Chintzy enjoys a great deal on just about anything, as everyone knows. And Chintzy enjoys his excellently priced and scrumptiously incentivized Telus Optik Internet and TV service for a low low price with lots of free extras including several free Telus PVR's, a free Samsung Galaxy Tablet, and extra discounted pricing for the first 6 months. It's a great deal if you happen to have the right mix of services and requirements, and Chintzy calculated it as approximately $1000 savings over the life of the 3 year contract over the service that he had had previous. That was a little over 4 blissful money-saving months ago.
Fast forward through 4 months of happy Optik-ing at a heavily discounted price and enjoyment of a free android tablet. Suddenly, a sly $3 price increase just sidles into place on your bill - where it won't even take effect until the "first 6 months" promo expires. Chintzy was extremely disappointed, and realized this was a classic big corporation calculated move to extract as much money from its customers as possible while keeping the number of people willing to complain at a minimum. Even at only 4 months into a contract that one would have thought did include price stability, Chintzy was hesitant to put in what would likely be wasted effort to complain about this to Telus for only $3 per month.
Every nefarious villain needs a Don Quixote to tilt at windmills though, and Chintzy answered the call. Starting with the online chat from the Telus website, Chintzy exclaimed Telus' dirty tactics, the implication that the price was included in the contract, that a measly 4 months into a 36 month contract is not the time for a unilateral price increase. Fruitless, Chintzy was told to call customer service directly.
And so our hero did. And explained once more to the CSR over the phone what evil had been done, what disservice had been rendered. And listened to tired explanations about how the contract covers everything but price. Eventually, Chintzy was able to be transfered to an unknown department that did have the power to offer certain compensations. Once again, Chintzy was bombarded with the list of goodies and extras that Chintzy had originally negotiated to receive. Once again, Chintzy appealed to conscience, threatened to spread the word about this dastardly bait and switch, to complain to the Commissioner For Complaints For Telecommunications, and raised the spectre of false advertising, or at least deceptive business practices.
Worn down, this new representative offered some bill credits to ease the pain of the undeserved price increase. Heartened, Chintzy held out for a rebate of the whole amount. And eventually got it.
Oh, happy day! Chintzy loves nothing better than a deal, and better yet a triumph over evil into the bargain.
So be forewarned and forearmed dear Reader. If you have, as many Telus customers have, tricked and deceived into accepting a price increase while under contract, there is hope. Be polite. Be articulate. Be forthright and be steadfast! Good luck and good hunting!
TIPS FOR NEGOTIATING WITH TELUS
1) If you accepted your contract based on advertising that said "$XX for 6 months, $YY thereafter" bring that up.
2) Explain how sneakily keeping the price out of a contract that binds the consumer in every other way is unfair and deceptive.
3) If no one told you price was not protected, hammer this point.
4) Ask if they would rather you go to the CCTS and make a complaint
5) Ask them if they think customers would still be signing up for all their free goodies were they to know Telus would and will raise the price at their whim
6) Explain how you switched from XYZ Company because you thought Telus would be more honest and straightforward
7) As a last resort you may bring up the possibility of taking your story to the various consumer advocacy news segments available in your area - Chintzy advises for using this as a last resort. They know it's unlikely but devastating were it to happen.
8) Always ask for a supervisor
9) Ask the representative what they would do in your position to get this resolved
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Monday, June 27, 2011
If you don't believe you are being taken advantage of as a consumer on a daily basis, read here Or, how to save 75% on a Wii component cable
Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows how badly some retail stores and companies take advantage of the consumer. Seeing some concrete examples, should serve as a wakeup call to anyone in the developed world. Recently I was browsing through some electronics at a local big box electronics store, and I chanced upon this steal, and I do mean steal, of a deal. Feast your eyes:
That must be some cable that you're about to shell out 20 simoleons for, that can be had, shipped to your door, WITH NO TAX ADDED because its below the collection threshhold, for only $5.43 USD direct from Hong Kong. Feast your eyes (and click to go directly to this deal) on the competition, a much cheaper and economical version of this wii component cable.
Is this cheaper (by $15 !!) version lower quality? Probably. Will it produce the same quality video picture as the above cable that is much more expensive? Yes it will. Chintzy personally uses this deal at Chintzy HQ in case you were wondering. The build quality is a little on the cheap side, but if you're not putting your cables through hell and their only job is to sit behind your TV and conduct video signals, it should be no problem.
If your toddler needs something to swing on, buy them a jolly jumper or similar.
What do you think the big electronics retailer is paying for that quality cable given their buying power and their bulk container shipping rates? How do you feel about that profit margin? This isn't just about wii component cables, it's about every retail item you purchase every day. And those stores still pay peanuts and get monkeys for store help.
Chintzy has said it before but we'll say it again here. Chintzy does not like corporations that act like its THEIR wallet in MY pants.
Thanks for reading, dear reader.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
 |
| Wii component cable to improve the graphics of your WII game system |
That must be some cable that you're about to shell out 20 simoleons for, that can be had, shipped to your door, WITH NO TAX ADDED because its below the collection threshhold, for only $5.43 USD direct from Hong Kong. Feast your eyes (and click to go directly to this deal) on the competition, a much cheaper and economical version of this wii component cable.
