Products vs. Services Like a lot of people, I’m sure, I have a drawer-full of coupons — for restaurants, haircuts, and even a massage — that are set to expire unused Monday (Dec. 31). The explanation? The lines have been too long. It’s not a deal if you can’t take advantage of it . ....Read More
Swapping Underwater Mortgages on Craig’s List One of the most popular posts ever on this blog, “Groupon for Underwater Homeowners,” made the case that underwater homeowners could exert heretofore missing leverage over their lenders by teaming up and negotiating as a group (“groupon”). Seeing as no one (so far) has bit on that idea, I’m now offering up solution...Read More
New Acronyms & Conformist Fruit My favorite place to get a sub sandwich in college was TOGO’s — short for “To Go.” Somehow, “BOGO” — “Buy one, get one free” — just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Nevertheless, that’s the new term plastered all over the Byerly’s weekly coupon circular. Time will tell...Read More
Scooping The Wall Street Journal on Groupon Retailers have learned the hard way that coupon sites like Groupon Inc. don’t always deliver such a sweet deal. Many businesses felt burned after their early experiences with Groupon. Now the small retailers that form the base of its business have become savvier about working with Groupon and...Read More
“What’s .00001% x $315 Million?” I think I speak for bloggers everywhere reacting to the news that The Huffington Post sold to AOL for $315 million when I say: ‘CRAP!! THAT’S IT?!’ Reaction #2: ‘what’s .000001 x $315 million?’ (answer: $32, rounded up). The incredulity has to do with the eye-popping valuations being sported by...Read More
Next Stage: Integration + Ubiquity I have a few words of encouragement for Realtors walking around shell-shocked by the (accelerating) pace of technological change in general, and in the housing market in particular: It’s going to get better from here. And easier. That’s because the next stage(s) of evolution likely won’t involve qualitatively new or different technology....Read More
