Q1 – Can I just expect to be able to just return a gift?

A purchase is like a contract you have made with a store. If they choose to change the terms, it is solely up to each business and not a consumer law. Don’t assume when you buy something you can just return it.

Q2 – So they don’t have to take it back?

They can choose to offer an exchange policy, a store refund, a one week or one month return allowance or none at all- a final sale.

Q3 – How can the customer know this? Are there any rules that a store must follow for returns policies?

– Posting information near the cash register or stamped on the receipt itself
– Ask the store what the policy is. Often after Christmas, there’s more leniency and some stores even have a stamp that they put on your receipt that allows gift recipient to return something  months later if you were an early shopper.

Q4 – What if it’s broken?

A defective product has to be returned to the manufacturer and it depends on the retailer’s policy who gets to return it. It is up to you to find out if you or they have to do this (preferably when you buy it).

Q5 – Any other important suggestions?

Make sure you are talking to the person that has the authority to remedy the situation. A spoonful of sugar really helps, so don’t be rude or super aggressive which will only turn them off.

If you are really stuck for ideas, I will be giving a few of my latest finds on Home Run on CBC today. If you really run into the very last minute, you can always run into any local pharmacy and find: charger stations, wine openers, electronic license plates, blackberry accessories, board games, juice extractors, Habs stuff, digital photo frames.

Location: CBC radio 88.5FM
Date and Time: Dec 21, 3:15 pm

Each Christmas, I get lots of calls from the media to do segments on TV and radio about the holiday season. This Friday I will do the 6 o’clock news on CTV.

I’ll be showing you some of the fun and useful gifts I’ve come across, all under $30 – now that’s smart shopping. Tune in and see what I have to say.

Outlet: CTV News
Date and Time: Fri  Dec 18th, 6-7 pm
http://montreal.ctv.ca

Q: Though buying online seems the quicker and easier way to shop for the holidays, this may not be true. Do you have any “buyer beware” advice?

– Who are you doing business with? Look for the full street address, (no PO boxes), Phone #
– Should accept all major credit cards
– Is there a customer complaint area? Is there a phone # or only e-mail. Phone number is important to be able to reach a live person.

Q: What kind of information should you have in hand for the people on your gift list before you start clicking away?

– For each product, you need detailed info on size, colors, options
– Warranty, or return policy: should be 100% money back guarantee for 30 days
– Beware restocking fees 10-15%
– Is there enough time for the delivery to recipient or to you?

Q: Okay, you still have to shell out the money, what should we know about that part of it?

– Use Visa or Mastercard which currently insure you for 100% of your purchase if you don’t receive merchandise
– Get a Pay Pal account so you don’t have to use your card
– Get a separate card just for online shopping
– Make sure they offer Secure Electronic Transactions which means there are encryption standards on a secure server. Look for little lock icon
– Explorer and Firefox show a padlock that is open or closed depending if it’s a secure site

Q: Is there anything we should know once we’ve clicked the buy button and ordered?

You might think you are finished here but the work just begins. After you order:
– Download photos off internet to show what you ordered and keep for your records
– Keep good records. Become an accountant to keep track of what ordered, received and sent
– Can you track shipping order, i.e. link to courrier’s web page so you can watch it’s progress?
– Be aware that the gift may not get there on time due to botched orders and late deliveries
– There can be delays at border and customs charges for clearing fees

Q: What if we are really not comfortable with this online method, how can we use the net to our advantage for holiday shopping?

Combine the two:
– You can still do your browsing on the Web and use a 1-800 phone # on the site to ask questions and to do the ordering
– Some brick and mortar retailers let you order online and pick up at store. This saves shopping time but still allows for you to see the items in person. Checking retailers on line first, lets you see if there are better online pricing deals

Hi fans,

Tonight I will be speaking at the Pierrefonds Library about “How to Save Money When Shopping“. The talk will cover all kinds of shopping: Clothing, Household, Leisure, Second-hand, Repairs, Annual Sales, Specialty Stores and Services, etc.

There is no charge for the lecture and I would love to meet you too. Come on out, say hello, and learn how to save a buck. There will be a question and answer period too.

Location: Pierrefonds Library, 13555 boul. Pierrefonds
Phone: 514-624-1110
Date and Time: Nov 18 at 7 p.m.

