Wise Bread (Torley Wong)

How to be the best customer

Torley Wong — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:26:18 +0000

We've no shortage of "How to do good customer service" articles designed to be applied from the company's side. But what about customers? We need each other to thrive, and whether you're in front of the sales desk or behind, we're all humans. An obvious point worth remembering because just about anyone who's worked in customer relations has tales of customers who weren't just dissatisfied, they were abusive jerks. And there's never, ever a good reason to heap hurt on someone else — such wasteful emotions clog reasonable complaints.

As someone who's both answered thousands of issues in varying roles (and created documentation to support it) and has bought products from a variety of companies ranging from the monolithic to 1-person operations, here's what I've learned. It's biased towards smaller companies since it's easier to enact change with them, but can apply wherever you'll be listened to.

Document everything

If a frontline agent isn't doing a service to their company by being rude to you, get their name. Consider recording your calls (be aware of obtaining consent; companies will often say on the line they're recording you for training purposes!). Tagging the emails they send you. And so on. Create a history if you're routinely being wronged.

If you need to bring bad behavior to a supervisor's attention, don't present your case as "I hate ALL OF YOU IN THIS COMPANY". Rather, if it's a specific problem with an individual, you're willing to go beyond and point out you generally like doing business with people who work here, with an exception. It'll be their word against this troublesome employee's, but if you have evidence, they can't cover it up. (And if it's numerous people or the general mindset of a company that has you irked, yeah, you should take your business elsewhere.)

In an age of electronic surveillance, taped support calls gone wrong have become a way to escalate problems when a company doesn't listen and a consumer feels helpless, so they amplify it through The Consumerist or one of many comedy sites.

Related, Wise Bread has a Consumer Affairs category you'll want to check out, including Paul Michael's sucky experience with a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

I don't recommend going out of your way to destroy a company, but use documented proof to substantiate the poor treatment you've gotten, which will hopefully help management solve the problem, and possibly thank you for getting their attention, as a result.

Learn to file effective bug reports

A surprising second point? Not so much when you realize it's a finer level of documentation. Observe the connections: while "bug report" is most commonly associated with computer software and electronics, the key importance is being able to show someone else how you arrived at a problem via a series of steps they can follow. If it sounds similar to giving driving directions, that's exactly true. And it's important in any sort of conflict resolution.

If you buy an app and discover bugs, sending bug reports (via the developer's preferred channel) will help them make it more stable, and hence, better. Bug reports don't have to be boring text instructions. Especially when you need to show visual elements, consider using a video recording tool like TechSmith's Jing (free basic version, I love it) to make video bug reports and narrate what's happening — show stuff as-it-is!

Don't assume a company's quality assurance will find all bugs. It's true they should do rigorous testing to deliver a robust end result, but the fact is there are far more variations of possible computer systems than they'll ever be able to try inhouse. Customers who whine about problems they're aware of instead of spending the same time to step up and communicate aren't useful.

Many companies give discounts and free products for being an exceptional bug reporter, including beta tests. Don't expect entitlement and be familiar with the company's culture beforehand — some, like Picnik who I'm helping test their Show feature, are much more amendable to personal contact with customers than others. After all, continue to communicate. Loyalty never gets old, and if a product is going to serve you for months and years, having a close bond means you'll be taken seriously. Not all customers are the same and you do want to be the best, yes?

Plus, after you've gained an understanding, you can teach other customers how to file bug reports, too, empowering their experiences.

Don't bitch about what's out of an employee or company's control

Focus on actionables. What can be done.

For instance, if your Internet Service Provider goes offline because someone drove their car into a tree, knocking down power lines and cutting off your connection, it's uncalled for to ring the ISP up on a cellphone and scream "FIX IT NOW YOU @#$%ING IDIOTS!" They can't — that's likely the electric company's responsibility. All your insults serve is demonstrate is what a jerk you are. Better approach: call and ask for a status update: "What's going on and when can you expect it to be fixed?" Learn instead of accuse. Simple.

Yes, professionals should have backups and contingency plans. But notice how there's no such guarantee as 100% uptime in the industry. Be forgiving of occasional mistakes, and they will be forgiving of yours. Continue to make suggestions where a company can improve their service: you may not get a personal response depending on volume, but if I really enjoyed my stay at a hotel, I send in the comment card.

Another example of fruitless bitching: you're calling a human in billing about technical issues you have with a website. They cheerfully mention they'll escalate your details to the engineers (who aren't on the phones since they're heads-down programming) and suggest you take the initiative by posting on the company's forums. But you continue to gripe to the billing agent about it. They can be sympathetic, but your words are being wasted and you're tying up time that could be spent on another customer's actionable problems. Make it a priority to learn about what goes where so urges you have to connect will be effective.

When in doubt, ask questions — for emphasis, learn instead of accuse. You have every right to remind a company if they haven't been responsive (like I did for Acronis True Image 2009). But don't point fingers. The blame game is played by losing attitudes which are too much talk, not enough walk. If someone is just, they'll admit fault. And for all you CS reps reading this: unfortunately, while a rare minority, there are customers who have mental illness and need to see a professional. Don't be their doctor. And never, ever tolerate abuse. It works both ways.

When you're treated right, be vocally appreciative

Perhaps this should've been #1. But I wanted to see if you noticed.

Customer service reps endure more abuse than they should have to. Like I said, no one deserves abuse. On the flipside, I've hardly ever felt productive, friendly workers get sufficient customer praise to inspire them each day and keep going!

This is why I'm doing my part: every time I believe I've been treated exceptionally, I directly send a testimonial. I also often use Twitter and my personal blog to get the word out about awesome products that are made by awesome people. Word-of-mouth is especially important to small companies that can use all the earnest marketing they can get to thrive. Like what I wrote about bug reporting earlier, some savvy companies keep track of "key influencers" and may offer you goodies. These are mutually beneficial: the company's product adds value to your life, you help support them in ways beyond paying money.

In the service industry, this also applies to eating out. You're a restaurant's customer. Received lovely, attentive service? Then generously tip waitstaff who've given you consistently excellent treatment. Actions have consequences and you're frugal, not chintzy.

Customer service is an ecosystem: an honest, friendly worker who gets berated and hears no good words is going to be very confused, and even frustrated about why they even bother to go above and beyond. So pay attention to what makes you smile.

What is a supercustomer?

A supercustomer is not necessarily someone who throws a lot of cash at a company, although that can be part of their makeup. I use "supercustomer" to describe those — the best! — who go beyond the call of customer duty (intriguing way of looking at it, hmm?) and don't just routinely consume, they actively participate in improving the people & products of the businesses they enjoy.

The Internet has opened up many opportunities, from the trusted reviews of Amazon Vine to the "People-Powered Customer Service" (as redundant as that may seem, we need to be reminded in an era of voice mail and faceless megacorps) of Get Satisfaction.

Old ways of putting a wall between the people who use the products and those who make them are stupid and dying, because in the end, we're all humans who want to be happy.

So be the best customer you can be!

Permalink | 3 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Consumer Affairs, Shopping

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Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam: why doesn't 4 stars tell the full story?

Torley Wong — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:01:47 +0000

By Torley Wong

Logitech makes some good stuff: I keep hearing raves about their Revolution mice, and they're well-known for keyboards (I own a DiNovo Edge and it has great battery life) and webcams. However, Logitech is also one of the more lopsided companies in regards to support across multiple platforms, as I learned recently with the QuickCam Pro for Mac (Amazon affiliate link, but you may rethink buying after reading what's to come). While not a conventional review, this is a closer look into what to beware of with the QuickCam Vision Pro.

I have a QuickCam Pro 9000 that worked pretty well on my Windows XP (since upgraded to Vista) machine, aside from blue screens of death if I replugged it. However, when I connected it to my Mac, I had extremely low framerate, around 5 FPS. Casual searches showed this was because the "RightLight" technology to automatically compensate for dim conditions was only in software, and there are no Logitech Mac webcam drivers. Thus, I learned about the confusingly-named Vision Pro. It has a very similar form factor to the 9000, the main differences being some coloring ones, such as the ON ring light is white instead of orange. But the insides are supposedly different (I haven't cracked mine open), with the Mac version having RightLight in hardware.

I did my research, I swear!

I searched for the Vision Pro at Amazon, and read the many (now 102) reviews, which averaged out to 4 stars. I noted most of the ratings corresponded with intended usage: people just doing iChat or Skype video chat were enthusiastic, while others who had more heavy needs weren't as happy — placing myself in the latter category and mindful to clarify the caveats myself, I ordered one. As with other Mac versions of Logitech goods, it's significantly more expensive than its Windows counterpart. In this case, about US$100 vs. $70 — presumably that's because of the hardware as well as having less sales volume, but Logitech hasn't acknowledged this.