Is this cheaper (by $15 !!) version lower quality? Probably. Will it produce the same quality video picture as the above cable that is much more expensive? Yes it will. Chintzy personally uses this deal at Chintzy HQ in case you were wondering. The build quality is a little on the cheap side, but if you're not putting your cables through hell and their only job is to sit behind your TV and conduct video signals, it should be no problem.
If your toddler needs something to swing on, buy them a jolly jumper or similar.
What do you think the big electronics retailer is paying for that quality cable given their buying power and their bulk container shipping rates? How do you feel about that profit margin? This isn't just about wii component cables, it's about every retail item you purchase every day. And those stores still pay peanuts and get monkeys for store help.
Chintzy has said it before but we'll say it again here. Chintzy does not like corporations that act like its THEIR wallet in MY pants.
Thanks for reading, dear reader.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Groupon Review - What is Groupon? Is Groupon a scam? - How to save 50 - 90% on purchases
Chintzy has been following Groupon, the internet deep discount group buy coupon sensation for a while now, and it's time to share the wealth and do a Groupon review from Chintzy's personal experience.
Now it's relatively recently that Groupon has come to Chintzy's base of operations, and made those gooey delicious discounts available, but that has made the experience all the sweeter. We'll get to the details shortly, but first a little about how Groupon works.
What is Groupon? How does Groupon work?
Groupon is a company that makes available various sorts of services and products at a deep discount, typically 50% to 90% off. Every day a new 'daily deal' is announced, and if you have signed up you will receive these daily Groupon deals in your e-mail inbox or view them on the Groupon website. Common examples are restaurants and spa's, where there is an incentive for the business to bring in new customers who will come back after having a positive experience using their Groupon coupon.
To summarize, Groupon allows individual consumers to get large discounts by combining their buying power with other consumers, and by offering businesses the chance to gain new customers for the long term through a marketing push fueled by Groupon and deep discounts.
Is Groupon a scam? 50% - 90% discounts are unheard of
In short, while the discounts available from Groupon are so high they fall into the 'too good to be true' category, there are good and valid business reasons why the discounts offered are totally valid. Each party to the Groupon transaction gets good value. The business brings in new customers whom they hope to convert to returning (non discounted) customers, Groupon receives some percentage and builds a base of happy customers, and you, the consumer, receives a deep discount on a product or service that you may have never tried before. Saving money and broadening your horizons at the same time. If there was ever something that sounded so good and delivered to all parties so well, Chintzy isn't aware of it.
Groupon reviews - Does Groupon deliver?
Chintzy has taken advantage of two of Groupon's offerings in the past months, and plans to do some serious Groupon gift shopping shortly. Although Chintzy was unable to discover details on the Groupon vetting that must go on behind the scenes to assure quality, Chintzy , as well as friends and associates have been pleased with the quality and results of using the Groupon service. Trying something new, and paying a lot less while you do it is the formula that makes this deal hound very happy.
A quick rundown of Groupon strengths and weaknesses
Chintzy is a fan of summing up the facts, and Chintzy readers want those details so here's a little rundown of the Groupon reviews takeaways.
Now it's relatively recently that Groupon has come to Chintzy's base of operations, and made those gooey delicious discounts available, but that has made the experience all the sweeter. We'll get to the details shortly, but first a little about how Groupon works.
What is Groupon? How does Groupon work?
Groupon is a company that makes available various sorts of services and products at a deep discount, typically 50% to 90% off. Every day a new 'daily deal' is announced, and if you have signed up you will receive these daily Groupon deals in your e-mail inbox or view them on the Groupon website. Common examples are restaurants and spa's, where there is an incentive for the business to bring in new customers who will come back after having a positive experience using their Groupon coupon.
To summarize, Groupon allows individual consumers to get large discounts by combining their buying power with other consumers, and by offering businesses the chance to gain new customers for the long term through a marketing push fueled by Groupon and deep discounts.
Is Groupon a scam? 50% - 90% discounts are unheard of
In short, while the discounts available from Groupon are so high they fall into the 'too good to be true' category, there are good and valid business reasons why the discounts offered are totally valid. Each party to the Groupon transaction gets good value. The business brings in new customers whom they hope to convert to returning (non discounted) customers, Groupon receives some percentage and builds a base of happy customers, and you, the consumer, receives a deep discount on a product or service that you may have never tried before. Saving money and broadening your horizons at the same time. If there was ever something that sounded so good and delivered to all parties so well, Chintzy isn't aware of it.
Groupon reviews - Does Groupon deliver?
Chintzy has taken advantage of two of Groupon's offerings in the past months, and plans to do some serious Groupon gift shopping shortly. Although Chintzy was unable to discover details on the Groupon vetting that must go on behind the scenes to assure quality, Chintzy , as well as friends and associates have been pleased with the quality and results of using the Groupon service. Trying something new, and paying a lot less while you do it is the formula that makes this deal hound very happy.
A quick rundown of Groupon strengths and weaknesses
Chintzy is a fan of summing up the facts, and Chintzy readers want those details so here's a little rundown of the Groupon reviews takeaways.
