Tag Archives: online consumer panels

Walmart Sneezes

“When GM sneezes, America catches a cold.” This is something people used to say back when General Motors was something more than a pension fund that made cars. Basically it means that when an economic engine like GM is having troubles, it’s a sign of bigger problems.

This came to mind earlier this week, when Bloomberg noted that “Walmart Executives are Sweating Slow February Start”…

“In case you haven’t seen a sales report these days, February Month-to-Date sales are a total disaster,” Jerry Murray, Walmart’s vice president of finance and logistics, said in a Feb. 12 e-mail to other executives, referring to month-to-date sales. “The worst start to a month I have seen in my 7 years with the company.” Bloomberg.com

Worse, this crappy February comes after a crappy January, which had a different Walmart executive asking, “Where are all the customers? And where’s their money?”

So, what’s the deal? Well, the payroll tax went up, tax forms were late going out, and tax returns will also be late going out. Gas prices in my neighborhood have gone up about 35 cents since the New Year. They are still arguing over the Fiscal Cliff in Washington. So, it’s a crisis in confidence, paired with an actual pinch in spending money.

So, looking at the old example, you can certainly see how these negative economic factors would cause people to put off buying an $18,000 car from GM. But Walmart? Where a can of corn is 48 cents and my last pair of shoes was ten bucks? Yikes!

So, what do you think? Are you seeing smaller crowds at Wally’s? Are you tightening your belt? What things are you cutting back on or delaying? Let us know and, despite it all, have a great weekend!

So… How Was Your Cruise?

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Tonight's special at the Carnival buffet
Tonight’s special at the Carnival buffet
(credit: anhourinthekitchen.com)

Ah, the Carnival Triumph cruise debacle! Jon Stewart dubbed it the Ship of Stools (it’s funny ‘cause it’s GROSS.) CNN treated it like the worst humanitarian disaster since Hurricane Katrina. At least one bystander (me) wondered how an onion sandwich would taste. And, on cue, the first lawsuits are rolling in.

But, do the passengers have a case? Well, according to the fine print we ALWAYS take time to read, it would seem not…

Carnival shall not be liable to the passenger for damages for emotional distress, mental suffering/anguish or psychological injury of any kind under any circumstances, except when such damages were caused by the negligence of Carnival and resulted from the same passenger sustaining actual physical injury, or having been at risk of actual physical injury, or when such damages are held to be intentionally inflicted by Carnival.  Marketplace.org

To make amends, Carnival is offering up a buffet of refunds, consolation money, free cruises and onion sandwiches. Personally, I can’t imagine signing up for another cruise after this experience, can you?

So, what do you think? Is Carnival’s gesture enough? What more could they do? Are we too lawsuit-happy? What would you do in this situation? And, most importantly, have you ever had an onion sandwich? Let us know!

So Long, Saturday Mail!

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saturday mail

So, the Post Office has announced that it will no longer deliver on Saturdays. Will you miss it? How will affect you? We will get to that. But first, the sarcasm.

First of all, I don’t hate the USPS. I can only report on what I experience day to day. I actually like my carrier a lot. She’s super-nice, and we even exchange Christmas gifts. No, it’s my local branch that I wish they would demolish and turn into a shabby little mini mart that sells cigarettes, scratch offs and night crawlers – basically, ANY other kind of establishment that would treat me like a customer and not a sworn enemy.

The service at my branch has driven me into the arms of the UPS store, where I pay more for actual service. Or, to the tax preparation place that is an authorized USPS dealer, where the people are super dumb but super friendly. Anything to avoid that den of slack called The Post Office.

So anyway, how does this affect you (and by YOU I mean ME)?  That is spelled out in this USNews.com article that outlines some of the changes we can expect. For example:

  • Medicines by mail: Are considered Priority Mail, and will still arrive on Saturday.
  • Social Security/Welfare/Veterans/etc.: Today, most benefits come by direct deposit to your bank account, or EBT. If yours DON’T, you have until March 1 to make that happen! (visit godirect.org)
  • Bill-payers: You may have some cause for concern. Generally, the credit card companies give you 21 days before you are late. You might lose some days because of this. You might want to switch to electronic pay!
  • PO Box holders: No change. You see, while the carriers lose a day of pay, the hard(ly) working folks that work in (my) branch will still be cramming your PO Box with bills and junk mail. So…yay?

These changes are expected to save the USPS $2 billion each year. Ironically, the solution for some of the inconveniences seems to be “going electronic,” which is likely going to cost them even more business. I suspect this isn’t the last time we will be addressing this issue.

So, read the original article, and have a great weekend! Tomorrow, give your Saturday mail a hug, and appreciate the time you have left together!

Last Minute Valentine Gift Ideas!

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white-elephant-gift-exchangeWhen it comes to gift-giving they always say, “It’s the thought that counts.” On Valentine’s Day, and other holidays both important and made-up, I like to amend this statement by saying this is only true when actual THOUGHT went into the gift.

This week, in roadside vacant lots across the land, suckers gentlemen may purchase a wide assortment of desperate romantic gifts. The one I am seeing most often is a shrink- wrapped teddy bear & candy basket arrangement, ranging in size from “Aw cute!” to “Dude, can I borrow your truck?”

So, as a public service for the romantically challenged, I have combed one or two websites the entire internet for fun Valentine’s gift ideas!

From MoneyTalksNews.com:

  • Tame the clutter: Be a hero for cleaning out the garage, like you said you would last September!
  • Foot rub: Remember that old man on Funny Videos who used the disc grinder on his wife’s crusty heels? That’s love y’all!

From the BBC:

  • Choco-face! How about 3-D scanned, laser-etched sculpture of your face in chocolate? Totally tasty and not creepy at all!

From the New York Post:

  • Frisky Fortunes! Concerned parents cause makers to pull sexy/romantic fortune cookie messages. Better grab the romance before they’re gone!

Fun ideas? Unique? Totally lame? Say what you will, these are all better, more romantic ideas than this one: Detroit lawyer holds Valentine’s contest – first prize a free divorce! Reached for comment, the attorney said: “It’s the thought that counts!”

Anyway, best of luck, lovebirds. If, SOMEHOW, this article didn’t give you any good ideas, check these (for real) gift guides FOR HER, and FOR HIM.

And Happy Valentine’s day!

Tough Love for Shopaholics

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5464704-yes-i-did-it-bought-what-i-wanted-shopaholic-woman-it-is-extremely-happy-and-laughing-and-the-guy-sm
(credit: 123rf.com)

It used to be that we just “spent too much, ” or that we couldn’t “stick to a budget.” Today, in a world where the list of  “-oholisms” seems to get longer every day, we are told that compulsive spending can be a sign of larger emotional issues.

Between 2 and 5 percent of Americans have some form of shopping addiction, which means they struggle to control their purchases. It can lead to debt, damaged relationships, and might even be related to depression.  US News Money

The bright side (I guess) of turning everything into a disease is that it draws attention to the problem. The eggheads study it, identify symptoms and suggest ways to deal with it. And it tells those affected that they aren’t alone. So here is a brief list of behaviors that might point to a compulsive shopping problem:

  • You lie about your purchases.
  • You don’t talk openly about your shopping habits.
  • Your shopping habits are hurting your relationships.
  • You usually shop alone.
  • You think of shopping as a hobby.
  • You shop to feel better about yourself.
  • You feel a rush of euphoria when making purchases.
  • Your shopping habits are interfering with your life.
  • You use credit cards to finance your purchases.
  • You don’t know where your money is going.

I guess, like anything else, one or two of these behaviors might not be a problem. Five or six may be a different story.

And don’t get me wrong – this can be serious. I may not agree with turning everything into a disease, but wrecking relationships and going bankrupt are real things – things that you, like, want to AVOID. So, check out the original article for more details, and see if you notice these behaviors in yourself or others. And have a great weekend!