Unboxing and installing the Vision Pro was very easy. I plugged it in to a free USB port on my Mac Pro. But I also noticed, to reaffirm what I mentioned earlier, there are no Mac drivers, no control software which allows you to adjust picture settings as well as wackier special effects — as is present and extensively developed on the Windows side. Apple does provide Photo Booth, so I started that up and was sorely disappointed: the framerate was as slow and jerky as the 9000 on my Mac. I couldn't find any way to optimize this; others report the same.

Then, I tried iChat and Skype. In both, the video preview was silky smooth (as expected), and here's where I noticed a substantial framerate improvement. Looking closely, I wondered if this was because of the dimensions: iChat and Skype seem to (again, I wish Logitech provided clear documentation) show a 320x240 preview, while Photo Booth records at 640x480. (Photo Booth with my MacBook Pro's built-in "iSight" webcam is visibly smoother at this same resolution.)

A video's at least a few thousand words, see for yourself (an unaltered framegrab is at the top of this article): I look like a ghost because what's on my monitor is white-ish. This isn't the Vision Pro's fault.

Another test: I started QuickTime Player, because File menu > New Movie Recording lets you do just that. Again, I was thwarted by a choppy framerate, and on top of that, the image was forcibly zoomed in, cropping the image. I don't know why it does this, and couldn't find a way to disable it. So far, I was very disappointed.

So many half-finished features

Now, it was time for me to use the Vision Pro for real — record screencasts with ScreenFlow. I'm sad to say that Telestream, the makers of ScreenFlow, offered me no leads on recommended and compatible webcams, so I chose the Vision Pro because it seemed to be in the higher-range of things. But overpriced, I do think. Again, a disappointment: ScreenFlow's preview was very jerky. However, when I actually did record a video, it looked smooth. The final recording size was shown as 640x480, even though its blurriness suggests it was actually recorded at 320x240 and upsampled.

So in short, here's the rub: Logitech's support for the QuickCam Vision Pro is sorely lacking. You have little idea what to expect or how it should behave. Its marketing is disingenuous, too, which is a red flag to consumers. They claim:

HD video: QuickCam Vision Pro is a high-performance webcam capable of delivering 720p high-quality images* up to 1600 X 1200 pixels.

Yet aside from a little footnote, Logitech don't give you advice on how to actually get higher resolutions. No list of tested, compatible software. On the Windows side, the included picture-taking app makes it easy. On the Mac side, no such luck. It really makes you feel like while this was offered to the Mac market, they put little thought and consideration into its usefulness.

But wait, there's more… suckiness…

There's no system way to turn off autofocus or RightLight either, and like the 9000, the microphone is mediocre, captures too much background noise, and distorts easily with awful clipping, so don't believe the "A high quality microphone provides excellent, hands-free audio." It's not true, it sounds like you're in a tin can if you speak from about two feet away. I use a Zoom H4n for my mic recordings, but it's over $300! (You'd be far better off with even a dedicated USB condenser mic.)

To get around the issue of no video adjustments, you can get eCamm's iGlasses which works with most webcam apps (but not ScreenFlow), but this sort of thing should've really been bundled.

That's not the end of your troubles: several reviewers note the Vision Pro gets very dark if two or more apps try to use it at the same time, or in quick succession. I can confirm this is true, as well as another problem where it fails to turn on if you keep making one recording after another — it's a pain and breaks your creative flow. Workaround? Replug. But that's annoying.

Oh, if you're wondering, human support from Logitech is lacking, too. I've received no help on how (if it's even possible) to make the Vision Pro work adequately in Photo Booth. Did I mention iMovie doesn't support it either?

All in all…

While the Vision Pro is usable, it gives me mixed feelings and has wasted a lot of my time. I'm not satisfied with my purchase. Buyer beware if you intend to do more than the most basic video chat, where cheaper webcams will perform fine. I'd give the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro 2 stars out of 5. I looked at getting an original Firewire Apple iSight but they're even more expensive, and I've been wary of competitors like the aGent.

It appears there's a dearth of really excellent Mac webcams — if you know better, would you please recommend me and fellow WiseBread readers one? I'm so sad.

Permalink | 14 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Shopping

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Pianos cost too much? Get a synth!

Torley Wong — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:09:01 +0000

By Torley Wong

I'm thankful for a delicious cornucopia of experience with music: I grew up on classical piano before moving into electronics, a galaxy — wait, universe of sound at my fingertips! With all that learned, and not just because of the recessed economy but practical factors, if a parent were to ask me:

"What piano would you recommend I buy for my kid to get into music?"

I'd shake my head, and not suggest a piano at all!

Blasphemy? Absolutely not. I've played dozens of epic grand pianos and oodles of uprights with character. But pound-for-pound, buck-for-buck, synthesizers — synths for short — beat them almost every time. An initial hurdle to getting into synths is the dizzying array of choices, including "digital pianos" (not strictly synths since they're not focused on sound creation, but performance with a limited array of sounds). But on the whole, synths beat pianos in both the quantity and quality departments.

Wait, how can I say that?

Throw away your 80s stereotypes of bleeps and beeps — technology has advanced to where electronically-amplified piano sounds are in many cases indistinguishable from "the real deal". From multilayered samples to physical modeling, there's a rich sea of options. Yes, a few purists will cry foul, but they're the same people who can't tell the difference in a double-blind test; and if you happen to be that picky, by all means, get a real piano. Like diamonds, they have overpriced charm. But plenty of people who'd be better off with a cheaper, more expansive solution would be wise to try synths first, then understand firsthand.

(That's me playing — sorry, the video is flipped.)

If you're looking to get yourself, your child, or a friend started on piano, here are 6 solid reasons to consider a synth (or other digital instrument) over an acoustic beast:

1. Playing a synth is the same as a piano… plus bonuses

Synths have same black-and-white keyboard layout, and up to the same number of keys. There are synths with "hammer action" keyboards for the hammer-strike feel of a real piano with robust durability. Good to try these out in-store, words won't do.

On top of that, synths usually have additional controls like a pitch-bend wheel (to emulate other instruments) and a modulation wheel (to add expressivity), plus knobs and sliders. These can make a sound duller or sharper, add reverb to make a piano sound like it's in the Grand Canyon, and much, much more.

(I'm not getting into alternative controllers like keytars and the Tenori-On in this article, but yes, they're options once you know the basics!)

2. Synths are cheaper… by far

To really drive this point home, a low-end-yet-decent upright piano can set you back US$2,500. Guess what you could buy with the same money? A high-end synth workstation like the Yamaha MOTIF XS6, which is one of the top performers across the whole synth pantheon. Yes, it's the same parent company that makes Yamaha acoustic pianos and the XS6 only has 61 semi-weighted keys, but the 88 weighted-key version, the XS8, can be had for $3,600. What's more, you're not limited to one sound: you get thousands of sounds out of the box, can make your own, and can record yourself on the built-in sequencer, creating song arrangements on the same tool Grammy-winning pros use. It'll teach you a lot more about the sonic universe than a single, limited piano will. (More on that later.)

By the way — I'm not referring here to sub-$300 starter keyboards that are sometimes labeled "personal". They're fun and can be a worthwhile trial to test if you want to commit further to music, but while they've gotten more powerful over the years, they're easy to outgrow. It's worth paying a few hundred bucks more for something that lasts much longer. And if your wallet still screams for mercy, look local for a rental shop that'll let you try out top synths for a stretch of weeks.

But, if that still makes your bank account cringe, do you have a decent computer? You can look into a keyboard controller (like M-Audio's or Novation's), which may contain no sounds of its own, but instead plugs into your computer via USB (like your mouse) or MIDI and uses your computer's existing processing power to play — it's called "software synthesis". There's a wealth of "software studio" options, and they tend to cost a few hundred dollars at most.

Computer Music is one of the best online-and-offline magazines to learn about this from. There are hundreds of plugins for some of these soft studios, many free ones, and many under $100. To discover these tools in addition to mainstays like Harmony Central, a couple of my favorite sites are Synthtopia and Rekkerd, both of which are superb at highlighting all things related to "synth culture". Learn day-by-day, strange names will soon become familiar.

(Synths make it easy to play along to music you love, facilitating the process of practice or simply jamming!)

