The Same Designer Bag, 2 Different Prices, and EBAGS to the Rescue!

As you know by now, I price shop once I know what I want. Almost two weeks ago I saw a great bag online at Bloomingdales.com and then continued to look for it elsewhere out there on the WWW.


I found it for less at www.ebags.com and shipping was free as it would have been for Bloomingdales.com


The bag arrived in only a few days and I love it!  Shortly afterwards,  Bloomingdales had another sale and this time the bag cost less than I had bought it for on www.ebags.com.


I went online to www.ebags.com and did a "Live Chat" with a representative.  I was told to fill out the "Price Match" form from their site and they will get back to me.


A few hours later I received an email from them asking for more information.  I sent it to them the next morning and then called to make sure they received my email.  The sale at Bloomingdales was going to end on Sunday and today was Friday so time was of the essence.


It wasn't until after I was speaking to the representative from www.ebags.com, that I realized  I had not furnished them with the very specific link to the exact page showing the sale price. 


So while on the phone, I got to the page and the bag was gone, sold out I guess.  Now the proof was gone!


The representative was great.  He said that because I had started the Price Match while the bag was up on the site, he would honor it.  He also knew that I had gone to the trouble of doing a "live chat," sending emails etc. and he appreciated the work I had done on my part.


Am I a big fan of www.ebags.com?  You bet!     


A price match is easier than having to return something and then having to purchase it somewhere else.  One important part of their Price Match program is that you have to request the Price Match within 14 days of your purchase.


Where to shop:  www.ebags.com

Pay A Little, Save A Lot On Your Next Meal

With all the "coupon" deals out there, how do you decide which ones to subscribe to?  

You may not need most of the other sites again, at least for restaurants.

Recently I came across www.villagevines.com. While restaurants are usually busy during peak hours, many have empty tables during "off-peak" hours.  Village Vines helps fill those empty seats by offering you a discount.

It is simple, you pick a restaurant on the site, pay a $10 booking fee for the reservation, and then receive 30% off your total bill.  
It would make sense to figure out how much you may be spending to make sure the discount is worth it. There are some variations and restrictions, and they are clearly stated so no surprises when you see your check.

Some restaurants may restrict the size of your party.  Most will not offer the discount on a prix-fixe meal.  Then with other restaurants, you may be able to reserve a table at any time. Lastly, there are but a very few where the percentage off would be a little less.

The discount is also good on your beverages, whatever they might be, and at a discount, that bottle of wine will seem more enjoyable.  Your savings are uncapped, so the more you eat and drink, the more you save.

What makes using this venue more up-scale than having to present a coupon to the waitstaff, is that the discount is applied to your bill automatically.  If you are taking people out to eat, they don't need to know that you received a discount.  When you arrive at the restaurant you confirm that they have your reservation booked through www.villagevines.com.

As of this writing, Village Vines is active in NYC, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles and SF.  They are planning to have restaurants in other cities by the end of the year.  Look for Village Vines in Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Denver for starters.

Think about trying one of the restaurants on the list.  It is a win-win situation for everyone.

         

Where to sign up to reserve:  www.villagevines.com