Love, Debt and Gender

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love-my-debt
(photo credit: creditcards.com)

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a reminder that tying the knot with someone means taking on his or her debts. And, according to a survey by CreditCards.com, how we feel about that seems to be a gender-specific thing.

About 70% of women would break it off if they found out their partner had lied about their ability to pay routine bills. That’s the same percentage of women who would stop seeing someone with a criminal history. 66% of women find secret credit card debt a relationship deal-killer, and 55% would cut it off if they found out a partner was heavily in debt.

For whatever reason, guys seem more…forgiving? Those same numbers for men are 50% (vs. 70), 50% (vs. 66) and 37% (vs. 55).

Other fun statistics?

  • 57% of women, and 48% of men, say that a partner with debt is a turnoff.
  • 57% of women, and 47% of men, think it’s OK to ask for their partner’s credit score before taking the plunge.  (ooh, sexy!)
  • 68% say that sharing money attitudes is important, BUT…
  • 73% say that money causes the most arguments.

Why the gender differences in attitude? Totally unscientific but, with the wage gap, I imagine women are more worried about their future security, and that of their kids. There’s also the depressing notion (and everybody knows someone who has said this) that “we can never begin OUR lives because half of his paycheck goes to the Ex!”

SO… girls, guys –what do you think? Do these things matter to you? Have you ever jumped in blindly and later regretted it? Or did you work through it? What did you learn? Read the article, and let us know!

The Best and Worst Super Bowl Ads of 2013

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(credit: employmentandthelaw.com)

My Super Bowl viewing habits have changed over the years. First off, I am not the biggest Super Bowl fan. That old adage that there is about 12 minutes of play in a 4-hour presentation is the reason why. But the commercials used to help. Then, it got to the point where I would tape the game and then play it back and watch only the commercials. THEN, it became reading the Web the next day to hear about the Best ‘n’ Worst, and then looking them up online.

Progress is exhausting, yo!

Now, there’s a website where you can watch the ads BEFORE the game. It gives smarty-pants armchair critics (ahem!) the chance to form opinions early and lord them over their friends.

So check out website. And leave a note in the comments or over at the MindFieldOnline Facebook page.  Likes? Hates? Surprises? Any “Little Darth Vaders” in this year’s bunch?

Have a great weekend, and enjoy the game commercials!

Super Bowl Economics!

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BTW, I love it when companies who haven't paid millions of $$ to the NFL have to call it "The Big Game" in their commercials!
BTW, I love it when companies who haven’t paid millions of dollars to the NFL have to call it “The Big Game” in their commercials!

Quick quiz! Who are the two teams competing in the Super Bowl this Sunday? The answer is “Who cares?” This annual tradition is bigger than San Francisco. It’s bigger than Baltimore. It’s bigger than ALL of us!

In bars, basements, living rooms and even churches (like mine – complete with chili contest and a 102” screen!) we will gather. And whether we are interested in X’s and O’s, team rivalries, funny commercials or simply drinking a buttload of beer, we are all a part of something – the biggest night of consumerism in the U S of A!

  • 180 million of us will watch the game
  • We will spend $12 Billion on snacks
  • We will eat 79 million pounds of guacamole!

To put it in graphic terms, 79 million pounds of avocados is enough to cover a football field – end zone to end zone – 30 feet deep. The San Diego Source (to quote 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon: “I want to go to there!”)

  • We will eat 1.23 billion chicken wings
  • Papa John’s drivers will travel 300,000 miles
  • Domino’s will deliver roughly double the number of pizzas for a typical Sunday

As to whom I am rooting for (as you’re DYING to know,) I am torn. San Fran beat my Cincinnati Bengals in 2 Super Bowls. Baltimore is both a constant thorn in Cincy’s side and the remnant of the old, pre-expansion Cleveland Browns. As they said during the Iran-Iraq War, it’s a shame they can’t BOTH lose!

Also, what terrible TV show will debut right after the game?  That weird, modern Sherlock Holmes thing with Lucy Liu! “Elementary, my dear Watson – the British version is better!”

