Blog Archives for 2013

If you're like us, then every time Valentine's Day comes around, you think: "Hey, I wonder if I could save money over the course of, let's say, 50 years if I just grew my own roses instead of shelling out $60 each time for a bouquet!" Well we decided it was finally time for this age-old theory to be put to the test.

Any grand romantic gesture you're planning this week may score you points for the time being, but it stands less of a chance of leaving a lasting mark if there's no way to document the moment. Whether seeking a point-and-shoot camera or something more substantial, this week's roundup of the best digital camera deals will help you remember this special Valentine's Day — or, if newly single, document the damage to your car in preparation for a reunion with an ex in small-claims court.

While money can't buy you love, it can certainly buy a very romantic night out. Valentine's Day spending is expected to only modestly increase this year, but that still amounts to a staggering $18.6 billion total. Here's how Valentine's Day breaks down by the numbers.

If you're familiar with the ongoing saga between e-commerce retailers and the states that want sales tax charged during online transactions, then you're probably aware that Amazon is slowly being forced to collect tax for a growing number of states. Last week, it was announced that Connecticut will be added to that list.

Earlier this week, Canada stopped producing pennies, but should the United States follow suit? After all, these tiny coins cost more to make than their face value. But what if we can no longer make exact change?

Typically when you make a purchase with your credit card, your bank charges the merchant an interchange fee for the transaction. But last week, retailers were given permission to pass this surcharge on to the customer. But will they? As it turns out, you shouldn't cut up your plastic just yet.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 245 asks: Are you ready for a podcast?! If so, press play and hear our panel talk about failed Super Bowl streaming, BlackBerry's new phones, OUYA preorders, Canadian pennies, and more!

While it's crucial to figure out what style of engagement ring your girlfriend will love this Valentine's Day, it's just as important to know what characteristics to look for in the quality. We've put together this handy diamond glossary to help you make sense of the terms used by gemologists and diamond merchants, so that you can wow her with one of the world's most precious stones.

Jos. A. Bank recently announced that it expects lower profits for the 2012 fiscal year, citing warmer winter weather as the cause. But could the real reason for this bargain suit purveyor's woes be that customers are no longer interested in its deep discounts?

CES announced last week that it will no longer partner with tech-news heavyweight CNET for its Best of CES awards program, after the publication relented to pressure from its parent company to drop the Dish Hopper from its list of the top electronics in 2013.

Best Buy enlisted the lovable Amy Poehler to shill its wares in a Super Bowl commercial yesterday, and consumers took to Twitter to voice their opinions. Did Best Buy score by hiring the plucky actress, and did anyone care what the ad was for anyway?

Valentine's Day is a time-honored celebration of love, and it's natural to want to give the world to those you love. But if your budget is thin this year, fret not! There are a variety of gifts you can buy that seem a lot more expensive than they really are.

KAYAK — an exceptionally useful travel price comparison site — recently unleashed an ingenious tool for budget-conscious travelers: airfare price forecasting. The site can now tell shoppers the likelihood that they're desired route will increase in price in the coming days. So how does KAYAK predict the future?

On Tuesday, Apple announced that it would start selling its fourth-generation iPad with a 128GB storage capacity, doubling the size of the previously-largest model. But do consumers really need this upgrade? And by extension, is it worth the extra money?

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Google, Aquaman, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Online retailers are expected to accurately represent the products they sell, and failure to do so is detrimental to the consumer and to the reputation of the merchant. To help avoid this pitfall, we've outlined three practices by which online retailers should abide, as well as some advice for consumers who find themselves at a loss for vital product information.

BlackBerry just announced a new operating system and two new touchscreen phones. Will they be enough to bolster this hard-luck company's status? Or are these devices just flowers on a grave?

The dealnews Podcast Episode 244 asks the age-old question: Do you want to listen to a podcast? If so, tune in to hear our panel talk about snack cakes, J.J. Abrams, Super Bowl streaming, Dungeons & Dragons, chicken wings, the 128GB iPad, and more!

Last year, JCPenney made the decision to nix sales in favor of "everyday low prices," leaving many shoppers scratching their heads as to the logic behind the change. As it turns out, it's a sales strategy that may go down in history as the retail equivalent of New Coke, for JCP has decided to reinstate sales and discounts.

Ready to use your phone to save time, energy, and money? Several retailer apps have integrated novel features that help you shop more efficiently, like simulated home renovation and grocery lists categorized by store aisle. Start streamlining your life with our favorite, most useful retailer apps.

As the most romantic holiday approaches, many lovers will be looking into their wallets and wondering just how they can minimize the damage that a Valentine's Day bouquet of red roses will wreak on their budget. Always here to help, we've outlined your Valentine's Day floral options.

For the last nine years, Animal Planet has been counter-programming the biggest football game of the year with the cutest football game of the year: The Puppy Bowl! And half the fun of a football party is the tailgating experience. You know, the food, the fun, the zaniness? But how, exactly, does one tailgate for the Puppy Bowl?

Changes are afoot at Buy.com, from its new name (Rakuten.com Shopping) to its focus on exclusively marketplace sellers. We spoke to the Rakuten CEO about how the marketplace will differ from heavyweights like Amazon, and what this all means for an electronics deal seeker.

We love to pick the brains of our favorite tech writers, to see what electronics they simply can't live without. This week, we spoke to MacRumors Editor, Marianne Schultz, about her five favorite gadgets — and despite her Apple allegiances, only one iDevice made the list!

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Google, Jim Carrey, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Microsoft's Surface Pro tablets are slated to arrive February 9, priced starting at $899. But these are these souped-up tablets worth their hefty price tag? Consider these ultraportable and tablet alternatives before you buy.

