The Shop Cop - Jennifer Litwin

CAR RENTAL COMPANIES  HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF MISLEADING THEIR CUSTOMERS AND OVERCHARGING THEM

Though I typically don’t have a need to rent cars, I did so recently on a few different trips.  My experience with Budget made me want to never rent another car again, and this isn’t the first time that my credit card meant carte-blanche to the car rental company.

CORPORATE CAR RENTAL OFFICES VS. FRANCHISE OPERATIONS

Apparently, when you rent a car from Budget, Hertz, Avis, etc., you are possibly renting from the parent company.  However, plenty of franchise operations, privately owned and managed, rent out cars under the names: Budget, Avis, Hertz, etc.

AIRPORT CAR RENTAL AGREEMENTS

Once you book a daily car rental rate online, over the phone or through your travel agent, you must sign a contract at the airport.  This isn’t easy to understand, because the rental contract invariably adds airport fees, etc., that you may not have seen on the quote.  Then, of course, the car style you expected to rent is probably not even available anymore.  You are now forced to spend more money and get a bigger, fancier car; or shift down a gear and get a more modest car that costs almost the same as what you expected to rent.

After signing the contract for the car rental, and hopefully not for additional insurance, a big money maker for the car rental companies, you get to check out your new car.  In my case, I was given a van that had 25,000 miles on it and seemed very worn out and dirty on the inside.

But before I could leave a little inspector man came out and asked us to look over the car, as he quickly walked around our car and told us there were just a few little scratches on the bumper—he put the little sketch of the scratches on the contract, mumbled a few words in broken English that we didn’t understand, and sent us on our way, as there was a huge lineup of cars trying to leave the Vancouver airport.   I looked closely around the car, and pretty much agreed with the inspector, but it was dark in the garage and we were feeling the need to get out because of the long line of cars behind us.  The kids were getting antsy.

GETTING CHARGED FOR DAMAGES

As it turned out, we never drove the car, even once after getting it to the hotel in Whistler.  The car turned out to be unnecessary.  The total charges Budget told us to expect to pay were about $400 for 4 days, including all the airport fees and gas.  We were supposed to drop off the car in downtown Vancouver, at the Budget office there, and not at the airport, from where we rented the car.

What an experience the drop-off was.  We showed up with the van, having not even driven it outside of the empty hotel parking lot in Whistler, and just driving it back to Vancouver, without any stops along the way.  The agent in the Budget office there told us to wait for a supervisor to go out and inspect the Toyota Sienna.  After a few minutes, we went outside to meet him, only to discover that the agent found a small one-inch dent at the top of the hood, close to the windshield.  A weird place to find a dent.  It was barely visible and something we had never seen.

BUDGET’S FRANCHISE OFFICE HAD MY CREDIT CARD ON FILE AND COULD CHARGE ANYTHING THEY WANTED

True…very true.  So what should have cost about $400 for a car we never even drove, we were told Budget’s franchise office would charge us now a total of $1,400 for damages.  No discussion, and they weren’t turning back.  Interestingly enough, the couple behind us had the same experience earlier in the day with the same agent.  This was truly a racket, this operation.

AMERICAN EXPRESS PROTECTS YOU AGAINST CAR RENTAL CLAIMS

Fortunately, I had charged the car on my American Express.  My insurance agent at State Farm told me to immediately call Amex, stop payment to my credit card, and speak with American Express’ Claims department.  I was saved by them, and they started a file, to deal with Budget and State Farm, to find resolution to this.  I am not sure that Visa would do the same, but American Express is known for dealing with claims in car rental situations, and they have worked quickly to find answers.

I am now considering a driving trip from my own garage next trip!

MY SUMMER SPENT TRAVELING, ON THE REQUEST OF MY KIDS

Because I’ve spent the past many years traveling for work, I haven’t had much time or desire for leisurely travel.  And traveling with little kids wasn’t always the easiest.  But this past summer was different.  My son, Edward, told me last year that he wanted to travel, to see the world.  Planning the trips wasn’t easy, as I wasn’t sure which hotels to stay in, which places offered the best values, and best times and ways to book our trips.