1 – Many of us have heard the word Chabanel or shopping at Chabanel, where is it and why bother to go all the way there to shop?

– It’s the name of a street, a district, and a nickname for the Montreal clothing industry
– Chabanel St is north of the Met, off of boul. St-Laurent. There are 7 buildings which are numbered from #99 to #555
– Manufacturers, now distributors, sell direct to public -samples, liquidation and stuff not sold elsewhere.

2 – When can we shop there?

– Sat morn about 9-1
– Be prepared that some may not open that week;  it’s all on the whim of owner. You may find new ones that were not open the last time you were there.
– Certain spots open during week 9-5, like  the 4th floor of the #99 building, or lunch hours or Thurs & Fri 10-4 or whatever they feel like.
– It’s a bit like a treasure hunt.

3 – How is shopping different there?

– You have to look for signs on doors, building entrances, posted on walls, near or in elevators. Sometimes there are people  giving out the flyers.
Check entire showroom, outfits get split up or great,  sample racks might be  in back.
Prices are not always marked, just ask.
Buy immediately. It might not be there when you return

4- Is there a way to approach this for beginners?

– Dress for easy try-ons. You will be probably using a bathroom, an office, or an area behind a curtain (which might be communal).
– I like to wear a money belt so I’m all hand’s free.
– It might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but once you find favorites, those are the ones you’ll go back to next time. – Perhaps think of the first visit there as just exploratory.
– Take elevator to top and work down by staircase

5 – Just how good are the bargains?

Taxes are usually  included and prices can be up to 90% off.

– Bargaining can work here. But when prices are already at $5, $10, you don’t have to if you are uncomfortable.
– Cash (tax included) is usually the method of payment – and no returns
– Last week I bought 2 men’s polo shirts, 1 ladies sweater and a digital thermometer for $12!

Next Monday, on CJAD 800AM, you can listen to  me and my husband, Stan Posner on the Tommy Schnurmacher Show. This is a call-in show for an entire hour. For the first half hour, we will be talking about our Drive I-95:Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia book and answering questions about driving South to Florida. In the 2nd half of the hour, those of you with those important shopping questions, this is your chance to have me answer them.  I will be on Tommy’s show at least once a month. If you miss  the show, you can always write to me here at my website.

Location: CJAD 800AM
Time: 11-12 noon
Date: Mon Nov 9th
www.drivei95.com

Road trips are back again, because by traveling in the security of your own car and visiting friendly small town America, it brings back the way life used to be and the way we would like it to be again.

To help those who travel up and down the East coast, my book, Drive I-95: Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia is a new style of guidebook. It combines colorful easy-to-follow pictorial maps and fun stories, eliminating the trepidation of a road trip down America’s busiest highway.

Travelers can look ahead exit-by-exit to see which motels and gas stations are coming up, where the radar traps are or where to stop for a good homemade meal. The drive from Boston to Miami or any section in-between will become more pleasant and less stressful by knowing where to find: 24 hour gas stations (and which ones have a mechanic!) and pharmacies, 800 numbers for motel chains, camp grounds, golf courses, places that allow pets, shopping malls, supermarkets, internet availability and even which radio stations to tune to.

My husband, Stan Posner and I share stories of the road: history that happened on it, quirky museums worth a visit, Americana trivia, homey towns to explore, or places to run with the kids and pets. These can be read for entertainment during the drive and may entice motorists to stop, stretch their legs and discover someplace new.

The maps and the fun stories of the road are useful for family travelers (Christmas, Spring break or summer), seniors, salesmen, truckers, campers and RVers, University students and their parents, military personnel and people who live and work near I-95

www.drivei95.com

Q1:  Floating wooden flooring has become the answer to everyone’s decorating do-over, what can you tell us about how to buy this?

This product took off with condo development where they needed a floor that could be laid over cement and still be viable with our huge climate variations considering humidity, electrical heating and air conditioning factored in. For these solutions, some need no glueing and others can be snapped together like lego.

Q2: What different kinds are there?

Wood laminated floating floors (photos of wood), wood engineered floating floors (for condos, basements) and real wood planks. Even good old wooden strips have been upgraded in that the wood is pre-finished and no longer need to be sanded and varnished after being installed. Remember when you used to have to move out for days?

