Consumerist: Deals

This Foreclosed Property Is An Excellent Home For Bobcats

Carey — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Unlike prospective homebuyers, this pair of bobcats went absolutely wild over a foreclosed Lake Elsinore home. According to the L.A. Times, the bobcats were likely attracted by an outdoor koi pond, which isn't just decorative, but serves as a fabulous source of drinking water. Like any suburban couple, the pair is expected to stay until the kids are old enough to leave.

Residents of the development got their first look Aug. 27 when the feline squatters — at least two adults and three kittens — lolled atop a wall outside the Spanish-style house.

"But are they pussycats? No. Can they do a lot of damage? Yes," she said. "They usually look for a food and water source, and there is an old koi pond in the backyard and that's where they are headed."

She said she expected the animals to move on in a few weeks, when the kittens are old enough to travel.

Tuscany Hills has been hit hard by foreclosures, and the house on Vista Palermo has been empty at least six months, neighbors said.

Said one clearly well-humored resident: "They are great neighbors, and as long as they don't want to baby-sit my kids, it's not a problem."

With homeowner in doghouse, bobcats move in [The Los Angeles Times]
(Photo: Karen Brown)

Sears Offer To Mail Customer Missing Key To Floor Model Snowblower

Carey — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:45:05 EDT

Aaron visited Sears to pick up a new Craftsman snowblower he bought for 10% off on Sears.com, but the store only had one floor model in stock. Aaron agreed to take the unit after staff assured him that it came with a warranty, manuals, and all the things normally bundled with new snowblowers. Of course, Sears couldn't find either the manual or the keys. A salesman promised that "Ray from Lawn & Garden" would mail the key whenever he returned, an offer Aaron refused. The salesman then offered a key from another snowblower, promising "the keys are basically universal." That key didn't work because, as a different associate later discovered, the unit was missing its electric start socket.

Aaron writes:

Dear Consumerist,
I recently purchased a Craftsman snow thrower from sears.com during an online 12-hour 10% off sale. I selected the store pickup option as the website stated that my local Waterford, CT Sears had this model in stock. Well, later in the morning the local department clerk called to inform me that the only available unit of that model snow thrower was a floor model. The clerk told me that this was last years model that had been reduced and he could possibly get me a bigger discount if I agreed to continue with the purchase & take the floor model. Now the clerk tries to apply a larger discount on top of the ten percent I've already received but can't, the computer is telling him that I've already reached my limit on discounts on this sale. Ok, I've received the 10% from the 12-hour sale then another $5 discount for signing up for sears.com emails. Fine, I decide to take the unit anyway as long as the unit is complete, manual, keys, etc...

Cut to later the next morning, Waterford, CT Sears. During my lunch break I leave the office to drive to the store to pick up the machine. I first stop by the Lawn & Garden dept to confirm that the snow thrower does in fact carry all the relevant warranties and is not an 'as-is' purchase. The clerk, different from the one I talked with the previous day, confirmed that the unit is not an 'as-is' sale and the unit carries all associated warranties. Fine, I head up to merchandise pickup. He further confirms that the unit was assembled two weeks ago and everything is upstairs waiting for pickup.

Upstairs, merchandise pickup:
Two associates very promptly bring out the machine, just the machine, and no user manual. I tell the associates that I will not accept the unit without all relevant accessories. They go back into their area and leave me for about ten minutes. This time one associate returns with user manual but he tells me that he can’t find the key to start the machine. I am left waiting for another ten minutes, at least. He comes back with a plan that Ray from Lawn & Garden will “mail me the key” when he gets back from his day off. I tell the associate that this is unacceptable. I will not accept the unit unless it is complete. Take it off the truck and do what you will with it, just refund my money. The associate tells me that it will get “complicated” if I refuse the unit and he heads back to further search for the key; further leaving me hanging for another ten minutes and making me late for an appointment. After another ten minutes he returns with the key from another model Craftsman snow thrower and tells me that the keys are basically universal. He leaves and I take the key & go to the truck to try it in my model. It doesn’t fit.

As it turns out there were two other merchandise pick up associates walking by as I was on the truck trying out the key. They walk over ask if it’s working. I explain that it isn’t. They both look at the machine & notice that the unit is missing a critical piece of equipment that fits onto the electric start socket. The machine will not start with out this piece. I thank them & tell them to remove the snow thrower from my truck. The associate processes the order as a return & I leave extremely unsatisfied.