RECENT TRIP TO THE REGENCY HOTEL IN NY WAS AN EYE OPENER

My brother and sister-in-law recently took my nephew, Justin, to NY for a weekend.  They were so proud of the amazing rate they were able to get through Orbitz.  For somewhere in the low $200′s, they were able to get a room at one of my favorite hotels, the Loew’s Regency in NY.  I couldn’t believe the rate–a rate that I hadn’t been able to secure in years, since right after 9/11.

THE ARTIFICIALLY LOW HOTEL RATE QUOTED BY ORBITZ

Orbitz said in fine print that upgrades may be available upon arrival, but that they couldn’t guarantee the room you get when you book through them.  Unfortunately, when my brother, sister-in-law and nephew got to the famed Regency Hotel, they discovered they would be sleeping in a room with 2 twin beds—something unacceptable for the 3 of them.  So they went to the front desk, spoke with a reservations clerk and were able to upgrade to a room with 2 doubles—for an extra $100, of course.

PROBLEMS WITH ORBITZ, EXPEDIA, PRICELINE AND OTHER ONLINE TRAVEL COMPANIES

We’ve all had the same complaints when booking trips with the online travel companies, as Consumer Affairs reports:

1) The rate you are promised promises you nothing—wait til you see your room.  No online or in-person guarantees of a room type or that your view won’t be the parking lot!

2) When you need to change your travel plans, good luck finding someone who picks up the phone to help you.

3) Changing your travel plans will require you to spend a hefty change fee, with no added benefits.

4) With online travel agencies you won’t usually be allowed to take advantage of all the freebies, miles, rewards and other ways the travel industry is extending to nearly every human being on Earth right now.

5) Travel websites are hard to use and are inefficient when you need to change your plans.

CONSIDER USING A WORLD-CLASS TRAVEL AGENT

I recently asked my friend, Erin, how she always plans the best trips, and how she keeps her kids so happy on vacation, even when traveling great distances.  Erin was excited to share her little travel secret with me.  As Erin travels all over the world to spend time with her husband and children, as her husband travels a lot for work, she has found that having the right travel agent is key to happy travels.  Erin referred me Paul Klein Travel, in Chicago, a corporate travel agency, where I turned over my business and headaches.  Through using Paul Klein Travel, I have been able to secure the best seats, best rooms, best hotels, best upgrades and packages, and yes, best prices.  I have tried to comparison shop the trips I have taken using Paul Klein, in almost 100% of the cases, Paul Klein Travel has beat everyone.

CORPORATE TRAVEL AGENTS’ VOLUME BUSINESS GOOD NEWS FOR VACATIONING FAMILIES

The beauty of traveling with a corporate travel agency is that you can book great vacations at well-known hotel chains and resorts, and take advantage of the corporate travel agency’s great rates.  Paul Klein, as it turns out, is one of only 80 travel agencies that “partners” with hotel chains like the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, among many other great chains–chains that are often expensive and have little in the way of a rewards program.  Through Paul Klein, we were able to stay in some great spots and take advantage of the opportunities to see different places we may not otherwise know about.

BENEFITS OF USING A CORPORATE TRAVEL AGENT–WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK FOR

1) Alerts if prices drop or are about to go up so you can secure the best air/hotel packages

2) Resort credits that average between $100-300 per trip—credits that may include meals or spa packages; even high tea and room service breakfasts—free with your travel agent relationship.

3) Instant phone calls made to the manager of a hotel to request a room change or upgrade on your behalf–something you may not be able to secure on your own.

Recently, I did a segment for Twin Cities Live about melting your gold and selling it because you could get more money for gold than a few years ago. Recessions work that way. Gold holds its value during a recession. But someone whose parent had recently died asked me if now was also a good time to sell an old wedding band, made up of several diamonds.  Her jeweler suggested making an eternity ring, or using the small diamonds to make something for her daughters.

