How to be the best customer
Posted July 3, 2009 - 10:26 by Torley Wong
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?
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About Torley Wong
I love life, wife, and watermelons. I amplify your awesome with the useful and fun... USEFUN! Let's get creative.
Torley Wong's profileLogitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam: why doesn't 4 stars tell the full story?
Posted June 14, 2009 - 15:01 by Torley Wong
At first glance, a product looks great and inspires your confidence with its marketing blurbs and dozens of favorable user reviews. But criticism and complaints point to deeper problems. What's going on? Here's one real-world example of why your buying research shouldn't end at star ratings.
Pianos cost too much? Get a synth!
Posted June 7, 2009 - 11:09 by Torley Wong
Be aware of your options! Did you know there's a wonderful world — no, UNIVERSE of sound out there which shatters the conventional stereotypes of boring piano lessons? Don't get into music the sad way, learn about synths. Fun videos by me inside.
DON'T Buy It Now on eBay without using Live.com cashback
Posted May 8, 2009 - 20:19 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.
The Awesome Art of Getting Great Deals Online
Posted April 23, 2009 - 16:11 by Torley Wong
This is a lovely guide to getting the most out of your consumer purchases on the Internet.
How do you spend money to save time?
Posted April 20, 2009 - 17:49 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.
Beat the Nirvana fallacy: why doing something is better than nothing
Posted March 28, 2009 - 06:10 by Torley Wong
The problem with the Nirvana fallacy is simple: there's NEVER a perfect solution, only shades of decisions that are better than others, and mistakes you make and can hopefully learn from. Find out more inside!
Modifiers: 5 things that change an item's final price
Posted March 22, 2009 - 06:29 by Torley Wong
Shopping for goods isn't Dungeons & Dragons, but it's still an adventure. Like D&D dice, modifiers affect the end result of what happens to you — specifically, how much you spend.
Click through and learn about 5 essential modifier types and some un-obvious tips about how to use them to your advantage.
7 ways to spot a social media snake oil salesperson
Posted March 14, 2009 - 17:10 by Torley Wong
Sure, you'd like to boost your online presence and make money on the Internet. But 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. READ ON for 7 ways to distinguish the fakes from the real deals.
New Mac minis: Beware small gains at a big price!
Posted March 6, 2009 - 09:56 by Torley Wong
Are you interested in a new Mac mini? Read this first: be informed about which upgrades don't make sense and what to do about it.
Armor Etch can be a cheap fix for your scratched eyeglasses
Posted March 3, 2009 - 22:15 by Torley Wong
Have you heard the rumor that goes, "Did you know Armour Etch can fix eyeglass scratches?" I had to see (ha!) if it was true for myself. Read on to find out what happened...
What frugal lessons can we learn from the demoscene?
Posted February 22, 2009 - 16:04 by Torley Wong
The "demoscene" loosely refers to an underground computer art movement where the emphasis is on creating amazing-but-compact demonstrations — hence the name. What can its evolution teach us about saving money?
Can cheap AppleCare on eBay be trusted?
Posted February 8, 2009 - 05:39 by Torley Wong
Getting peace-of-mind protection for your Mac or iPod for less — in some cases over $150 less — looks tempting. But is it for real? Read on and find out.
Does Amazon.com's "Frustration-Free Packaging" live up to its name?
Posted January 31, 2009 - 21:17 by Torley Wong
Amazon.com recently announced their "Frustration-Free Packaging" initiative, aimed squarely at reducing the jagged tears and nasty lacerations. But is it as good as they claim?
How to find the sweet spot when buying electronics
Posted January 23, 2009 - 23:37 by Torley Wong
The "sweet spot" is the ideal point where you get the highest performance (and quality) at an optimum price. It can refer to many types of goods, but electronics are of particular interest because of their phased lifecycles and planned obsolescence. This post will help you develop a "sweet tooth" for tech deals.
Is it worth paying more for faster shipping?
Posted January 12, 2009 - 18:37 by Torley Wong
"Free shipping" is often advertised as attractive bait for you to take action and buy something! That is, until you find out it's not free after all. Here are tips & tricks to help you make the most of shipping.
Inside the shady world of cheap iTunes gift cards
Posted January 6, 2009 - 09:04 by Torley Wong
It all started so innocently: I recently purchased an iPod Nano as an Xmas present, and also wanted to include the gift of music. A casual search on eBay led to attention-alarming auctions shouting at me, tantalizing me with the possibility of getting iTunes gift cards for CHEAP! How cheap?
Deal Fu: Inside the Culture of Obsessed Bargain Hunters, Part I
Posted December 22, 2008 - 10:08 by Torley Wong
The media covers tragedies like Wal-Mart tramplings, but they've neglected thriving communities on the web who'll stop at nothing to get the deals they're delirious about. We're — say it with me as a LaFontaine tribute — IN A WORLD OF OBSESSED BARGAIN HUNTERS. If you're a newcomer to the deals jungle, put on the pith helmet you paid too much for, and join me on this tour so you can get comfortable adventuring...
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