Anyone Else Want To Rant? Join In

Discussion in 'Not Sure Where it Goes' started by Von Jones, Jan 29, 2021.

  1. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    I suspect that will be passed on to those who buy from those marketers though. I read that the price of boxes has skyrocketed due to so many people ordering remotely. Add that to the increase in shipping cost.....
     
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  2. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Yes, I'm sure that all the overhead costs will be passed on to consumers; aren't they always? I suppose the sellers could always choose to warehouse and ship their merchandise themselves though it would likely cost more than having Amazon do it.
     
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  3. Faye Fox

    Faye Fox Veteran Member
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    Without Amazon, most companies have little visibility. Yes, any cost rise is passed on to the consumer plus more just because they can. They have us bound and gagged so they might as well take advantage.
     
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  4. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    Whenever I want to buy something from Lowes that's a little pricey, I wait until they have one of the "Use Your Lowes Cards and Get 10% Off Store-wide" deals...usually around spring and fall. So I've been looking at a resin tool "shed" [more like a vinyl closet] to put in my garden so the tools (rake, hoe, cultivator) are handy. Right on time, I get an email from Lowe's for 10% off when you use your card. Then I read the fine print: I have to download the damned thing to my Apple Wallet (some automated cellphone payment app) in order to get the 10% off!!!

    I don't want this crap on my phone. I don't know what kind of access this is gonna give Lowes to my financial info. I don't have a free "My Lowes" account (where they keep track of my purchases for my convenience) because this stuff is none of their business. I know one thing: if they are forcing customers to do this, then there's some benefit to Lowes that's gonna be at the expense of my privacy.

    This makes me angry. To make matters worse, there is no way to send Lowes Corporate an angry email or letter. I could call Customer Service and whine to some rep sitting in a 3rd world country, but I'd feel guilty complaining about my 1st World problems to someone who would look at that tool shed and see luxury accommodations for a family of 5.

    dammit
     
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  5. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Ugh; I get sick of the "use our app!" B.S. I don't WANT your stupid app. :mad: Which reminds me of another annoyance... I'm still having grocery orders delivered, which I had started long before Covid because I appreciate the convenience. About once a week I get an email from the grocery chain saying that I am such a great customer they are extending some "special savings" just for me. :rolleyes: Of course, the small print is that the coupon thing must be used IN STORE ONLY. Surely they can see that for the past 4 years or longer I haven't set foot in the store (because we all know they track our every move.) I did blast them an email but they never responded... big surprise.
     
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  6. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    It's insulting. We've discussed Apple Wallet before. I know you don't use it. I've not put any of my cards on there...it's a solution to a problem I don't have and adds a point of exposure. I don't know what Lowes gets out of doing this (Droid users must download the barcode to Google Pay.) Before this we just told the cashier to apply the 10% to that current purchase and the offer was tagged as *USED* on our credit card account...there was no coupon or barcode or anything required.

    I'm unaware of any way a merchant can access data on Apple Wallet or Google Pay. I just can't see your typical Lowes customer going for this...Lowes ain't Starbucks. And my neck of the woods is full of people who have never even had an mail account. Man, I still need someone to rage at.
     
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  7. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    I can't remember how I did it, but I corresponded with Lowes some years back when they were suggesting I create a "My Lowes Account", but I saw no reason to do so. I told them if there was some reason to create such an account, such as tying my military discount to the account, so I wouldn't have to prove I was a vet every time I wanted a discount. I suggested they could have "Vets Only Sales" if they really wanted to push the idea. About 6 months later, the Military My Lowes Account became a reality. I don't know if it was a reaction to my comment or not, but I like to take credit for it.;) No Vets Only sales yet, though.
     
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  8. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    Good for you! It's nice to have some impact.

    I'm ashamed to admit that card holders always get 5% on purchases, so this 10% I'm whining about is really just an extra 5%. So let's not say anything about it, OK? I kinda like my righteous indignation.
     
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  9. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Yup. I created such an account and only had to give my phone number at check out after that.
    Then, they decided that non-vets were using veteran’s phone numbers to get discounts so now I have to flash my vet’s card again and they also scan the bar code on the card.

    Home Depot only recognized active military, retired military and disabled military then they suddenly decided to allow all vets to have the discount.
    I went in the other day and they handed me an application form whilst scanning my card and told me that I had to fill out the form and get it registered to garner further discounts although they did take 10% off at that time.

    We have a place called Re-Store which is a habitat for humanity second hand building materials and furniture store. They have half full paint buckets, lights, paneling, doors, cabinets, tile and other donated stuff which is kinda sorta cheaper than new but sometimes not so.
    Anyway, they decided that they would do a no bartering policy but said they would give vets a 10% discount. That was nice but apparently someone didn’t like the idea so they came out and said that everyone gets the 10% discount.
    I’m assuming that ya’ll do see the flaw ……..
     
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  10. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    Here Home Depot promised a vets discount, but it never really materialized. It seemed to be a scam actually, as nothing I ever bought qualified for a discount--no building supplies qualified, nor did lawn and garden stuff...I really don't know what DID qualify. They gave up completely with the discount some time ago, and now they have vets parking places here and not much else.
     
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  11. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Strange.
    It might be that the demand is different here since we Do live in a military city and they Are competing with Lowe’s.
    That said, it could be too that the cashiers are simply tired of qualifying the vets so they’re simply giving us all discounts. A few years back they would refuse my card because it didn’t say disabled on it but that faded away after a while.
    I think there’s a deadline date now and then only registered vets get it and have some kind of special card which will take the burden of saying No to a non-disabled or non- retired vet from the cashiers.

    And yeah, our H. Depots and Lowe’s have the vets parking spaces but I leave them alone so the disabled guys can use them. Yvonne already has her general disabled card that we hang on the mirror so we always park in one of those spots.
     
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  12. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I wish we had a Home Depot nearby. I like them so much better than Lowes.

    I'll have to post a picture of my post hole digger...it still has Hechinger stamped on it, clear as day.
     
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  13. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Homeowner's insurance. :mad::mad::mad::mad: (Need I say more??) Our property appraisal for taxes took a big jump in evaluation, so Allstate raised our insurance coverage. Annual premium went up $700, from $2600 a year to $3300. :confused:

    I don't know how struggling families will be able to keep up with all these skyrocketing expenses.
     
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  14. Joy Martin

    Joy Martin Veteran Member
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    Struggling people can't buy big ticket items like a house in the first place. My parents almost outlived what savings they had at their end. And that was close to 20 yrs ago... A friend here in So Cal has to leave Palm Desert and sell her retirement house and go into assisted living for what's left of her life. Going to Las Vegas where her children are but I hear L.V. is going sky high as people are moving there.

    My rant is having harder times opening jars, bottles etc as the companies tighten them so and my arthritic hands are weak.
     
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    Last edited: May 5, 2022
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  15. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    I didn’t put a “like” on you because of your plight but because it raises a couple of interesting questions.

    If the property values are doing the same in your area as they are in ours, I wonder if when the bottom drops out of the buyers market if the taxman will make some adjustments.

    With the rents all going sky high and people selling out for almost twice what they could have last year and the Fed going up with the interest rates again, in answer to your question…..dunno.
     
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