BAD NEWS: PRICES FOR DIAMONDS IN 2010 HAVE GONE UP

If you own diamonds and want to sell them right now the good news is you will be able to sell them for a little more than you could have in 2009, by about 5%.  The reason is because manufacturers of diamonds are slowing production of their supply, which is causing prices to go up.  It is unclear how long this upward trend will continue, but since January prices have been going up a little each month.

SHOULD YOU BUY DIAMONDS NOW?

There is no question that in the past three years diamond prices plummeted 30%.  That is the question of the day.  The diamond industry now has a set price marker, called the IDEX.  This pricing index should be a good judge of what a diamond should sell for.

FIND OUT THE VALUE OF THE DIAMONDS

1. Go to your local jeweler for an appraisal
2. Compare venues across the board to see where you may be able to get the highest price (auction, jeweler, web)
3. Consider buying inexpensive little diamond(s) and turning them into something else for your children.  The prices have not gone up steadily for a few years, and you may want to hold out.

EXPENSES YOU MAY HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE ANTICIPATED

Driving down your block do you say to yourself, “I can buy two of my houses now that I could only buy one of before”, having seen the real estate market tank to its lowest level in decades?  You may be missing the entire picture.  True, you may have initially bought your first home as an investment, but now the complications in the market, due to lack of financing options, rising interest rates and an unstable job market have made buying two houses virtually impossible for the average American.

RISING COSTS OF HOME OWNERSHIP

• Property Taxes on the Rise: Counties are hurting, financially, so they are eager to raise property taxes.  Here’s the catch-22: if you want to refinance to get a better rate you will have to have an appraisal.  But if you then try to appeal your property taxes you will probably be forced to show proof of any home appraisal performed within the past three years.
• Utilities More Expensive and Continually Going Up: It is becoming more expensive to use regular water, electricity, cable and gas.   Most of these bills won’t come down unless you drastically change your lifestyle.
• Closing Costs Have Gone Up: In general, closing costs are going up, so refinancing will have an added cost, maybe not anticipated.
• More Difficult to Get a 2nd Mortgage Now: Banks are less willing to take on risks now, even with their best customers.  If you can’t squeeze into one mortgage, skip the next purchase.
• Furnishing a House is No Small Task: The cost of manufacturing furniture has risen in the past few years, and shipping prices have gone up.  Though there are more quality resources available to the public, prices of interior home construction and furnishings is on the rise.  The most expensive part of home ownership right now is inside the home.  The repairs, and if you have an old house, the modernizing that needs to get done every few years.

ARE YOU ONLY GETTING SECOND BEST, AT BEST?  IF NOT THOUGHT OUT PROPERLY, YOUR NEW HOME CAN BECOME A DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THE REPAIR BILLS APPEAR

Retailers bank on the fact that people are too busy these days to shop for their homes just one piece at a time, and just want their houses done.  Period.  Well, if you fall into the rut getting everything at once, you will regret your purchases.  Each piece you buy should represent a purchase you made because of your everyday living needs .  If not thought out carefully you will risk overpaying and creating a generic-looking space that really doesn’t reflect who you are, your taste or current daily lifestyle.

RUSHING TO CREATE THE PERFECT HOME CAN BE A DISAPPOINTMENT

We’ve all felt the pressure to have the perfect house, whether it be for an upcoming party, the holidays or to simply blend in with the neighbors.

CONSIDER SHOPPING AT AN AUCTION RIGHT NOW

After buying my first home, I realized how empty it looked.  I went to auctions at the time, and felt the urge to bid on dozens of inexpensive items, hoping to be the “lucky” winner of all of them.  I overbid on things I never even loved—the prices seemed too low to overlook, and I had a house to furnish.    I wound up with over twenty pieces of junk for my home, and after putting everything inside, I realized I didn’t like half of the pieces, and would have no real use for them.  Several of the pieces later required a considerable amount of work; something I never considered budgeting for.

