Tag Archives: consumer panels

Radio Shack, Over and Out

radio shackIt looks like it’s curtains for a retailer with a long, troubled history…

Radio Shack, whose roots trace back more than 90 years — will go on the auction block. The Fort Worth company, once a haven for ham radios and walkie-talkies, but which never fully embraced the digital age, is facing a live or die moment. USA Today

Maybe it’s a guy thing, or a guy-of-a-certain-age thing, but I have a LOT of memories of Radio Shack. As a kid, it was Heathkit DIY projects (“build your own crystal radio for some reason!”)

Later, as an adult, there was a Radio Shack across from my TV studio in Indiana. We kept that place afloat by constantly replacing the video and audio connectors that would roll underneath furniture. We were too lazy to get down on the floor and find them because, hey, we had a RadioShack across the street (and a corporate account!)

So what are some mistakes that doomed Radio Shack? CBS News addresses this in an article entitled “Five Mistakes that Doomed Radio Shack.”

  • The cell phone kiosk: Really got into cellphone services, but in the 90s, signing up a customer took 45 minutes, tying up the sales staff. (As we know, signing up for a phone only takes 40 minutes today!)
  • Failing to ramp up on e-commerce: One of the last big retailers to offer shopping from their website.
  • Weird mix of inventory: These stores were SMALL. They had tough choices to make, and they often chose poorly.
  • Marketing confusion: You need only to remember that bizarre 80s commercial with Cliff the Mailman and Hulk Hogan from last year’s Super Bowl.
  • Failing to catch onto the Maker movement: Finally, when this hipster/artisan/DIY craze hits, aiming right for Radio Shack’s historic roots, they failed to recognize it.

So, lots of missteps. What’s the future? They are hoping to keep some store open, somehow. I hope they do, mainly because of the JOBS. What do you think? Are you a Radio Shack fan? Me, despite my nostalgia, haven’t been inside one in YEARS. Any thoughts? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

St. Patrick’s Day Stats 2015

st patsLet go of my Lucky Charms, and listen up! Here’s where all your “green” will go this year on St. Patrick’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation:

How are we celebrating?

  • 82% will wear green
  • 30% make a special dinner
  • 29% attend a party at a bar or restaurant
  • 29% decorate the home or office
  • 19% attend a private party

How much are we spending?

  • $4.8 billion in spending
  • $36.52 per person
  • $245 million spent on beer

AND THE RADDEST STATISTIC OF ALL: Dentist visits spike by 64% on the day after St. Pat’s due to getting punched in the mouth during bar fights! MSN Money

How about you? Any special plans for St Pat’s (other than visiting the dentist on Wednesday?) Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page! Have a good weekend and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Practical Savings Tips

changeThey say that we aren’t saving enough for the proverbial rainy day. But saving is hard for many folks. It’s a habit that must be learned, and we have to stick to it for it to make a difference.

So, what are some saving strategies we can try? This article, “13 Easy Ways to Save Money From Robert Kiyosaki, Clark Howard and Others,” has a few ideas, some better than others. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Automation: If you’re lazy like me, taking the thought out of things is a plus. Set up an automatic transfer system at your bank. When you deposit your check, send some to savings. You will forget you’re even doing it, and you might be surprised at how much you are saving.

Save your change: I am a total change-saver! I have a glass 1-gallon apple cider jug and every time I walk in the house, the change goes in. Last time I counted, there was $150 in there. That’s a nice emergency fund, or fix a flat tire money, or vacation money. Try it out!

As I said, some of their examples are a little bogus. “How did you make your millions?”….”I met a need in the marketplace.” Er, thanks? Still there is some useful stuff in the article. Check it out!

How about you? Are you saving? Do you have any tricks to share? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Best Deals for March 2015

MARCH DEALSEach month, we take a look at the best deals/bargains/values for that month, as well as the items to avoid. So here are your buy/avoid links for March 2015!

So, what’s your best bet for March values? Anything to do with Spring cleaning. Frozen food (March is Frozen Food Month, because there is a month for everything!) Winter clothes. Anything to do with travel, because we are sick of sitting in the house all winter. Last year’s electronics – especially Android devices. Post-Valentines (but pre-Easter!) chocolate. It is also a slow time for home improvement contractors, so they are looking for work and ready to deal!

Now for your linking pleasure, here is the rundown from sources across the fruited plain.

Was this helpful? Did they miss any March deals? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Retail Customer Satisfaction Declines

shopgirlIf retailers could accurately, scientifically predict customer satisfaction…then every store would be a success! But there are so many variables. And new technologies keep changing the game every year. And, while the recent results aren’t HUGE declines,  customer satisfaction is down overall.

So, to hear that consumer retail satisfaction has declined for the first time in 4 years, is a bad sign. Basically, the old-school brick-and-mortar stores are down, and online stores are up.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index surveyed almost 9,000 consumers (and if you know anything about surveys, that’s a big sample!) Here’s what they learned about customer satisfaction. Do these percentages of LIKES sound familiar to you?

