Last Week for Bing Cashback: 40% Off Shoes from Endless.com
Endless.com is a website created by Amazon for selling shoes online. It was Amazon’s answer to Zappos before Amazon bought Zappos. However, Endless didn’t go away after the Zappos acquisition. Like Zappos, Endless offers free shipping (often overnight), 365-day return period, and free return shipping. It makes it really easy to buy shoes: buy a few pairs of different styles and sizes; try them; keep what you like and return the rest.
Bing Cashback is an online shopping cashback rebate service offered by Microsoft. Microsoft announced the program will end on July 30 at 9:00 pm Pacific Time. Before it bids farewell, Bing Cashback offers 40% off shoes at Endless.com. I’ve been buying from Endless.com through Bing Cashback for some time now. At times it was 25% off or 30% off. 40% off is the best I’ve seen so far.
Staples Sets an Example for Good Service
I wrote a while ago we should be ready to pay more for good service. I have an example to share today.
I bought a file cabinet from the office products store Staples a few years ago. I only used it for storing random things, not files. As such, I didn’t install the rails for hanging file folders. Now I want to use it for files, but I can’t find the rails. Maybe I threw them away thinking I would never use them. So I called Staples and asked if I can get the rails somehow.
I didn’t know what to expect but I thought I would try. "I’m sorry, but the rails only come with the cabinet" would be a reasonable answer. Or it could be "We don’t have the rails. Here’s a phone number for the manufacturer." I would be happy if they tell me "We sell the rails for $4.95 a pair. Would you like to order them?"
Pay More for Quality Service
If I ask people "Would you pay more for better quality or service or do you go for a lower price?" I’d imagine most people will say they don’t just go for a lower price and they would pay more for something better. However, my observation tells me people aren’t willing to pay more for better quality or service nearly as much as they say would.
My local NPR station did its twice annual fund drive last week (or is it three times a year now?). I haven’t seen any stats but I’d estimate a large percentage of regular listeners don’t contribute. They listen to the NPR programs because they like the programs. They don’t contribute because other stations are free. Then why are they not listening to those other stations? Because they like the NPR programs. It goes in circles like that.
Somehow we are able to justify paying more for better quality on physical products. Many people pay more to buy Macs because they like the quality. We all drive different cars — some are much more expensive than others. We have more trouble with the concept of paying more for better service, and maybe especially so for some types of service versus others.
Don’t Get Used to the Good Life
I heard there had been riots in Greece. People in Greece rioted because the Greek government cut public sector employees’ wages. The government cut their wages because it paid the employees too much in previous years. The European Union requires its members to keep the budget deficit to 3% but Greece was running 13% deficit and lied about it to the EU so it could pay the wages it couldn’t afford.
Instead of being content about having had some unusually good years, people are mad about being asked to go back to normal because they got used to the good times. Rioters threw fire bombs into a bank. Three poor bank employees who had nothing to do with the wage cuts died of inhaling smoke. How sad.
Lesson learned: don’t get used to the good life. It’s much harder to cut back than to spend the extra money. At the individual level, how do we make sure we are able to deal with an income reduction so we don’t riot in the streets?
Why Do People Buy Snake Oil?
Reader Ace commented in my previous post The Need for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency:
"I’m afraid that we have to live with the fact that people have been buying snake oil for centuries, and will certainly continue to do so."
That got me thinking. Why do people buy snake oil? I can understand why people sell snake oil but why do people buy it? The immediate answer would be lack of education. Obviously if people know it’s snake oil, they wouldn’t buy it. But I keep thinking there’s got to be more to it. After witnessing one such purchase first-hand, I developed a hypothesis: people buy snake oil because they expect magic.
How to Shop for Furniture?
The furniture I bought during the New Year’s holiday finally arrived. By the time they arrived, I almost forgot what they looked like. I’m so used to comparing products online. Buying furniture proved to be an entirely different experience.
Although many stores sell furniture, there is actually very little information online. Many furniture stores don’t put their inventory on their website. Those that do omit meaningful information. They give the furniture a nice-sounding name: a “Madison Park” collection or a “San Marco” dining table. Who makes it? They don’t tell you the name of the manufacturer. What’s it made of? “Select hardwood and veneer.”
When I buy shoes from Zappos or Endless, I see them in six different angles. When they show furniture that costs many times more, I only get to see one picture. How tall are the drawers? They don’t tell you.
Super-Easy DIY Car Maintenance
The title says it all. Some car maintenance jobs are very easy. If you do them yourself, you can save hundreds of dollars. I’m not a handy person at all. I have never operated a drill (don’t laugh). If I’m able to do some simple maintenance for my car, I’m sure you can too.
Windshield Wiper Blades. These are the easiest. Press a clip, slide off, and slide on the replacement. Time: 5 minutes. Cost: about $10 each.
Battery. The dealership does a vehicle inspection for me whenever they do an oil change. They told me my battery’s cranking power was low and they would charge me $150 to replace it. I went to Wal-Mart. They install the battery for free if you buy it there. I waited nearly two hours and it still wasn’t my turn yet. I got fed up and just bought the battery.
What Is AAA, Really?
My AAA membership is up for renewal. I’m talking about the organization that provides emergency roadside service: towing, jumpstarting, and lockout. It used to be American Automobile Association. Now it’s just AAA.
I have been a AAA member for a few years but I still don’t understand what AAA really is. I mean, is it a for-profit company? If so, who owns it? AAA books travel. Who earns the commission? AAA sells auto insurance. Who’s providing the insurance? Does AAA have its own insurance subsidiary or is it just an agent for other insurance companies? If I don’t use AAA travel agents or buy insurance from AAA, am I benefiting from the profits in those areas?
Wikipedia says AAA is a non-profit owned by regional motor clubs. Individuals like myself are members of a regional club, for example AAA Northern New England. It’s still not clear to me whether the regional clubs are for-profit or non-profit. I don’t have auto or homeowners insurance through AAA. Therefore I don’t know who’s behind the insurance. If anyone knows for sure, please help.
Unleash the Power of Sharing Notes
Jonathan at My Money Blog wrote a very good post about shopping for hotel rooms a while ago:
Buying a Car Extended Warranty
A family member asked me to help him buy an extended warranty for his car. I got the enviable job because the extended warranty costs a lot of money (over $1,000) and I have the reputation in the family for getting good value for money.
Is an extended warranty on a car "worth it"? The standard advice you hear about extended warranties is that they are not worth it. I disagree. I must say it depends. It depends on what price you pay and what you get for that price. The coverage is worth something. If you pay a low enough price for the right coverage, you can make the extended warranty "worth it."
Let me begin with what NOT to do when you buy an extended warranty.
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The Elements of Investing by Burton Malkiel
