Security Info Breaches From Credit/Debit Cards In The U.S.–NOT in Canada

With the recent Target store  security info breach from credit/debit card use during last year’s Black Friday sales week in the U.S. and the discovery of an alleged Russian mob responsible for such a cybercrime, it’s perhaps time for the U.S. companies to adopt the European method of enforcing credit/debit card security, even if it’ll be a little costly to implement.

Here in Canada, the adoption of embedded microchip in both credit/debit cards is also used in Europe. It involves slipping the microchip side of the card to a slot in the card reader upon cashier checkout and typing in one’s PIN after which the transaction is finalized.

No more need for magnetic swiping nor written signatures. In case, you lose your card and someone picks it up, that person if he’s dishonest will not be able to use it unless the PIN was written on the card. Believe me,there are  some folks who are too lazy to use even 1% of their brain cells to memorize their PIN. If they make it a habit to memorize it,it’ll be like doing it automatically,like brushing teeth for example.

Of course,if I happen to be in the U.S.,using my Canadian credit card would involve using the magnetic strip since the U.S. card readers are only programmed for magnetic strips being swiped upon  cashier checkout.

It’s something to seriously consider to thwarting all those sophisticated card hackers. That magnetic strip behind our cards contains all our personal info.

If all security precautions are uniformly implemented worldwide,there’ll be much less security breaches.

Josie

Canadian Black Friday Sales …Also US Thanksgiving Day Sales

I had mentioned in a previous blog dated Nov. 12,2012 about the start of Black Friday sales in Canada.

Well, Canadian Black Friday sales are still going on as of today due to the need for smart economics on the part of Canadian retailers to ensure  that they can lure as much Canucks as they can from going to the US to spend their dollars for Christmas shopping.

In addition, since last year,the US has  slowly started opening most of their stores right on their Thanksgiving Day for Christmas shopping. I call it the  US Thanksgiving Day Sales.

In spite of protests from many folks,whether shoppers or retail employees about the audacity of opening the stores on their Thanksgiving Day and stating that it deprives them of spending time with loved ones in the comforts of home, well, tell that to the retailers and bargain hunting shoppers involved in this new shopping era.

One silver lining I see here is for the consumer to burn out their calories after gorging on their Thanksgiving feast by going to the stores for some serious shopping. They’ll need that extra fuel to muscle through the crowds. Better than a sleep coma and packing on the pounds,in my opinion.

In both Canada and the USA, the need to attain retail profit so as to stay in business has already become a necessary evil and the new normal. The consumer on the other hand wants to get as much out of their money as they can in light of today’s inflation.

One isn’t forced to shop if they don’t want to and even if one gets a great bargain, I still believe that one needs to use his head so as not to get the spending out of control. One needs to know how much one can spend and not spend just for the sake of a sale.

The needs versus wants come into play here prior to any purchase. It’s good to buy something as a treat or reward but it should also be controlled. Same with buying necessities(ex. groceries,toiletries,etc). Some essentials have expiration dates,you know. No use hoarding them if they become stale,worn-out,etc.

Happy shopping anyways in this jovial and festive season but do so with both your mind and heart in check.

Josie

The Kenya Mall Mass Shootout—My Thoughts On This

I had said it before in my previous blogs regarding mass shootings and the need for  gun control/regulations. It will happen again and so far, one area considered as a ‘soft’ target had already been ground zero for yet another mass shootout.

The soft target this time is in a shopping mall called the Westgate Mall,located in Nairobi,Kenya. This happened last Saturday and it took a while ,in fact,only yesterday I believe for the authorities to get the volatile situation under control. Considering that there were numerous and unidentified Somali men involved as the perpetuators and all  the uncertainty , chaos and sudden nature of the shootout, it was a delicate balance on trying to get the guilty parties and to save the lives of any victims,even possible hostages.

So far, several theories and discussions had come out regarding the gunmen and the trail of terror that ensued as well as the debate for more shopping mall security.

Considering that the Christmas shopping season will be upon us soon,perhaps,mall security is something worth looking into

. Frankly though, I feel that enforcing  100 % mall security will be a long stretch since physical logistics may become unrealistically obtainable.

We as the consumers need to be hypervigilant during our shopping trips and report anything suspicious to the mall security staff or call 911 if necessary.