Right now, there's a small army of marketers who are pinpointing the exact words and phrases that make beers, breakfast cereals, and iPads absolutely positively unlivewithoutable to consumers. The most common PR buzzwords often sound like they signify something important, but in reality they're little more than hollow focus-grouped gabbida gook.

When big business make a mistake, is it OK for customers to exploit it to their advantage? This week, Best Buy messed up and some savvy consumers wound up making lots of money. On what side of this moral dilemma do you fall?

Last year's live streaming online of the Super Bowl was a huge success, so they're making a sequel! This year, CBS will be offering the game online and they've made some upgrades to how it's done. Check out all the ways this year's Super Bowl experience will be better than last.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 243 is spreading the podcast love. Love our love? Why not give us a review! This week, the panel talks about leveraging a Yelp review for free food and services; health inspection ratings; getting sued for a Yelp review; the Best Buy coupon debacle, and more.

If you're a savvy shopper who wants to find the perfect V-Day gift for your sweetie, you've got just three weeks to make it happen. Start shopping now and you can even do it on a dime! Here's an idea of what kind of discounts on Valentine's Day gifts you can expect in the coming weeks.

As we close in on the iPad mini's 3-month anniversary, consumers are beginning to wonder when the first iPad mini refurbs will arrive and what kind of discount they'll offer. To predict their potential price, we turned to our deal archives and looked at refurb discounts that previous iPads have received.

Catching the Super Bowl live is an expense that many of us unfortunately can't begin to afford. However, an appropriate in-home viewing experience via a big-screen HDTV may be financially within reach since 50" and 60" HDTVs are no longer priced just to accommodate the 1%. Here's what you need to know when buying a new big-screen HDTV.

Football is big, big business these days, and Super Bowl Sunday specifically will generate eye-popping revenue, ad sales, chicken wing guzzling, and commerce of all kinds. In fact, we spend $55 million on food alone, and it's the biggest non-holiday eating day of the year. Inside, we recount some fascinating numbers about just what the Super Bowl costs us.

It's common knowledge that Apple products aren't cheap, but how exactly does the brand keep such a strong hold on pricing? Inside, we detail Apple's sales methodology, which even explains the few deals that are offered, as well as the atypical fire sales we've seen recently on the iPhone 5.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Fallout, Dell, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

CES is known for showing the best of the best. It's also notorious for showing the worst of the worst! Inside, we've taken it upon ourselves to roundup this year's worst CES gadgets, including a mount that places your precious iPad just inches away from a toilet bowl used by your children. You're welcome!

The dealnews Podcast Episode 243 is here to entertain and delight you. This week, the panel talks about the "big" Facebook news, Amazon AutoRip, HDTV upgrades, some of the best and worst of CES, and more.

Think back to a few years ago to when collaborations between big designers and powerful retailers were still the rage with shoppers. Now, check out the store shelves at your local Target — where even an astounding clearance sale can't flush out Neiman Marcus-themed merchandise fast enough — and the question arises: Is the collaboration craze over?

Cozy, sheepskin-lined boots from UGG Australia have been a much-coveted item for several years now. However, if you've had your heart set on a pair of UGGs and have been deterred by their hefty price tag, then take heed: now just so happens to be the best time ever to buy a pair of UGG boots. Here's what to expect from UGG sales, including why we're now seeing discounts, when to buy, and how much savings to expect.

Gadgets from the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show will soon start popping up in a store near you. And you may be wondering if any of them are worth the first-run, retail price tag. Here's some advice on whether you should spring for the latest and greatest tech, or instead opt for the previous-generation, "old tech" counterpart, which will surely be seeing new discounts in the coming weeks.

Look all over cyberspace and you'd be hard pressed to find a writer with as much biting wit and journalistic daring as Chicago's own Fruzsina Eordogh. She calls herself "a weird luddite" even though she writes about technology, which makes her top five gadgets an unusual list.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Apple, Fallout, Blizzard, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

You may have noticed from your holiday entertaining that no matter where you want your guests to congregate, they always wind up in the kitchen. And it's that kind of attention that requires a well-stocked cupboard. Today's kitchen deals are varied and include nearly everything but the kitchen sink!

Walmart continues to promote its Apple iPhone 5 deal, cutting the price on the 16GB model to $127. However, it's available in-store only, and we've read numerous accounts from customers about difficulty finding the phone in stock at their local brick-and-mortar Walmart. So, we want to know: have you been able to find this epic iPhone 5 deal? Click through to take our poll!

The Consumer Electronics Show may be coming to a close, but for us, the deal season is just beginning. We combed through our archives of 2012 CES product deals to see how long consumers must wait before 2013's CES electronics go on sale.

Time is not kind to tech. What was once the hot new announcement at CES is today's punchline. So feel free to laugh at these amazing old consumer electronics that were once the belles of the ball!

The dealnews Podcast Episode 241 sees our panel return from a 2-week holiday. They are refreshed, rested, and ready to tackle CES. (Oh, not by going there! No, they'll leave that to the 1 million other reporters who want to put up with that mess.) This week's stories include: 4K TVs, NVIDIA's portable gaming console, Walmart's VUDU movie plan, reusable Starbucks cups, and more.

Have you ever spent a few moments trying to decipher the gibberish stamped into the sidewalls of tires? While most of us have a vague idea about what some of those numbers and letters represent, there is a world of additional information that you can glean from a careful examination. We've broken down the foreign language of tire-buying to help those with flats and worn out treads find the best tires for the money.