Floating fiber floor which could have on its surface ( instead of a photo of wood), a digital photo of anything. Your floor could look like metal, cork, or have wild colorful 70’s designs. The finish withstands wear and tear. It needs no glue to install, so its great for apartments and is waterproof for kitchens and basements. Fiberglas gives it its stability.

Q3: What qualities affect the price of the wood floors?

– what kind of wood is it – maple, Brazilian redwood, etc.
– what grade of wood is it – select, rustic, etc.
– what is the thickness of top layer of wood – could be 1/4″ or ½”
– how long are the pieces of the planked flooring – 18″ are called shorts
– what is the core made of –  can be wood dust laminate or plywood
– has it been dried properly for our climate – those made in other countries may not hold up properly

don’t forget:  Provincial and Federal government grants are available until February

Q4: This is pretty confusing so where can we go to get good advice, good service and pricing?

The stores selected today are all family owned business which have been operating for 30 to 60 years, where service is number one (that’s what has kept them around all these years) and prices are always competitive. Feel free to ask questions and you too will become part of the generations that shop here.

Tapis Lanctot 148 Boyer, St-Isidore (Chateauguay) St-Regis, Hours: Regular plus Sun 11-5. Phone: 514-875-1954.
Other location: Longueuil, 2025 ch. Chambly (450-647-1571). www.lanctot.qc.ca

Don’t be put off by the location – it’s only 15 minutes across the Mercier bridge, and the sheer volume (100,000 sq. ft.) of merchandise is worth the ride. The Lanctots have been around for 125 years selling floating and hardwood floors (look for the bargain bins starting at $.89) including condo solutions, ceramic tiles (starting at $1.25), about 500 area rugs, carpeting, vinyl flooring (lots of  remnants too). They’re known for choice and service, and their prices are low all year round.
Other vendors are inside their building selling wallpaper, paint, bedding, blinds, furniture, kitchen cabinets, plumbing, windows and doors.

Million Tapis et Tuiles, 15 Bernard Ave. E. at St. Laurent Blvd. Phone: 514-273-9983. Hours:  Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For shop at home call 514-273-9983.
Other locations: Laval, 175 de la Concorde e. (450-663-9870); Ville St-Pierre, 170 St-Jacques (514-365-1652).   www.millioncarpets.com

Since 1937, this 3rd generation company has been selling flooring. An unbelievable 21 family members are working in the business, which now offers  wood floors, floating fiber floors (great for apartments), carpeting (in any width), rugs (width to 4 metres) and tiles.
Grandpa Skoda Joseph started out working in the coal room of Congoleum, and convinced them to sell him their seconds. He then installed Stephen Skoda at the tender age of 14 in a store on Bleury, and without knowing English or French, Stephen managed to make a go of it.
Besides making your selection from sample catalogues from every major mill in N. America, there are ends of rolls and ends-of-lines. The prices are usually discounted. They’ve been in business a long time, so there are many satisfied customers.

Normandy Carpets,  950  boul. St-Jean, Pointe Claire at boul. Brunswick. Phone: 514-426-7847  Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5 (seasonal)

For designer products, this boutique-like carpet showroom is known by word of mouth – and that’s a good sign. For 40 years, this family-run business has been selling quality carpeting from major Canadian, American and European mills. They also carry wood floors, wood laminates, runners, area rugs and exclusive designer lines, and can do custom bordering and create designer rugs.
Since they buy in volume for their commercial sales, they can meet and beat the prices of their competitors. Once you’ve entered, expect the friendly staff to give you an education on flooring.

Q1: Once Moving Day has passed, you now have to contemplate paint or wallpapering the new premises. Painting as a project is not difficult, but if you are going to plunge in and do it yourself, how should you go about this?

1)  In order for the paint to adhere as best as it possible could, it is a good idea to wash the walls with TSP (trisodium phosphate) first. This is a powdered product that is usually sold where paint is sold.
2) It is then important to rinse off all the TSP afterwards.
3) Most people are so eager to slap on the paint that they have no patience to put on a coat of primer. Primer is cheaper than paint. It is thicker, and its purpose is to cover defects and give the paint a smooth wall to attach to. Primer is needed if you are painting gyproc, if there are nail holes and cracks or if you are going from a  dark color to a light one.  Daniel Ghazal, Director of Marketing at Gotham Paint, reiterated that “Primer is the most important thing when painting, and it is even more important than the finishing product.” So put primer on the ceiling and the walls.
4) The first place you should paint is your ceiling, so the paint won’t splatter onto your walls after they are newly painted.
5) Finally, paint your walls.