For a controller, I have an M-Audio Keystation 88es, which cost less than $200 (I got it after cashback on eBay) and has 88 semi-weighted keys. I prefer these because it's easier to do quick runs up and down the keybed. I've paired it with the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) called Ableton Live, which is such an elegant way to put together tracks. Even if you don't need those options now, a computer is far more expandable because as long as software can run on it, you can adapt your configuration. If you had a max. of $2,500 to spend on music gear, including a computer, you can easily include a quality audio interface + mic (to record vocals if you chose) and speakers. But you could just use headphones, which brings me to…

3. Synths let you practice without bothering other people

Guess what's impossible on a traditional piano? Making music without having it invade the room around you. This is good if you're putting on a show, sucks if you have tight living space or your walls are weak — I often ran into the issue of my performance leaking into the kitchen, where sometimes it was welcome, other times my Mom would scream at me to stop.

Just about every single digital keyboard/synth can have its output confined to headphones. Even those which simulate the conventional piano form factor, like Yamaha's Silent Pianos, have this advantage. There are numerous capable digital pianos which can be found for under $1000 and they all have a headphone jack. Price of a quality pair of "cans"? Easily $150 or less. I've had my Sony MDR-V900s for years now, cups over my ears and has big bass; others swear by Sennheiser or Grado. There's something to be said for focus when you can enclose yourself when playing, too.

4. Synths don't go out of tune (unless you want them to) and are easier to carry

There's no need to call a piano tuner. While early analog synths like some Moogs had pitch instabilities, current generations don't suffer that frailty. However, some noted sound designers have deliberately introduced drift and detune into their sounds for that wow-and-flutter-sorta retro sound. (Funny how much we treasure imperfections when we've gained control of how to fix them.)

Real pianos, however, are weak against the weather and being moved. Oh yeah, they're also a lot less portable, which is a problem if you want to take your instrument gigging. All worthwhile things to think about as you make a checklist of what's right for you.

5. Synths encourage explorations through sound

I had some mighty piano teachers, but for the most part, they didn't "get" the outer realms I wanted to venture to on my own. And ultimately, that's what counts: if you have goals, your mentors may not appreciate all of it, but they should help you get there. Unfortunately, there are still too many classical music snobs out there who're killing their music by being limited and stuffy. If they balk at you learning music on a synth for no pragmatic reason, I'd caution to stay away — their mindset isn't progressive enough to help you prosper.

Fingering techniques and other virtuoso fortes can be learned on a 88-key, weighted synth just as well as a "normal piano", and don't let anyone deceive you otherwise. (To those who say "It's not the same as a real piano", there are many different pianos with varying feels; they need to substantiate what they mean.)

After all, music demands your creativity to make the most of it. No one wants to have memories of lessons they were forced to take, because the best learning comes when you're enjoying yourself. I've long been supportive of exploring tonal textures through electronic music. As this video with me playing shows, you can easily emulate guitar and other sounds. (And to extend on that idea, yes, there are synthy equivalents for other instrument families; guitars have the Line 6 Variax to thank.)

(I heart the Native Instruments Kore 2 sound libraries — as you can hear, amazing!)

6. Learn skills not possible with a "real piano" on a synth

An electronic setup is harder to outgrow than a single real piano, since it can be vastly more flexible. In addition to chords and scales, you can learn all about synthesis: how more complex sounds are formed from simple waveforms, oscillators, filtering, and soforth. And if you intend to take music from a hobby into a career, some of these skills are commonplace must-knows.

(Many surprises await you when browsing sounds!)

What's relevant now: the distinction between sound engineer and performer has blurred, and if you want to squeeze the most potential out of the time and energy you put in, electronics make this accessible. For example, Propellerheads Reason, a "studio-in-a-box", lets you simulate rackloads of expensive gear and shows how they're routed to and from each other to generate the final sound. While still in their early years, programs like this are being taken increasingly seriously to result in certification programs and courses at distinguished schools like Berklee.

Still… don't scrimp on a teacher

The above in mind and synth in hand will hopefully save you money you can put forth towards a good teacher. You can pay for lessons, but there's no clear monetary value for the joy of music. This human element can't be replaced by a machine, and while there's a wide variance of teaching styles (and online courses beyond the scope of this article), past the obvious "You should get along and grow together," if you subscribe to what I've shared above, you should go with a teacher who understands the connections between styles of music — the most exciting, potent stuff is cross-disciplinary, and stodgy dinosaurs are dying out.

It's time to awake the new breed and destroy old misconceptions. Learning music needs to be useful and fun… and oh, preferably affordable!

Have questions about the similarities & differences between pianos & synths? Are you like my parents and think pianos have more "dignity"? Let me know in the comments below!

Permalink | 18 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Shopping

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DON'T Buy It Now on eBay without using Live.com cashback

Torley Wong — Sat, 09 May 2009 04:19:29 +0000

By Torley Wong

You've been saving money with your online purchases thanks to Wise Bread, but wanna save even more? I know that got your attention.

Periodically, eBay and Microsoft's Live.com run a joint promotion to award you cashback. It's plausibly beneficial for them because it drives traffic and ad revenue to Live amidst Google's dominance. Whatever the reasons, here's basically how it works:

Sign up for a Live.com account.
Do a Live.com search for a keyword match like "bullion". A special link notifying you of a % cashback offer appears.
Click the link and purchase an eligible item — so far, they've been "Buy It Now" with PayPal, not regular auctions.
Cashback either gets awarded within a 60-day window, or in some cases (apparently random), instantly.

You can read the terms and conditions, which include a limit of total cashback and transactions.

Too good to be true?

At one point, I was skeptical — 35% cashback!? — but this is from eBay and Microsoft, not some shady fly-by-night operation. Alas, today the cashback is lower, at 10%, but up from 8% in days earlier. (But down from 14% that.) How do I know?

Use these tools

There's a useful tool called MS Live.com eBay Cashback % Notifier, thanks to a "Waffle S.S." aka Abe Voelker. It does what it claims: enter a target cashback value and your email address. When it hits or exceeds that mark, you'll be notified as I was today:

If you'd rather not do that, you can setup a Deal Alert at SlickDeals.net which'll inform you of epic threads like this.

I've earned over $600 cashback since my purchases last year — heck, that's enough to buy a Mac mini, or a combination of things you deem valuable. Each of us has our priorities; just don't go spending on eBay without this advantage.

Tips

Many retail stores, including Buy.com and Tiger Direct, and specialty goods like Nova Musik, have eBay presences in addition to their dot-com webshops. Compare the prices, and if they and other factors are equivalent, you'll save by buying through eBay with cashback.
With competing listings around the same total price range, focus on where shipping is included in the "Buy It Now" price and (often) advertised as "free shipping". Why? Because cashback applies to the item price but not to shipping. Try asking a seller if they'd be willing to make a change for you.
Watch cashback phases like a hawk, because when it ascends to a lucrative percentage, many eBay sellers jack up their prices to nullify any cashback advantage.
On occasion, some keywords return higher cashback than others. Stay on top of these, too.
Don't hold out too long if it's a matter of a few dollars; it's a sort of gamble, as the people waiting for 14% cashback to climb to 20% or higher recently found out when it dropped to 8%.

Have you saved big with eBay's Live.com cashback? Have tips for using it more effectively? Let me know in the comments!

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The Awesome Art of Getting Great Deals Online

Torley Wong — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:11:19 +0000

By Torley Wong

Ah, the modern marvels of being able to type a few things in, click your mouse, and have a desired object delivered to your place in a few days. Even tumultuous economic conditions don't mean so-called ecommerce is going away; rather, it stresses being a savvy, frugal shopper, and opens up opportunities for businesses to attract your attention.

Whether it's buying or building, being resourceful helps you score the same great stuff at lower prices, and possibly faster delivery. (Think MacGyver marrying the A-Team.) The following isn't an exhaustive guide to each and every to-do under the sun, but it is experience-worn advice which I'll gladly impart for your benefit. It mainly concentrates on buying in the US of A, but the principles are mostly true worldwide. I'll also specify for the scope of this article, by "Stuff", I mean possessions you can carry (like a microwave) or at the most, can transport around (like a car) — so, not a new house.

Let's dive in with the spirit of Scrooge McDuck, then!

