Tag Archives: consumer preferences

Haggling How-to’s

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haggleIt’s certainly not for me – I hate confrontation! But Yahoo Finance says that you could save 10-15% if you learn the ancient art of haggling.

When you do decide to haggle, it can be a spectacularly successful strategy. According to Consumer Reports, almost 90 percent of those who took a stab at it got positive results and saved some cash.  Yahoo Finance

So, what’s the secret? Here are some tips:

Research! What is this product or service really worth? What do other companies charge?

Timing is Everything: First of the week, end of the month, etc. When do they need your dollars the most? 

Seasonal Savings: Related to Timing. Whenever the retailer has to “Make room for the 2014’s!!!”… then it’s time to make your best offer on the 2013’s.

Fight the power: Don’t waste time negotiating with someone who doesn’t have the power to give you what you want. On the other hand, don’t automatically assume the kid behind the counter has no power!

Escalation: Don’t be a jerk. But if you feel strongly enough to walk away, like closing your account over some injustice, then say so.

So, what do you think? I have done this once, mostly by way of research – specifically, knowing what my trade-in was truly worth when buying a car, and not budging until I got it. I made out OK, and I felt good about it. Do you haggle? Would you if you knew how? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Shutdown Blues

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Hopefully, this post will be obsolete soon. However you feel – right/left, red/blue, D/R – the dysfunction of the Federal government shutdown is spooking people. In fact, they are saying it could affect your holiday shopping:

A big concern is that a prolonged government shutdown could severely hurt the economy and necessarily, consumer spending. For each week the government remains shut, the U.S. economy would lose 0.15 percent of annualized growth.  TheLedger.com

Mind you, this comes at a time – the last few months of the year – when retailers typically pull in 20 to 40 per cent of their annual numbers.

And, let’s not forget the folks who are making (or not making) the money that the retailers are chasing. Here, according to TheFiscalTimes.com, are the cities that can expect to take the hardest hit…

  • Washington DC (no duh!)
  • Bethesda MD (lots of govt contractors)
  • Norfolk VA (huge Navy base)
  • Honolulu HI (lots of military)
  • Dayton OH (huge Air Force base)
  • El Paso TX (Army base, Beaumont Hospital)
  • Colorado Springs CO (lots of military)
  • Oklahoma City, OK (Air Force, Federal offices)
  • Albuquerque, NM (THREE Air Force bases!)
  • Bakersfield, CA (Air Force)

The numbers are based on how much Federal income affects the local economy, with DC at around 18% and Bakersfield at around 7%.

So, truly, no politics here! Some folks think the shutdown is pure evil. Some think it’s a righteous protest. Others think that it is a bad thing that might lead to a better way of running things in DC. But, if you are affected, it stinks!

So, are you feeling the pinch? How are you coping? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page and have a better weekend!

PS… I was going to include a picture, as I often do – something like “Uncle Sam turning his empty pockets inside out.” But I Googled that, got 20,000,000 results and got too depressed.

October Bargains

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Looking for bargains in October? Well, you might have to look HARD. An article on BankRate.com says that, between Back to School and Christmas, retailers usually take a breather in October. There are still bargains to be had, though, and here are a few:

  • Now is the time when you begin to see the first markdowns in winter clothes.
  • This is also the 2nd-biggest wedding season, and many of the items you would find on a bridal registry begin to be discounted.
  • E-commerce sites want to grab your attention pre-holidays, so look for bargains there.
  • Summer sporting goods.
  • Stock up on your upcoming holiday cooking needs.
  • Cruise wear and swimsuits.
  • Travel to Europe.

You will find all the details at the original article, so check it out! Do you have any October bargains to share? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Facebook (and blog!) Fans Speak, Sept. 2013

megaphone-kid-croppedIt’s time once again to feature comments from satisfied MindField Online panelists, collected from our over 38,000 Facebook fans (and blog fans, too!)  You will find them at our “Panelist Feedback” page. Here’s a sample from Nilda…

I always love all the products and the original ways MindFeld gives to the members… I have been a member a long time, even before they were on Facebook. I can only say that MindField has been and it is a great company… I will always recommend MindField – it’s a very truthful company. Thank you and God bless you all.

Thanks Nilda! So take a look, and thanks to all our valued MindField Online members!

(photo: southerncrescentsolutions.com)

Christmas Comes Earlier, and Earlier, and…

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Kipper Williams 30 August 2012We were in Kmart over the weekend – that would be September 14th – a time when it is 92 degrees in Charleston, and the streets are still lined with garage sales. And what do we see? The Christmas displays are already out.

It’s a terrible, terrible cliché that “Christmas comes earlier every year!” But, dang! Doesn’t it seem like it?  It’ still regular season baseball. It’s week 2 of the NFL (when the Bengals still have a shot!) I haven’t even raked my first leaf!

So it’s no surprise that the Today show has already done a feature on the topic, appropriately enough, on Kmart.

Kmart is receiving a lot of attention for airing a Christmas ad a full 106 days before the holiday. Many customers feel the retailer is jumping the gun, but business analysts think the ad is necessary for the chain’s layaway program. Today.com

Meanwhile, in Walmart yesterday, I heard the announcement reminding shoppers that “our Christmas layaway is in full effect!”

Watch the video, and tell me…is 106 days too early? Does it bug you, or are you already taking advantage of the savin’s? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Free is Always Better!

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Free+Samples+4.1Here’s a fun one for Friday. Free Samples. They used to be a big deal; manufacturers and retailers used to advertise them all of the time. Now, in the internet age, the Savers Club age, you don’t hear as much about them. But Free Samples are very much alive!

Sample.net has put out a fun infographic that tells you what the popular samples are, who has them and how to get them, as well as a little bit of the logic behind them. Here are some highlights, then I will give you the link.

Why samples?

Well, they are a fast and efficient way to get your attention. Even better, for the companies, they get all kinds of info about your wants and interests, what you like and don’t like. That’s marketing gold to them!

Who has them?

Most of the biggies you would expect, such as WalMart, Target, P&G, Gillette, etc.

Like what?

Cosmetics, bath, home, pet supplies and more!

OK, enough yak-yak. Where’s the link!?!

Fine! Here ye be. Enjoy!

Have any good sample secrets? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook Page! And have a great weekend!

Too Much Debt?

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debt
It’s a TRAP! – Admiral Ackbar

Here’s a recap of a classic blog post from money guru and radio personality Dave Ramsey. He takes a look at folks who always seem to stay in debt. Whether they have money, or not much, they always have too many bills – and they don’t seem to do anything about it.

But what keeps people from getting out of debt? Why would someone want to stay in chains instead of living in freedom? Sadly, there are all sorts of reasons people choose MasterCard over being free from debt.  Dave Ramsey Blog

He lists a few reasons. Briefly…

  • Keeping up appearances. You’re trying to keep up with the Joneses, but they are probably as underwater as you are!
  • Fear of change. Sometimes, it’s the devil you know, right?
  • Stuff – Gotta Have It! Some folks need stuff to feel good about themselves, and can’t imagine not having it.
  • Unwilling to Sacrifice. He points to eating out all the time and having the full-blown cable TV package.
  • They don’t know how. I mean, there’s no way to get out from under this mountain, right? There is almost always a way, you just have to figure it out.
  • Laziness. ‘nuff said.

Anyway, this is not an ad for Dave Ramsey, but he does have some ideas at his blog, take ‘em or leave ‘em. What do you think? Do you recognize any of these behaviors in your family or friends? How do they cope? Have you ever been in debt and worked your way out? Tell us about it at the MindField Online Facebook page!

September Savings!

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LB_01Hope everyone had a fun and safe Labor Day!

