Nov 20 2024 - Succumbing to Black Friday

 

This is the first year that I've noticed the Black Friday ads justify themselves so far in advance of the actual Black Friday.  It works as it gets my attention. Then I wonder the worst case scenario.  Will it ever end? Will it continue after American Thanksgiving has come and gone?  I wonder these things.  It has already been successful in turning all of November into Black Friday month for Canadian shoppers. Maybe it will drift into December, too. Black Friday in Canada is "a significant cultural and retail event that kickstarts the holiday shopping season, reshaping the way Canadians shop and interact with retailers"  Really? That appears to be an opinion-piece statement.  It has lots off advertisements, so I guess that's the real purpose.   All the articles seem to be this way - they all have lots of ads on the best gifts and best deals.    So I took a look through what the National Post wants you to click through to.  It is HERE.   It is very entertaining. The site is lifehacks.com  and these are crazy things like a smart ring, the vital flex core (military method to lose weight). VI shift revolutionary glasses, fluffy zen pillow, the Ramona fire blanket (You see in ads everywhere)...   Wait there's one for me:  the pocket hose copper bullet - step up your gardening game!  And another that got my attention - see below the picture of a dog and a little four-wheeled vehicle.  It is a robot dog walker.  Can you see Millie dragging it along as she chases leaves?   Maybe it delivers parcels and walks the dog.

Here's my Black Friday picture.  Graffiti on a wall.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

March 30 2022 - Dollarama Deals or Not

 

It seems like Dollar Stores such as Dollarama have been with us a long time.  The first all-dollar store began in Montreal in 1910.  Salim Rassy (later Rossy) was the founder. His son George took over in 1937 and then grandson Larry assumed the lead after George's death in 1973.  The first store with the Dollarama name happened in 1992 and has grown to over 1400 stores in Canada.  We have the most in Ontario. I have a notion that Dollarama products are significantly lower quality than their counterparts in traditional retail and grocery stores.  Things like detergent - is the product watered down? Do the products follow our food and safety standards?  I decide to find out what the situation is. This is one of the sorts of internet topics that many people have weighed in on. From Reader's Digest to Bob Villa.  Here's what they say about Dollarama (we're excluding Dollar Tree in the US).  This is what not to buy: Electronics - PVC content Plastic cooking utensils - BFRs Canned goods - BPA in the lining Toys - untested for consumer safety Tools - poor quality Knives - poor quality, i.e. not sharp Batteries - poor quality Back-to-school - poor quality Pet food or treats - pet safety due to expiry and ingredients Makeup, toiletries, medicine - expiration dates, contents  What might the good deals be?  Household products and cleaning supplies  Party supplies Seasonal decor Brand name candy Notebooks, colouring books Home storage and organizing supplies Vases and decorative bowls Greeting cards So I am safe on the vast amounts of Christmas decorations (for the Fantasy of Trees), the greeting cards, and all those plastic containers storing the decorations. I had previously questioned how Dollarama could sell name brand items at big discounts. A MacLean's article from 2017 HERE outlines their knock-off practices which infringe on patents.  The contents or quality of these products cannot be assured.  Dollarama says it is not trying to "trick customers".  So much for some of the "good deals". Today's image is our April calendar - a multiple exposure picture of the garden around the corner at the end of April last year.  These multiple image pictures are created in the camera which has a setting for this.  Somehow when they are merged in the camera they appear more abstract than if 6 images were taken separately and merged in Photoshop.  It seems like magic to me.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca