrow: Hostess Brands, manufacturer of lunchbox staples like Twinkies, Hohos and Ding Dongs, is planning to file for bankruptcy this week, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The company, which also makes …
Why January Is the Best Month for Cheap Fast Food
After the annual holiday spending binge, consumers tend to hunker down and save money by cooking more at home. Well aware of consumer tendencies, fast-food restaurants do their best to tempt diners into eating out more often by …
Holy Earlobe Remorse! Fixing Faddish Earlobe Holes Can Cost Thousands
In retrospect, many fads look silly. But they’re typically harmless, and provide a little fun without costing much money. On the other hand, jumping on the bandwagon with certain recent trends—in particular, getting a tattoo or …
Billions Wasted: Do Gift Cards Make Sense When So Many Go Unused?
Retailers and restaurants love gift cards—so much so that they load them with bonus cash in order to sell more cards. This makes total sense once you realize how often gift cards aren’t used at all, and how all those cards add …
5 Weirdest Hot-Selling Purchases of the 2011 Holiday Season
During the holidays, it’s expected that clothing, electronics, gift cards and, of course, toys will be hot sellers. But guns? I suppose many of them would fit nicely into a stocking. But still.
The Cure for the Ailing Movie Business Is To … Raise Ticket Prices?
Last year was a bad one for the movie business, with the fewest tickets sold since 1995 and revenues that dropped 4.5% from the previous year. Analysts foresee a better year ahead in 2012, and what is it that’s expected to turn …