November 2007 Archives

Forget blocks, dolls and coloring books; today's kids crave tech! Treat your little movie mogul to the Bratz Portable DVD Player, starting at $129.99. She'll love the sizzlin' hot Bratz graphics and totally trendy design. Plus, it'll make holiday travel a whole lot easier! Got a shutterbug on your hands? Kid-friendly digital cameras like the Kidizoom Digital Camera ($43.99) make photography easy and fun for tiny photographers. If your little one is a budding artist, treat her to the Digital Arts & Crafts Studio ($58.99) that connects to your PC and printer. Parental controls allow you to manage access and limit the prints per session.

If you haven't made the switch to permanent Christmas trees, now's the time! Not only are permanent trees easy to set up and maintenance-free, they are a smart investment that will last for years. The following trees are elegant, unique, and available in a variety of styles to suit anyone's decor.

1. 6.5 Ft. White Tree: $149.99

2. 7.5 Ft. Bristol Pine: $169.99

3. 6.5 Ft. Full Sierra: $199.99

4. 6 Ft. Pull Up Tree: $99.99

5. 8.5 Ft. Balsam Fir: $199.99

6. 7.5 Ft. Fraser Fir: $139.98

7. 7.5 Ft. Spruce: $174.98

8. 7.5 Ft. Hamilton Pine: $168.98

9. 7.5 Ft. White Miracle Tree: $149

10. 7.5 Ft. Wesley Pine: $139

Check off your gift list and plan a holiday feast without busting your budget! Save on your holiday essentials with Cash Back and coupons at your favorite stores like Home Depot, RitzCamera, ICE.com and Dell Home. Find gourmet food, shop for gifts or prep your house for the perfect party. Remember to use coupons so you can get maximum savings! Whether you're shopping for decorations, gourmet food or even a Christmas tree, The Ebates Holiday Helper will help you find the best deals online at the most popular stores.

Put a little more happy in your holiday with the Ebates Holiday Giveaway ! Once a week for four weeks, we're giving away one of 2007's hottest gift items: an XBox, a Playstation 3, a Wii and an Apple iPhone. This week's featured product is the Playstation 3. Packed with features like a Blu-ray DVD Player, Wi-Fi, flash media reader and a 40-80 GB hard drive, the PS3 is sure to please even the most discriminating gamer. Enter now for a chance to win!

If you're in the market to actually buy a PS3, 40 GB models are available from eight Ebates stores for $399.99. Check out which stores have the highest Cash Back- you can save over $12!

What's the best part of Fall and Winter? The coats, of course!  Whether you're shopping for yourself or looking for the perfect gift, a high-end coat never goes out of style. You'll love the Liz Claiborne Wool-Silk blend Coat (now 73% off- just $92.99), featuring slimming princess seams. Looking for color options? Try London Fog's Angora Blend Coat (Now 62% off- just $101.99), available in Black, Brown and Ivory. If you want the absolute crème de la crème of coats, there's nothing more elegant than the Regal Cashmere Walker. This stunning, portrait-collar coat was $1,050 and has been reduced to only $399.99. You'll have this gorgeous piece for many winters to come!

Sure, we'd all like a huge HDTV, but keep in mind that sometimes, the best picture comes in a smaller package. The following is a list of ten HDTVs under $1000 and all are sure to put a little more happy in someone's holiday.

1. 50" Samsung DLP Projection: $999,  2% Cash Back

2. 42" Westinghouse LCD: $989.99, 1% Cash Back

3. 37" LG LCD: $899.97, 2% Cash Back

4. 37" Scott LCD: $799.99, 2% Cash Back

5. 37" AKAI Widescreen LCD: $699.97, 2% Cash Back

6. 37" Philips LCD: $989.99, 1% Cash Back

7. 32" Sony Bravia M-Series LCD: $750.49,  2% Cash Back

8. 32" Samsung LCD: $899.99,  2% Cash Back

9. 32" Samsung LCD: 829.99,  2% Cash Back

10. 26" Sharp Widescreen LCD: $695.99, 1% Cash Back

It's the most highly anticipated game for Wii ever. Super Mario Galaxy was just released and it's proving to be the number one must-have game of the 2007 holiday season! The Wii Remote makes controlling Mario easier than ever. Unleash new moves with a shake of the Wii Remote and even click and hold enemies to stop them in their tracks!  Explore entirely new worlds, and experience your favorite Super Mario Bros characters like you never have before. Super Mario Galaxy starts at $45.99; compare prices now at eight Ebates stores!

