New trend? Celebrity deal sites
This post comes from Matt Brownell at partner site MainStreet.
Are you sick of seeing celebrity-endorsed prepaid cards from the likes of Kim Kardashian and Suze Orman? Well, get ready to hate another trend in celebrity personal finance products that might be on the horizon: the celebrity deal site.
For now, we’ve seen just one: the recently launched TMac’s Deals, endorsed by NBA veteran and seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady.
While celebrity cards such as the infamous Kardashian Kard were often slammed for outrageous fees, there’s nothing troubling about McGrady’s deal site — though there isn’t much to write home about, either.
The site is a basic deal aggregator, and one that focuses specifically on products and retailers of interest to basketball fans (and fans of McGrady himself). There’s a link to save 10% at Sports Authority, a $5-off coupon code for Lids and several links to products and sales from Adidas, with whom McGrady has a lifetime endorsement deal. (Post continues below.)
For now, there don’t seem to be any exclusive coupons or codes — that Lids coupon code was on couponing site RetailMeNot a week ago — so unless you’ve been looking for a deal site that offers sporting goods deals and Tracy McGrady merchandise almost exclusively, there’s not much here you can’t find anywhere else. (Except for the site’s “video of the day,” which features the site’s namesake spending 20 seconds discussing the fact it has been a while since he last spoke with former teammate Yao Ming.)
Even if we can’t recommend the site to anyone but the most ardent Tracy McGrady fans, we do wish TMac the best of luck with the venture. We also sincerely hope this doesn’t kick off a trend of other celebrities starting their own deal sites.
While the industry is starting to consolidate a bit, there are still hundreds of daily deal sites and coupon and deal aggregators already out there, so the last thing we need is an onslaught of celebrity-endorsed imitators. We don’t think we’d be able to handle it if the “Jersey Shore” cast came out with a coupon site for gym equipment or if Les Stroud of “Survivorman” fame started a daily deal site dedicated to extreme survival gear.
Actually, that second one sounds pretty cool. We wouldn’t mind seeing that.
More from MainStreet and MSN Money:
Morning Deals: National Pancake Day
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Today is National Pancake Day, and you can celebrate the holiday by getting a free short stack of pancakes at International House of Pancakes. The deal is good for dine-in customers at participating IHOPs only, and while there’s no purchase necessary, a donation to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is encouraged.
Men’s clothing retailer Jos. A. Bank is taking 50% off everything on its website when you use the coupon code FIFTY. Well, almost everything – the code only applies to regularly priced items, and shoes, watches and gift cards are all excluded. It’s not clear how long the coupon code will be active so act fast.
Daily deal site Saveology.com offers two movie tickets from MovieTickets.com for just $5, a $24 value. The deal can be purchased through 1 a.m. EST Saturday morning. The catch is that when you buy the deal you’re automatically enrolled in a 14-day trial of Saveology Elite, which appears to be the site’s answer to pay-to-save programs like LivingSocial Plus. During the two-week free trial you’ll get $15 in Saveology Dollars to use on any deal on the website. If you don’t cancel before the trial period ends you’ll be automatically enrolled in the subscription service, which costs $10 a month and gives you $15 in Saveology Dollars to spend each month.
Don’t want to spend too much? Check out our Deals Steals hot topic for more bargains. Don’t want to spend anything at all? There’s plenty of Free Stuff to be had as well.
Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.
Morning Deals: Presidents Day Deal Roundup
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Newegg is among several retailers holding Presidents Day sales this weekend. The consumer electronics site is discounting dozens of components, peripherals, gadgets and other merchandise as part of its “EGGXecutive Savings” event. You can, for instance, get Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 for free after a mail-in rebate, and there’s also this knife sharpener for $9.99, a $20 discount, when you use the coupon code EMCNHJC98 at checkout. The promo codes are good through Monday.
Amazon will give you $10 off $50 worth of clothing when you use the coupon code PRESDA10, or $20 off $100 worth of clothing when you use the code PRESDA20 at checkout. The codes are good on select items for a limited time, though it’s not clear exactly when they expire.