START OUT SMALL, HAVE PATIENCE, AND WAIT TO BUY YOUR FAVORITE PIECES, BUT DON’T SETTLE JUST TO GET YOUR HOME FULLY FURNISHED

FLEA MARKETS: My best advice for someone with refined taste, who wants an elegant, interesting home is to start out small.  For that reason, flea markets are the best way to get your feet wet.  In Chicago, I love the Randolph Street Market, a flea market that has an urban flair mixed with country charm.  Dealers rent stalls, and I’ve picked up pieces from $5-$2,000 at flea markets.  The trick is buying only what you love, one piece at a time, mixing new with old, and only buying pieces you have a use for.  Learning these skills takes time and a trained eye.

AUCTION: Auction is another great way to furnish a great big house, or even a city apartment.  I especially love shopping at local auctions for artwork, and especially love that I don’t have to pay for shipping.  Thanks to my big car.  My favorite auction houses for the great values are: Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, Neal Auction in New Orleans, and occasionally Sotheby’s more reasonably priced auctions.  You can’t go wrong.  Especially if you put in a silent bid and agree only to a maximum price you would be willing to pay.  Becoming emotional about a piece will not serve you well.  Avoid auctions or brokerage firms that charge an astronomical amount to sellers or buyers, like 1stdibs.  These places are not the best about warrantying the products they are selling.

BECOME YOUR OWN INTERIOR DESIGNER

The fastest way to date your house is to make everything look perfectly coordinated.  The perfectly coordinated look is outdated and always has been.  Your home will express more about you and your personality when you acquire one piece at a time.  Designers will also want to save themselves time, and earn the most amount of money possible by trying to create an entire ”look” for you and your family.  I’ve especially seen this when they are working with big families and know that people don’t have a lot of time to deal with all the details.

Take your time, and you, too, will have the house you love for a lifetime.

As featured on ABC7 Chicago.

With the real estate market being slow right now, you may be considering some home improvements. But beware of the scams and the contractors you allow to work on your home!

We can all relate to hiring the wrong contractor for our homes, the most intimate place that belongs to us. Getting recourse is very difficult and proving fault is not easy.

MOST COMMON SCAMS

1. Asking for $ upfront for supplies, but never finishes the job.
2. Bill at the end is higher than originally agreed upon.
3. Doesn’t provide a written contract.
4. Doesn’t provide in warranty or quote a list of materials/brand names to be used.
5. Telling you that your repair issue is urgent so you won’t get other (possibly less expensive) quotes.
6. Claiming the material you are buying is more expensive than the advertised price because it is custom.
7. Not getting building permit before work begins.
8. Demanding final payment before contractor pays subs/suppliers.
9. Not correcting problems with the work quickly and without a question.
10. Offering you a discount for continued business.

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FED UP SELLER ON EBAY?  GONE ARE THE DAYS WITH UNLIMITED SELLING OPTIONS

Having done countless segments on eBay and other online selling/buying venues, I decided to open up an account.  Easy enough, right?  Wrong.  After spending a day creating an account, creating a Paypal account to accept and send money, you must wait to be approved, and then spend an additional day teaching yourself how to use the eBay machine.

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW: EBAY IMPOSES SUBJECTIVE LIMITS AND CHANGES THE RULES AS YOU GO

EBay welcomes new sellers and allows you to get started listing your items for sale.  Upon creating listing pages with your items for sale, you may get a rejection notice at the end of inputting all of your information about the item, which could take the better part of an hour, between uploading pictures and creating meaningful descriptions.

WHY EBAY REJECTS YOUR ITEMS FOR SALE AND RANDOMLY IMPOSES NEW RULES AND LIMITS

Early into the process, I was informed that I had listed too many handbags, and couldn’t list any more handbags for 90 days.  If I had known that upfront, I would have been more careful in my selection of what to list.  I did not have that luxury because the door had been shut on me.  Try again…

So I decided to begin listing some designer clothing.  Much to my dismay, and after spending countless hours, collecting goods, photographing, inputting great and descriptive listing pages, I was again booted, with a message telling me I had reached my “limit” of listing designer pieces.  What limit?  Was it a quantity limit or a dollar amount limit?  Apparently, it was both.  Unbeknownst to me, I called eBay.  I couldn’t get any legitimate answers from any rep, until I got through to about a fourth rep, who said I should definitely be allowed to increase my listing  limit to $8,000.  Why did that rep allow a huge increase in my listing limit?  The rep told me that listing limits are subjective, and made by the reps at eBay.  So he advised me to continue listing.