Now, there's a sign hanging up at merchandise pickup that states if the associates don't have your order out in five minutes then you're entitled to a $5 coupon good on a future purchase. I take this into account when I email sears.com about my experience. The following day the operation manager from Waterford Sears contacts me and apologizes for my inconvenience. She offers me a new in box unit (apparently they found one sitting around) for $499, discounting it $90. I tell her this is untrue, as I paid $526. She puts me on hold & comes back with her final offer of $489. So it's not $90 off, it's $37 off.

$37 off, for my trouble. Thirty-seven dollars. I was lied to by the lawn & garden clerk, waited at merchandise pickup for upwards of forty minutes, drove forty five minutes round trip to borrow a pickup truck to haul the snow thrower, took over an hour off of work. Oh, and my eight month pregnant wife was with me the whole time waiting. I decline her offer & email national customer service to have a regional manager contact me. Nothing, not even a reply.

Thanks for nothing. So long Sears.

(Photo: Getty)

Looking For Great Deals? Try The Local Pawn Shop

Carey — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:30:16 EDT

Pawn shops are becoming an unlikely source of great deals thanks to the ongoing non-recession thing, according to CBS. Where else can you turn pop's old watch into last month's overdue rent check? We always see pawn shops as a half-step up from dumpster diving, a semi-acceptable sad-land where each abandoned item comes with a free story and a frown.

"This ladies Rolex retails for approximately $5,000, and it's something we would offer for around $3,000," explains [Stan Lukowicz from Capital City Loan.]

We also found a diamond ring appraised for $5500, selling for $1800.

A Mitre saw priced for $350 at Capital City Loan usually sells for about $600 in stores.

"When you come to a second hand store or a pawn shop, you can save dramatically from the retail because we don't have the high mall rents and the large advertising budget that they have," says Stan.

And keep in mind, everything is negotiable.

Pawned items aren't synonymous with mint condition, so remember to ask about return policies, and as always, caveat emptor.

Do you have pawn shop experience? Hock your stories in the comments.

Save With Dave: Pawn Shop Savings [CBS13]
(Photo: nalilo)

Priceline Encourages Deal-Seekers To Vacation Under Tropical Storm Hanna

Carey — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Priceline won't let deal-hating weathermen keep you from the amazing savings churned up by Tropical Storm Hanna. Rooms in Hilton Head are now going for the low, low price of $64 per night, but act fast because the deal is only valid while Hanna pummels the dream destination's shores with 70 mph winds!

Before you scream "obvious computer error!," remember that "PriceBreakers are hand-picked by [Priceline's] travel deal experts for their exceptional value."

It's like that Curb Your Enthusiasm episode where Larry thinks rain forecasts are the weatherman's way of guaranteeing empty golf courses. Except here, you end up stranded under a tropical storm.

Hilton Head not your cup of tea? Hang in there, we expect the savings to rush up the eastern seaboard:
(Thanks to Steve!)

55% Off Groceries At Amazon

Ben Popken — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:30:19 EDT

Amazon is having a grocery clearance sale, 55% off regular price with coupon code CLRNCFTY. [Amazon]

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:33:43 EDT

Woot: Refurbished Apple iPod 30GB Video for $129.99
Macy's: J.A. Henckels Four Star 7-Piece Cutlery Set + $0 s&h w/$125
Amazon: Motorola H500 Bluetooth Headset for $19.99

Highlights From Dealhack

Design Within Reach: Free Shipping on Everything & All Orders
Amazon: Garmin nuvi 200 3.5-inch Portable GPS $160 Shipped
Buy.com: Soyo 22-inch Widescreen Dual Input LCD $180 Shipped

Highlights From Buxr

Amazon: Denmark 60 Piece Prep, Cook and Serve Set $69.30 w/ Free Shipping
Dell Home: Seagate 500 GB Serial ATA Barracuda 7200.11 Internal Hard Drive for $62.99 + $5 Shipping
The Limited: The Limited Printable Coupon: $30 off $100 or $20 off $60

This Wendy's Frosty is even more delicious ...

Chris Walters — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:49:36 EDT

This Wendy's Frosty is even more delicious than the one we posted about yesterday. Dear Wendy's managers, at least mark through the word "more" if you're going to list the total price. (Thanks to Chris!)