Shopping mall shootouts had already happened here in North America . In my 12-12-12 blog, I mentioned the shootout  in the U.S.,at the Clackamas Center in Portland ,Oregon,the Westroads Mall in Omaha,Nebraska and in Canada, the Toronto Eaton Centre Mall in Toronto,Ontario.

However,bear in mind.that in all these 3 malls, it usually involved only 1 gunman in each case.

For someone like me who loves to shop, this latest mall shootout makes me realize that this is the new normal now to shop not only for great deals but also to look out for any signs of danger and to act accordingly within the realms of the law.

The pleasure of shopping has been taken to a new level now and to think that it’s not enough to be wary of pickpocketers. Now,, we have to be wary of gunmen!

Sigh!

Josie

The Return of the Twinkie (I Told You So!)

On my 11-18-12 blog, I had discussed the near extinction of the Twinkie since it had halted production last year and here in Canada, Twinkies are still being produced as we speak. I also mentioned in that blog that it’s just a matter of time until a new buyer will come in and resume Twinkies production in the U.S.

Well, that reality is coming on July 15,2013  as the return of the Twinkie or in other words, the Second Coming of the Twinkie.

This means that all those online sellers of the Twinkie can just reassess their business situation. No use convincing U.S. prospective buyers to cater to your business since the Twinkie will return on July 15. These online sellers can still survive if their buyers are outside both the U.S. and Canada.

As the new punchline goes, it’s the sweetest comeback ever!

Enjoy!

Josie

Parcel Tracking Numbers Are A God-Send IMO

With the advent of online shopping, most merchandisers release(usually by email) upon finalizing every online order, a tracking number for the customer to trace/track their impending parcel containing their particular purchases.

I feel that it serves 3 purposes:

First, it gives the customer the name of the shipper/courier  that will send us our parcel.

Second, it gives the customer an idea as to when their parcel will arrive and will plan their day ahead of time. It eliminates the aspect of the unknown as to when the parcel will be shipped to them as well as its impending arrival. If necessary, one might need to delegate someone to sign and receive the package on your behalf. In some cases, one might have to inform the shipper/courier about this so that it can be noted under special instructions.

Third, it eliminates time and effort on the merchandiser to track the parcel for the customer.

I really consider parcel tracking numbers as a god-send in my opinion.

Just food for thought!

Bonjour!

Josie

Rounding Change When No Canadian Pennies Are Around

On my 9-13-12 blog , I mentioned about the last Canadian penny being minted on May 2012. Well, now the act of rounding up change when Canadian pennies are hardly in circulation has already started since Feb. 4,2013 .At this same time too, the Government of Canada has stopped distributing pennies.

Cashless or electronic transactions(credit cards,debit cards,etc) will not be affected. All the stores here in town have already posted how the rounding would be as based on federal guidelines:

Here’s an example of a simple dollar transaction with some cents involved in the rounding process:

ROUNDING DOWN:  $1.01 or $1.02    $1.00         ROUNDING UP: $1.03 OR $1.04    $1.05

$1.06 or $1.07    $1.05                                     $1.08 OR $1.09   $1.10

As for transactions ending in either 0 or 5, no rounding out made.

It’s a way of getting used to it, I guess but personally, I will miss the penny.

A penny for my thoughts indeed!

Josie

Going from Analog to Digital TV in Canada

I’m very aware that it already happened in the U.S. when all TV sets must go digital in their cable channels from the analog versions. Things take a while in Canada for that to happen but it finally did.

After initial announcements 2 years ago regarding this, my subscribing cable company is finally going to do it on Feb. 18,2013 as the ultimate deadline.  By that time, all those subscribers with tube TVs, LCD and plasma TVs have to have a digital adapter attached to it so as to continue getting streamlined cable channels but in digital form. Also, in addition to that, all those TVs aforementioned have no attached cable box , meaning no subscription to extra fancy cable package,just basic cable.

I got my  digital adapter and remote control set last month but only started to do it just now especially with the looming deadline ahead. They have already started in the Toronto area with regards to the digital switching  and it’s only a matter of time before they get to my city here. It can happen anytime this month or next month so it’s best to be prepared and not get caught off-guard in  case some of my cable TV channels suddenly disappear or get switched to other channels altogether.

I was so proud of myself(being somewhat mechanically challenged) that I was able to set up the digital adapter to my old tube-TV but the tricky part was deciphering its TV code so as to coordinate with the adapter and the TV set. Luckily, I didn’t have to go through it fully since it was clear that I needed to retain my old remote just to turn off and on my TV and use the new remote for all other cable TV functions. Reason was that my TV model was considered very old (12 yr model is considered old already?)