  • Department/Discount Store Scores: Nordstrom 86% LIKE, Dillard’s 81%, Kohl’s 80%, Target 80%
  • Supermarkets: Trader Joe’s 85%, Wegmans 85%, Publix 82%,
  • Drug Stores: Rite Aid 78%, Walgreens 77%. CVS 75%
  • Specialty Retail: Costco 84%, BJ’s Wholesale Club 81%, Sam’s Club 80%
  • Lowe’s beat Home Depot
  • Internet Retailers: Amazon, at 86% is the top of the heap

So, do these results match your shopping experience? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Tax Time Temptation

taxesHomer Simpson, doing his tax return at the last minute: “Okay, Marge, if anybody asks, you require 24-hour nursing care, Lisa’s a clergyman, Maggie is seven people and Bart was wounded in Vietnam.”

Tax time is an anxious time. Depending on your income bracket, your cash situation or other circumstances, you may be dreading this time of year. And you may be thinking about ways to reduce your tax bill, some legitimate, others not so much.

Just so you know, the IRS know all the angles. And they have issued a press release outlining some bad tax ideas that you, or a scammer, or a crooked tax preparer might be tempted to perpetrate.

Here are the bullet points for the IRS “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2015. The first three are scams that might victimize you. The rest are schemes that some taxpayers and preparers may be tempted to pull. Either way, be warned:

  • Phone Scams
  • Phishing
  • Identity Theft
  • Return Preparer Fraud
  • Offshore Tax Avoidance
  • Inflated Refund Claims
  • Fake Charities
  • Hiding Income with Fake Documents
  • Abusive Tax Shelters
  • Falsifying Income to Claim Credits
  • Excessive Claims for Fuel Tax Credits
  • Frivolous Tax Arguments

For all the details, DEFINITELY read the official press release. How about you? It’s never fun, but when you have your deductions and credits and all your documentation lined up, paying taxes can be a little less stressful. Have you got it together? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas 2015

val waitAs I research the annual “Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas” piece, I am always amazed at some of the nutty suggestions they come up with. “Hey, dudes. Remember how you couldn’t even drag yourself into Walgreen’s and pick the simplest gift off of the shelf? Well, certainly you have the time and talent to make her a cute, handmade leather coin purse in the shape of a heart…by this Saturday!”

So, as a public service, I have done a web search for all the last-minute guys and gals out there. Some of these Valentine’s Day gift suggestions are pretty basic (breakfast in bed!) and some are pretty innovative (new apps that connect you with people selling their dinner reservations.) Either way, you’re sure to get some ideas. Enjoy!

So, did you get any Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Do you have any to share? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page. Hurry – time’s running out!

Money Trends for 2015

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dollarThere are so many outside forces that affect your family’s cash flow and financial well being. Dropping  gas prices put a lot of $$$ back in our pockets. Drought and livestock disease raised the price of food, taking some of that $$$ back.

So, what’s coming in 2015 that might affect your family? Money guru Dave Ramsey has some ideas:

  • Fines for not having medical coverage will increase
  • The job market will strengthen
  • Car values will go down
  • The U.S. deficit will continue to grow
  • Social Security will be one year closer to failing
  • College tuition will rise
  • The housing market will continue to rebound
  • Gas prices will go back up (and back down)
  • Individual 401(k) contribution limits will increase

I guess the lesson is that there are forces pulling in every different direction that will affect your wallet, your budget, your savings, and on and on. So, pay attention, and always be trying to improve your financial situation (though that’s not always easy!)

As always, more bullet points and much more explanation at the original piece. What about you? Are you reading news and changing your money behavior? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

February Best Buys

feb dealsThey say that January is the best of the “best-buy” months, but a certain amount of the “warm, glowing, warming glow” (Homer Simpson) carries over into February. The post-holiday “everything must go” still lingers. The big Consumer Electronics Show has transpired in Vegas, which immediately determines what’s hot (and not) for the gearheads. And, of course, the price of anything romantic will plummet after V-day.

So, what’s hot in February? If you click HERE, HERE and HERE, you will find out! But here are highlights…

February Good Deals:

  • Boats
  • Computer Monitors
  • Gas Grills & Air Conditioners
  • Wedding Supplies
  • Winter Coats & Clothing
  • Broadway Tickets
  • Cellphones
  • Tax Software
  • Presidents’ Day Sales: apparel, home items, and furniture
  • Jewelry, Flowers, Perfume (AFTER Valentines Day, of course!)
  • Video Games
  • Electronics

Again, much more info at the original pieces. Are you planning to buy any of these items in February? Did they miss any hot deals? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Jobs Without College Degrees

help wantedDo you NEED a college degree to make a good living? I just don’t know. The economy may be… “improving” (sarcastic quotes added) but there MILLIONS of college grads living in the parents’ basements, waiting for the answer to that question!

I saw a piece entitled “10 high-paying jobs for college dropouts,” and immediately hated the title. Some people never get the opportunity to attend. As Charlie Daniels once said in Longhaired Country Boy, “The rich man goes to college and the poor man goes to work.”

Setting that aside, the piece offers some encouragement, though some seem a little farfetched. Here are the bullets:

  • Waste disposal personnel
  • Sommelier – Summa WHAT now? (It’s a wine expert.)
  • Bingo manager
  • Lodging manager
  • Massage therapist
  • Insurance agent
  • Equipment operator
  • Claims adjuster
  • Real estate broker
  • Telecom technician

Of course, they lead off with “waste disposal” but, hey…that’s $25 an hour! The whole list is scattered with salaries of $40-50-60K. SO READ IT. And have a GREAT weekend!