- Groupon makes available discounts of 50% - 90% to its members
- Refer a friend program will reward you $10 in Groupon credit for referrals
- Groupon coupons never include tax or gratuity
- Must use in one visit
- Groupon etiquette suggests tipping on the total, not discounted, amount of the bill
- Some deals have certain restrictions, read the fine print (like applicability to alcohol)
- A groupon gift can be redeemed whether or not it has the giftee's name on it
- Groupons are valid the next day, but some suggest giving it a little time or calling first for availability
If you feel the benefits are worthwhile, dear reader, give Groupon a go, and be sure to report back with your experiences, good or bad in the comments.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
Friday, April 9, 2010
How to get your first website up on a shoestring - Chintzy makes GoDaddy give up the deals
Whether you think its a good thing, or a bad thing, the invasion of the internet into the private lives of all of us has begun. Or should we say, the invasion of our private lives onto the Internet has begun? Either way, more people than ever before are getting online and putting up their own online presence. And where would you be without Chintzy to do the research, break the news, crunch the numbers? You would be paying, kind reader, paying all too much and too often. Stay tuned for Chintzy's take on how to get the best, cheapest website deals, particularily from the big name in websites, GoDaddy.
What you have to know about GoDaddy, is they are all about the marketing. You may have seen their super bowl commercials or seen Danica Patrick driving the GoDaddy indycar. You may have seen their very prevalent web advertising popping up all over, including their risque commercials.
The main thing you have to know about them though, is that they offer special promo codes and discounts. If you haven't come across this before, I'm talking about the little coupon, or promo code box that you sometimes see in an online checkout before paying. You type in your promo code, and then you receive the qualifying discount. It's the online equivalent of clipping coupons and presenting them at the checkout.
You come to Chintzy for the deals, not technology advice, right?
This article won't cover all the ins and outs of choosing and setting up your own website, the fact is Chintzy is first a deals hound and only secondly a technology expert. And if you were a fly on the wall at Chintzy Headquarters, you might have your doubts about the second! So for our purposes here and now, we'll assume that you, for the most part, know what you want. Chintzy can then do what Chintzy does best -- hunt the deals.
After many hours of shopping cart experimentation, price comparisons, a few calls in to GoDaddy (including 'The Office of the President') and after all is said and done much online sweat and tears are distilled down to gain these most valuable drops of knowledge. Let's get to the deals.
The first important lesson of GoDaddy shopping is, order of operations is important. They offer so many deals and incentives, that depending on the way you go through the website, you may, or may not be offered or eligible for certain discounts. Of course, Chintzy has done all this research for you, and the little nuances will be summarized at the end. Pictured above is something of an example of this. You are given the opportunity to claim up to a 15% discount based on pre-paying for your service. If you are certain that you are going to want a website past next weekend, then this is definitely a Chintzy approved way of saving some money. You aren't just putting up a website on impulse, are you?
Pre-paying ($3.18/month) 36 months of hosting vs. month to month - Savings 15% = $27
Now this is important, so listen up. You only get one kick at the can when pre-paying (why, I have no idea). What this means is, you can only get this discounted rate when you are signing up for a new hosting service. If you buy a couple of months worth and then decide to pre pay, you aren't getting these savings unless you sign up for a new hosting service, which means you would have to start from scratch, transfer over your website, and incur much sorrow and gnashing of teeth with GoDaddy support. So if this deal is for you, take note, and take advantage, the first time around.
Would a rose smell as sweet by any other domain name?
If you are signing up for hosting, I'm going to assume you need a domain name too. Something catchy hopefully, that gives an idea of what your website or blog is all about. Although it seems to Chintzy that GoDaddy's "regular" pricing doesn't have a heckuva lot of credibility with all the discounts and savings and special offers going around, they have a long running discount for people who are signing up for any kind of service with them. Get your first year of your domain name registration for $1.99 which is a pretty steep discount off their regular price up near $10 - $11. There may be some variations based on extension, but the cliff notes is, for the first year this deal cannot be beat. If you're not buying another service at the same time, or you are planning to register for multiple years, then there's further deals coming.
Private registration, or 'WHOIS' protection
Now domain names have publicly available registration information attached to them. And by the rules, these are supposed to be legal owners or agents, with a proper address and contact information. So if you don't want your boss possibly coming across your personal blog that sometimes gets a little heated about work life, or you don't want your professional life colored by the fact you have a slightly risque off hours pastime, then privacy protection is the way to go.
Of course, you could opt to put in somewhat incorrect information, and not buy the private registration, and certainly it would not be the first time this had happened in the history of the internet. Be warned though, if you do not put correct information in, you do run the rather slight, in Chintzy's opinion, risk of losing control of your domain name some time in the future. And if you've built a following, and spent a lot of time and effort behind that domain name, you probably want to keep it.
Free privacy available at checkout
Take note: another long standing promotion available on the GoDaddy website is that if you have not selected a privacy option when you arrive at the checkout or 'cart' page, then you will be offered the opportunity to upgrade to "Free Privacy"*. What the asterisk means is, the free privacy lasts for one year, and then rebills at the regular price of $8.99. Highway robbery, by the way, in Chintzy's opinion. However, free is free, and there are ways to extend that free privacy. More on that in another article, dear reader.
So we've come to the checkout, and you've saved, by Chintzy's count, $27 on hosting, about $8.70 in domain name fees for the first year, and $8.99 on free privacy registration for the first year. Pretty good for a day's work, don't you think? Well there's more. We haven't got to the good stuff yet, dear reader.
For another 25% off - It's about the coupons, dear reader!