Save On Back-To-School With Google Checkout

Ben Popken — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:23:02 EDT

Google has a special back to school promotion where you can get $10 off $60 and $5 off $30 discounts at a bunch of different online stores when you use their Google Checkout payment service. Official Site [via ProBargainhunter]

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:37:21 EDT

Newegg: 24-hour sale
Woot: Refurbished Dyson DC18 All-Floor Vacuum for $259.99
Buy.com: ASUS Eee PC 4G Surf Celeron M 900MHz 7" Widescreen Laptop for $294 + free shipping

Highlights From Dealhack

Staples: Peachtree Pro Acounting 2008 Free After Rebate
Newegg: RCA RP5050 Digital Voice Recorder with Camera $35 Shipped
MacMall: Wacom Graphire4 4x5 Graphics Tablet for PCs & Macs $40

Highlights From Buxr

Meritline.com: 8 x 21 Rubber Armored Binocular for $7.69 w/ Free Shipping after coupon code M24804545POFF
Frys.com: Crucial 4GB DDR2 PC5300 Laptop Memory Kit $34.99 after rebate
HobbyLobby.com: 40% Off Hobby Lobby Printable Coupon (expires Sept 6)

This Frosty Must Be Delicious

Chris Walters — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:50:03 EDT

Consumerist reader David saw this awesome special in his local Wendy's restaurant. We wonder what kind of special magic goes into a Frosty to warrant a $5.99 price increase. Bacon grease? Extra HFCS? A no-spit guarantee? A short song and dance from the cashier? Or maybe they spend the extra money on "how to label signs properly" classes for the staff.

Amazon Closes Accounts En Masse

Ben Popken — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:15:14 EDT

Slickdeal forums members are complaining about a mass-closing of Amazon accounts. The reasons cited vary from having too high a percentage of returns, shipping to too many different addresses, and having too many different Amazon accounts. Guess they're trying to tighten their bottom line and prevent loopholes from being exploited, but the net may have been cast too wide; some of the adversely affected users say the action was unfair and unwarranted. Couple this with the online retailer dropping the post price guarantee at basically the same time and you have to wonder if the boys in the Amazon backroom spent Labor Day Weekend earning their Six Sigma certificates.

Mass Closing of Amazon Accounts by Amazon [SlickDeals] (Thanks to Errol!)

GM Extends Employee Pricing Through September

Ben Popken — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:45:43 EDT

GM has extended its employee-discount-pricing plan to the end of September on all 2008 and some 2009 models. Please buy our cars. Someone. Please. [GM Employee Discount Site via Kicking Tires]

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:18:53 EDT

Amazon: 37 new coupon codes for September 2008
Google: Get Chrome for free, Google's new super-minimal browser (still in beta, read review at Lifehacker)
Apple: Seven refurbished Apple Aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo Desktops from $949 each + free shipping

Highlights From Dealhack

Newegg: Nikon Coolpix P60 8.1MP Camera $150 Shipped
Amazon: Save Extra $20 off Kellogg's, Keebler & other Grocery Products
1-800 Contacts: Save $20 to $80 + Bonus $5 off Contact Lenses with Coupon

Highlights From Bargainist

Toys "R" Us: BOGO 50% off all video games up to $19.99
Proctor & Gamble: Free Tide TotalCare sample
BuyCostumes.com: Sale: Up to 60% off

Highlights From Buxr

Amazon.com: Get three DVDs for $10 when you add all three to your Shopping Cart
Golden Gadgets: 2 Pack of 9 LED Aluminum Pocket water resistant Flashlight for $3.99 + Shipping ($2.02)
Newegg.com: A-DATA 16GB Flash Drive WHITE for $24.99 after $15 rebate!

Quickest Measure Of Gustav's Negative Economic Impact: Woots Per Capita

Ben Popken — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:48:44 EDT

UPDATE: Prompted by this post, Woot did their own post analyzing their internal data much more thoroughly.

It will take some time for the economic impact of Hurricane Gustav on New Orleans to be calculated, unless the journalist or statistician in question is a fan of daily gadget deal site Woot! As part of the forums area, the site throws out various data, like how many units did people buy, percentage of sales per hour, and a Woots per capita map. The map clearly shows that basically no one in Louisiana is buying jack from Woot right now, and, no doubt, from any else. How will we know when people have returned to Louisiana and are buying again? By watching the delta on the Woots per capita map!