OfficeMax has a number of deep discounts listed in its weekly ad for Presidents Day weekend, such as an executive chair for $69.99 on Sunday and Monday only – a discount of $80.
It’s not really being promoted as a Presidents Day Sale, but this weekend IKEA will offer a free breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and a cup of coffee. The deal is good Saturday through Monday when you come in before 11 a.m. at all locations in the US.
Crate Barrel is taking up to 60% off select merchandise as part of its Presidents Day outlet sale, which takes place online and in stores. Deals include this Alto table lamp for $100, marked down from $200.
Don’t want to spend too much? Check out our Deals Steals hot topic for more bargains. Don’t want to spend anything at all? There’s plenty of Free Stuff to be had as well.
Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.
Morning Deals: $20 Off Tax Prep at H&R Block
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Google Offers has a deal for $30 worth of tax preparation services from HR Block for just $10. The credit is applicable toward the company’s online tax services, and will cover most if not all of the state return portion of your taxes. The deal can be purchased until 8 a.m. EST on Tuesday. Once you have the deal, it must be redeemed by April 17 – tax day, of course.
Costco members can get a two-pack of AMC Gold movie tickets for just $11.99. Each ticket is valid for one admission to an AMC or Loews theater, though extra charges may apply for IMAX or 3-D films, or for viewing movies at premium locations. If you want to buy in bulk – this is Costco, after all – you can get a 10-pack of tickets for $62.99. Note that this is open to Costco members only, and the deal is available online through Sunday.
The Gap takes an extra 30% off its sale styles online with the coupon code GAPFUN. The full list of sale styles can be found here, and the code must be used by tonight at 11:59 p.m. EST. The deal apparently applies in stores as well, but since there’s no printable coupon it’s possible that stores just take the discount automatically.
Don’t want to spend too much? Check out our Deals Steals hot topic for more bargains. Don’t want to spend anything at all? There’s plenty of Free Stuff to be had as well.
Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.
Morning Deals: 30% Off at J.Crew
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – J.Crew takes an extra 30% off final sale items when you use the coupon code WINTER through Friday at 11:59 p.m. EST. Keep in mind that these are final sale items, which means that returns are not allowed. The site says that the discount is good in stores as well as online, but there doesn’t appear to be any printable coupon on the site, so it’s unclear how you go about getting the discount at bricks-and-mortar locations.
When you buy two pre-owned games at Best Buy, you’ll get two additional pre-owned games for free. To get the deal, just add any four games from this list to your shopping cart and the two lowest-priced games will be free. It’s worth noting, though, that many of the pre-owned games at Best Buy can be had new for about the same price elsewhere – for instance, Halo: Reach is $29.99 pre-owned at Best Buy, but costs $30.38 new at Amazon.
Kmart.com offers this Kenmore four-burner gas grill for just $89.99, marked down from $299.99. You can ship it to the store and pick it up for free or ship it to your home for an extra $120, so your best bet is obviously to ship it to the store if there’s one in the area. Note that quantities are limited.
Don’t want to spend too much? Check out our Deals Steals hot topic for more bargains. Don’t want to spend anything at all? There’s plenty of Free Stuff to be had as well.
Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.
Morning Deals: $10 Off Kindle Textbooks
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Amazon is currently offering a $10 credit toward Kindle e-textbooks. To get the discount, go to this page and follow the instructions for entering the coupon code. Once you do so, the credit will be applied toward any Kindle e-textbook purchase made before 11:59 p.m. PST on Jan. 9. There’s a limit of one code use per customer.
We all know how important it is to wear the right pair of underwear on New Year’s Eve, and there’s no better choice than a special pair of New Year’s 2012 panties from Victoria’s Secret. The store is currently offering such a pair of underwear for free when you make any purchase in stores today. To get the free pair you’ll need to print out this coupon, which is good today only while supplies last.
Wal-Mart offers this Starbucks gift set, consisting of ground coffee and two seasonal flavor syrups, for just $6. That’s marked down from the previous price of $10. It ships for free, and if you buy in stores the price may be different, so your best bet is home delivery.
