In the past, I’ve lamented that there was no way to buy an ebook as a gift, and request that it be delivered to the recipient at a future date, e.g. on their birthday or during a specific holiday. However, now that at least one of the major online retailers allows you to choose a […]

While researching what to do with an old computer, I learned that quite a few companies — including retailers and product manufacturers — offer trade-in programs for older equipment. Mine was too old to be worth anything, but slightly newer gear would have garnered at least $100 or so. And if my experience is at […]

I got a new computer last week, which meant dealing with a pile of cardboard boxes, clamshell packages, and other shipping materials. For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised at how few of the components came in those impossible-to-open plastic packages. However, one aspect of the packaging struck me as a bit ironic. In […]

Bulky packaging is undesirable for several reasons. It costs more to manufacture and more to ship, and also produces more waste. However, there’s another factor that’s often overlooked: a bulkier package means that customers can’t carry or store as much of that item as they might like. For instance, there are two pizzas that I […]

I haven’t owned a leather jacket in years, but I recently decided that I’d like to get one again. After identifying a store that had some nice options, I stopped in over the weekend. There was no store directory, so I asked a sales rep where the leather jackets were located. His answer: they’re scattered […]

Several months ago, I started getting credit card offers in the mail from a particular airline. This came as something of a surprise, since I sent in one of those global opt-out forms a while back, and have received very few card offers since then. Then it hit me: the airline isn’t buying direct mail […]

Right after passing through the security line at an airport and making my way to the general vicinity of the gate, I typically look for someplace to buy a bottled water. Each time, I wonder if I’m getting the best price within that terminal, or if it might be worth checking other stores to compare. […]

During a recent flight, I had the misfortune of being seated right behind a demonic child that screamed at a deafening level at least once a minute. As if this wasn’t enough, the idiots who were supposedly taking care of the child decided to order a glass of water for the demon spawn, which arrived […]

With the winter holidays approaching, many companies are gearing up to position their products as ideal gift options. In one such promotion that I saw, an airline was advertising their gift card offerings. However, the way they chose to write the text was a little bit baffling. Instead of referring to it with normal words, […]