Sep 2 [Woot]
Aug 2 [Woot] (Thanks to Cy Guy!)

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:54:36 EDT

Amazon: PG Tips Tea Bags 50% off
Boscovs: Bandana Bed-In-A-Bag for $20 + $10 s&h
Woot: Kingston 2GB MicroSD Card with Adapter – 2 Pack for $6.49

Highlights From Dealhack

Best Buy: Sharp 32-inch 32SB24U LCD HDTV $580
Buy: Canon A590 IS 8MP Digital Camera $134 Shipped
Circuit City: Compaq AMD Dual Core 15.4-inch Notebook $500 & Free Shipping

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:00:32 EDT

Lenovo: Employee Pricing on ThinkPad and IdeaPad Notebooks, up to 42% off (login with passcode 536686)
Woot: Sandisk Clip 2GB MP3 Player for $19.99
Newegg: ESET NOD32 Antivirus Home Edition v3 for $14.99 (Best antivirus around, won't slow down your computer)

Highlights From Dealhack

Buy.com: Kingston 4GB USB 2.0 Portable Flash Drive $14 Shipped
Hanes.com: Save 15% off Complete Order on All Clothing
Vann's: Sony FX820 Portable 8-inch DVD Player $150 Shipped

Highlights From Bargainist

Amazon: Kitchen & Home Labor Day Sale: Save up to 65%
Linens 'n Things: BOGO 50% off bath furniture, more + 20% off coupon
American Eagle: 40% off purchases coupon

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:28:51 EDT

Newegg: Wii Fit with Balance Board, We Ski, and Hori Wii mat for $149.99
Apple: Buy a Mac, get an iPod touch for free after rebate
IKEA: Labor Day Sale, up to 50% off (in-store only)

Highlights From Dealhack

Eastern Mountain Sports: Labor Day Sale Save up to 70% off
Amazon: Up to 50%+ off High Sierra Backpacks & Messenger Bags
Geeks: Kodak EasyShare V1003 10MP Digital Camera $90

Highlights From Bargainist

Arbor Day Foundation: 10 trees for $10
Arby's: BOGO free Super Roast Beef Sandwich, more coupons
The Fruit Company: 25% off everything coupon

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:07:14 EDT

Woot: Soundcast Audiocast Wireless Audio System for $49.99
American Signature Furniture: Urban Living Queen Panel Bed for $299
Dell: Flip Video 30 Minute Camcorder for $49.99 Shipped after rebate

Highlights From Dealhack

Vann's: Klipsch iGroove HG iPod Speakers $100 Shipped
Mac Connection: Apple iMac $1099 + Free VMWare Fusion Software
Chefs: Labor Day Sale: Save up to 80% off Cookware, Kitchen Tools, & More

Highlights From Bargainist

Southwest: Fares starting at $59 one-way
Purina: Free bag of Purina Yesterday's News cat litter
Arizona Jeans: 50% off select jeans and all shoes

Just in case you weren't already sure that ...

Meg Marco — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:48:45 EDT

Just in case you weren't already sure that "Rent To Own" was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad deal... Read this. [ABC News]

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:25:51 EDT

Threadless: All shirts $12
Amazon: Tonka Sand Force Dump Truck & Loader $4-$5 each, squirting trucks $6 & up
Steep And Cheap: ~~Black Diamond Momentum AL Climbing Harness for $22~~ Sold out, but they have other deals on outdoor gear.

Highlights From Dealhack

Tiger Direct: Refurb NEC VT590 XGA LCD Projector $400
Brooks Brothers: Summer Clearance: Save up to 60% off Men's & Women's Fashion
Buy.com: Fantom GreenDrive 1TB Low Power USB Drive $150 & Free Shipping

This Best Buy coupon for free Apple software ...

Chris Walters — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:46:20 EDT

This Best Buy coupon for free Apple software for students isn't a very good deal after all—you can get educational discounts at the Apple store, and through September 15th you can get a free iPod Touch or Nano with your computer purchase. Our advice: skip Best Buy and go directly through Apple. (Thanks to Matt and yasth!)