Know where you're looking

Some questions have very easy answers. If you're looking for books and other sundry merchandise, you'll almost always go right with Amazon.com. Yes, I know it has competitors — as well as other sellers which've partnered with it — but 2 special things call it out:

Amazon Prime - If you're a shopaholic, even a thrifty one, it's currently US$80/year for free 2-day shipping. Other details apply, but if you buy frequently enough — say, at least a dozen times a year — this will have you covered both cost- and convenience-wise. Of course, they do this to make you buy more! So don't spend just because you want to, but consider how it fits your lifestyle, and try their free 1-month trial.
Amazon's service - It's not just about the raw dollar, it's about the smile on your face. I've had questions about my orders and confusion about pricing, and I've consistently received timely, pleasant replies. That peace of mind pays for itself, and serves as a model of what you should expect elsewhere.

I give the obligatory disclaimer that I'm not professionally affiliated with Amazon — just a happy customer many times over that cites them as an "example megahub" for many goods.

Let's open it up…

You'll want to be familiar with the major deals sites. There are many out there which duplicate the same style and deals, so here are a few I check daily — they're all stored as bookmarks in my Firefox toolbar, highly recommended for saving time via "Open All in Tabs":

Woot - I was drawn to their flavorful copywriting. Aside from their famed "Woot-Offs" and "Bags of crap", they sell ONE thing a day. Sometimes it's what you're looking for. Often it's not. But they're full of whimsy and fun, and fill a great niche.
DealsPlus - Some deals site make the horrendous mistake of piling on more text than you'll care to parse. DealsPlus is very visual, providing thumbnails and a quick-browse summary of each deal.
Dealhack - In the "More text but not so much that it makes your eyes fall out" dept., they also provide a very thumbnail-ish view, with a vertically-designed navigation. So get your scroll wheel ready and skim down.
dealnews.com - Again, good use of thumbnails (I find they make browsing a lot easier). Wider layout than Dealhack, and as you gain experience, you'll notice when the same popular deals appear on different sites. But what I like here is the quick summary of the hottest stuff at the very top.
SlickDeals.net Forums - Disparate deals sites have forums. Among the best is SlickDeals. They also have their own front page, but I heart their forums because of the unadulterated spontaneity of excitement that punches through the hype. You can smell it in the air — like the inevitable scramble for cheap hard drives before they're OoS (Out of Stock)! And to make this sound more like a restaurant guide, be sure to check out the offerings of the legendary Selma, a gothy deal-sharer who's posted 50,000+ times. If you feel lost, look for the thumbs-up ratings and # of thread views you can sort.
FatWallet - Finally, a site without "deals" in the name. They tend to broadcast deals which are broadly advertised by stores themselves (as opposed to "secret coupons"). Part of the reason behind this is that they offer cashback & coupons. I haven't really used their cashback, but I think FatWallet's a fine overview of the more commercial (for lack of a better term) bargains.

Be brave to explore beyond these, and let me know what gems you uncover and have missed! For example, RedFlagDeals.com reigns surpreme in Canada. The jungle o' deals is thick, indeed.

By immersing yourself in deals sites, you'll become familiar with which stores are favored by veteran dealhunters. E.g., you'll often see buy.com and NewEgg mentioned for computer gear. And a sensible way to get a grasp on various stores is to see their customer feedback on eBay (if they have a presence there), or search ResellerRatings. Don't zoom in on outliers (the occasional bad review), look for consistency.

Beyond mere observation, do chat up with your fellow dealhunters — especially those who know a lot more. They'll save you dollars and hardship.

Know what you're looking for

Were you expecting something less obvious? That's coming up soon! But for now, I'll say…

It's fun to browse bargain sites. It's also time-consuming if you do it too much, and while it may inform you of what fair prices are for various items, it also tends to be unfocused.

Give yourself a direction, and at the very least, take advantage of the "deal alerts" most bargain sites make available. These come in varying forms, but tend to work like this: you enter keyword(s) and frequency of when you want to be notified. They'll ping (via onsite notice, email, and in some cases SMS) you when new deals are available.

This is useful, by the way, if you just missed a substantial rebate on an item and are waiting for it to come around again. Chances are high it will (unless an item's being discontinued). If you don't really want a gadget, don't fall for ad pressure to "ACT NOW BECAUSE SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED!" because if something's really in demand, they'll want to sell more of it. I rebate-waited and got my Logitech diNovo Edge keyboard for US$50 cheaper — a price that'd command a fair meal!

Emphasis on rebate-waited, because…

Mail-in rebates will make you wait

a LONG time. Not always, but often enough for it to be a point of consideration, especially if finances are tight. You may see estimated expectations of "6-8 weeks", and these tend to be pretty common. Thankfully, some companies like Logitech do email you to check your rebate status online, along with an estimated mail date for your cheque.

That's why if you can't wait, don't depend on mail-in rebates. And be wary of companies that've been called out by expert dealhunters as scams, because while the majority aren't, lack of communication does create that perception. Thus, my fave kind of rebate is the instant rebate.

You may be wondering then, besides the understandable processing time, why so long a wait for MIRs? Wikipedia has the backstory.

Be smart about coupons & price comparison

RetailMeNot.com isn't just a beautiful site, it makes it very easy to look for discount coupons. I've regretted not checking here in the past because I discovered a substantial savings after I bought something — talk about buyer's remorse! So whenever I have a significant (obviously relative, but a good rule of thumb is above US$200) purchase, I fire up RetailMeNot and do the groundwork.

For price comparison, Shopzilla and PriceGrabber.com are your friends. Use them and if they're really useful, you'll keep using them.

Major search engines, like Google, also have their own price comparisons, and links to many others. Through experience, naturally find what works for you.

After practicing coupons & price comparison for a few weeks, odds are high you'll spot diminishing returns. For instance, it's not healthy to spend half an hour trying to save US$2. Aim for the big savings, stack coupons whenever possible (mmmm, compound discounts), and be quick.

Be quick (Part II)

Hot deals often sell out very quickly. (Not to be confused by artificial pressure like "ACT NOW!" mentioned above.) That's why it's important for you to have a solid understanding of the context you're involved in: for example, on deals forums, you'll notice a few of the same posters grab deal after deal and boast about it. (There's a certain social bonding that comes when you become an involved member of deal-communities.) This, like any other acquired skill, comes with extended practice. Have your alerts set up so you can pounce on deals that matter. The most advanced dealhunters use automation, like macros, to cut down on tedious steps and jump to the front of the virtual checkout line.

What also counts for a lot: have accounts pre-setup with payment info at the sites you want to shop from. You want to be selective with who you give your personal info to, but if it's a reputable store, your data should be safe, in all practical likelihood. This saves you the trouble of having to fumble with a credit card # when it comes down to crunch time. I once missed out on a hot MP3 player sale at Woot because I hadn't signed up for an account yet — I learned my lesson!

Don't be fooled by fake free shipping

If an item is a fine price and has free shipping, then praise be! But, sometimes "free shipping" is deceptive, because the shipping cost is absorbed in a jacked-up item cost. For example, I saw a pair of headphones on eBay for US$20 that claimed "free shipping". The same pair could be found elsewhere for US$15 with approx. US$5 shipping clearly stated, so it's really not a better deal.

The inverse is also true: beware of inordinate shipping costs. And taxes. A number of stores charge sales tax if you buy in-state/province/region — see Amazon's policy — and while sometimes this is unavoidable due to a lack of alternatives, it's worth keeping in mind. While tax laws are out-of-scope of this article, you won't ever regret being prepared and being aware.

Do your best to find out a store's shipping costs beforehand so you can factor that in ASAP.

Look for gems with eBay's Buy It Now

eBay is synonymous with popularizing and dominating online auctions. While it's still famous for auctions, gems (not just in the mineral sense) can be found by way of many smaller stores which are trying to build their presence and business via eBay's big visibility.

Often, this is new or refurbished/B-stock material with warranty which is sent to you not from an individual, but a company. And it has a "Buy It Now" graphic to indicate such. (It may or may not have a corresponding auction if you want to try your hand at getting it for lower.)

Buy It Now can be good for rarer, but not highly obscure goods. There're sometimes package deals — like a digital camera that comes with a case + memory card + mini-tripod + extra battery at the same cost of the camera alone elsewhere.

In my web browser, I often have one tab opened on eBay and another opened on Amazon, and I do searches and compare. To supplement my info when it's tough to tell, I use the comparison shopping resources mentioned above.

While it's past, much of a dealhunter ballyhoo was made about Microsoft Live.com's 25% cashback through eBay (apparently, it was 35% last time it came 'round). Being on top of opportunities like these can sweeten already honey-soaked deals. Make sure you read the terms and conditions and revel in the savings.

