Big stores, model numbers, and apps that compare prices

[micky]

Crazy Eddie advertised that if you could find the same model cheaper
somewhere else, he would give you the difference, or maybe more than the
difference.

But Crazy Eddie was big enough that manufacturers used different model
numbers for him, so iiuc no one could ever find the same model, cheaper
or not.

There are phone apps that compare prices from store to store.
1) Are they not stymied by this practice?????

I'm thinking BestBuy is big enough to have its own set of model numbers
so there is no point in installing one of those apps or even looking on
a competitor's webpage to see the price of a model I'm interested in.
2) Is that true????? Or do the apps know the set of model numbers
for the same item at different stores????

It's not the 5 or 10 dollars that interests me so much, just learning
more about marketing, showing the more expensive store can't fool me,
and proving I can find the cheapest price if I try.

Of course, since bestbuy normally hands it to you then and there and
Amazon for example makes you wait a a few hours to a few days, the
comparison is already ruined. But questions 1 and 2 above still remain.

[Peter]

In my experience, most technology manufacturers seem to require all
their authorized retailers to sell most or all of their merch at the
manufacturer's list price and don't play the custom model numbering
game. I doubt if Best Buy could work the deal you mention although their
"Insignia" brand of items usually seem to be identical or only trivially
different than more expensive items made by better known manufacturers.
My old 5.1 Insignia AVR has the same specs and almost the same cabinet
as an Onkyo AVR that was manufactured in the same time period. I wonder
who makes Monoprice's "Monolith" brand of products?

The most egregious example of custom model naming/model numbering is in
the retail mattress business. They are notorious for intentionally
using name/model numbers that are unique to their store's inventory even
if the mattress is made by Sealy, Beautyrest, etc. No way to compare
apples to apples from one store's "sale" price to another.

[rbowman]

On Thu, 24 Nov 2022 10:26:12 -0500, micky wrote:


> I'm thinking BestBuy is big enough to have its own set of model numbers
> so there is no point in installing one of those apps or even looking on
> a competitor's webpage to see the price of a model I'm interested in.
> 2) Is that true????? Or do the apps know the set of model numbers
> for the same item at different stores????

Sometimes the model number isn't enough, and you really need a SKU. I
bought an Acer monitor at CostCo that I used at work. A couple of years
later I set up a new machine at home and was having problems with the
sound output. I looked up the Acer model number and it said it had
speakers so I swapped monitors to try the HDMI output. That's when I found
it didn't have speakers. Some do, some don't, and the CostCo ones didn't.

That's not a complaint about Costco. It's a good monitor, the price was
right, and the box didn't mention speakers. I solved the sound problem at
home so I didn't need the option.

I try to avoid Walmart but they tend to have their own variants that are
often cheaper, as in poorer quality.

[Peeler]

On 24 Nov 2022 18:08:02 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,
troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> Sometimes the model number isn't enough, and you really need a SKU. I
> bought an Acer monitor at CostCo that I used at work.

Oh, no! I can hear it coming ...another lengthy grandiloquent senile
bullshit story!

<FLUSH rest of the inevitable senile blather unread again>

--
Yet more of the so very interesting senile blather by lowbrowwoman:
"My family loaded me into a '51 Chevy and drove from NY to Seattle and
back in '52. I'm alive. The Chevy had a painted steel dashboard with two
little hand prints worn down to the primer because I liked to stand up
and lean on it to see where we were going."
MID: <j2kuc1...@mid.individual.net>

[micky]

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 24 Nov 2022 10:48:21 -0500, Peter

Thanks. Monoprice has great prices.

Well, Black Friday ends in 2 hours, at midnight, although maybe I had
until it ended in California. But I forgot all that and thought I only
had until the store closed at 10.

I did look up 3 models for sale at BestBuy on Amazon, and all three were
there but none had prices, almost as if they were old models but
probably not.
I wanted to see what Amazon would charge for the same thing, and I
like their photographs and description, questions and ratings better.

But they were there and the pictures matched. None of that Crazy Eddie
stuff.

I wanted to get a fancy one, but they all had problems and I ended up
gettting the 2nd cheapst, $100. It occurs to me that if Iget my act
togeher for a better one, I have a friend who could probably use this
one.

I waneted to get sensor cook/reheat, but the ones I looked at you had to
tap in what kind of food it is. Thinking is not my strong suit. I can
guess at the right cooking time on my own.