It's that time again! Tons of Big Fat Checks are on their way to Ebates users, so keep an eye on your mailbox! Remember you must have at least $5.01 in Cash Back (Tell-A-Friend or Sign Up Bonuses don't count towards the $5.01) in your Ebates Account to receive your check this quarter. If you have less than five dollars in your account, don't worry; your Cash Back will roll over to next quarter! For some of you, that means you'll have to do more shopping! I know, the pressure is almost too much, isn't it?

For those of you who are receiving a Big Fat Check this quarter, congratulations! There's nothing like getting free money in the mail.

We get a lot of Customer Care emails from shoppers wondering, "Where is my Big Fat Check!?". Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's because they've forgotten to update their home address in their Account Profile! So please, people. Visit your Account Profile now and make sure your mailing address is correct.

Want to see the full payment schedule for Big Fat Checks? Go here...

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Great news! Today only, Ebates members get an extra 15% off on all Limited Time Sale items at Ralph Lauren. Simply enter code RLNOV15 at checkout and you'll be up to your ears in beautiful designer apparel and elegant items for the home. (This offer excludes gift cards, gift certificates, fragrance and Pink Pony).

Don't forget- this is a great opportunity to stock up on holiday gifts. This offer is one day only, so hurry!

This holiday season, stuff their stockings with the gift of choice: give your friends and family Borders gift cards! Borders just joined Ebates and we're rewarding you with 3% Cash Back on all gift card purchases (all other Borders merchandise is not eligible for Cash Back). Your recipient can redeem their gift card for books, DVDs, music, children's books and more. You can even personalize your gift card with a favorite photo! Why scour the stores for the perfect gift when a Borders gift card lets your recipients pick their own? Gift giving has never been easier!

Ski season is almost here, and there's  no better time to find cheap lift tickets! Headed to Big Sky, Montana? Start at Travelocity for lift tickets starting at $23.50 and 1% Cash Back! Priceline offers up to 50% hotel discounts in resort towns like Vail, Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, Lake Tahoe, and Aspen. Lastly, don't miss out on free lift tickets for Crested Butte when you book through Expedia! You'll love the charming Victorian store fronts and exquisite cuisine that have made this tiny town famous. Tickets are good November 25th through December 15th and of course, you get 1% Cash Back from Ebates.

I used to do wedding videography, and let me tell you- changing tapes is no fun . That ominous blinking light  always seems to rear it's ugly red head at the precise moment the couple is saying "I do", or when the best man is in the middle of recalling that one wild night in Tijuana. Any videographer will appreciate the beauty of a tapeless video camera like this one featured in today's Top Picks Newsletter:

Baby's first steps, Dad's holiday toast, the moment Grandma realized the party was just for her. These are the moments you want on video, so don't risk missing them because you've run out of tape! The Sony DCR-SR42 Handycam has built-in 30GB HDD storage that allows you to capture up to 20 hours of recording time! When you're ready to share your masterpiece, you'll love the ease of one touch disc burn capability and the Memory Stick Duo media slot. Find your DCR-SR42 Handycam at several Ebates merchants, starting at just $483.99!

From next week's Top Picks Newsletter:

Don't resort to Two Buck Chuck*; impress your guests with the finest wine without roasting your Thanksgiving budget! Affordable, top-rated reds like Chateau du Basty Régnié ($14.75) and  Château Cadillac Lesgourgues Bordeaux Supérieur ($17.95) pair exquisitely with rich turkey, roast veggies and scrumptious hard cheese, as does Villard Estates Expresión Reserve Chardonnay ($13.00). If your feast features spicy ethnic dishes,  try Domaine Loew Gewurztraminer ($17.75) for a white that pairs perfectly with turkey or thai!

*Ok, I'll be honest. I don't have a problem with Two Buck Chuck. In fact, I kind of like it. Why shouldn' t I? It was judged Best Chardonnay from California at the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Has your wine been voted Best Chardonnay from California? Thought so! Do I sound defensive? I think I sound defensive.

Garmin just released the latest in their nüvi line of GPS devices, and the Garmin nüvi 760 is sleeker, trimmer and packed with easy-to-use features! You'll love the sleek, charcoal-gray casing and ultra-slim, antenna-free profile. The 760 features a never-before-seen multisegment routing option that allows you to change your itinerary instantly! Best of all, the 760 costs less than its predecessor, the 660. It starts at only $669.95!