As we've mentioned earlier, GoDaddy advertisers are given 'coupon codes' to make purchases more attractive, and there are many websites set up to make you aware of them. Chintzy hopes to have a page dedicated to the most current and best coupon codes automatically checked and verified up to the minute at some point, but that's a story for another day. For the moment, the lesson is simply, use your favorite search engine before making a purchase and save big. It helps if you know the ground rules so you know what you are looking for, in a general way, too. Chintzy has spent more than one weekend afternoon surfing coupon codes, holding out for just another few percentage points off the regular price, but its a much easier and shorter experience if you know what your targets are. And of course, Chintzy has done the work for you in this case, so you may not even have to search yourself, at all.
The good news for this shopping cart full of stuff, is that one common coupon code is 25% off purchases over $100, and since this one qualifies, you save big. On top of our previous savings! And that's the kind of savings Chintzy really gets a kick out of! Watch that bottom line shrink! Check the bottom of this article for a list of current coupon codes vetted by Chintzy and his analysts.
Now that you've saved a further 25% it is indeed time to check out. But before you do, good reader, peruse the short list of coupons and tips assembled for you by your loyal dear friend and dealhound, Chintzy.
The best GoDaddy coupons and savings tips from Chintzy
Tips on coupon hunting
If you need a current coupon, it helps to know what is commonly available. Chintzy regularily sees big discounts on domains, especially the top TLD's (.com, .net, .org). Aim for about $7.49 before ICANN fee, although Chintzy has less commonly seen $6.99 domain coupons once in a while. 25% off over $100 is the best general services discount, and there are often 20% coupons available that only apply to hosting. Once in a while a special single-use coupon comes out for $1.99 .coms, and recently there have been similar one shot $4.99 and $5.99 coupons seen in the wild. If a coupon doesn't work today, sometimes it gets 'refilled' at a later date. Sometimes it may not seem as if it applies, if you do not have the correct items in your shopping cart. Precision breeds exceptional savings.
With that, good reader, Chintzy shall bid you adieu, and many happy website building returns. Do be sure to give ol' Chintzy a little link credit when you have your website available. Check back often, because Chintzy will be blowing the lid off more advanced GoDaddy savings in a future article. Until next time,
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
UPDATE: A loyal dealshound has emailed in to remind us all that domain name registrations are set to increase in cost July 1, 2010 for .com and .net so if you were on the fence you may want to act sooner than later.
What you have to know about GoDaddy, is they are all about the marketing. You may have seen their super bowl commercials or seen Danica Patrick driving the GoDaddy indycar. You may have seen their very prevalent web advertising popping up all over, including their risque commercials.
The main thing you have to know about them though, is that they offer special promo codes and discounts. If you haven't come across this before, I'm talking about the little coupon, or promo code box that you sometimes see in an online checkout before paying. You type in your promo code, and then you receive the qualifying discount. It's the online equivalent of clipping coupons and presenting them at the checkout.
You come to Chintzy for the deals, not technology advice, right?
This article won't cover all the ins and outs of choosing and setting up your own website, the fact is Chintzy is first a deals hound and only secondly a technology expert. And if you were a fly on the wall at Chintzy Headquarters, you might have your doubts about the second! So for our purposes here and now, we'll assume that you, for the most part, know what you want. Chintzy can then do what Chintzy does best -- hunt the deals.
After many hours of shopping cart experimentation, price comparisons, a few calls in to GoDaddy (including 'The Office of the President') and after all is said and done much online sweat and tears are distilled down to gain these most valuable drops of knowledge. Let's get to the deals.
The first important lesson of GoDaddy shopping is, order of operations is important. They offer so many deals and incentives, that depending on the way you go through the website, you may, or may not be offered or eligible for certain discounts. Of course, Chintzy has done all this research for you, and the little nuances will be summarized at the end. Pictured above is something of an example of this. You are given the opportunity to claim up to a 15% discount based on pre-paying for your service. If you are certain that you are going to want a website past next weekend, then this is definitely a Chintzy approved way of saving some money. You aren't just putting up a website on impulse, are you?
Pre-paying ($3.18/month) 36 months of hosting vs. month to month - Savings 15% = $27
Now this is important, so listen up. You only get one kick at the can when pre-paying (why, I have no idea). What this means is, you can only get this discounted rate when you are signing up for a new hosting service. If you buy a couple of months worth and then decide to pre pay, you aren't getting these savings unless you sign up for a new hosting service, which means you would have to start from scratch, transfer over your website, and incur much sorrow and gnashing of teeth with GoDaddy support. So if this deal is for you, take note, and take advantage, the first time around.
Would a rose smell as sweet by any other domain name?
If you are signing up for hosting, I'm going to assume you need a domain name too. Something catchy hopefully, that gives an idea of what your website or blog is all about. Although it seems to Chintzy that GoDaddy's "regular" pricing doesn't have a heckuva lot of credibility with all the discounts and savings and special offers going around, they have a long running discount for people who are signing up for any kind of service with them. Get your first year of your domain name registration for $1.99 which is a pretty steep discount off their regular price up near $10 - $11. There may be some variations based on extension, but the cliff notes is, for the first year this deal cannot be beat. If you're not buying another service at the same time, or you are planning to register for multiple years, then there's further deals coming.
Private registration, or 'WHOIS' protection
Now domain names have publicly available registration information attached to them. And by the rules, these are supposed to be legal owners or agents, with a proper address and contact information. So if you don't want your boss possibly coming across your personal blog that sometimes gets a little heated about work life, or you don't want your professional life colored by the fact you have a slightly risque off hours pastime, then privacy protection is the way to go.