Don’t want to spend too much? Check out our Deals Steals hot topic for more bargains. Don’t want to spend anything at all? There’s plenty of Free Stuff to be had as well.
Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.
Morning Deals: Post-Christmas Sales Abound
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Old Navy is making some great efforts to get shoppers in their stores, offering discounts of up to 75% off on in-store purchases. The retailer didn’t stop there though, as online sales include discounts of up to 60% off on shoes and outerwear. The sale will last as supplies do, but the retailer also has a Super C-A-S-H promotion running in stores until Jan. 22 that will earn you extra money that can be used at Old Navy later for purchases made in stores. Details on that promotion can be found at your local Old Navy.
Online game maker Big Fish Games has announced 60 game titles that were considered customer favorites for 2011 and is selling them for just $4.99 each. You must use the coupon code WINNER at checkout to get the discount, which is not valid for “Collector’s Edition” games. The code expires Jan. 3.
Macy’s is having its biggest white sale of the year, taking 20% to 60% off bedding, bath, sheets, pillows and comforters. The department store is also offering a slew of two-day specials that expire today, and the discounts are fantastic. For example, this 42-piece dinnerware set was originally $85 and now has been discounted down to $39.99.
Sears is having a post-Christmas appliance sale, with up to 25% off all Kenmore appliances and up to 10% off all Whirlpool and KitchenAid items. That discount might not seem as large as the other percents-off listed here, but it means hundreds of dollars in savings. You can also get an extra 15% off on your purchase if you use a Sears Card to make a purchase of $499 or more. Be careful with this extra deal though, as some exclusions apply and store credit cards do have some downsides.
10 Places You Can Still Get Free Shipping
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Friday marked the annual online shopping event known as Free Shipping Day, when more than 2,000 online retailers offer some degree of free shipping on their products. As we noted, some retailers go above and beyond by using the day as an excuse to offer extra discounts on their products.
Other retailers go above and beyond in a different way: By extending their free shipping offers for days beyond Free Shipping Day. Sometimes that’s because they already offer free shipping policies year-round, while other retailers simply want to offer an extra incentive to last-minute holiday shoppers. Whatever the cause, here are a few retailers that will continue to offer free shipping beyond on pre-Christmas orders.
Some retailers will continue to offer free holiday shipping this week.
Lands’ End: Free shipping, as well as 40% off sitewide, is good until Monday at 11:59 p.m. CST, which is also the cutoff for Christmas delivery. Make sure you use the coupon code DONNER.
Best Buy:(BBY) The electronics retailer offers free shipping on everything on its site, with no minimums, through Dec. 27. If you want it by Christmas, you’ll have to order by Tuesday at 11 a.m. EST. Note that this doesn’t apply to marketplace items and in-store only items.
Perry Ellis: Order by Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST and your order will ship for free; if you use the coupon code PEGIVE45 during the same period, you’ll get 45% off outerwear, sweaters, casual shirts and pants. It’s unclear when the cutoff is for Christmas delivery.
Post Offices Close; Who Cares?
Timberland: Orders placed through Tuesday will ship for free with no minimums, and returns always ship for free. It’s unclear when the cutoff is for Christmas delivery.
Sunglass Hut: The sunglasses retailer always offers free shipping and free returns on purchases. The downside? Standard shipping takes seven to 10 business days, and the deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery via this method was last Wednesday, so unless you’re feeling really lucky, you’ll probably want to pay for two-day shipping to make sure those shades are under the tree by Christmas morning.
Nike:(NKE) Order by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. PST and you’ll get free shipping and guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. You’ll need to enter the coupon code SWOOSH.
Ralph Lauren: Shipping is free through Tuesday when you use the coupon code RLFS2011. You’ll have to order by Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. EST to make sure it arrives in time for Christmas.
Ice.com: The jewelry site offers free shipping and returns, and orders placed by Christmas Eve can be returned for a full refund by Jan. 31. Depending on what kind of jewelry you want to buy, the deadline for Christmas delivery might have passed. At this point you’ve missed the boat on wedding bands, engraved jewelry, personal charms and watches.
