Shopping scams are in session for back-to-school shopping

Shopping scams are in session for back-to-school shopping By Andrew Rayo Back-to-school season can be stressful for many kids and their parents — especially when scammers are back to work with online school shopping scams. But there are ways to get your school shopping done while avoiding scams that cost you valuable time and money. Read more ->  https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/08/shopping-scams-are-session-back-school-shopping

Shopping scams are in session for back-to-school shopping

Washington Post: "Be on guard for free-shipping deals that could end up being fake"

"It wasn’t just the pandemic that pushed more people online. Long before COVID, more shoppers decided to skip the crowds and simply click for their holiday gifts.

And I get it. I hate shopping — especially during the holidays. There’s the hunt for a parking space, the throngs of customers, the long checkout line at stores with 10 lanes but only three cashiers working the registers.

The old phrase “Shop till you drop” has become more like “Shop till you want to scream.”

So it makes sense that for the first time in Gallup’s look at holiday spending trends, a majority of Americans — 56 percent — say they are very likely to do their Christmas shopping online. That’s up eight percentage points from 2017."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/11/24/safe-online-holiday-shopping-tips/

(Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Peter Willis Photography - do your holiday photo gift shopping with Peter at Maks

Peter Willis Photography will be at Maks Roast Beef on Saturday, November 27 from 10 AM to 3 PM get your holiday shopping done! 

Can't make it to the event, you can still chat with Peter and place your order at https://www.peterwillisphotography.com anytime and get you favorite image delivered to your door.

Thank you in advance for your support!!!! 😃📸

https://www.peterwillisphotography.com/what-s-happening

Pete 

Peter Willis Photography 

https://www.peterwillisphotography.com/

Peter Willis Photography - do your holiday photo gift shopping

Your guide to holiday shopping during a chip shortage

Your guide to holiday shopping during a chip shortage by Carly Johnson, Intern, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC If you've been keeping up with the news, you might have heard about a global chip shortage.  Why does that matter to your holiday shopping?  Well, a lot of things you might buy for the holidays, like toys, have chips in them, so the shortage means prices are going up, and items that have chips can be harder to find. Read more ->  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/11/your-guide-holiday-shopping-during-chip-shortage?utm_source=govdelivery Your guide to holiday shopping during a chip shortage

FTC Consumer Alert: Holiday shopping season 2020

Holiday shopping season 2020 by Shameka Walker Attorney, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC The holiday season is upon us and retailers are already preparing for what they hope will be a successful shopping season. Because of COVID-19, it's likely that we'll be going online to look for those perfect gifts. With so many deals around and what seem like eternal "Black Friday" sales, it's important to keep some online shopping tips in mind. Read more >  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/11/holiday-shopping-season-2020 This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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In the News: expect a start date for plastic bag prohibition now that reusable bags are Ok

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Reusable bags have been cleared to return to checkout lines in Massachusetts, with a previous ban now removed in the latest round of Baker administration guidance affecting grocery stores.

On Friday, Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel rescinded a pair of earlier orders that laid out required precautions for grocery stores to safely operate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the rescission notice, Bharel said the two orders’ “COVID-19 reduction strategies” were now incorporated into the economic reopening safety standards for retail businesses that Gov. Charlie Baker issued in June."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200713/reusable-bags-allowed-again-in-grocery-stores

If you recall that the Town of Franklin just had an announcement last week about the delay in the plastic bag prohibition, your memory is good. We shared the following on Wednesday. So we can expect a formal start date announcement sometime (soon?).

"In late March, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker banned reusable bags and lifted local bans on plastic bags at grocery stores and pharmacies as part of his administration's steps to limit the spread of the Coronavirus.

To comply with this order the Town of Franklin is delaying the start of the plastic bag prohibition which was originally slated to go into effect July 1st, 2020.

The Plastic Bag Prohibition will go into effect when the Governor lifts the ban on reusable bags, once the ban is lifted the Town will send out a notification with a formal start date for the plastic bag prohibition to begin. "

Shared from the Town of Franklin page:
https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/update-plastic-bag-prohibition

 

In the News: expect a start date for plastic bag prohibition now that reusable bags are Ok

"to better enable customers to practice social distancing"

From the Milford Daily News, an article of interest for Franklin:

"Hours and days for early shopping vary depending on the individual store. Shaw’s, Big Y and Price Chopper are providing them every day of the week from 6-7 a.m., while Market Basket is offering them from 5:30-7 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Hannaford offers them from 6-7 a.m. on those three days.