Do your best to assure the clothing fits

Measure yourself accurately. My wife stresses how important this is, because we've been subject to inaccurate pictures and vague sense of scale when buying clothes online. I thought a pair of pants, despite the specs, would fit me snugly. Turns out they're baggy as heck! While I haven't opted for an accompanying pair of suspenders since they're surprisingly comfy, my position still stands.

A good "fit" is also transferably applicable to non-clothing goods which you may feel compelled to see in-person, like TVs and flat panel monitors: a JPG picture can't give you its actual display quality, but if your local store's stock costs much more than what's online, it's fair to compare. (A store's physical presence can add to the cost.)

Some stores offer 3D 360-degree views of their merchandise, but this is still a novelty, rather than a common staple. Still worth looking out for.

Keep customer service and return policy close

I'll often tell you: it's not just about the $$$. Saving a few bucks isn't worth it if you have a problem with your order and the merchants turn out to be jerks! You'd rather much have prompt, friendly "service with a smile" than being unheard or being treated rudely.

Consumer reviews often keep track of this, combining real stories with numerical ratings. And your own experiences will be the most visceral. If you're cautious, why not send an email or make a phone call before buying anything? Test the waters. See how they respond and if that makes you comfortable. Above any human-constructed currency, feeling good and expressing our identity through what we buy is an intriguing psychological phenomenon, and great customer service goes a long way towards reinforcing our beliefs.

If a store has a brick-and-mortar presence (like Old Navy), then you'll likely be able to return merchandise to a nearby store. If you live in the boonies, it may not as be as convenient, but good to know. If a store only allows you to mail a package back, verify who'd be responsible for postage costs beforehand, and be intimate with their RMA policy. A key keyphrase is: hassle-free.

Get ready to recycle

If you buy stuff online, it's going to come in a box. And if it arrives at your house, soon, you'll have a whole extended family of boxes, yes sirree, with itty-bitty baby boxes, and big grandparent boxes. So you'll either want to use those boxes to do something else, or have them recycled or otherwise disposed of.

It's an omnipresent, yet understated part of getting great deals.

Time-shift your holidays

Lastly, I'll suggest something unorthodox which you may not be able to do, especially if you're under social pressure from your family & friends. But consider liberating yourself because of this: when is Halloween and Easter candy cheapest? No, not in the stretch leading up to the holiday — look at the markdown prices after! This is easily observable in both offline and online stores, but it goes to show: when something's out of style/season and perceived value is less, prices plummet.

By being "out of sync" with society at large and other cultural waves, you can create your own opportunities to acquire the same stuff at much-reduced prices. Granted, I feel strongly about this because my family used to wait until after Christmas to grab boxes of bonbons and ornaments to prepare for the next year, but there's much truth… once you break free of generic trappings. (And I'm partially referring to Boxing Day sales, but saturated marketing of Dec. 26th has created its own traps.)

This is awesome news if you're flexible about traditional holidays. Clearly not for everyone — but if you can be an exception, consider yourself exceptional.

Happy buying!

While the above should never be considered an end-all or be-all since the Art of Getting Great Deals Online will continue to adapt and evolve, I hope my personal experiences and specific suggestions will enlighten you to discover the joy of consumerism in refreshing and eclectic ways.

Devoted dealhunters know that saving money goes beyond lopping off a fraction of the price — it's a way of life.

Permalink | 14 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Shopping

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How do you spend money to save time?

Torley Wong — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:49:41 +0000

By Torley Wong

It's a — pardon the expression — timeless saying:

"You can always make more money, but you can't make more time."

The staunch followup to that tends to be that you can make better use of time.

Like 10,000 pebbles

I've been thinking a lot lately about tiny — even "microscopic" — shifts in my daily activities that add up big in the long run.

For example, one of my faves on the computer is setting up PhraseExpress text macros to auto-paste frequently-used snippets of text, cutting down 10 secs of typing into a 1-second keystroke on each pass. Not to mention the memory overhead of needing to recall each snippet. When each instance is viewed in isolation, that's not very much. But multiply that over weeks, and the savings are phenomenal.

Another one of my fave habits is to batch-process documents: I stack stuff I need to scan and archive into a shoebox, then every couple of weeks or so, I put on lovely music like Philip Glass and start an intense half-hour to an hour of filing them all. This removes the overhead of switching between tasks, since each time I do this, I need to arrange the scanner and documents, and go through a series of steps that are simply more efficient when done in one "swell foop" than piecemeal. Having such concentration also adds to getting the task done effectively. It's economy of scale applied domestically.

Like any healthy habit, these involve repetition. But the smart kind.

A fair exchange?

Spending money to save time is a must for resourceful people, since there are some things which just about anyone can do, like raking leaves or mowing the lawn. However, if you have creative inspiration or life dreams that only you understand (at least so far), there's no way you can transfer your innermost tasks to have them carried out, let alone communicate them to another person. More importantly, while someone you've paid is doing what you consider a boring task (and don't feel bad — it's a fair exchange of money for your focus), you're in a position to generate even more wealth, whether it's rolling in net dough or spending quality time with family. In fact, one commonplace but no less important money-for-time exchange is paying a babysitter so you can enjoy a night on the town with your sweetie. The thought that you love your kid less because of this is absurd.

On a grander scale, books and blogs on "outsourcing your life" have gotten popular, with many copycats tagging on Tim Ferriss' coattails. While you'll never want to entrust some personal tasks to others, the next time you feel time-crunched about a recurring activity that someone else could do — especially if it feels like a tiresome déjà vu — consider doing what I call a CLE, or "Cheap Lightweight Experiment" to test if more life automation may be right for you. Whether it's hiring someone to do manual labor or using the Amazon Mechanical Turk to "hive-mind" some info you need, there are plenty of options. Spend a few bucks and observe the results.

Usefun

I challenge you to: get stuff you're used to doing in an hour… done in 45 minutes or less. This could very well mean your work, due to a higher sense of structure and ordered tasks there. But it could just as easily be a household chore or other recurring activity at home. This doesn't mean you'll rush through it carelessly. It means you either become more intense about finding shortcuts or not doing/ignoring unnecessary parts (and there almost always are if you look really closely), or delegating/outsourcing it to someone else entirely.

I find practicing this every day of my existence not only makes me sharper, it helps me to have more useful fun — what I often portmanteau as "usefun" — because events are more memorable. My comprehension and self-awareness increases. I care more, and I'm far better off than, say, someone who isn't just riddled with distractions, but is merely doing an "OK" job and not looking to get more out of all those little slices of time that pass us each day. That's such a sloppy waste, especially when there are so many opportunities to invest in a tool or pay a person to help us make better use of our time.

In turn, when you're stretched out and relaxing — whether it's in our bed or on the beach — you'll feel that much better about it. You've optimized what needs to be tight, and now you can enjoy the slack.

A matter of perspective

As tough as it can be to avoid when you're in a jam, penny-pinching at the expense of feeling freer isn't really saving money at all. It's like hoarding a small treasure in a locked room when there's so much gold to discover outside the door, as scary as it may seem.

Do you regularly and consciously spend money to save time? Or is something you're still afraid of? And if you have questions about my specific processes, please ask!

Editor's note: This post was selected for The Best of the Best in Money and Personal Finance carnival!

Permalink | 21 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Productivity

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Beat the Nirvana fallacy: why doing something is better than nothing

Torley Wong — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:10:18 +0000

By Torley Wong

Ever found yourself in a position where you were going to contribute to a good cause: for instance, volunteering at a women's shelter to directly help victims of domestic abuse, only to find yourself rebuked a friend who went, "Why bother? More women will just get beat up everyday."

It probably stung. Do you remember how you reacted? Did you decide not to help, or did you press on ahead?

The Nirvana fallacy is for people who waste their lives.

It basically states that if you can't do something perfectly (like solve all spousal abuse problems or world hunger in the twinkle of an eye), then you shouldn't bother at all. The problem with that is simple: there's NEVER a perfect solution, only shades of choices that are better than others, and mistakes you make and can hopefully learn from. Most mistakes aren't grievous and are fantastic "Lego blocks" to build progress upon.

Ramit Sethi, author of the new hit book I Will Teach You To Be Rich, makes this point. He was recently blogged by Will Chen on Wise Bread, and this quote from the book is the moment I knew Ramit was onto quality (as opposed to being just another yappy guru):

It sounds sexy, but when individual investors talk about complicated concepts like this [referring to buzzwords like "hedge funds"], it's like two elementary school tennis players arguing about the string tension of their racquets. Sure, it might matter a little, but they'd be much better tennis players if they just went outside and hit some balls for a few hours each day.