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:59:51 EDT

Woot: Olevia 65” 1080p LCD HDTV for $2,299.99
Target: 12 pack Coke products for 25 cents YMMV
Office Depot: Acer Extensa AMD Dual Core 1.9GHz 14" Widescreen Laptop for $430 after rebate + free shipping

Highlights From Dealhack

REI: Labor Day Clearance: Save up to 30% off Clothing & Gear
Meritline: PQI 8GB SDHC Card now $25 Shipped & Other Discount
Buy.com: Dynex DX-LCD32 32-inch LCD HDTV $480 Shipped

Highlights From Bargainist

Kmart: Jeans, all apparel BOGO 50% off
Hoover: Summer Canister Sale: Save up to 56%
JC Whitney: Up to $40 off purchases coupon

Macy's New Sale: Buy More, Save Less!

Carey — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:00:03 EDT

Macy's marketing department doesn't seem to understand either third-grade math or what it means to walk and chew gum.

If only their heart was in the right place, they would combine the sale price with the Buy More, Save More deal, and we'd have our Father's Day gifts for the next decade.

(Thanks to Dominic!)

Morning Deals

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:58:19 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Amazon: Save Extra $25 off Select Grocery Orders of $59+
Vann's: Panasonic Lumix LZ7 7.2MP Camera $120 Shipped
Hotels.com: Save up to $100 off Multi-Night Hotel Bookings
Dell Home: Save up to 30% off XPS Core 2 Duo Notebook PCs

Highlights From Bargainist:

Lowe's: New lower prices on 100's of items
Walgreen's: $5 off $20 purchase coupon
Eukanuba: Free Puppy Training DVD Kit + $5 Eukanuba coupon
Overstock.com: 10% off jewelry & watches + extra 7.5% off purchases
American Eagle: 15% off all purchases coupon

Morning Deals

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:28:48 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

ShoeMall: Save 20% off Shoes & Free Shipping Store-Wide
Apple Store: New Price Drops: up to $1000 off Refurb MacBook Pros & iMacs
Amazon: Save Extra $10 off Omron Scales & Health Monitors
Moo.com: Save 20% off Business Cards & 15% off Postcards
HP Snapfish: 15% off Custom Photo Books + 30 Free Prints
Textbooks.com: Savings, Guaranteed Buyback & Free Shipping

Highlights From Bargainist:

eBags: 20% off + free ship on eBags brands,$5 off $30 w/Google Checkout
Drugstore.com: New customers save $5 + free shipping on $25+ order coupon
Skechers: Summer Sandal & Canvas Sale: Save 40%
Coldplay: Free song download from Coldplay
Best Buy: Toshiba 32" LCD HDTV & Laptop Package $1,000

Afternoon Deals

Meg Marco — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:31:47 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Performance Bike: 10% off Orders Coupon + Additional Clearance Item Savings
Geeks: Asus Eee PC 4G 701 Ultra Portable Notebook $300
Dell Home: Save 15% off Electronics & Accessories Store-Wide with Coupon
Circuit City: Element 32-inch LCD HDTV $500 Shipped
Buy.com: Iomega 500GB USB 2.0 External Drive $90 Shipped

Highlights From Bargainist:

Kohl's: Back to School Sale: Up to 60% off select apparel
HardCandy.com: 75% off storewide
Yankee Candle: $15 off $45 purchase coupon
Michaels: 40% off any one item coupon
Champs Sports: 20% off $99 purchase coupon
Fannie May: 50% off cheesecakes

Morning Deals

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:59:52 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Radio Shack: Save Extra 15% off + Free Shipping on All Orders of $75+
Dell Business: Vostro 1000 15.4-inch Widescreen Notebook PCs from $399
Amazon: AT&T LG Vu Touchscreen Mobile Phone $20 Shipped
Staples: Samsung CLP-315 Color Laser Printer $150 & Free Shipping

Highlights From Bargainist:

Radio Shack: 15% off orders over $75 + free shipping
Victoria's Secret: Free full-size body scrub w/any purchase coupon
White House Black Market: $20 off all denim
Design Within Reach: 15% off transportation & Study Solutions
Dick's Sporting Goods: 15% off entire order

Morning Deals

Meg Marco — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:47:49 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Staples: Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator $70 & Free Shipping
Target.com: Save 15% off and Free Shipping on Select Furniture
Amazon: Save Extra 40% off Grocery Outlet Items with Coupon
K'NEX: Free Bonus Model Kit with K'NEX Building Set Toy Orders

Highlights From Bargainist:

Aeropostale: 20% off sitewide today only
Timberland: Sale: Up to 50% off + 15% off coupon
Bounce: Free Bounce Awakenings sample
McDonald's: Free Southern Style Chicken Biscuit or Sandwich coupon
Walmart: Madden 09 for Xbox 360 $60 + free $10 GC

Morning Deals

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:55:35 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Dell Home: Save 20% or $250 off Inspiron Core 2 Duo Desktop PCs
Wall Street Journal: 75% off plus 4 Free Weeks on Wall Street Journal Subscriptions
Expedia: Save 50% off Hotel Bookings + up to Free $75 Gas Card
Amazon: Save to 45% off Single Serve & Drip Coffee Makers
Dell Home: Save 20% or 30% off Inspiron Notebook PCs

Highlights From Bargainist:

Banana Republic: 15% off $125 purchase coupon
Dell: Xbox 360 Elite Bundle $349
Victoria's Secret: $10 off any $50 purchase coupon
Finish Line: 20% off $125 purchase coupon
Sports Authority: 25% off 1 item coupon
Bath & Body Works: Free socks w/$15 purchase coupon

Morning Deals

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:26:04 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Newegg: Corsair 4GB Flash Survivor Ultra Rugged USB 2.0 Drive $15 & Free Shipping
Gap: Save 25% or More off Women's & Men's Jeans
Mac Connection: Apple MacBooks $120 or More off plus Free VMware Fusion Software
Amazon: Buy Three Books, DVDs, Music & More and Get Fourth Free

Morning Deals

Meg Marco — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:39:59 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

Amazon: Save 50% or more off 1800+ Hand Tools

Buy.com: Nextar X3-01 GPS Navigation System $100 Shipped
Best Buy: Save up to $15 or More off Each: $5 & $7 Movie DVD Sale

Highlights From Bargainist:

Payless: Back to School Sale: Up to 40% off + $5 off $60 coupon

Yankee Candle: Free room spray w/any large jar purchase coupon
JetBlue: Save up 20% when traveling together
Reebok Outlet Stores: 40% off purchases coupon

Kate Spade: Extra 25% off Sale items

Target's "Buy Two And Save" Speedstick Deodorant Deal Stinks

Meg Marco — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:55:05 EDT

This is now our third, (yes, our third) post about "buy two and save" or "special value" deodorant two packs at Walmart and Target. This lovely example comes from Tucson, AZ.

Reader Roberto says:

This past August 6th, I was in one of my local Target stores (Craycroft and Broadway) in Tucson, Arizona. I snapped a picture of a “buy two and save” item that I thought you guys might like. The difference is only a five cents, but it’s still more expensive to buy the twin pack of deodorants instead of two.

From now on "buy 2 and save" really means, "pull out your calculator."

Morning Deals

Meg Marco — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:54:38 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack

Eddie Bauer: Summer Clearance: Save up to 70% off Men's & Women's Clothing

Philips Outlet: Save Half Off HD-Upscaled DVD Player + Free Shipping
Dell Home: Save 30% off top XPS M1330 Widescreen Notebook PCs
Amazon: Canon SD750 7.1MP Elph Camera $169 Shipped

Highlights From Bargainist:

Macy's: $20 off $100 purchase coupon + free shipping w/$75 BTS purchase
W Hotels Store: 40% off sitewide coupon
BlueBee.com: First Time Ever Sale: Save 50%
Staples: Save up to 50% on select tech, furniture & supplies
Lucky Brand Jeans: $25 off $100 purchase w/student I.D.

Morning Deals

Meg Marco — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:43:20 EDT

Highlights From Dealhack:

REI Outlet: Save Extra 20% off Any Item Store-Wide
Meritline: SDHC Cards: 4GB $14 Shipped & 8GB $26 Shipped
Amazon: Save $10 off Izze Sparkling Juice & Other Grocery Discounts
Apple Store: Back to School: Buy Mac, Get a Free 8GB iPod Touch or nano
Office Depot: Acer Extensa AMD Dual Core Notebook $400 & Free Shipping

Highlights From Bargainist:

Victoria's Secret: Up to $150 off purchases coupon
Eastern Mountain Sports: Back to School Sale: Save up to 40% + $25 GC & FS w/$125 order
Ralph Lauren Factory Stores: $25 off $150 purchase + extra 10% off entire order coupon
Aeropostale: $8 off 80 purchase coupon + select jeans $20 off + select tops 50% off

Walmart's "Buy 2 And Save" Old Spice Deodorant Deal Stinks

Carey — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 09:10:06 EDT

Quick, what's 2 x 2? Did you get 4.32? No? Then you should be able resist Walmart's "Buy 2 And Save" Old Spice "special."