Of course, you could opt to put in somewhat incorrect information, and not buy the private registration, and certainly it would not be the first time this had happened in the history of the internet. Be warned though, if you do not put correct information in, you do run the rather slight, in Chintzy's opinion, risk of losing control of your domain name some time in the future. And if you've built a following, and spent a lot of time and effort behind that domain name, you probably want to keep it.
Free privacy available at checkout
Take note: another long standing promotion available on the GoDaddy website is that if you have not selected a privacy option when you arrive at the checkout or 'cart' page, then you will be offered the opportunity to upgrade to "Free Privacy"*. What the asterisk means is, the free privacy lasts for one year, and then rebills at the regular price of $8.99. Highway robbery, by the way, in Chintzy's opinion. However, free is free, and there are ways to extend that free privacy. More on that in another article, dear reader.
So we've come to the checkout, and you've saved, by Chintzy's count, $27 on hosting, about $8.70 in domain name fees for the first year, and $8.99 on free privacy registration for the first year. Pretty good for a day's work, don't you think? Well there's more. We haven't got to the good stuff yet, dear reader.
For another 25% off - It's about the coupons, dear reader!
As we've mentioned earlier, GoDaddy advertisers are given 'coupon codes' to make purchases more attractive, and there are many websites set up to make you aware of them. Chintzy hopes to have a page dedicated to the most current and best coupon codes automatically checked and verified up to the minute at some point, but that's a story for another day. For the moment, the lesson is simply, use your favorite search engine before making a purchase and save big. It helps if you know the ground rules so you know what you are looking for, in a general way, too. Chintzy has spent more than one weekend afternoon surfing coupon codes, holding out for just another few percentage points off the regular price, but its a much easier and shorter experience if you know what your targets are. And of course, Chintzy has done the work for you in this case, so you may not even have to search yourself, at all.
The good news for this shopping cart full of stuff, is that one common coupon code is 25% off purchases over $100, and since this one qualifies, you save big. On top of our previous savings! And that's the kind of savings Chintzy really gets a kick out of! Watch that bottom line shrink! Check the bottom of this article for a list of current coupon codes vetted by Chintzy and his analysts.
Now that you've saved a further 25% it is indeed time to check out. But before you do, good reader, peruse the short list of coupons and tips assembled for you by your loyal dear friend and dealhound, Chintzy.
The best GoDaddy coupons and savings tips from Chintzy
- Link to GoDaddy
- only one coupon can be applied at any one time, although it will stack with website offers
- free one year privacy reg offered on cart page on new domains, and NO privacy in cart
- 15% off new hosting services on pre-payment for 36 months , one chance only
- $1.99 domain registration with any other GoDaddy service
- BTPS255 coupon - 25% off services totalling more than $100, with some restrictions
- cjc749fat coupon - an old reliable favorite of Chintzy's, domains for $7.49, including renewals
- .info domains are 89 cents perpetually
- Free privacy for as many years as registering, with 5 domains (buy 1 year .info's to fill up)
- Don't forget to set excess .info domains to not auto renew or they will rebill at a higher price.
Tips on coupon hunting
If you need a current coupon, it helps to know what is commonly available. Chintzy regularily sees big discounts on domains, especially the top TLD's (.com, .net, .org). Aim for about $7.49 before ICANN fee, although Chintzy has less commonly seen $6.99 domain coupons once in a while. 25% off over $100 is the best general services discount, and there are often 20% coupons available that only apply to hosting. Once in a while a special single-use coupon comes out for $1.99 .coms, and recently there have been similar one shot $4.99 and $5.99 coupons seen in the wild. If a coupon doesn't work today, sometimes it gets 'refilled' at a later date. Sometimes it may not seem as if it applies, if you do not have the correct items in your shopping cart. Precision breeds exceptional savings.
With that, good reader, Chintzy shall bid you adieu, and many happy website building returns. Do be sure to give ol' Chintzy a little link credit when you have your website available. Check back often, because Chintzy will be blowing the lid off more advanced GoDaddy savings in a future article. Until next time,
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
UPDATE: A loyal dealshound has emailed in to remind us all that domain name registrations are set to increase in cost July 1, 2010 for .com and .net so if you were on the fence you may want to act sooner than later.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Who does it better than Big Box Discount Retailers?
Chintzy here again folks, with a little deals public service education to help you get a little more product and leave a little less money on the local retailers counter.
Chintzy does 90% better than your favorite local discount retailer
If you're a regular reader of Chintzy's, then no doubt you are familiar with the Big Box Discount Chains near you, or maybe you even combine your shopping, go a little further, and shop at the even cheaper discount stores if you don't happen to live nearby.
If you are one such deal hunter, Chintzy approves. But sometimes, there are great deals close to home, and simply as yet undiscovered. Sometimes to sniff out the deals all it takes is an open mind and the willingness to have a look in that storefront.
To attract Chintzy's attention, it's big splashy savings
Did that get your attention? If you want to see savings on the order of 90% off prices that you would expect to be fair to begin with, then read on, good reader.