Here’s a fun exercise: do a search for “September Savings” and see what you get! Among the most popular items, you will find:

  • Bicycles
  • Camping Equipment
  • Cars
  • Perennials, shrubs and trees
  • Lawn equipment
  • Ceiling fans
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Summer food items (picnic, BBQ, etc.)
  • Diabetes products (weird!)
  • Seasonal Produce (summer items)
  • Camping gear
  • Gardening supplies
  • Bug spray
  • Fans and air conditioners
  • BBQ supplies–grills, charcoal, lighters
  • Air Fares: Late September is always a good time to book a flight!
  • Beach houses: If you’re somewhere warm, there’s plenty of time left to enjoy the beach!

There are a bunch of websites to help fuel your September spending – I mean SAVINGS – so check them out here, here, here, here and here.

How about you? Found any good deals lately? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Labor Day By the Numbers!

10425650-illustrated-labor-day-text-designIt’s By the Numbers time again (…yay?) This time, we celebrate the worker on Labor Day. And, if you somehow manage to HAVE a job these days, the celebration should be non-stop!

Anyway, the US Census Bureau has a stack of Fun Facts to share, so let’s take a look!

Today’s Top 10 Occupations!

  1. Retail salespeople
  2. Cashiers
  3. Food prep, including fast food
  4. Office clerks, general
  5. Registered nurses
  6. Waiters and waitresses
  7. Customer service representatives
  8. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers
  9. Janitors and cleaners
  10. Secretaries and administrative assistants

Wow. Talk about your “service economy!”

By the way, the top 3 occupations in 1910 were farm owners, farm laborers (paid) and farm laborers (unpaid family members.)

Median income:

  • Men $48,202
  • Women $37,118

Fastest Growing Jobs, 2010-2020:

  • By percentage: Personal Care Aides
  • By number of jobs: Registered Nurses

Labor Day Retail!

How many retail sores are out there for your Back-to-school and Labor Day consumption? THIS MANY!

  • 28,128 family clothing stores
  • 25,448 shoe stores
  • 21,227 sporting goods stores
  • 8,407 bookstores
  • 8,144 office supply and stationery stores
  • 7,093 children and infants clothing stores

So, now that we know what we are doing the other 364 days of the year, what are YOUR plans for Labor Day? I’m going to the beach! Whatever you get up to, be safe, and happy Labor Day!

Social Media Done Right

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Listen-Up-Consumers-Social-Media-Matters-More-Than-You-Might-ThinkYou may be hearing from friends and family about “social media fatigue.” It’s a vague term, but I think it has a few causes. First, the technology; it’s hard to keep up with the latest and greatest platform. It used to be just MySpace and Twitter, now there are a million of them. Second, human nature. I don’t know why, but people seem to bare their deepest selves, from the sugary-sweet (I know a girl who posts “I love my husband!!!” EVERY SINGLE DAY) …to the inane (“hit LIKE and we can end poverty!”) Finally, corporate intrusion: about half of my Facebook news feed these days consists of advertisements!

It’s enough to make you want to log off permanently. But wait…

Consumers say they’re tired of receiving useless information through the latest and greatest social network and wary of giving up their personal data. But here’s one good reason you shouldn’t delete your social media accounts just yet: Companies are paying close attention to what you say. Closer than you can imagine. Mint.com consumer Blog

Because it’s SO public and SO immediate, companies are doing everything they can to keep up with social media. A complaint that used to sit for days in the email IN box is addressed tout-suite (that means NOW) on a Facebook page.

So, who is doing social media right? Here’s a partial list, courtesy of OnlineMBAPage.com:

  1. Google
  2. Starbucks
  3. Coke
  4. Disney
  5. Intel
  6. Nike
  7. Lowe’s
  8. H-P
  9. Ford
  10. Target

…and 40 more!

So, do you visit a lot of corporate social media sites? Which ones? Who do YOU think does it well? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page! And have a great weekend!