WORKING AROUND THE EBAY LISTING PROBLEMS

EBay would not allow me to continue listing, again saying I had reached my limit of listing “designer” items in a certain time period.  I didn’t get it.  So I tried to list the items without mentioning the “designer” names.  I was again booted for “misrepresenting” the eBay item.  I still didn’t understand, so again, I contacted eBay.  They told me I would be booted for the next 90 days because I tried to sell another designer item.

When asked why the limits and subjective rules, I was told that the eBay “legal department” imposed these limits, which “are the law”, after people tried selling Tiffany and other designer names, but those items turned out to be fakes.  They are trying to impose limits to cut down on those practices.

This is a decision eBay has made, which has nothing to do with the law, and actually hurts those with excellent selling histories and track records.  Too much hype has been made on eBay between sellers and buyers about giving each other excellent reviews.  But many of the transactions have not been excellent and one side or the other has fallen short of being completely upfront in their transactions.

EBAY NEEDS A NEW WAY OF EVALUATING SELLERS

The 5-star eBay reviews seem meaningless today in the world of eBay.  My daughter, Bailey, told me that she heard several people were selling Xboxes on eBay for $25.  When the buyer would receive them, they were merely boxes with the letter “x” on them.  That is fraud.  But there are really wonderful sellers, with in-demand merchandise, who are pointlessly being booted from eBay.

EBay needs a new system that is fair to all listers, and is expressed at the top of their home page, with no ambiguity or confusion on the part of buyers or sellers.  Why are some given unlimited opportunity to sell and others are not?  I have no idea.

SHOPPING FOR APPLIANCES FOR A NEW HOME?  DON’T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BELIEVING THAT ONLY THE IMPORTED APPLIANCES ARE THE BEST

We all want to know we’ve made the right buying decisions on everything we buy; especially on big ticket items for the home.  While you are shopping for the major appliances; washers/dryers, dishwashers, etc., make sure you really do your research and talk to people who have recently shopped for the same appliances.  Just because you bought your last appliance at a store doesn’t mean you should buy your new appliances at the same store, especially if you now have a big house you need to fill with appliances. Now may be the time to do your own research instead of relying on your salesperson.

APPLIANCE SALESPEOPLE TEND TO PUSH PRODUCTS THAT WILL MAKE THEIR STORE AND/OR THEM THE MOST MONEY

This is true.  Many products are sold at only the retail price, as I was told Miele and Bosch adhere to.  On these more “high-end” products you will be forced to pay retail and may only get discounts on shipping or installation.  Consumers often feel safer with products they don’t have to negotiate for–retail pricing diminishes the fear associated with bargaining, or with discovering you may have paid the wrong price.

WHY I CHOSE 2 MIELE DISHWASHERS

After spending more than 20 years shopping for appliances at Abt Electronics in Chicago, I moved into my current home in Chicago, and spent the next several years living with my 15-year old appliances.  They actually worked really well, so I decided not to switch them out.  We had more expensive, important projects that needed more immediate attention.  During the few years that he used our old washing machine and dishwasher, except for the loud noises, the appliances washed thoroughly and with little problem.

Eventually the old Maytag dishwasher and washing machine died.  I began to look for newer, more state-of-the-art appliances.  Every store I went to I was hearing about Miele and Bosch.  I decided on a Miele dishwasher and Bosch washing machine, just to switch things up.

MY FIRST MIELE DISHWASHER LASTED ONLY 5 YEARS

Miele was a no-brainer for me in making my selection for the dishwasher.  Miele offered a virtually silent wash and had a great utensil drawer.  The best part was that my salesman told me I wouldn’t need much detergent or water to get the dishes extremely clean, and that the hot water would sanitize my dishes.  That part I loved.  However, about a year into owning the machine, I began having problems.  Problems that included my dishes not get particularly clean, and repairmen telling me that I need to greatly reduce the amount of detergent and frequently clean out the arm.  Cleaning out the arm was virtually impossible to do, because you couldn’t open it.  Other than trying to clean it out with a knife, and under water, I couldn’t do anything really besides calling the repairman to come over and try to fix it.