As you already know, finding the best deals is a process that goes on continuously. If you know your items, and what the ballpark price that they sell for is, then you can evaluate at any moment if another retailer has a better price. Once you've narrowed it down to a few favorite stores, it's usually safe to relax a little and not have to price check every single purchase. At least you can usually avoid being overcharged too badly this way. It's always good to be ready to investigate a second opinion though -- that discount store you thought you were able to trust for the best price on anything and everything just might not be as good as you thought on every single item in the store.
So without further ado let's get to the savings! For your consideration, a selection of personal care products. If these in particular do not interest you, have faith -- this is simply illustrative of the savings available, and armed with this knowledge you can sniff out your own savings on products that suit.
Here's our lineup of products from the incumbent Big Box Discount Chain whom shall not be named to keep things simple at Chintzy headquarters. Cease and desist letters are so tiresome, after all.
If you recognize the photography, let's keep that between Chintzy and yourself. And remember, these products were picked because they illustrate the savings in a dramatic manner, so don't limit yourself by assuming its only about these products -- no, it's the knowledge that better deals can be had. Sometimes better deals even than your trusted and normally price-trustworthy local favorite retailer.
So, the trick to this deal is, one can't be afraid to dive in and have a look, even places that one may think aren't of high quality. The quality is not always, in fact, not often, determined by where it is sold. The quality is simply a property of the particular item. Dollar Stores are one place that Chintzy finds sometimes puts off deal hunters who would otherwise be sniffing out the cheapest purchases with the best of them. Something about the dollar store branding (and perhaps, the fact that dollar store merchandise can be a bit of a lottery) puts people off coming in the door, as "too cheap". Yes, you heard that right. Let's have a look at the savings at the dollar store.
Is 90% savings for indistinguishable products "too cheap"? Well if you decide not to take advantage at least you'll know what you are getting for that extra money - branding, advertising, blue aprons and marketing. What Chintzy notices though, is that buying branding and marketing and advertising, doesn't actually fill the cupboard.
Chintzy's testers report these products indistinguishable in quality and function from the 'real thing' sold at more expensive prices. As you can tell for yourself , in most cases even the packaging is eerily similar. Are these products shameless fakes, or are they rebranded items from the same manufacturer? Chintzy wasn't able to uncover that information. But what we do know, now, is that writing off potential sources of deals by not having a look every so often in the Dollar Store or Liquidation type stores can cost you big!
Reconsider your assumptions, good reader, and you may just find a pot of gold where you least expected it!
Until next time.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
Chintzy does 90% better than your favorite local discount retailer
If you're a regular reader of Chintzy's, then no doubt you are familiar with the Big Box Discount Chains near you, or maybe you even combine your shopping, go a little further, and shop at the even cheaper discount stores if you don't happen to live nearby.
If you are one such deal hunter, Chintzy approves. But sometimes, there are great deals close to home, and simply as yet undiscovered. Sometimes to sniff out the deals all it takes is an open mind and the willingness to have a look in that storefront.
To attract Chintzy's attention, it's big splashy savings
Did that get your attention? If you want to see savings on the order of 90% off prices that you would expect to be fair to begin with, then read on, good reader.
As you already know, finding the best deals is a process that goes on continuously. If you know your items, and what the ballpark price that they sell for is, then you can evaluate at any moment if another retailer has a better price. Once you've narrowed it down to a few favorite stores, it's usually safe to relax a little and not have to price check every single purchase. At least you can usually avoid being overcharged too badly this way. It's always good to be ready to investigate a second opinion though -- that discount store you thought you were able to trust for the best price on anything and everything just might not be as good as you thought on every single item in the store.
So without further ado let's get to the savings! For your consideration, a selection of personal care products. If these in particular do not interest you, have faith -- this is simply illustrative of the savings available, and armed with this knowledge you can sniff out your own savings on products that suit.
Here's our lineup of products from the incumbent Big Box Discount Chain whom shall not be named to keep things simple at Chintzy headquarters. Cease and desist letters are so tiresome, after all.
If you recognize the photography, let's keep that between Chintzy and yourself. And remember, these products were picked because they illustrate the savings in a dramatic manner, so don't limit yourself by assuming its only about these products -- no, it's the knowledge that better deals can be had. Sometimes better deals even than your trusted and normally price-trustworthy local favorite retailer.
So, the trick to this deal is, one can't be afraid to dive in and have a look, even places that one may think aren't of high quality. The quality is not always, in fact, not often, determined by where it is sold. The quality is simply a property of the particular item. Dollar Stores are one place that Chintzy finds sometimes puts off deal hunters who would otherwise be sniffing out the cheapest purchases with the best of them. Something about the dollar store branding (and perhaps, the fact that dollar store merchandise can be a bit of a lottery) puts people off coming in the door, as "too cheap". Yes, you heard that right. Let's have a look at the savings at the dollar store.
Is 90% savings for indistinguishable products "too cheap"? Well if you decide not to take advantage at least you'll know what you are getting for that extra money - branding, advertising, blue aprons and marketing. What Chintzy notices though, is that buying branding and marketing and advertising, doesn't actually fill the cupboard.
Chintzy's testers report these products indistinguishable in quality and function from the 'real thing' sold at more expensive prices. As you can tell for yourself , in most cases even the packaging is eerily similar. Are these products shameless fakes, or are they rebranded items from the same manufacturer? Chintzy wasn't able to uncover that information. But what we do know, now, is that writing off potential sources of deals by not having a look every so often in the Dollar Store or Liquidation type stores can cost you big!