A couple could connect to Alexa! I'll never use that. Another had scan
to cook. You use your phone to scan the barcode from the food and it
sets the oven. I'd have to turn on my phone to use that.

But why do so many things have the mw cooking time in dark red letters
ona medium red background? Why is the print for cooking time the
smallest on the package?

And why do they say to slit the cellophane atop the frozen food when
it's easier to pick up a corner with your fingers? I think one said to
make several slits, but I guarantee, only one was needed.

Why am I not in charge of these things?

>The most egregious example of custom model naming/model numbering is in
>the retail mattress business. They are notorious for intentionally
>using name/model numbers that are unique to their store's inventory even
>if the mattress is made by Sealy, Beautyrest, etc. No way to compare
>apples to apples from one store's "sale" price to another.

Good to know.

I should probably buy a mattress, but my stairs are too crowded with
stuff to bring a big mattress up the stairs. I'll bet that, and small
cars, is one reason roll-up foam mattresses have become popular.

[rbowman]

On Fri, 25 Nov 2022 22:20:03 -0500, micky wrote:


> A couple could connect to Alexa! I'll never use that. Another had scan
> to cook. You use your phone to scan the barcode from the food and it
> sets the oven. I'd have to turn on my phone to use that.

Alexa might be history soon. It's been a loser for Amazon, with the
hardware selling below cost many times. The theory was people would use
Alexa to order stuff from Amazon. In practice most of what goes on is
'Alexa, what time is it?' or 'Alexa, play Taylor Swift'. It may be
convenient for the users but there's no way to monetize it.

The division loses about 5 billion a year. Employees in that are should be
polishing their resumes as Amazon looks to cut costs.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Alexa controls a couple of lights and it plays music for an hour when I
go to bed. In the four years for so I've had it, I've not done anything
the involved money in any way.
Alexa, turn off bedroom

[rbowman]

On Fri, 25 Nov 2022 23:21:18 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:


> Alexa controls a couple of lights and it plays music for an hour when I
> go to bed. In the four years for so I've had it, I've not done anything
> the involved money in any way.
> Alexa, turn off bedroom

People like you are exactly why Amazon has lost billions on the damn
things :) House automation on the cheap wasn't in the game plan.

[micky]

In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 25 Nov 2022 23:21:18 -0500, Ed Pawlowski

<e...@snet.xxx> wrote:

>On 11/25/2022 10:49 PM, rbowman wrote:
>> On Fri, 25 Nov 2022 22:20:03 -0500, micky wrote:
>>
>>
>>> A couple could connect to Alexa! I'll never use that. Another had scan
>>> to cook. You use your phone to scan the barcode from the food and it
>>> sets the oven. I'd have to turn on my phone to use that.
>>
>> Alexa might be history soon. It's been a loser for Amazon, with the
>> hardware selling below cost many times. The theory was people would use
>> Alexa to order stuff from Amazon. In practice most of what goes on is
>> 'Alexa, what time is it?' or 'Alexa, play Taylor Swift'. It may be
>> convenient for the users but there's no way to monetize it.
>>
>> The division loses about 5 billion a year. Employees in that are should be
>> polishing their resumes as Amazon looks to cut costs.
>
>Alexa controls a couple of lights and it plays music for an hour when I
>go to bed.

Me too but only ssometimes. I bought an early model -- I think that's
the reason -- of the one shaped like a cylinder of salt, and it has only
10 volume levels. And one will be too loud and the next too soft. and
I dont' think the speaker is good either. Lucky me, I noticed the
radio right next to it is bluetooth, and that solves those two
problems, but with the radio on FM, I have 5 stations and can change
with the push of a button. With alexa, it's not so hard but it's much
harder than tapping a button.

Sometimes Alexa claims it does't have a radio station even though it had
it yesterday. "I can't help you with that" or something like that.

Once in a while it can't find the internet, even though wifi is on.

> In the four years for so I've had it, I've not done anything
>the involved money in any way.

Me neither. The Alexa mw enabled one to control the mw oven with voice
commands from any room. Well, only if the room has Alexa and I have
only one, upstairs. Don't I have to be in the kitchen to put the food
in the oven? That's when I'll turn it on!

>Alexa, turn off bedroom

[Peeler]

On 26 Nov 2022 03:49:46 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> Alexa might be history soon.

Yep, for one who prefers to do ALL the talking, Alexa is indeed a very very
bad thing, senile blabbermouth. LOL

[Peeler]

On 26 Nov 2022 05:33:42 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> People like you are exactly why Amazon has lost billions on the damn
> things :) House automation on the cheap wasn't in the game plan.