Q2: When we see paint sales in flyers, how can we compare one kind to another to know if it is a good deal?

The first thing to remember is that those prices are usually for white paint. Deeper colors cost more, sometimes $3 to $10 more, because these ultra deep colors like mahogany or fuchsia require more expensive base and more tint.

Titanium is the most expensive ingredient in paint. Paint is made less expensive by adding more water and other cheaper fillers. You are not necessarily saving money by buying cheaper paint, because you get less coverage and you have to use more paint to cover your walls. Cheaper paint can also leave a chalky feel on the wall.

Be aware also that even if you are buying one of the better known paint brands, there are still multiple grades to choose from.

Look for the words “100% acrylic latex” for the best quality. It is the most washable, leaves no odor and dries fast. You might see the word latex, but don’t be fooled, because it can be added and mixed with other products, making it cheaper and resulting in a less durable finish (than the 100% acrylic latex), since it won’t adhere as well to the wall.

Q3 : What are your suggestions for where to buy paint, for good quality, or name brand?

Gotham Paint, 231 Rene A. Robert, Ste. Therese at Autoroute 640. Phone: (450) 435-1227. Hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a family business which has been manufacturing paint under many brands for the past 42 years, so here you get experience and service and great prices. You can buy factory direct and get an excellent product which yields a better result than some name brands at twice the price. Interior latex acrylic (velour, semi-gloss or pearl) is only $26 for 3.78 litres, or you can buy it by the contractor’s pail of 18.9 litres for $90. Alkyde (oil) is available at $28 for 3.78 litres or $95 for 18.9 litres. They have ceiling paint, exterior latex, gray cement floor paint, industrial and more. They can also match your color with their computerized color matching system.    www.gothamindustries.com

City Paints, 200 Rachel St. East at Hotel de Ville St. Phone: (514) 288-8009. Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. New This is Montreal’s oldest paint store, open since 1898. Name brands sold here are Benjamin Moore and Sico, along with stains and varnishes and tons of brushes. They have both non-toxic paint with low VOC and no VOC. Yes, they’ve got the color matching computer these days, but it is the service, the good old-fashioned kind, that has kept people coming back for generations from all over the city. If it’s good enough for the Mulroneys, it’s good enough for you.    www.citypaints.ca

Circa 1850, 2122 St. Patrick St. at Island St., Point St. Charles. Phone: 514-932-0941. Hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. When they opened in 1965 it was to sell paint, but nowadays the emphasis is on products for furniture refinishing. Circa 1850 stain and varnish were invented right here, and on the back wall you’ll find liquidated products and ends-of-lines of those and strippers in liquid and gel, marine quality varnish and rolls of steel wool in all grades. There is paint too, in both latex (semi-gloss and flat) and oil (high gloss) in contractor’s grade starting at $17.50 per gallon, Nu-Lustre high gloss epoxy finish, milk paint, Klenk bathtub paint, shellac flakes, Les Anciens Ebenistes waxes and environmentally friendly varnish and wood stains. Now there’s also modern and reproduction hardware, square nails, fiber seat replacements, turned legs and ask about their courses which teach how to do all this finishing.    www.antiquerssupply.com

Q:4 Decorating with wallpaper is hot right now, there are hardly any places to buy it, but we know you’re going to know where to go….

Empire  3455 avenue du Parc, Phone: 514-849-1297. Hours: Mon-Fri 8-7, Sat 9-5 This is the place to go for pre-pasted wallpaper from their roomful of ends-of-lines, discontinued styles or first runs at prices around $5.99 – $48.99 per double roll or 2-for-1 deals. They have a large selection of domestic and imported books to order from as well as Sico, Benjamin Moore and Pratt & Lambert paints. Hunter Douglas blinds, wood blinds, shutters, fabric and bedspreads can also be ordered.  Trendy designs are always in stock.