One thing for sure. If my old tube one day is no longer in service, the next TV will be one that I don’t have to put an adapter on. It’s similar to a pacemaker that you implant so as to regulate the heart rate. In this case, the adapter now controls the TV’s overall function.

With so many TV models out there(all flat TVs), nowadays, getting one at a good price should be an adventure unlike before when a few models were initially out and pricier too!

Just my 2 cents on this matter. Check with your local cable company regarding this if it’ll affect you too very soon.

Josie

Shopping During A Closing-Out Sale

My local Zellers dept store(a Canadian mainstay) is closing its doors for good on March 14. As a result, it’s now on liquidation status with sale prices at an initial maximum of 60% off. Everything has to go, even the store fixings!
I had been there a few times since the start of the new year and it gets more interesting as certain depts gradually look more spacious as its respective store items get bought up. It then makes me wonder if by the time the store posts 90% off sale prices if there’s anything left to be sold at all. Most likely, you’ll only get slim pickings ‘coz all the good items would be gone by then.

My dictum in shopping during a closing-out sale is to buy what I need at discounted prices. Don’t buy something that you don’t need or want just because it’s on sale. Don’t think that the item that you want to buy would still stick around on the last liquidation sales week.

Be ready with the mindset that once you purchase a liquidation sale item that there’s no return nor exchange possible afterwards.

With that in mind, happy shopping!

BTW, my local Zellers will soon be converted to a Target store and will be open in December this year.

Josie

In Retrospect…Yuletide Sales Shopping Etiquette—Is There One At All?

Shopping for a good sale especially this Yuletide season is an annual event especially in today’s economy. The urge to get the great deal for your money can give one a thrill and the determination to get the coveted item by hook or by crook. Sometimes, one’s determined mindset in this situation can get us sometimes to behave somewhat irrationally to the detriment of other shoppers who happen to be in the same store as you.

I hear occasional  stories of unruly behavior during Black Friday sales because of the intense desire to get the best deal. Well, I feel that even during post-Christmas sales, such unpleasant  events can happen too since more price cuts on already sales items can bring out the  animal in us at times.

Case in point, I noticed while doing some post-Christmas shopping, that 1 customer was looking very angry and frustrated and vented out at the sales person when a desired item is already out of stock and no rainchecks are allowed as stated in their flyer. Shooting the messenger, in this case, the sales person is really uncalled for. Pushing and shoving a fellow shopper when getting a desired item, I noticed it too.

Folks, it’s not the end of the world if you can’t get the item you want. There’ll always be a sale in days to come. Exhibiting uncouth behavior will stay a long time in people’s memories more than the sale item itself. It’s not worth it.

In retrospect,there really should be some form of Yuletide shopping etiquette but is there really one at all?

Just my 2 cents on this matter.

Bonjour!

Josie

Boxing Day(December 26—The Day After Christmas)

Yesterday was Boxing Day, mon ami. I was busy browsing over after-Christmas sales yesterday online. Dec. 26 on my neck of the woods would mean that the stores aren’t open unlike other parts of Canada.Where I live, Boxing Day shopping is delayed by 1 day,therefore, it happens today,Dec. 27.

Boxing Day is an annual holiday observed both in Canada and in the U.K. It falls on Dec. 26,the day after Christmas. In olden times, the masters of the house would box their gifts(“Christmas boxes”) and give it to the household help and tradesmen on Dec. 26 as part of celebrating the Yuletide season with them.

Nowadays, it means another excuse to go out shopping for more sales especially after Christmas and for the stores to further pad their year-end profits even more. Shopping of course will either be on-site or online these days.

Some will stock up for rock-bottom prices on Christmas cards,wrapping paper and decorations, clothes,shoes,etc.,even using whatever Christmas gift money or gift cards received to rake in the savings even more.

The stores offer such great prices so as to get rid of their old store stock so as to make room for their new store inventory for the coming new year.

Ah,yes! The shopping seems to never end but it is really  hard to ignore a good sale especially in today’s economy.

But as I has said before, don’t buy something just for the sake that it’s on sale. You’ll just experience buyer’s remorse out of it. Be sure that what you buy is what you really want or need. The sense of satisfaction that you get from making a good purchase for the best reasons  is priceless.

Happy shopping anyway,folks!

Josie