Tag Archives: shipping

Blanket Race: Who Is the Best Online Retailer Walmart or Amazon?

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As the unexpected warmth of November fades into the routine December chill, I decided we needed to get two new Vellux blankets for a twin bed and a queen. As usual for online shopping, I signed in to Great Canadian Rebates before clicking through to see what was on offer at amazon.ca. They had Vellux blankets in various sizes and in a surprising number of prices. I then checked the prices at Walmart.ca for comparison. I ended up ordering one blanket from each vendor and now the race is on: who has the best price and who will have the fastest delivery—Walmart or Amazon?

Check Prices Before Ordering Vellux Blankets Online or In Store

The first place I saw Vellux blankets in store was at the Sears near me which is closing as the chain is in receivership. The liquidation was starting with just 20% off the original list price for the blankets. I knew that was a bad deal as Sears routinely put all its household linens on sale for around 50% off. So I decided to wait until they were at least 75% off.

Then, I decided to check online. As I suspected, the price at Walmart.ca was more than 50% off the Sears price, included free shipping, and wouldn’t require weeks of waiting and wondering whether the blankets had already sold.

Out of curiosity, I then compared Walmart’s prices with those on Amazon. The pricing on amazon.ca was fascinating: they had different prices for the Twin blankets depending on the colour! Yet all of them were being sold by and shipped by amazon.ca.

Weird!

Who Had the Best Price for Vellux Blankets?

Strangely, each store had the best price on a blanket, depending on the size.
I could get a twin Vellux for 34.99 (ivory) or 38.99 (Wedgewood blue) from amazon.ca. The same blanket was 49.96 on Walmart.ca.

I could get a king Vellux in several colours for 59.96 from Walmart.ca. (A King blanket is larger than a Queen so it gives you extra at the sides and top to cuddle into.) The same blanket was 89.95 and up on amazon.ca.

Who Has the Best Delivery for Vellux Blankets?

By ordering the blue blanket (which suited the room) from amazon.ca, I could get it shipped for free. So I did.

I also got free shipping for the King blanket from Walmart.ca.

Now the race is on: which blanket will arrive first? Or will they both arrive on the same day?

I’ll update this post when they arrive.

UPDATE: Too funny! They arrived within 3 hours of each other. The Walmart one arrived first, then the Amazon one. Both were in great shape and I’m pleased.

A Small Extra Saving from Amazon.ca on Vellux

I also ordered the blanket from amazon.ca after arriving there via the link on my Great Canadian Rebates home page. That means I will get a small percentage of the purchase cost back from GCR. Unfortunately, right now Walmart is not an available store through GCR so I won’t be getting any additional rebate from them.

If you want to join GCR, if you sign up using my referral link, you will get the same benefits as if you signed up directly, but I will also get a small percentage reward for any purchases you make. (I’ll never know who you are, though, or what you bought. It’s just mystery money that appears in my account.) To join via my link, just click on this link to go to their website: Join Great Canadian Rebates and reward yourself and Financial Crooks. Or read more about it in this article How to Join Great Canadian Rebates.

And now I wait with shivering toes for the arrival of my cozy new blankets.

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Do you only check amazon.ca when buying online or do you shop around? Please share your strategies with a comment.

How I Saved $5.40 Off the $99 Sale Price for Office 2016 And Got a Roll of Designer Duct Tape Plus $1 Back

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My 2008 laptop is still working fine. I use it for email, with MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel; I edit photos with Photoshop Elements; my kids do homework and play dubious computer games. Still, my husband would never be able to run *his* games on such an antique which resulted in him eventually upgrading his boat anchor. We decided to load it with MS Office 2016 because so much of the homework our children get encumbered with requires them to use it. I shopped around for a reasonable price and found it at Staples on sale for $99. Of course, I immediately tried to get an even better price: this is how I saved $10 more and got $2 back in amazon.ca gift cards although I decided to blow some of that $10 on a roll of designer duct tape adorned with comical cartoon owls.

Always Check Great Canadian Rebates Before You Make an Online Purchase

I wasn’t sure if Staples was one of the stores available through Great Canadian Rebates so I visited the website and checked. Yes. And even better, it offered rebate of up to 4% on purchases. Admittedly the rebate on computer-related stuff like this software is only 1% but still, not bad.

What really caught my eye, though, was the click through coupon to save $10 on an order of $100 or more. That’s significant considering it applies to items that are already on sale!

Of course, the software I wanted was $99.00. I thought about buying something that cost very close to $1, like paperclips at $1.68 a box. But then I thought what we need more of is duct tape. There were many colours and styles to choose from: I went with the sophisticated neon cartoon owls that should add a certain j’n sais quois to patching that hole in the yard waste tub.

(This image leads to my amazon.ca kickback page to buy the tape. It’s cheaper at Staples right now so shop around.)

Buying from Staples Through Great Canadian Rebates Also Gets Free Shipping on Lower Orders

Another perk that is available when buying from Staples through Great Canadian Rebates is the minimum order for free shipping is lower. Shipping is free on most orders of $45 or more. (This offer will change from time to time, so check before making a decision.)

How Did I Get $2 In Amazon.ca Certificates If I Bought from Staples?

The kickback Canadians get from buying stuff through Great Canadian Rebates is paid in amazon.ca gift certificates. They nicely round up to the next $ if your monthly total rebate is even $0.01 above a dollar. Since I didn’t buy anything else last month, and since my eligible rebate is $1.04, I’ll be getting a $2 certificate for Amazon.

UPDATE: As of June or July 2016 it appears they no longer “round up” the Amazon certificates. They seem to be issuing them now right down to the penny you’ve earned.

What Did I Save In Total For Clicking Through from Great Canadian Rebates?

So by
signing in to my GCR account (e.g. typing my email and password), and then
typing Staples in the Merchant text box, then
clicking on the Save Now button beside “Save $10 on Your Next Purchase of $100 or more” and then
shopping at staples.ca as usual, I saved or was rebated

  • $10 – $5.60 the cost of the duct tape that I would have bought elsewhere possibly for less
  • $2 – $1 rebate from GCR in Amazon certificates (It would have been $1 if I had not bought the tape.)
  • Plus the cost of gas driving to staples

On software that was already on at a reasonable sale price of $99.

For a total saving of
$5.40 (or
$12
if you don’t adjust for the duct tape)

Cool.

Blatant Sales Pitch for Great Canadian Rebates

If you don’t belong and you join GCR by clicking on my link, you will get the same rewards as if you just join GCR by searching for it on the internet. I, however, will be very happy you used my link because I will get a small percentage rebate if you ever buy anything using GCR, even though it will not reduce or affect your reward. (I don’t get any info about who joined, what they spent, or what they spent it on, though, so I won’t know how to thank you personally.)

To join Great Canadian Rebates and help me earn a few more dollars in amazon.ca certificates, please join using my

http://www.GreatCanadianRebates.ca/register/171462/

Code, which is automatically entered if you click on this above link.

Either way, consider joining as it could save you a few bucks and get you a free roll of duct tape, too!

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Do you use an online rebate program like GCR or RedFlagDeals to save a few $$ on your online purchases? Please share your experiences with a comment.