Either way, let’s celebrate, friends. I can’t think of a more American event than Super Bowl Sunday. Whichever team you support, have a blast!

(photo credit: employmentandthelaw.com)

Your Favorite Brands!

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a992-cup-man-trophy-1292-pOf 2012, anyway. Every year, polling firm YouGov does their Brand Index. Here are your favorite consumer brands of 2012, with dumb commentary by yours truly:

1. Subway: #1 for the 3rd straight year, it’s believed that Subway’s use of NFL stars and Olympic champs in the ads led to their top ranking. I wonder if the ridiculous footlongs-that-are-only-11-inches-long “controversy” will hurt their score next year?

2. Amazon: As we noted a few posts ago, my only complaint about Amazon is that they ship your item in a box big enough for 15 of that item. Otherwise, they offer a good product, decent price, and on-time delivery. As for their high rating, the Kindle’s popularity – and the fact that Kindle is basically an Amazon-delivery device, has certainly helped.

3. Cheerios: Cheerios moved up 2 spots from last year, possibly based on the addition of 2 new flavors: Dulce de Leche and Peanut Butter Multi Grain. Next year’s flavors include Barbecue, Sour Cream ‘n’ Chive and Habańero X-Treem.

4. History Channel: History Channel – I’m sorry – “History!” always seems to make the Top 10. This year, “Hatfields and McCoys” with Kevin Costner seems to be the driver here. Sorry, but I soured on History after sitting through a “Swamp People” marathon at my mother-in-law’s house at Thanksgiving. So, a title card at the beginning that says “People have been making their living in the swamp for 300 years” makes it History? Pass.

5. Lowe’s: I hate having to walk 2 miles to buy a pack of screws, and it annoys me that they have dedicated IN and OUT doors so that there is never a truly convenient parking spot. Other than that, great store. Lowe’s moved up a spot this year, believed to be due to the fact that their people all carry iPhones and iPads, and can answer your questions, like, NOW.

6. Ford: Interesting. The Ford Focus is so strong right now that Ford is advertising them as the Focus – without “Ford.” Personally, I cheered Ford when they ran the ad that said, “We didn’t accept the bailout!” …only to see them pull the ad 10 minutes later. There’s no politics in car ads, apparently 🙂

7. Target: With remodeled stores and a strong rewards program, Target moved up from #9 last year. Good for them, but I felt the big grocery expansion was only so-so, with prices that Wal-Mart beats every day. And I HATED their Christmas ads (the guy and girl carolers shaming the dad. Blech.)

8. Kindle: Yep, when your 74-year-old mom has a kindle, it’s officially arrived. Kindle has the #1, 2 and 3 best-selling products on Amazon worldwide.

9. YouTube: Two words: “Gangnam Style.” The most-watched internet video of all time. Thanks, Korea! (hashtag: #killmenow)

10. Google: Still Top 10, but a big stumble from #4 last year. Worries about user privacy, and the fact the Google+ is kind of lame, have hurt. But they have gone all-in with Android, and Google Maps for iOS was a big hit, so they are strengthening their presence across a variety of platforms.

What do you think? Are some of your favorites here? Who did they miss? Who shouldn’t be here? Let us know, and have a great weekend!

Free Stuff for Free!

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free2

Do you want stuff but don’t want to pay for it? Well, there’s a lot of that going around. There’s a fun article at MoneyTalksNews.com that gives you the lowdown on a wide variety of goods and services that can be had for free or durn near.

1. Free cars

2. Free lodging

3. Free audio books

4. Free birthday presents

5. Free food for kids

6. Free samples

7. Free TV

8. Free software

9. Free anti-virus

10. Free Speech

11. Free foreign language lessons

12. Free everything

That last one is pretty intriguing! Admittedly, most of these require a little imagination and a bit of patience – for instance, “Free TV” means not paying for cable, but you still have to buy an HDTV set. “Free Speech” means starting a blog (yuck!)

Check out the article for explanations, examples and websites where you can learn more. So stop paying for stuff like a sucker, and start living the free life!