Grocery chains throughout the region, including Market Basket, Price Chopper, Hannaford, Shaw’s and Big Y, have begun to offer early shopping hours for seniors to help protect them from both coronavirus exposure and the increasing difficulty of securing high-demand products.

Customers aged 60 and over will have first access to food and supplies in the store, with younger patrons asked to come later.

Older people are most at risk of health complications and death from coronavirus, and are encouraged to minimize contact with potential carriers of the virus, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200320/area-grocery-chains-carve-out-morning-hours-for-shoppers-60-and-older

Big Y - Franklin, MA

Urban Air Holiday Party - Dec 18

Step out of the cold December air into a Winter Wonderland of fun! On December 18th from 4-8 PM we transform into a park wide Holiday Party for the whole family. 

Those who join us for our party will get:

* $10 off Ultimate and Deluxe passes
* Pictures with Santa Claus
* Shopping with tons of LOCAL vendors to support your community
* There will be fun, games and prizes all night long!

Here's a partial list of vendors to shop with:

* Homemade pickles, jams, salsa and ribs from Confectionery Creations
* Custom glassware, coozies and more from Just Crafting Around
* Candles from Scentsy
* Homemade scarfs, blankets and pillows
* Homemade Christmas ornaments and lighted signs
* Bags from Thirty One
* Hair Straightners
* Color Street nails
* Homemade Wine Bottles from Sher Creates
* Tupperware
* Disney Travel
* Lularoe
* Paparazzi
* Life Expressions Decor
* Homemade baked goods and more!


Urban Air Adventure Park (Bellingham)
189 Mechanic Street, Bellingham, Massachusetts 02019

Follow the Facebook event for updates: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/466060837385243/

Urban Air Holiday Party - Dec 18

Federal Trade Commission: A scam story - Secret shopping and fake checks

A scam story: Secret shopping and fake checks by Emma Fletcher Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Scammers need a good story to get to your wallet. Once they find one that works, they use it again and again. One of their old favorites brings together fake checks and secret shopping, and we've been hearing a lot about it lately. Read more This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Federal Trade Commission · 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW · Washington, DC 20580 · 1-877-382-4357

Shopping Extravaganza - Nov 15 - 6 to 9 PM

Join us at the Annie Sullivan Middle School on Lincoln Street. 

Wednesday, November 15 from 6 to 9 PM

Get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping!

For more about the Annie Sullivan Parent Communication Council PCC
http://sullivanmiddle.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinSullivan_PCC/index

Shopping Extravaganza at Annie Sullivan Middle School. Nov 16

Mark your calendar for the Shopping Extravaganza at Annie Sullivan Middle School. Nov 16, 6-9pm.

Important Tips to Get the Most out of Your Holiday Gift Buying

"With the holiday season and Black Friday approaching, knowing your rights as a consumer might be just as important as knowing where to get the best deals. 

The Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation (OCABR) and the Office of the Attorney General (AGO) provide important tips about consumer protection, theft, warranties, and more so you get the most out of your gift buying."

• Make a Plan Before You Shop
• Understand Consumer Protection Law
• Learn Gift Certificate Laws
• Stay Safe While Shopping Online
• Know What to Do in the Event of Identity Theft
• Be Aware of Warranties

MA Gov blog post on 6 Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping

Continue reading the full article online here to get the details on these six tips
http://blog.mass.gov/blog/consumer-advice/six-tips-for-a-safe-successful-holiday-shopping-season/

In the News: Kmart on RT 109 to close

In the Milford Daily News we find this item of interest to Franklin shoppers:

The Kmart store on Rte. 109 will officially close in October, said Chris Braithwaite, vice president of media relations for Sears Holdings."Store closures are part of a series of actions we’re taking to reduce ongoing expenses," he said.Kmart is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corp. and has had presence in Milford for at least 35 years. The store will begin a liquidation sale Aug. 7, he said.

You can continue to read the article in the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140729/NEWS/140726803/1994/NEWS

Stop&Shop: Meals for 4 under $7

I love the competition that is growing among the food stores: Stop and Shop, Shaw's and Big Y... so many more healthy choices being offered for reasonable low prices!