Reconsider your assumptions, good reader, and you may just find a pot of gold where you least expected it!
Until next time.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Get an attractive tan but don't get burned by tanning lotion prices!
Chintzy loves a deal -- and hates unsightly tan lines
Chintzy loves a tan almost as much as he loves a deal and has been known to frequent an indoor tanning salon, to enjoy the convenient bronzing and the refreshing effects of a quick lie down in pseudo-sunlight no matter the time of day nor weather. Pasty skin is an occupational hazard of too many hours researching deals in front of the computer, and besides, Chintzy hates tan lines.
Salon tanning may or may not be your thing, but if you're reading Chintzy's blog then its an easy bet that you enjoy reading about a good deal. And that's what we've got here today.
But what good story would be complete without an evil villain?
By now you know how Chintzy feels about being taken advantage of as a consumer. He doesn't like it. One bit. And we've got what Chintzy considers to be a prime example of this for your consideration today.
First of all, Chintzy feels like indoor tanning salon lotions are a bit of a guilty pleasure. He doesn't buy most of that sales talk that says that these lotions are better, and stupidly more expensive, and only available in salons for magical reasons. But we won't debate that. You want the product, your reasons are your own, and whats wrong with Chintzy wanting to have soft skin and a pleasant scent anyways?
The example above was the worst case scenario Chintzy could find in researching this topic. But the model and percentages hold true across the board in Chintzy's experience. Seriously, what is worth $200 in that bottle of lotion? If Chintzy goes to Walmart, moisturizer can be had for about $5 - $7. Don't tell me -- they're magic beans, right?
Just to get the point across, let's take a look at some company marketing materials designed to defend their salon-only (and high priced) approach.
Are you kidding me? I'm surprised they didn't suggest they would make you sterile, too. Well, I guess the company is entitled to their opinion. They should probably charge you even more for keeping you safe from the evil online marketers, because really, don't you value your skin? It's priceless, after all.
Chintzy would love to know their rationale for somehow being the weak link as far as online sales go -- I mean, you can buy just about anything on the internet these days and be reasonably certain that you are getting a genuine article. Maybe they figure their customers aren't able to distinguish these things?
Chintzy will let you decide for yourself (as anyone without an agenda would do). Are you ready for the deal?
Wow. Thats more than a 50% savings, especially when you figure in the taxes on the salon product which you likely will not have to pay online. We're probably still paying a ridiculous amount of money for what is moisturizer and perfume, but at least we're doing it with significant savings. Chintzy's research although not definitive, which included internal company documents not for public consumption, suggests that salon cost begins at around 50% of MSRP. I can only imagine that further discounts and incentives are available for volume customers.
A few tips on ordering online -- unfortunately there's no be all and end all for ordering lotion, you have to do your research. Depending on where you live, selection and especially shipping costs can vary by a large degree. During Chintzy's research out of country shipping ranged from $9 - $40 for the cheapest shipping option available. So unless you are local to the seller, as Chintzy was not, you have to keep an eye on those shipping charges (look for around $9 - $12) and consider buying a 2nd or 3rd bottle because if you are using a good e-tailer usually there is just a small additional handling fee, meaning you save even more.
But what about all that fear and uncertainty about counterfeits the salons talk about?
Alright, here's the skinny. Chintzy has made multiple purchases of different types of tanning lotion online, including from ebay, and compared them to real "salon bought" products. They were indistinguishable. The scent, texture, and effects were all completely genuine. The only thing that wasn't genuine was the super deal Chintzy got, avoiding the ridiculous salon retail prices. Your mileage may vary, but Chintzy's bet is on the online retailers.
Still not convinced? Chintzy turns up some juicy secret info
Be advised -- Chintzy's investigation was able to uncover information linking at least one tanning site "under the covers" so to speak to a real salon. Now that's a no no from the manufacturer's point of view, so Chintzy won't divulge names or sources, but it seems plausible that this is probably the case of other online tanning sites as well. And more power to them!
Still not convinced? Chintzy turns up some juicy secret info
Be advised -- Chintzy's investigation was able to uncover information linking at least one tanning site "under the covers" so to speak to a real salon. Now that's a no no from the manufacturer's point of view, so Chintzy won't divulge names or sources, but it seems plausible that this is probably the case of other online tanning sites as well. And more power to them!
It's obvious now that online retailers are the way to go, so where do we go?
Chintzy can personally recommend Cheap Tanning Lotion Online for good shipping prices and quality product, although their selection has recently gotten smaller so it would seem changes are afoot. Another online retailer that came up with decent shipping policies was Tanfastic, although Chintzy can not personally vouch for their services or products. If you are from the great US of A then there are so many e-tailers with good deals and cheap shipping that really you're not going to need a pointer from Chintzy, just do a little searching.
So next time you're enjoying an indoor tan, hopefully you're enjoying it with a reasonably priced lotion product. Until next time,
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
Monday, March 8, 2010
Better deals than Big Box discount chains?
Chintzy likes to shop at the big box discount chains, because the value of a buck is about satisfaction, a great return policy (with or without receipt) and good prices on a daily basis.
Most of the time it makes a lot of sense to shop at the big box retailers, but just like everybody else they're making their percentage. About the best one can hope for is to get a decent quality product at a reasonable price, at least in comparison to what's available elsewhere.