L.L. Bean: The retailer always offers free shipping and returns. You’ll need to place your order by Wednesday at noon EST to guarantee Christmas delivery. For more retailers that offer free shipping and returns, see MainStreet’s guide to risk-free online retailers.
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10 Places You Can Still Get Free Shipping After Free Shipping Day
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Today is the annual online shopping event known as Free Shipping Day, when more than 2,000 online retailers offer some degree of free shipping on their products. As we noted earlier today, some retailers go above and beyond by using the day as an excuse to offer extra discounts on their products.
Other retailers go above and beyond in a different way: By extending their free shipping offers for days beyond Free Shipping Day. Sometimes that’s because they already offer free shipping policies year-round, while other retailers simply want to offer an extra incentive to last-minute holiday shoppers. Whatever the cause, here are a few retailers that will continue to offer free shipping through the weekend and beyond on pre-Christmas orders.
Lands’ End: Free shipping, as well as 40% off site-wide, is good until Monday at 11:59 p.m. CST, which is also the cutoff for Christmas delivery. Make sure you use the coupon code DONNER.
Best Buy: The electronics retailer offers free shipping on everything on its site, with no minimums, through Dec. 27. If you want it by Christmas, you’ll have to order by Tuesday at 11 a.m. EST. Note that this doesn’t apply to marketplace items and in-store only items.
Perry Ellis: Order by Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST and your order will ship for free; if you use the coupon code PEGIVE45 during the same time period, you’ll get 45% off outerwear, sweaters, casual shirts and pants. It’s unclear when the cutoff is for Christmas delivery.
Timberland: Orders placed through Tuesday will ship for free with no minimums, and returns always ship for free. It’s unclear when the cutoff is for Christmas delivery.
Coldwater Creek: To get free shipping and 40% off everything on the site, place your order by Sunday night at midnight EST and use the coupon code BEST40. Christmas delivery is guaranteed if you order by Tuesday night at midnight.
Sunglass Hut: The sunglasses retailer always offers free shipping and free returns on purchases. The downside? Standard shipping takes 7-10 business days, and the deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery via this method was on Wednesday, so unless you’re feeling really lucky, you’ll probably want to pay for two-day shipping to make sure those shades are under the tree by Christmas morning.
Nike: Order by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. PST and you’ll get free shipping and guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. You’ll need to enter the coupon code SWOOSH.
Ralph Lauren: Shipping is free through Tuesday when you use the coupon code RLFS2011. You’ll have to order by Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. EST to make sure it arrives in time for Christmas.
Ice.com: The jewelry site offers free shipping and returns, and orders placed by Christmas Eve can be returned for a full refund by Jan. 31. Depending on what kind of jewelry you want to buy, the deadline for Christmas delivery might have passed. At this point you’ve missed the boat on wedding bands and engraved jewelry, but persona charms and watches will arrive by Christmas if you order them by noon EST on Sunday.
L.L. Bean: The retailer always offers free shipping and returns. You’ll need to place your order by Wednesday at noon EST to guarantee Christmas delivery. For more retailers that offer free shipping and returns, see MainStreet’s guide to risk-free online retailers.
Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.
Morning Deals: Free Burger King Fries
NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Burger King’s buy-one-get-one-free deal on Whoppers is behind us, but there’s another promotion coming up. This Friday is “Free Fries Friday,” which allows you to walk into any participating Burger King and get a free value-sized order of fries. The offer is good on Friday only, and there is no purchase or coupon required.
The three major Gap brands – Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic – are taking 30% off online purchases when you use the coupon code HOLIDAY. The code is good through tonight at 11:59 p.m. EST and can only be used online. Certain products are excluded from the promotion, so see the full details on any of the three websites.
Daily deal site Jizbee.com is offering a special tool for pulling out your oven racks for free. The tool is basically a hook that allows you to push and pull your oven racks without burning yourself, although we’ve always just done it with an oven mitt. Note that shipping adds $4.99, so ask yourself whether the convenience of having such a specialized tool is worth $5 to you.
Don’t want to spend too much? Check out our Deals Steals hot topic for more bargains. Don’t want to spend anything at all? There’s plenty of Free Stuff to be had as well.
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