View web version of this email Home | Weekly Circular | My Stop & Shop | Peapod Home Delivery Facebook Join the conversation and receive exclusive coupons and recipes » Stop & Shop App View your weekly circular and track points balances » Healthy Ideas App Access seasonal recipes, health tips, cooking videos and more » Your Subscription We sent this e-mail to you because you expressed an interest in receiving updates and money-saving offer e-mails from Stop & Shop. If you would like to unsubscribe or change your subscription preferences, click here. Questions Please do not reply to this e-mail as messages sent to this e-mail box cannot be answered. If you have questions, please contact Consumer Affairs. Copyright Information This e-mail message and its contents are copyrighted and are proprietary products of Stop & Shop Supermarket Co., 1385 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02169. Any unauthorized use, reproduction or transfer of this message or its contents, in any medium, is strictly prohibited. © 2013 The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company. All rights reserved. Click here for our Privacy Policy Statement.

Franklin Music students 'tagging' this weekend

This weekend, Franklin Music students will be "tagging" or collecting donations at Stop & Shop for their upcoming performances at Disney World.

Stop and Shop

The bands, choruses and others will be performing an adjudicated concert in April, 2014 during school vacation week. This is one of several fund-raisers the Franklin Music Boosters is sponsoring so that students can help to pay for their trip.

Additional information on the Franklin Music Boosters can be found on their webpage:
http://www.franklinmusic.org/

Stop & Shop A+ BonusBucks rewards Franklin schools

Last year about at this time, I reported on the Stop & Shop A+ program and how much money had been earned by Franklin residents for their schools. I went to the A+ website to find the totals for the school year that just completed and the totals had already been removed in preparation for the new year. I opened a request for the information and received the detail via email.

Annie Sullivan and Oak St are two schools that lead the pack in raising money via this channel.

All the schools need to be re-registered for the coming school year. Anyone shopping at Stop & Shop will also need to sign up again to chose which schools their purchases will contribute for. In prior years, you were able to enroll for multiple schools. I expect it will be the same process for this year.

Good Afternoon,

                With the program gearing up for another year, the website has currently removed last year's info.  Starting August 1, schools will be able to go online to re-register for the upcoming year.  Below are the Franklin, MA area schools with their totals.

$740.90	JOHN F KENNEDY SCHOOL	551 POND STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$536.48	GERALD M PARMENTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	235 WACHUSETT STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$427.79	HELLEN KELLER ELEMENTARY	500 LINCOLN STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$570.69	HORACE MANN MIDDLE SCHOOL	224 OAK STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$444.13	DAVIS THAYER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	137 WEST CENTRAL STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$218.58	REMINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL	628 WASHINGTON STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$564.64	TRI-COUNTY REG VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL HS	147 POND ST	FRANKLIN	MA	02038-3810
$839.11	FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL	218 OAK STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$818.93	JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	628 WASHINGTON STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$1,097.52	OAK STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	224 OAK STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$1,925.16	ANNIE SULLIVAN MIDDLE SCHOOL	500 LINCOLN STREET	FRANKLIN	MA	02038
$882.87	Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School	201 Main Street	Franklin	MA	02038

Thank you!

The A+ School Rewards Team

If you require further assistance, please contact us at 1-877-275-2758.  Have a Wonderful Day!!

After August September 1, you can register your Stop & Shop card for this program and one or more of the Franklin schools. You can use my step by step instructions http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/09/stop-shop-can-help-your-franklin-school.html

Food channel choices

The food shopping choices for Franklin are varied. Stop and Shop and Shaw's have been joined by the Big Y. Market Basket is in Bellingham. Trader Joe's in Foxboro. These are the 'traditional' food outlets. BJ Warehouse, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and then the smaller stores sell food as well. I had been working on an article to discuss what the introduction of the Big Y is doing to my family's shopping but the Globe has beaten me to the punch.

The Boston Globe Magazine on Sunday had a good article on the growth and evolution of supermarkets. Currently, we are shopping at more than one each week finding the best deals. The super stores that Walmart introduced have cut into the overall food sales of traditional supermarkets.

In part the article says:

Seventy-six percent of Americans now visit at least five “channels” for food — places like supermarkets, drug, and dollar stores — according to an August 2012 report from SymphonyIRI Group, a research firm in Chicago. Only 3 percent of us visit only one or two channels. Even my mom now shops at four. 

On average, a Boston-area family spends $8,066 a year on food, according to government statistics, but nearly half of it goes to things like restaurants and takeout. That leaves everyone selling groceries to tussle over only $4,870 per family. And for some time now, the traditional supermarket has been losing ground in the fight. 

Once the only game in town, supermarkets today only get about half of US grocery sales. Twenty-five percent goes to Walmart, which only introduced its Supercenters in 1988. Target is squeezing full food sections into many of its locations, including dozens in Massachusetts in recent years. Walgreens and CVS are now carving out more space for food on their shelves, and dollar stores across the country are adding freezers for items like pie crust and frozen vegetables. 