Reader Austyn, who found the deal at the Layton supercenter in Utah, adds:

Great to know if I go to Walmart I can "Buy 2 and Save!" a grand total of -32 cents.

This isn't the first time we've seen stores futz with unit pricing to screw careless consumers. If you see "Buy 2 And Save," slow down and look for the unit price.

PREVIOUSLY: Target's Degree Deodorant Pricing Scheme Rewards Those Who Pay Attention
Target: Buy 2 And Save! Sort of!

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:01:48 EDT

Woot: Reebok Precision Trainer XT Heart Rate Monitor with Chest Strap for $19.99
Circuit City: California Only - all items tax-free Aug 9-10
Commerce Bank: Kids can earn $10 by reading ten books

Highlights From Dealhack

Buy.com: Seagate 500GB USB 2.0 Drive $89 Shipped
B&H Photo: Sharp 1024x768 DLP Multimedia Projector $519 Shipped
Shop Adidas: Back to School Sale: Save 20% off Apparel & Shoes

Highlights From Bargainist

Levi's Store: 30% off purchases coupon
Banana Republic: 15% off $150 purchase coupon
Barnes & Noble: 15% off any purchase coupon

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:25:06 EDT

Woot: Compaq 6820s 2GHz 17” Widescreen Notebook for $529.99
Great Day Of Play: Free one-day paintball pass (supposedly good for any field, the site is sponsored by paintball equipment manufacturers)
Amazon: Logitech diNovo Edge for $84.99 after rebate

Highlights From Bargainist

Apple Store: Save $400 off Refurb 20-inch 2.4GHz iMac
B&H Photo: Dane-Elec Meizu M6 4GB Portable Media Player $50
Newegg: BlueAnt Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Speakerphone $85

Highlights From Bargainist

Saks off 5th: 25% off any 1 item, more coupons
Express / Express Men: 20% off coupon + earn $25 GC w/$50 purchase
Pearle Vision: Free eyeglasses w/complete pair purchase

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:00:42 EDT

Starbucks: $2 Grande iced drinks after 2pm with morning purchase
Tanga: Wireless Infrared Presenter with Laser Pointer for $9.99
Amazon: Men's Dress Shirts from $9 + free shipping - Izod, Geoffrey Beene, Arrow, Van Heusen, Calvin Klein (selling out fast)

Highlights From Dealhack

Target.com: 15% off & Free Shipping on Lawn & Garden and Outdoor Furniture
Best Buy: Westinghouse 19-inch WS Dual Input LCD $140
eToys: Summer Clearance: Save up to 50% off Hundreds of Toys & Games

Highlights From Bargainist

Walgreens: Free film roll developing coupon
Levi's: Up to 50% off summer favorites
Zales: $50 off $200 purchase coupon + extra 20% off clearance

For all six of you Americans out there who ...

Chris Walters — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:43:28 EDT

For all six of you Americans out there who use a Symbian phone, SymbianGear is offering one free app per day for 10 days. You've already missed days 1 & 2, but they've got 7 more to go if you're interested. (Today is Texas Holdem). [SymbianGear via Symbian-Guru.com]

Morning Deals

Ben Popken — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:51:38 EDT

Iams: Free Iams Premium Protection Dog or Cat Food if you give them your address
Iomega: 3.5" External USB 2.0 Hard Drive shipped for $55.66(250 GB) Or $64.16 (320 GB)
Newegg: Sennheiser CX300B 3.5mm Connector Canal Headphone (Black) $10 after rebates

Highlights From Dealhack

Sierra Trading Post: Extra 10% off Clothing, Footwear, & Gear
Amazon: Summer Sale: 25% or More off Kitchen Small Appliances
Dell Home: Save 20% to 30% off Inspiron Notebook PCs

Highlights From Bargainist

Torrid: $10 off select Birkenstock
Toys "R" Us: BOGO $20 off all Wii games
PayPal: Back to school savings @ Foot Locker, Guess, Tiger Direct, more