If you're a fan of Banana Republic, Gap or Urban Outfitters, you'll love Original Penguin. Just launched today, Original Penguin features classic apparel with a trendy twist- think simple peacoats and trendy conductor caps. The company was founded in 1955, so you've probably seen the Pete himself appliqued on polo shirts and scarves. Check out this quick bio from Original Penguin:

In 1955, Minneapolis-based Munsingwear - an underwear and military supply company - ironically became the touchstone of suburban sport with the introduction of the first iconic golf shirt to America - an ORIGINAL PENGUIN®. The now famous ORIGINAL PENGUIN logo has an interesting story behind it. As history tells us, one of Munsingwear's salesmen spotted a flock of penguins in the window of a New York taxidermist - and on what seems like a lark, bought one of the stuffed birds. And before long, the "Pete" the penguin became the official mascot and logo of golf shirts. Its first shirt - the 1955, was an instant golf classic, first to feature an "action guest" or a ribbed slice of fabric on the underarm to avoid rips during even the most enthusiastic golf swing. an ORIGINAL PENGUIN® by Munsingwear became a staple among the masters of suburban leisure well into the 1980s - worn by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Richard Nixon. In 1996, Perry Ellis Incorporated acquired the Munsingwear trademarks and re-launched the ORIGINAL PENGUIN brand as a complete sportswear collection in the Spring of 2003.

Spend $75 at Original Penguin by November 10th and get free shipping on your entire order!

Many thanks to Becky at CompareRewards.com for passing on this great article from the local CBS affiliate in Wichita, Kansas. The following is a transcript of their report, but be sure to watch the accompanying video!

Online Shopping Rebates
By Megan Strader

A computer and a few minutes - that's all it takes to go shopping these days.  And, in an effort to lure you, some websites promise to give you money back...for simply buying what you need through them. Sites like "e-Bates.com", "FatWallet", and "Cashbackster" are just a few of the sites that have popped up promising to save you the trip to the store, and save you some money.

The sites get a kickback from stores to link to their websites.  e-Bates then gives you a portion of that commission simply by shopping through them. Both e-Bates.com and FatWallet are Better Business Bureau accredited companies with satisfactory ratings. Their home pages boast cash back savings of anywhere from one to eight percent. But, debt counselors warn people not to get too caught up in how much they're getting back and forget about how much they're spending.

Tim Hagan is the Executive Director of Education at the Wichita Consumer Credit Counseling Service.  He says it's important for shoppers to avoid getting caught up in the savings, "Some kind of adrenaline rush or motivation to just keep buying because they see that money piling up in their account but perhaps what they don't see is their credit card balance going up." Hagan says, responsible shoppers shouldn't have any trouble using these sites. "I'm not calling these a bad deal. If it fits your situation and you understand what you're doing and that's the way you want to buy things do it with your eyes wide open."

Folks we talked to with are split on whether it's worth the few bucks they could save. One woman we spoke with says she likes the convenience of shopping online and the reward at the end with the cash back is an extra bonus.  Another woman says, she's retired...and getting out to shop is much easier. The majority of feedback we found for the three sites we looked at was positive. Financial experts warn people to shop around and make sure the bargain websites are still offering the best deal when you factor in things like shipping and handling and exchange costs.

There are so many cameras from which to pick- how are you supposed to know which is right for you? Let me tell you, Canons are some of the easiest cameras to use, even if your photography skills are more akin to that of a three year old than, say,  Annie Leibovitz. The most surprising thing about these tiny cameras is the fact that they take incredible videos. Even played on a large tv screen, they come out crisp, clear and with pretty decent audio. From today's Top Picks Newsletter:

Don't let the perfect holiday photo pass you by just because you have an outdated digital camera! Invest in the Canon SD850 and take crisp, professional quality photos of your friends and family.This powerhouse, 8.1 megapixel camera is packed with an Optical Image Stabilizer for steady zooming, DIGIC III Image Processor with red-eye corrector, five movie modes, and a vivid, 2.5-inch PureColor LCD screen. Find yours at Buy.com for 25% off  ($264.99) or compare prices at some of Ebates' most popular stores!

This Thanksgiving, don't surrender your toiletries to airport security! Tuck these convenient kits in a sandwich bag and you'll stroll through without a hitch. Try Juice Organics skincare line (a $45 value) for just $29, Anthony Logistics for Men Grab + Go Portables, or the L'Occitaine Shea To Go for only $20- perfect for dry skin. Remember- orders of $50 or more ship free, and you choose three free gifts with your order at Sephora!