[kwlug-disc] Technology big box stores

Mon Apr 20 04:39:40 EDT 2015

This weekend we had issues with our ADSL. I decided to buy a spare "new"
modem so I could be 100 percent sure the issue wasn't the modem (turned out
to be broken Bell equipment outside).

Walmart was closest, but they didn't have a modem. I checked Bestbuy next,
"nope, go to Canada Computers." Oops, 7:10' Canada Computers is closed.
Moved on to Future Shop, no ADSL modem there either. Finally I bought one
at Computer XS, but not before more than an hour of running around. Turns
out the one I bought is an updated version (same model, different look) of
the one I already have. Sadly it doesn't fit the same mounting screw setup
I have. It wasn't a terrible price either, under $40.

On Sunday, April 19, 2015, B.S. <bs27975 at yahoo.ca> wrote:

> The app has been more useful than just this / we think.
>
> e.g. Last time I looked it was also being used for book inventorying to go
> up to telico / librarything type stuff. Perhaps even calibre, fbreader, and
> media / song lyrics. I've lost track!
>
> Seems to me I've also come across isbn (?) indice web sites - the scan
> lookup winging to there and based on the search results out to other useful
> places / links.
>
>
> Also ... google goggles app. Take a picture ... interesting things result.
> (When I remember the app is even there.)
>
>
> On 04/12/2015 01:50 PM, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
>
>> That is how I use it too.
>>
>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 1:49 PM, Keefer Rourke <keefer.rourke at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>  +1 for Barcode Scanner, it's the only decent FLOSS-y scanner in the
>>> Android market. I've never used it for grabbing prices on items in
>>> stores,
>>> but it does decode those handy QR codes that seem to be everywhere these
>>> days.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Keefer
>>> On Apr 12, 2015 1:42 PM, "Khalid Baheyeldin" <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>  Barcode Scanner
>>>> Starting as a winner in the first Google app contest
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android
>>>>
>>>> It is not limited to shopping, it reads any barcode (regular or
>>>> QRCodes),
>>>> and understands what it is to some extent, and links to the relevant web
>>>> resource for it.
>>>>
>>>> There is this, which I have not tried.
>>>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.biggu.shopsavvy
>>>>
>>>> And there is Google Shopper, which is not available in Canada.
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 1:33 PM, CrankyOldBugger <
>>>> crankyoldbugger at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  Although I don't know if it exists for Canada, I know there are apps
>>>>> out
>>>>> there that let you scan a barcode in the store with your phone, then it
>>>>> will come back with the online prices right there.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 12 Apr 2015 at 11:49 <jvj at golden.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>  see Showrooming.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming
>>>>>>
>>>>>> JohnJ
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [kwlug-disc] Technology big box stores
>>>>>> *Date:* Sun, 12 Apr 2015 15:02:37 +0000
>>>>>> *From:* CrankyOldBugger <crankyoldbugger at gmail.com>
>>>>>> *To:* KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>>>>>> *Reply-To:* KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>>>>>> There's a thing in retail called "The Best Buy Effect" (or something
>>>>>> like that) that describes the problems most brick and mortar stores
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> having now: people go into a store, look at the products on the
>>>>>> shelves,
>>>>>> decide what they want, then go home and order it online, cheaper.  I
>>>>>> sometimes do the same thing myself.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But I should add that I'm finding more and more that big stores don't
>>>>>> carry as much inventory as their websites do.  For example, when I
>>>>>> was in
>>>>>> California last week I went looking for a Kohl's department store as a
>>>>>> friend recommended it for men's clothing.  Their website has a large
>>>>>> selection of big and tall men's clothes, so I drove to two different
>>>>>> stores
>>>>>> in two different towns.  In both cases, there were no b&t items on the
>>>>>> shelves.  Clerks in both stores told me that b&t is available only on
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> website.  So how am I going to try something on to be sure it fits ok?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, 12 Apr 2015 at 10:10 Khalid Baheyeldin <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>     Add to that TheSource. Which is just another Futureshop/BestBuy
>>>>>>> clone.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Also you have the online only guys, like NCIX.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Others specialize more, such as Staples with office and furniture,
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> Canada Computers with more tech stuff.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Futureshop was sold to BestBuy a long time ago (10+ years?) It did
>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>> make any sense to keep the two brands going, with stores close by.
>>>>>>> Almost
>>>>>>> everything in their inventory overlapped. I am surprised that it
>>>>>>> took them
>>>>>>> that long to realize this is not efficient.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I found that sometimes ordering some items online is cheaper than the
>>>>>>> same items in store (if they had that in the inventory), even when
>>>>>>> you add
>>>>>>> shipping. I am talking about the same item from the same store
>>>>>>> online vs.
>>>>>>> retail.
>>>>>>>   The trend it seems that stores will rely on online sales as their
>>>>>>> main revenue/profit source, with stores shrinking, perhaps in size
>>>>>>> and in
>>>>>>> numbers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 9:59 AM, <jekerr at sdf.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  Hi gang
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Tiger Direct has everything in the store up to 40% off the lowest
>>>>>>>> ticketed
>>>>>>>> price. Two big box stores have merged and closed stores. I think
>>>>>>>> Staples
>>>>>>>> has closed some stores as well.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Are the profit margins strong enough to keep so many stores open?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Are we seeing a trend here?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What do you think?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Cheers
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> John
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>> kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
>>>>>>> 2bits.com, Inc.
>>>>>>> Fast Reliable Drupal
>>>>>>> Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
>>>>>>> Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
>>>>>>> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
>>>>>>> For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple,
>>>>>>> and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
>>>>>>>   _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> kwlug-disc mailing list
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> kwlug-disc mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
>>>> 2bits.com, Inc.
>>>> Fast Reliable Drupal
>>>> Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
>>>> Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
>>>> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
>>>> For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and
>>>> wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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-- 
Charles McColm, Author: Instant XBMC,
Columnist: Full Circle Magazine,
Project Manager: The Working Centre Computer Recycling Project
Web: http://www.theworkingcentre.org/cr/
Blog: http://www.charlesmccolm.com/
Twitter/Identica/Google+: @chaslinux
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