Another COOL statement made for the sake of making a cool statement. What
about the FACTS behind all your cool personal views that only reveal what a
grand personality you are, senile blabbermouth? <BG>

--
Gossiping "lowbrowwoman" about herself:
"Usenet is my blog... I don't give a damn if anyone ever reads my posts
but they are useful in marshaling [sic] my thoughts."
MID: <iteioi...@mid.individual.net>

[Cindy Hamilton]

On 2022-11-26, micky <NONONO...@fmguy.com> wrote:
>
> I waneted to get sensor cook/reheat, but the ones I looked at you had to
> tap in what kind of food it is. Thinking is not my strong suit. I can
> guess at the right cooking time on my own.

You don't know what kind of food you're eating?

> A couple could connect to Alexa! I'll never use that. Another had scan
> to cook. You use your phone to scan the barcode from the food and it
> sets the oven. I'd have to turn on my phone to use that.
>
> But why do so many things have the mw cooking time in dark red letters
> ona medium red background?

What brand of highly processed food do you eat? (Just curious.)

> Why is the print for cooking time the
> smallest on the package?

They want the company name and other advertising to be large and the
picture of the food to be appetizing. The instructions are squeezed
in where they fit.

Perhaps you need a magnifying glass.

> And why do they say to slit the cellophane atop the frozen food when
> it's easier to pick up a corner with your fingers?

Probably to keep the opening from being near the edge of the container,
where boilovers are more likely to happen.

> I think one said to
> make several slits, but I guarantee, only one was needed.
>
> Why am I not in charge of these things?

You said it yourself: "Thinking is not my strong suit". Nobody would
put such a person in charge.

--
Cindy Hamilton

[micky]

In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 26 Nov 2022 09:30:42 GMT, Cindy Hamilton

<hami...@invalid.com> wrote:

>On 2022-11-26, micky <NONONO...@fmguy.com> wrote:
>>
>> I waneted to get sensor cook/reheat, but the ones I looked at you had to
>> tap in what kind of food it is. Thinking is not my strong suit. I can
>> guess at the right cooking time on my own.
>
>You don't know what kind of food you're eating?

I have to think about it. An extra, challenging step.

>
>> A couple could connect to Alexa! I'll never use that. Another had scan
>> to cook. You use your phone to scan the barcode from the food and it
>> sets the oven. I'd have to turn on my phone to use that.
>>
>> But why do so many things have the mw cooking time in dark red letters
>> ona medium red background?
>
>What brand of highly processed food do you eat? (Just curious.)

This might have been Campbell's soup in the single serving almost-metal
container. But a lot of them are hard to read. I'll try to get back to
you with more of them.

>> Why is the print for cooking time the
>> smallest on the package?
>
>They want the company name and other advertising to be large and the
>picture of the food to be appetizing. The instructions are squeezed
>in where they fit.

I guess that's it.

>Perhaps you need a magnifying glass.

I have several, but none in the kitchen. When I'm a tourist, I keep one
in the car and one in my room. The words are bigger; it's some sort of
witchcraft.

>
>> And why do they say to slit the cellophane atop the frozen food when
>> it's easier to pick up a corner with your fingers?
>
>Probably to keep the opening from being near the edge of the container,
>where boilovers are more likely to happen.

Maybe, but none of mine ever boil over.

>> I think one said to
>> make several slits, but I guarantee, only one was needed.
>>
>> Why am I not in charge of these things?
>
>You said it yourself: "Thinking is not my strong suit". Nobody would
>put such a person in charge.

It didn't stop them with trump!

[Cindy Hamilton]

On 2022-11-26, micky <NONONO...@fmguy.com> wrote:
> In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 26 Nov 2022 09:30:42 GMT, Cindy Hamilton
><hami...@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2022-11-26, micky <NONONO...@fmguy.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I waneted to get sensor cook/reheat, but the ones I looked at you had to
>>> tap in what kind of food it is. Thinking is not my strong suit. I can
>>> guess at the right cooking time on my own.
>>
>>You don't know what kind of food you're eating?
>
> I have to think about it. An extra, challenging step.

It's good when your brain gets exercise.

https://www.northcentralsurgical.com/blog/10-activities-to-keep-your-brain-healthy-157.html

> This might have been Campbell's soup in the single serving almost-metal
> container. But a lot of them are hard to read. I'll try to get back to
> you with more of them.