What I have noticed with both Miele and Bosch is that when they work, they work beautifully.  They are both quiet, the water gets really hot and the dishes come out sparkling.  But that is only about 2/10 times.  The rest of the time I can’t seem to get it right.

The first Miele ultimately broke down, and I was told I would need to replace it…after only 5 years.  Yes, you’d think with all the problems I had with the Miele I would switch back to Maytag, or to some other old-standing, reputable company.  But no, I was again led to believe that Miele was the way to go.  So again, I had a beautiful new stainless dishwasher installed.  This time, I was told I was getting the top of the line…the Advanta.

MY SECOND MIELE DISHWASHER DISASTER

That was 3 years ago.  But today, I am still having the same problems that my first Miele posed.  The dishes are not consistently getting clean; not even close.  And if I want to run a big load I actually have to break the load into smaller loads, or else the dishes won’t get clean.

MIELE HAS PERSUASIVELY TRAINED ELECTRONIC STORE SERVICE PEOPLE  THE CONSUMER TO TELL THE CUSTOMER THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SHOULD KNOW HOW TO FIX THEIR MACHINES, AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE RECURRING MIELE PROBLEMS AND THEMES

Though I have continually battled the same service issues, Abt has promised me that the manufacturer will come out to inspect the unit.  That visit has yet to happen.  If you buy Miele and Bosch, the warranty period is so short that by the time you realize you are having a problem your warranty has run out.

THE BOSCH WASHING MACHINE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE MIELE

The washing machine story is virtually the same as with the Miele dishwasher.  When I bought my Bosch, the washing machine was newly introduced into the US.  The Bosch cost about 50% more than the US brands, but I was told again that the Bosch will run extremely quietly and require very little water and detergent to clean my clothes.

WHY THE LITTLE WATER/LITTLE WATER THEORY BY BOSCH DOESN’T WORK, IN REALITY

I have had problems for the past several years with my Bosch.  With as little water as the unit uses, the washer never seems to drain all the way.   So by the time I get to the clothes they are soaking wet.  Abt repairmen have told me that the reason why this happens is because I need to run a temperature boost cycle several times, and add bleach, or vinegar, to make sure the clothes get clean; of course, when the washer is empty, thereby using more water.  I don’t get it.

MY NEW BOSCH MOTOR HASN’T CORRECTED THE RINSE CYCLE PROBLEM

After having the service man out several times, over many years, Abt said that Bosch would replace the motor.  Finally, a new motor.  What a great idea.  But the new motor hasn’t fixed the problems.  After my last service call, I was instructed again to use only HE (high efficiency) detergent.  But I had been using Tide HE for years.  So we are back to square one, and Bosch isn’t doing anything about it.  I have been told that the unit needs to be replaced, yet again.

Do you ever just want to recycle your old, grimy pots and pans?  Maybe you don’t want to spend a lot of money on kitchen gear.  But a few years ago, an extensive report came out on the dangers of and cancer-causing ties to using non-stick frying pans.  At first, consumers were suspicious that the startling revelation about the cancer-causing possibility of our everyday frying pans may have been instigated by the industry’s goal to create a profit motive, forcing all Americans to purge their stock of frying pans.

GET RID OF YOUR OLD NON-STICK FRYING PANS?

Before you make any rash decisions, consider the facts: At high heat, which non-stick frying pans are prone to reacting to by getting even hotter, the coating on the non-stick frying pan breaks apart, causing toxic particles and cancer-causing gasses to be emitted–these gasses and particles can cause extreme illnesses, even thyroid disease, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a prominent nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization, financed by the Rockefeller family, among other well-known families.  Teflon has been known to kill birds because of its toxicity.

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