Ramit doesn't specifically cite "Nirvana fallacy", but that's what he's talking about. Everyday progress in increments, even when you don't feel like it, is far better than delaying and waiting for a "perfect day to start getting rich". That day will NEVER come. Ramit also compares personal finance to weight loss — the latter being plagued by buzzwords and too many arguments over which diet works best. I connected fad diets to social media snake oil salespeople earlier, so you can clearly see all these fields have a strong commonality:

Too many words, not enough action.

Words are overrated.

Yes, they have many uses but they're often used as an excuse for action. Words are often a stall tactic to debate points that disintegrate once you begin moving. Just like Tiger Woods must follow through on his golf swing after observing the scene and knowing what he has to accomplish, you must follow through on your plans — which are just theory. Words set the scene for what's to come, but will NEVER be a substitute for making progress, even if it's small victories.

9 steps to combat the Nirvana fallacy:

The vast majority of criticism is useless, as I've written before, so throw away those doubts like you treat email spam. Critics don't like to hear this (and look where they are).
Ditch unsupportive friends and family, or at least distance yourself. Harsh, but they need to be contributing positively to your life (and you to theirs).
If you find yourself in the middle of an argument, whether it's offline or on the Internet, quickly consider (trust your gut) if it's worth continuing. The answer is most likely NO: feel free to stop in the middle of a sentence and leave. Humans are drawn to many self-destructive behaviors and you need to be keenly aware that artificial conflict is bypassed by acting; blabbing on is stupid slop.
Even if you can only devote 15 minutes a day to a goal, that's substantially better than 0. True, many things require intense focus, so ask yourself: "What can I chop out of my day? What would I not recall fondly on my deathbed?"
Accept that the biggest gap lays in between not doing something and getting started: your mind may be set against exercise, but once you're mid-routine, it feels easier to climb higher. Think, but don't overthink: always be observant of how your words can flow into actions, and over time, you'll be more confident. The impact of growth becomes most relevant in hindsight, so dive in!
Be biased towards iterating swiftly, which means making many changes in a short period of time so you can spot mistakes and adapt quickly. Do cheap, lightweight experiments to test the waters so even if you fail, it won't destroy your dream. For instance, if you have your sights set on being a master painter, buy an affordable kit and dabble. Not just casually, but make the most out of your tools — really MacGyver 'em! Then, you can tell in weeks, even days, if you're ready to move up.
It pays to be prolific. You simply can't gain experience in work or play without putting yourself through a variety of life situations. Some of these can be accelerated (making productivity more enjoyable), others can't (pregnancy). The effectiveness of nearly all experiences can be improved by your attitude towards them.
Live with your fears. Things don't turn out the way you expect, but they might turn out better if you allow yourself to be more playful than worried. When I composed music, I was under the pressure to deliver a masterpiece. Then my counterpoint went: "If I have a great idea that doesn't make it into this song, I'll include it in the next one." The ongoing result of pairing courage + prolific-ness was that I had plenty of ideas and plenty of songs, instead of freezing at the starting line.
Realize that combating the Nirvana fallacy, in turn, leads to a heightened state of consciousness — not just a spiritual one, but you can apply that if it suits you. And you'll be more aware of others' failings in the world around you due to lack of action, which means you should give back and encourage more achievements. However, be graceful about how you help others (don't lambast them with words, that's hypocritical).

The above isn't an end-all (like I said, words are overrated), but will help get you started.

The Nirvana fallacy may not be well-known yet (shy of 3,000 Google hits as of this writing), but its effects — too much talk, too little action are a common inhibitor to human potential. In fact, it almost stopped me from writing this article. That's when I ran through the list above, which I've had floating around in my head for some time now, and didn't just decide to do something about it — I did it.

Do you see the Nirvana fallacy taking a foothold in your life? Then it's time (now, not tomorrow) to make your move. Let me know your experiences!

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Modifiers: 5 things that change an item's final price

Torley Wong — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:29:46 +0000

By Torley Wong

On Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Regis Philbin's famous catchphrase was "Is that your final answer?" You should keep the same thing in mind when buying stuff, because spending a few seconds to check could save you a substantial stash of moolah.

Not counting "used" (B-stock and refurbished) goods and store cards, here are 5 modifiers which affect the final price of what you buy, whether it's in person or on the Internet:

1. Coupons & promo codes

How easy! Surely you've heard of these — magical slips of paper that give you a spontaneous discount at the register. Or online, it's even easier (and saves trees): just paste the code into the order form at checkout.

Offline, there's no shortage of flyers being mailed to the point where it becomes overwhelming. If you don't already have a few favorite stores, focus on your options and weigh not just individual item coupons, but the overall shopping experience. (It doesn't make sense to save a few cents and be let down by unhelpful staff.) Find out if you can be apprised of specials online, since they tend to be more searchable. For example, Costco has paper coupon booklets, but they (and many Costcoholics, apparently) also post them on the web, which makes them easier to find or even setup an automatic alert for. This includes big things you're waiting for the price to drop on — such as an HDTV or fridge.

Clipping paper coupons is a time-honored art which my Mom excelled at, the details of which are beyond this article's scope. But one principle which must always be stated is: most coupons for lower-priced goods (like food) don't make much of a difference in isolation. It's in aggregate that the savings add up. However, while you can make more money, you can never make more time, so consider whether the laborious task of scouring booklets and compiling your coupons — a crimp on convenience — is worth the cost. This is highly individual and needs to meet your needs, as some people enjoy coupon-clipping as a hobby. Don't knock 'em!

Online, RetailMeNot is essential. It's user-powered, meaning many people submit promo codes and other people vote on their accuracy. Stale/expired coupons sink into the red while hot ones rise upwards. Some vendors feel threatened by this collective knowledge so they've asked RetailMeNot to exclude them, but other companies actively participate in promos. Be skeptical, however, as they may make something look better than it actually is. That's marketing for ya.

Always look out for stackable coupons. Some deals mavens have mastered combining them, such as:

a time-unlimited $50 off +
a one-week special which removes a further $25 +
extra 10% off if you buy 2.

The math can get confusing, but don't let that deter you from savings, because web checkout forms usually assist with calculations.

2. Cashback

Cashback often comes in the form of: you need to sign up, then click on a special link which tracks you when you buy something. Then, after an elapsed amount of time (so the participating company can reap a net profit), you get your cash back (literally). Under this are all manner of economic and social complexities, such as partner sites receiving commission payments.

Cashback tends to be smaller amounts like 2-10% and there are many flavors — FatWallet is one of the more popular sites to have strategically turned cashbacking into a community — but there are occasional jackpots. For instance, eBay's Buy It Now thru Microsoft Live Search once rose as high as 35% (!), and while I missed out on that, the cashback amount was at a still-respectable 25% when I opted for some pricey music gear. I ended up saving myself over $600 (it took a rolling 60 days to receive all my money after the orders had taken place).

One downside of cashback programs, including the eBay-Microsoft one: at-face prices may be inflated slightly or hugely, so be careful the cashback doesn't merely reduce the price to its usual parity.

Like coupons, take advantage of compound savings whenever possible: there've been a few times where I didn't just stack coupons, there was also cashback, sweetening the deal further. And sometimes there are rebates on top of that.

3. Rebates

Rebates come in different flavors, but they all have one thing in common: motivating you to take action (buy!) when you might normally not be so interested.

MIR stands for Mail-In Rebate, another way of enticing you to buy an item with a lower final cost, but you need to wait weeks, or even months to get a check in the mail as compensation. If money is tight today, be sure to factor that in. The waiting game can be tense and rebate programs often have strict rules, such as how your claim form is filled out, and what you need to include from the original packaging — commonly both a copy of the receipt and original UPC (bar code). Let me assure you, it sucks to go through that trouble, miss out one detail, and receive a rejection letter instead of money. Some rebate programs are shady and unresponsive, so search for others who've dealt with certain companies before.

This is why I prefer instant rebates — just like a coupon, but even easier, because it's automatically applied at checkout. All you have to do is buy. Ah, consumerism.

4. Shipping

Don't be fooled by "free shipping". It sounds tasty but often isn't true, as the cost is eaten up by a premium on the item itself. This applies everywhere from Amazon to eBay to Zappos.

But it's also true some places have substantially better shipping deals than others, all costs considered. Some may spur you to buy over a certain amount, e.g., "All orders over $99 get free ground shipping". This is tied to the economy of scale, since it takes about the same time to process most orders, but if you have a more expensive order, you (or at least your money) are viewed as more valuable to the company's bottom line.