Because there isn't really a lot of options, right? Is there?
Well hang on. What if we could 'cut out the middle man', the costs of advertising, first world employee salaries, CEO's, IPO's, HMO's, insurance, taxes on top of taxes, and so on.
I'll bet that got your attention! The fact is, sometimes you have to buy local. Because you need to be able to take advantage of a no-hassle returns policy that doesn't involve shipping the item back to sender, or because you need to examine the item before purchase. Or maybe it's a big ticket purchase, and you want the confidence that a big storefront gives in regards to warranties.
But if you don't need all those things, boy has Chintzy got a deal for you.
Now, keep in mind, maybe this particular item isn't of interest -- but Chintzy has chosen this for its value as an illustration of the value between there, and here. And the site that Chintzy references, carries much more than just this product, in fact you'll be astounded just like Chintzy was with all the choices and all the deals!
Let's take a look and see the savings.
Do you see those price tags? Chintzy got a little breathless the first time he discovered deals like this.
Well these two items look almost identical. Of course, Chintzy can't tell you whether the item on the left is the exact same product, or a copy, but usually in these situations it doesn't matter. It may be one or the other -- it may be the same product or it may just perform like the exact same product.
Now the specs read the same, and for this kind of an item there's not going to be too large of a range in which the quality could fall. There's some shipping time involved of course, and typically from the Hong Kong or China based e-tailers we can expect some irregularity in shipping times. But if we're prepared to wait, we can really take advantage of fabulous deals.
But wait, there's even more savings!
I know. You're saying, "But how can there be more savings? Haven't we cut costs to the bone already?". Well, let me tell you the best part. This e-tailer in particular ships for free. No shipping costs. And, at least where Chintzy is from, the post office doesn't collect duty or taxes on items marked gift and/or items with a value below a certain amount -- of which most packages are marked as both. So the price you see, is the price you pay.
When not to buy online -- a few words of caution
Now it pays to say a few words about when these deals don't make sense -- they don't make sense when you absolutely must acquire an item that is of high quality and acquire it quickly. Because shipping overseas takes time, often HK e-tailers don't accurately reflect how long it takes them to ship an item, and, occasionally you may get an item that just isn't the quality you expect. So if it's an absolute must, shop elsewhere. Otherwise, indulge in sinful discount deals.
Overall though, Chintzy's experiences have been overwhelmingly excellent. He can personally recommend the most popular e-tailer at Chintzy's house; called, aptly, Deal Extreme. Give them a try, they are rated as a "strong buy" by Chintzy, his analysts, and his colleagues and friends.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
Most of the time it makes a lot of sense to shop at the big box retailers, but just like everybody else they're making their percentage. About the best one can hope for is to get a decent quality product at a reasonable price, at least in comparison to what's available elsewhere.
Because there isn't really a lot of options, right? Is there?
Well hang on. What if we could 'cut out the middle man', the costs of advertising, first world employee salaries, CEO's, IPO's, HMO's, insurance, taxes on top of taxes, and so on.
I'll bet that got your attention! The fact is, sometimes you have to buy local. Because you need to be able to take advantage of a no-hassle returns policy that doesn't involve shipping the item back to sender, or because you need to examine the item before purchase. Or maybe it's a big ticket purchase, and you want the confidence that a big storefront gives in regards to warranties.
But if you don't need all those things, boy has Chintzy got a deal for you.
Now, keep in mind, maybe this particular item isn't of interest -- but Chintzy has chosen this for its value as an illustration of the value between there, and here. And the site that Chintzy references, carries much more than just this product, in fact you'll be astounded just like Chintzy was with all the choices and all the deals!
Let's take a look and see the savings.
Do you see those price tags? Chintzy got a little breathless the first time he discovered deals like this.
Well these two items look almost identical. Of course, Chintzy can't tell you whether the item on the left is the exact same product, or a copy, but usually in these situations it doesn't matter. It may be one or the other -- it may be the same product or it may just perform like the exact same product.
Now the specs read the same, and for this kind of an item there's not going to be too large of a range in which the quality could fall. There's some shipping time involved of course, and typically from the Hong Kong or China based e-tailers we can expect some irregularity in shipping times. But if we're prepared to wait, we can really take advantage of fabulous deals.
But wait, there's even more savings!
I know. You're saying, "But how can there be more savings? Haven't we cut costs to the bone already?". Well, let me tell you the best part. This e-tailer in particular ships for free. No shipping costs. And, at least where Chintzy is from, the post office doesn't collect duty or taxes on items marked gift and/or items with a value below a certain amount -- of which most packages are marked as both. So the price you see, is the price you pay.
When not to buy online -- a few words of caution
Now it pays to say a few words about when these deals don't make sense -- they don't make sense when you absolutely must acquire an item that is of high quality and acquire it quickly. Because shipping overseas takes time, often HK e-tailers don't accurately reflect how long it takes them to ship an item, and, occasionally you may get an item that just isn't the quality you expect. So if it's an absolute must, shop elsewhere. Otherwise, indulge in sinful discount deals.
Overall though, Chintzy's experiences have been overwhelmingly excellent. He can personally recommend the most popular e-tailer at Chintzy's house; called, aptly, Deal Extreme. Give them a try, they are rated as a "strong buy" by Chintzy, his analysts, and his colleagues and friends.
Good deals to you,
Chintzy
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