Ever wonder where Amazon, Target, and Walmart returns go? Bin stores! These hidden gems offer everything from electronics to clothing at rock-bottom prices.
Secret to trying a laptop out at home
Here’s a tech-savvy tip most people overlook: Just like returning clothes that don’t fit, you can often return a laptop if it’s not the right fit for you. The key is understanding the seller’s return policy. I’ll break it down so you don’t end up with an expensive doorstop.
Know the basics
Here’s what to look for in a return policy that lets you take a “try before you buy” approach:
- Return period: These range from 15 days to 90 days.
- Shipping and restocking fees: Some sellers hit you with return shipping or restocking fees of up to 25% of a laptop’s original price.
- Surprises: You may have to keep every bit of the original packaging, or the clock on your return windows could start the second you hit “Buy,” not when it’s delivered.
So, where’s the best place to buy?
- The best: Costco and Walmart both have a 90-day return window with very little in the way of fine print or picky policies.
- The worst: Best Buy’s return policy is only 15 days. You get 60 days if you pay up to $180 for a My Best Buy annual membership. Don’t shop here.
What about Amazon? The return window is 30 days for laptops that didn’t start when they arrived, were delivered in a damaged condition or are still in an unopened box. If you open the box or it works, you’ll pay a 15% restocking fee. Pro tip: If you’re a good Amazon customer, hop into a chat with their customer service team and ask them to reverse the charge. This worked for me!
I asked my IT genius, John, to pick his favorite Windows and Mac laptops. He shops for the tech we use here in the studios, so you’re in fabulous hands.
Windows of opportunity
💰 HP 17 Business Laptop ($486): Powered by an i3 processor that gets the job done for browsing, banking and school or work. The 17.3-inch screen is also big without being bulky.
💰💰 Dell Inspiron ($616, 5% off): For about $100 more, you get a touchscreen and a slightly more powerful i5 processor. It can handle heavier-duty stuff, like casual gaming and programming.
💰💰💰 HP Envy ($1,129): All the bells and whistles, including an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. Zoom-zoom!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Prices at the grocery store changing before your eyes
When I saw this in action, I knew you’d want to learn about it. Grocery stores across the country are swapping out printed price stickers on aisles for electronic ones. Retailers say it saves time. But the cost of an item could change in the time it takes you to walk from the deli to the frozen aisle.
📞 Targeting all 50 states: Scammers are impersonating mortgage companies, displaying the caller ID of your actual mortgage institution. Once you answer, they threaten foreclosure if you don’t pay up. Red flags: They ask for mail money orders to third-party attorneys or tell you to upload funds to a Walmart MoneyCard or Green Dot card account. Yeah, people are falling for that.
What percent of e-waste — think old computers, phones and other tech — gets recycled? Is it … A.) 50%, B.) 90%, C.) 20% or D.) 10%?
How to score cheap stuff (to keep or resell)
How often do you buy a bunch of stuff online, planning to only keep your favorites? I shop for clothes this way, for sure — and I’m not the only one. Returns cost retailers $743 billion last year.
👜 Spoiler … It’s sold out: The internet’s going crazy over Walmart’s Hermès Birkin purse lookalike that’s only $78. The real thing runs up to $40,000 new or $300,000 for the rarest resales. Walmart’s version is real leather and looks similar for sure. It’s called the “Kamugo genuine leather handbags purse for women” on their website. I’d be shocked if they didn’t restock.
🚨 Check your fridge: Walmart’s Marketside-brand broccoli florets (the 12-ounce bags) are being recalled due to possible listeria contamination. If you’re in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas or Wisconsin, look for lot code BFFG327A6. Return it to get your money back, and wash anything the package came in contact with.
Amazon Prime or Walmart+: Which one wins?
Let’s compare Walmart+ to Amazon Prime. From price to inventory to bonus perks, there’s a lot to consider.
What is Skibidi Toilet?
Kids are hooked on toilets that dance and sing. Skibidi Toilet is the latest bizarre trend taking over their screens — we break it down for adults. Plus, Walmart’s body cam program, hidden risks of two-factor authentication, and why Gen Z needs a ride to work from Mom and Dad.
Every move you make, every breath you take, I’ll be watching you: The next Walmart greeter you see may be wearing a body cam. The retail giant’s new program will stop thieves and keep workers safe when things get tense. TJX Companies, which owns TJ Maxx and Marshalls, already uses them, but some worry the cams are really spying on employees. Probably all of the above.
📺 Ads as far as the eye can see: Walmart just spent $2.3 billion to buy Vizio. Why? Because they want to put their ads right in your living room, track what you watch and sell your data. Over 19 million people use Vizio’s SmartCast system. Here’s how you can turn off the tracking on your TV, Vizio or otherwise.
Un-bell-ievable: The FCC is slapping Chinese video doorbell maker Eken with a $735,000 fine. Sold by big names like Amazon and Walmart, Eken’s doorbells exposed users’ IP addresses and Wi-Fi network names and gave others unauthorized access to videos.
What the big print giveth, the small print taketh away: Big companies like Walmart are using bots to handle contract negotiations with suppliers. These bots analyze a contract’s terms based on company data and market trends, then they submit their findings to a human or reply with a counteroffer.
Another example of AI doing the work of humans: Big retailers are using AI combined with real-time weather data to time ads and discounts. Take Walmart: This year, they dropped sunscreen prices a couple of weeks early after the AI algorithm noticed rain was all over the country. Normally, inventory analysts would do this work.
📦 If you see this trick online, it doesn’t work anymore: A Walmart shopper found the ultimate moving-day hack: Ordering 24 boxes online. Each box arrived individually packed in a Walmart delivery box with bubble wrap, basically doubling his single-box order for free. Someone at Walmart caught on, of course, and now they’ll be shipping box orders altogether.
I pita the fool: Amazon just launched its own food brand: Amazon Saver. They say it’s to fight high grocery prices, but it’s really meant to take on Target and Walmart brands. Most Amazon Saver items are under $5. For example, a pound of smoked ham is $3.79, but dang … there are a ton of preservatives in there. Be sure to check the ingredients. Prime members score an extra 10% off.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Amazon Prime vs. Walmart+
Did you know Walmart has its own membership program similar to Amazon Prime? It’s called Walmart Plus, and it costs $98 a year. Let’s break down the features so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
♨️ Major recall: Some 3.2 million Bissell Steam Shot handheld steam cleaners shoot hot water or steam when you aren’t expecting it. Ouch. The steamers went viral on TikTok and were sold at Target, Walmart, Amazon and everywhere else. If you have one, hit this site.
America's drinking water is under attack
Water systems in Kansas, Texas and Pennsylvania have already been hit by hackers in China, Russia and Iran. Plus, clothes that block 5G waves, AI coming to Alexa, and Walmart’s new digital pricing. We also chat with Joseph Cox about his book “Dark Wire,” which is about Anom, the FBI’s secret app used by criminals.