In those cases, if your order is close to the minimum for free shipping, it may make sense to buy a small, sub-$10 item (also known as a "filler") to push you over the limit. But don't force yourself to buy more than you actually need, 'cuz then you won't be saving at all.

I previously wrote, "Is it worth paying more for faster shipping?". Check it out if you'd like related info.

5. Tax

Death and taxes may be certain, but at least you have a say in controlling the eventuality of the latter — like not paying sales tax if you order from out-of-state. After writing about the Mac mini for Wise Bread, I found out PowerMax, located one state to the south in Oregon, wouldn't ding me for $75 sales tax unlike Apple's own store. Sales tax becomes even more prohibitive on expensive orders: with high-end electronics, it easily runs into the hundreds of dollars.

The point here isn't to deprive the government, but make the smartest decision based on what's legal and available. Be resourceful like MacGyver.

The most important lesson I've learned about modifiers...

is don't get excited until you see the final price. So often, I've thought "That sounds like a bargain!" but by the time I get to the register, all these additional hits, surcharges, and in the case of airlines, hidden costs have added up and stabbed me in the side.

Online, don't be afraid to do a simulation by adding items to your cart and rushing to the checkout to see what it really costs. Some stores add additional friction (whether by dumb design or accident) and require you to signup for account — in which case, if you're understandably concerned about your privacy and getting spammed, have an alternate email address on hand to test the waters.

If you're new to this, the first few times of keeping the above 5 modifiers and other elements straight can be confusing. But persist, know what you want, and get it at a better price than you originally thought possible.

What are your fave modifiers? Have a modifier that I missed? Share your knowledge with us!

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7 ways to spot a social media snake oil salesperson

Torley Wong — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:10:45 +0000

By Torley Wong

Technology has given you plentiful opportunities to better your life. Especially if you're looking for work, even amidst the economic slump of the omni-stated recession, there are knowledge worker jobs opening up that didn't exist but a decade ago. Unfortunately, that's not to say all of these jobs are actually useful: just like pyramid schemes attract the greedy and fad diets interest the desperate, many social media snake oil salespeople are out there, ready to sucker you.

Social media is about people being able to talk to each other easier through computers. Yes, Wikipedia has a much more extensive definition, but part of a slick sales strategy is dressing up what's old in new clothes. That's why even though there's an immense amount of value in word-of-mouth networks and empowering good causes through our machines, the tough thing is in distinguishing who's genuine from who's a quack.

If you take a quick look on, well, any social network — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, you name it — you may have run across packs (appropriately) of people who dub themselves social media consultants, gurus, strategists, etc. All claiming to help you improve your online presence. Other variants like "lifestyle designers/architects" (derived from the teachings of one Tim Ferriss who in turn repackaged the Pareto Principle) and other very trendy-sounding titles exist. They exist to sound impressive and sell to you, but as B.L. Ochman astutely declared:

How many of them have actually created a successful campaign for clients using social media tools? I bet you'd be hard-pressed to find half a dozen with real track records.

That's why, like sound science, it's important to do the research, be skeptical, and debunk fluffy claims before buying into the bull: substantiate who are you dealing with here?

Like so much self-help hogwash which obscures actual-but-not-so-fast solutions, the Kevin Trudeaus of the social media world are here to sell you a false dream. Those scammers hate to hear it, but it's true. And here's 7 ways you can spot them:

1. Buzzword-laden pig slop

If a hotheaded social media whatever comes to sell your company a "comprehensive transparency strategy" consisting of "Web 2.0" this and "personal branding" that and can't explain what they mean in simple English, they're full of it. And by "it", I mean lies. It's unfortunate that scammers make the good souls look bad — just as a lot of crackpot pseudoscience misuses the established formulations of quantum physics. Like pig slop, it's a mess. And you deserve better.

Always insist on substantiation — focusing on actions, disproving the fallacies behind the words, and showing there's followup to grand announcements. For example, if a social media usability firm (they really exist) is brought about because they say they can greatly enhance how your customers experience your product, don't just let them give you a feel-good keynote presentation and glossily-designed PDFs with "The Master Plan": work closely with them to carry out small, lightweight tests and assure whether it actually has an effect. This may seem obvious; not so much if they're baffling you with buzzwords.

2. Lack of diverse interests

Case in point: I believe in the power of personal branding. But like "social media", it gets thrown around a lot in an ironic attempt to camouflage lack of personality. There's now a cottage industry of of "personal branding consultants" who talk starchy like bad 80s cartoons; they try to sell "Brand You" packages on their websites and are shockingly one-dimensional. Specifically, they can't show what they've done for themselves outside of, well, elevating their profiles by trying to take your money. (It's like being famous for being famous.)

I'm not asking for a "I got rich and these are my beautiful women and houses"-type deal, although Donald Trump is a master of that — and what I'd consider a real personal branding "live by example". He trumps (heh) some of it up to make it look more glamorous than it really is, but he's definitely one of the strongest personal brands without using that buzzword. Like how repeatedly calling yourself "cool" negates itself. If you find Trump disagreeable, how about Richard Branson or Felix Dennis? (Wild hair seems to be a commonality.)

People who have interdisciplinary skill sets and unorthodox fields of interest are a great asset because they possess perspectives no one else does: there's no substitute for that variety of firsthand experience. There are legit personal branding helpers out there, but they don't sit around all day blogging about how to improve your personal brand. They involve other elements in the mix.

If you're interested in getting a personal branding expert to help you, find out what else they do. Outside of work, as well as odd jobs they've taken on. But don't just rely on their friends, because of…

3. Inbred testimonials

Strength in numbers, right? It's no secret that when social media yahoos are struggling to attain credibility, they'll vouch for each other. One will write a foreword for another's book they haven't really read, and yet another still will put forth glowing praise that can be inserted in the author's blog sidebar.

Again, like everything else I'm saying here, there are earnest examples of this being done, but they're rarities amidst all the soundalikes in the so-called echo chamber. Reverb gives a musical instrument space, but do you know what happens when there's too much of it? The signal becomes washed out and indistinct, and nothing stands out.

I'm all for friends helping each other succeed, but the problem with "imbred testimonials" is that they don't include any external perspective, such as that from satisfied customers (like resume references you can verify).

Even though Seth Godin (whose tight style has been copycatted from here to Mars) said, "It's not about you. It's about them" — it's really about us, meaning you and them. After all, it's not a relationship, and definitely not "social", unless it goes both ways.

4. No failed experiments declared

Yes, no one likes to put their dirty laundry in the same place as a job pitch. But social media is unique, since being human (authentic, transparent, etc.) is at the heart of it. Since personality can be measured in qualitative and quantitative ways, you don't know until you test: social media snakes like to proclaim case studies of how X company did a great thing while Y company sucked, but how many risks of their own have they taken, then trumpeted about it — even if it was a miserable failure? And how can you trust someone to help you or your company's reputation who won't put themselves under the microscope?

This doesn't mean false modesty. It does mean acknowledging those mistakes as valuable data to be used towards future gains, as Jim Kukral and Rohit Bhargava have.

5. Long lists of stuff they haven't done

This one's a relevant tangent: ever see those blog posts that go "50 Must-Have Social Media Tools" or "100 Must-Do Tips to Improve Your Personal Brand"? Mostly, they're baloney. Lists are a popular blogging format to catch people's interests, but let's get to the core: ask the author if they're really tried all the tools/tips/etc. and can vouch for them directly. Probable confession: "Uh, no."

Understand it's great to compile info from different sources, and I grok flavor in headlines, but it shouldn't be sensationalist drama that gets you high on a social media sugar rush, then plunges you back down into despair. That's like those supermarket magazines that sell you a different diet every month. (If it was so good, why keep switching?)

There's much more usefulness in empirical context: someone who notes "I haven't tried this yet" or "I got great results but only after I stuck with it for awhile" while recounting how they're applying a tool or tip to their life.

If the social media "expert" you want to hire has been spotted making thoughtless lists, beware.

6. Stupid simplicity

Whenever a trend exists by name, you can bet unscrupulous folks will try to capitalize. Ever heard of Shaolin Kung Fu? Whether it's through Kill Bill or Wu-Tang Clan, it's been a hot martial art term. Problem is, if someone wants to learn "Shaolin Kung Fu", they first need to understand there is no single style. Any "teacher" who insists otherwise is being deceptive.