Campbell's looks like white on red, unless I'm not finding the
"almost-metal" container.

>>> Why is the print for cooking time the
>>> smallest on the package?
>>
>>They want the company name and other advertising to be large and the
>>picture of the food to be appetizing. The instructions are squeezed
>>in where they fit.
>
> I guess that's it.
>
>>Perhaps you need a magnifying glass.
>
> I have several, but none in the kitchen. When I'm a tourist, I keep one
> in the car and one in my room. The words are bigger; it's some sort of
> witchcraft.

>>> And why do they say to slit the cellophane atop the frozen food when
>>> it's easier to pick up a corner with your fingers?
>>
>>Probably to keep the opening from being near the edge of the container,
>>where boilovers are more likely to happen.
>
> Maybe, but none of mine ever boil over.
>
>>> I think one said to
>>> make several slits, but I guarantee, only one was needed.
>>>
>>> Why am I not in charge of these things?
>>
>>You said it yourself: "Thinking is not my strong suit". Nobody would
>>put such a person in charge.
>
> It didn't stop them with trump!

Amazingly, there's a difference between being hired and being elected.
Hiring generally requires evidence of competence.

--
Cindy Hamilton

[rbowman]

On Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:30:44 GMT, Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> It's good when your brain gets exercise.
>
> https://www.northcentralsurgical.com/blog/10-activities-to-keep-your-
brain-healthy-157.html

"Debate. Sports. Politics. Business. Religion. A healthy debate forces you
to think on your feet and forms new neural pathways. Just be sure you can
hold a debate without getting angry."

Yessss!

>
>> This might have been Campbell's soup in the single serving almost-metal
>> container. But a lot of them are hard to read. I'll try to get back to
>> you with more of them.
>
> Campbell's looks like white on red, unless I'm not finding the
> "almost-metal" container.

Well, it's micky...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B7B8R38/

That was Campbell's first attempt to reinvent themselves and aimed at
millennials as you can tell from the gaping idiots on the pouch. They
weren't that bad.

https://www.campbells.com/snacking-soups/

Then they shotgunned the market. The 'Well Yes' line has colorful labels
and comes in cans as well as microwaveable bowls and sipping cups.

>>>You said it yourself: "Thinking is not my strong suit". Nobody would
>>>put such a person in charge.
>>
>> It didn't stop them with trump!
>
> Amazingly, there's a difference between being hired and being elected.
> Hiring generally requires evidence of competence.

As micky circles back to Trump... I don't think he's growing any new
neural pathways there.


"You don't have Nixon to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is
my last press conference."

Of course Nixon lied too, but I wonder what the TDS sufferers would do if
Trump quietly retired to the Bahamas?

[Peeler]

On 26 Nov 2022 17:10:39 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

Oh, fuck! The resident bigmouth and bullshit artist just "struck" again! LOL

[Clare Snyder]

On Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:30:44 GMT, Cindy Hamilton

One person is generally responsible for hiring - and GENERALLY that
person is in that position fue to some level of expertise. Presidents
are elected -by many people - people like Micky - - -

[rbowman]

On Sat, 26 Nov 2022 19:35:07 -0500, Clare Snyder wrote:

> One person is generally responsible for hiring - and GENERALLY that
> person is in that position fue to some level of expertise. Presidents
> are elected -by many people - people like Micky - - -

And if you don't think that scares me... I don't have a solution other
than decentralization to limit the damage to a local area but look around
the next time you're in Walmart and consider that is the electorate on the
hoof.

[Peeler]

On 27 Nov 2022 04:25:41 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> And if you don't think that scares me... I don't have a solution other
> than decentralization to limit the damage to a local area but look around
> the next time you're in Walmart and consider that is the electorate on the
> hoof.

All that shit in your senile head just keeps FOMENTING endlessly, doesn't
it, you endlessly blathering bigmouth?

[Wade Garrett]

Yeah, and also the jury pool.

I had a side-gig for 25 years as an expert witness and testified many
hundreds of times. Damned scary who sits in judgement...

--
The problem with the world today is intelligent people are full of
doubts...bur stupid people are full of confidence

[Frank]

The mickys of the world let others do their thinking.

[hub...@ccanoemail.com]

On 27 Nov 2022 04:25:41 GMT, rbowman <bow...@montana.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 26 Nov 2022 19:35:07 -0500, Clare Snyder wrote:
>
>> One person is generally responsible for hiring - and GENERALLY that

>> person is in that position due to some level of expertise. Presidents

>> are elected -by many people - people like Micky - - -
>
>And if you don't think that scares me... I don't have a solution other
>than decentralization to limit the damage to a local area but look around
>the next time you're in Walmart and consider that is the electorate on the
>hoof.