There is no single style to social media success. Some people can work it in a suit and tie, while others have to wear chicken suits. Some speak louder than Jim Cramer, others have a calming effect. And hey, it's okay to be low-key! Personal brands aren't for everyone, and personal brands are as diverse as the people behind them. This is why I hate seeing people forced to join social networks and mingling but getting no substantial benefit out of them.

A bona fide social media maven (always look beyond labels) must be able to teach you how they get results, and how this will be applied to you. How concepts, even simple ones, are expanded into day-by-day actions. A programmer who creates cleanly-commented code is more prized than one who arrogantly dismisses the value of showing others the path, and fails to make their peers better.

Mantras (and buzzwords) can boost confidence, but they're a mere hint of effective results. Like a map is not the destination, a word is not what it refers to. Don't rush into any communications plan without understanding Wiio's laws.

7. Unshared egos

Social media is all about exchanging resources, be it knowledge or tangible goods. And notice how I didn't say "big egos" — if you're going to be a social media rockstar, you may very well have a big ego! I've a fave saying:

If I'm good, it's because I've made you better.

Consider Rick Rubin, who recently produced Metallica's return to form, Death Magnetic. With his unkempt beard and piercing eyes, and stripped-down essentials approach to music, he's definitely got a distinctive personal brand. Yet he doesn't cast a shadow over the bands he works with: he channels them like a shaman so they are better! One specific way he does this is getting them to consider stylistically incongruous options. It may make the band temporarily uncomfortable, but as Rubin's landmark bridging of hip-hop and heavy metal has shown, he's a uniter, not a divider.

Someone may be blasting out dozens of tweets a day on Twitter, but if they're not sharing their ego to brighten other human beings' day — and this comes before selling their services — then their motives are in doubt, because they want to succeed at your expense. That is an opposite of social media.

Snakes on a web

Perhaps it was a "customer-centric research analyst" your company brought in, who blathered on (with empty buzzwords as mentioned above) but left you no richer in financial and happiness terms. Maybe it was a "pro blogger" who sold you training DVDs on how to sell yourself on the Internet, only for you to find out their steps were too convoluted and impractical to follow. These are the snakes among us.

One of the most beautiful things about social media is how it empowers you — if you choose to use it — with a voice you wouldn't have had in years previous. Just like the Wise Bread Team draws attention to consumer problems you should be aware of, the same awareness needs to be extended to those promising solutions, but are just full of… snake oil.

Have you ever had to deal with a social media snake oil salesperson? Do you have your own ways of spotting them? Let us know in the comments.

Permalink | 21 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Career Building

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New Mac minis: Beware small gains at a big price!

Torley Wong — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:56:43 +0000

By Torley Wong

Apple recently revamped their desktop line. It wasn't an asteroid impact, but has so far been generally acknowledged as a welcome update. Amidst the revisions are the Mac minis, always a hot point of contention — some journos have a compulsive habit to exclaim "They're dying!" every few months. Such irrationality is useless.

But what is useful is knowing where the sweet price points are. I'm a Mac enthusiast, and I also use Windows regularly. Like a daywalker vampire, I have the perspectives of both platforms. Every time talk of "The Apple tax" or "Apple stuff being overpriced" comes up, the same arguments are redundantly trotted out, often centered around cost vs. convenience. (It'd be nice if there was one master FAQ so people didn't repeat themselves since certain facts are well-established, but that's not going to happen.)

My warning, not to frighten, but to enlighten: you probably should NOT order from the Apple Store unless you want a BTO (Build To Order) custom configuration sooner. The generic base configs are available at resellers for less; they'll be populated over the next stretch of weeks and you may not have to pay sales tax, which could save you $50-75 or more. (There are also edu and gov discounts, but I'm focusing on the broad consumer market.)

Hopefully, if you've been dreaming of a new Mac mini, I can help you make sense of what to avoid. Namely…

The "2.0GHz : 320GB" model doesn't make sense

You get an additional 1GB of RAM (for 2GB total) and roughly 200GB more hard drive space (for 320GB total, actual formatted capacity is less), but at what price? An extra US$200 over the $599 base model! (Much more in some other countries.) Why is this a bad idea?

There's no processor speed boost

Yes, you can BTO a 2.26GHz (for $150 more) and I'm awaiting benchmarks on that. But with this price premium, you'd expect something special.

RAM is a rip-off

Yes, it's harder to install RAM in a Mac mini. 1GB is unpleasantly cramped in this day and age so I'd recommend at least 2GB, which the Apple Store charges you $50 extra for. 4GB total is even better but that's $150, nearing 3 times the price of Other World Computing's 4GB kit @ $65 (which will require removing the 1GB base DIMM). RAM prices are volatile, but even with convenience weighed here, this is a bad bet. Not as bad as this red flag, but still absurd.

I'd suggest watching YouTube for forthcoming videos on how to install RAM in the new Mac mini and decide whether you can stomach the cost.

That hard drive upgrade is horrifically overpriced

OUCHBLEGHH! That's the sound of your pocketbook and/or PayPal account hemorrhaging. In Apple's BTO, it's listed as a 120GB -> 320GB upgrade for an extra $175! OUCH. Considering 1TB — roughly 5x the upgrade size — external hard drives routinely sell for a touch under $100 and continue to drop, you're not getting your money's worth here. Compact (2.5" form factor) hard drives are common at 500GB for the same price, like this Seagate FreeAgent Go (I own a smaller 320GB one and it's very nice). As Gizmodo and many others have pointed out, get an external drive instead.

If speed's your concern, opt for a FireWire enclosure which typically runs $25-50 more. If that's still not fast enough, there are pricier options, but you likely wouldn't be looking at a Mac mini anyway. I would only go for the 320GB upgrade if I was using the Mac mini as an HTPC and it was absolutely necessary to store all those movies & music internally because I found an external drive aesthetically unappealing, or if I needed to move my mini around a lot.

What to do if you want a good deal on a new Mac mini

Check MacSurfer regularly. They compile daily reviews, user stories, and of course, pricing comparisons to help you make an informed decision.
To that specific effect, refer to Mac Prices. I've called around to several places and it seemed there was an "up to 10-day wait" on getting BTO configs from them. If you want it sooner, you could go with the Apple Store, but remember the sales tax.
Don't rush unless getting the Mac mini sooner will give you an irreplaceable amount of joy (not to be confused with buyer's remorse) OR it'll help you generate more money & resources in that lead time.
If you're absolutely sure of your needs, then by all means override my guidance.

What about Hackintoshes?

I'm aware of the multiplying, even-cheaper "run Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware" possibilities out there of legal dubiosity. I'm not looking at those because there simply isn't another machine as beautiful, quiet, tiny, etc. as the new Mac mini. It's not just about looks but the overall experience and proverbial peace of mind.

I'm aware Hackintoshes are maturing to be more stable, but still: system updates aren't as easy, numerous quirks exist, and they certainly aren't supported by AppleCare, which can be had for cheap. Until those hurdles are substantially bypassed, Hackintoshes are fascinating experiments with many caveats I'd rather not deal with. In the ongoing balance between cost vs. convenience, I've slid towards the latter, but haven't slid so far as to be impaled on the spikes described above.

Am I getting a new Mac mini?

I plan to. And why not, say, an iMac? Because my HDTV is already a decent-sized screen. I want a handy little home media controller to occasionally bring from one room to another without the pain of lugging a tower (my Mac Pro). It'll also free up my MacBook Pro, currently serving as my media center, to do suitably portable things. As you can see, while our household thrives on some things like tech and kittens, other stuff falls happily into Linsey Knerl's camp.

Furthermore, a Mac mini will be a nice way to run some apps with the elegance Apple offers. While I'm not counting on it being a stellar performer for the virtual world of Second Life, it's better than the previous generation, and I'm thinking of using to rez additional avatars for machinima. Maybe my Mac mini will help my wife understand why Apple is such as "liquid experience" compared to the Windows cruft I'm appalled by (but continue to endure).

Now you know where I'm coming from, I'm looking at getting a 2.26GHz Mac mini with 2GB RAM and 120GB hard drive, then upgrading the RAM later if I need the expansion (I'm clumsy with tools, ask the stripped screw in my Mac Pro) and hooking up an external drive. The cheapest price I've found on this so far is $794 at MacMall before shipping, but despite it saying "In Stock" on that front page, it's actually not. Boo for crummy advertising. My desires could change based on what I find out in the next week or two, so stay tuned.

Are you interested in a new Mac mini? Have tips on what to look out for? Caught something I missed? Chime in!

Permalink | 12 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Shopping

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