Pardon the dig at Americans - we have a deep need to do that -
often - in order to feed our smarmy smugness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPDQv3Q5mvA

John T.

[micky]

In alt.home.repair, on Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:52:10 -0500,

That was a very mild dig. No problem.

I've only missed one election in the last 54 yeers, counting school
board (even when I had no kids in school) and constitutional convention.

The one i missed, I couldn't get out of work in time. There was no
early voting then and I retired so it won't happen again.


> John T.

[rbowman]

On Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:52:10 -0500, hubops wrote:


> Pardon the dig at Americans - we have a deep need to do that -
> often - in order to feed our smarmy smugness.

I don't find the Canadians from our neighbor, Alberta, smarmy. In fact,
they seem to hate the eastern city-slickers as much as we hate ours.
Trudeau couldn't find Alberta on a map and I doubt Biden includes Montana
in his 54 states.

[rbowman]

On Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:06:51 -0500, Wade Garrett wrote:

> On 11/26/22 11:25 PM, rbowman wrote:
>> On Sat, 26 Nov 2022 19:35:07 -0500, Clare Snyder wrote:
>>
>>> One person is generally responsible for hiring - and GENERALLY that
>>> person is in that position fue to some level of expertise. Presidents
>>> are elected -by many people - people like Micky - - -
>>
>> And if you don't think that scares me... I don't have a solution other
>> than decentralization to limit the damage to a local area but look
>> around the next time you're in Walmart and consider that is the
>> electorate on the hoof.
>>
>>
> Yeah, and also the jury pool.
>
> I had a side-gig for 25 years as an expert witness and testified many
> hundreds of times. Damned scary who sits in judgement...

I've only been on one jury. About 15 minutes in the judge called the
prosecution into his chambers, ripped him a new one, came out, and
apologized for wasting our time.

The lawyer for the state must have missed the part about knowing what your
star witness is going to say before putting her on the stand.

[Peeler]

On 27 Nov 2022 18:06:58 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> I've only been on one jury.

Let me guess: they didn't want you a second time because of... well, you
know... because ..of your big mouth!

[Peeler]

On 27 Nov 2022 17:59:39 GMT, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> I don't find the Canadians from our neighbor, Alberta, smarmy. In fact,
> they seem to hate the eastern city-slickers as much as we hate ours.
> Trudeau couldn't find Alberta on a map and I doubt Biden includes Montana
> in his 54 states.

They couldn't, could they, senile blabbermouth? <BG>

--
More typical idiotic senile gossip by lowbrowwoman:
"It's been years since I've been in a fast food burger joint but I used
to like Wendy's because they had a salad bar and baked potatoes."
MID: <ivdi4g...@mid.individual.net>

[Clare Snyder]

On Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:52:10 -0500, hub...@ccanoemail.com wrote:

Good one, John!!

[Frank]

I was called several times but only served once. I was impressed with
the whole process and the jury deliberation and surprised that we all
agreed defendants were not guilty.

[micky]

In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 25 Nov 2022 22:20:03 -0500, micky

<NONONO...@fmguy.com> wrote:

>
>
>I did look up 3 models for sale at BestBuy on Amazon, and all three were
>there but none had prices, almost as if they were old models but
>probably not.
> I wanted to see what Amazon would charge for the same thing, and I
>like their photographs and description, questions and ratings better.
>
>But they were there and the pictures matched. None of that Crazy Eddie
>stuff.

I take this back. Maybe that's exactly what it means, that they know
about the modesl and their numbers but they can't sell them because they
are for BestBuy? I could look up a dozen other models but now that
I've bought one, I don't want to look at others, for fear I'll have
buyer's remorse.

Another interesting thing. I wanted to buy at BestBuy, not Amazon, so I
could have it right away, but then the one I wanted was 18 miles away or
they'd bring it in 4 days. Okay, but then I changed and wanted another
one, and that was going to take 11 days!!! Okay, but AFTER I started to
buy it they offered to ship it TO ME for free, and it's only taking 6
days. I almost passed on it because I didn't want 11 days.

Am I listed as an internet sale since I bought it through the internet?
I suppose so but I'd been to the store twicem, seen all the models I
looked at on the computer, and would have gone again today except it was
cold out. It's not like Amazon where there is no store.