Offered this smorgasbord of options, today’s shoppers have become incredibly picky. Our sole loyalty, Rand says, is to our ability to find the best food at the best deals, behavior that increased during the Great Recession and still continues.

The online version of this article will require registration and/or subscription to the Globe
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2012/10/13/how-grocery-shopping-got-personal/P3Fgfalj8jB4bNQ8fGnU7K/story.html

Stop & Shop A+ can help your Franklin school!

Registration has re-opened to set up your frequent buyer card with up to two schools. The A+ program from Stop & Shop will accumulate the points you spend during the school year and then write a check to the school at the end of the year.

You are going to go food shopping, might as well help the Franklin schools as you do so. The one time registration to set up your card and link it to a school is all that is required.

Franklin schools received more than $10,000 from this program in June from purchases during the last school year. This is easy money. Let's see if we can get more than that this time around!

How to set up your card

Go to Stop and Shop's web page to register your card. When you login to your account (if you don't already have one, you'll need to create one), you select your home town by state. This will return the listing of school in the area. Most are already registered for this program. A couple haven't completed the registration for this year. Talk the the principal to encourage them to do so!

Select your school. You can select two schools, one at a time.

 
In these screen shots, I have chosen Oak St and then Franklin High School.

The registration ends with a confirmation page.

As a results of Franklin's shopping last school year, the school received a total of more than $10,000.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/07/franklin-schools-gain-10000-dollars.html

EdTech Networks Presentation (Audio)

EdTech Networks presented to the Franklin School Committee on 12/11/07. This captures their presentation and resulting discussion with the Committee.

Time: 1 hour, 8 minutes, 19 seconds



MP3 File

EdTech Networks Presentation

EdTech Networks presented to the School Committee during the meeting on 12/11/07. The audio of their presentation can be found here.


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My notes taken during their presentation and discussion with the School Committee:

EdTech Networks presentation

Based in Wakefield, MA
Builds website platforms for school systems
No out of pocket costs
Unique fundraising platform (new money for schools)

Advanced web technology

Good examples of the proposal in action:

Medford - http://www.medford.k12.ma.us/home.aspx?categoryID=3
Smithfield, RI - http://www.smithfield-ps.org/home.aspx?categoryID=3
E Greenwich, RI - http://egsd.net/home.aspx?categoryID=3
Georgetown - http://ps.gt.ma.ednets.us/home.aspx?categoryID=3

Other school districts mentioned:

Hudson (not an EdNet site)
Marlboro (not an EdNet site)
North Reading (web site not responding)

Large pipeline in progress 30-50, about 2/month coming on line

Participating merchants, recruit local businesses
Rebate recovery
Member marketing
Franklin brings – members YOU!

Key piece of the partnership is working with Franklin, parents, PTO school boosters, etc.
Marlboro school students developed a marketing plan

Two ways to generate rebates
1 – Online mall, school website (no need to register)
2 – Shop in store at local participating merchants (register your credit, debit, loyalty cards)

National, regional, online and local
Online mall has 500 national merchants
Expedia trip at $5000 would generate 2% back to the schools

Collect only card and date for tracking purposes, does not collect any other data, can not initiate a transaction
PCI compliant, high security standards
Encrypted data, data segregation
No plan text files of any files kept, all encrypted
No information is provided to any party, period

Content management system
Control users via permission
Easy to use, no HTML coding needed

Portal, single database, cut/paste from any MS program
Instantaneous updates
Publish to multiple pages simultaneously
Archival system
Navigation design
24/7 hosted, technical support provided
Training, by group
Faster communication, lower cost

Not limited to Franklin residents, can designate a beneficiary school district

Municipal requirements
1 – Separate account
2 – Education foundation

Combo websites and email
Targeted registration campaigns, some dollar reward for each registration via incentives
Can track district, schools, via promotion codes

Shrink wrap a school bus, with logo, and participating merchants

“Better schools through smarter shopping”

Split rebates, 2/3… up to website subscription fee, after that, 100%...
Advertising split 50/50

Could do picture profile online, do PTO profile online
Capacity for electronic payments for school fees, lunches, etc.

Demo of Marlboro, East Greenwich sites
Headshot for teachers capable, CV capable

.net platform, more current

After the sale what’s the spam effect? Self directed by customer, check off, to opt out
Use of captcha to access directory online

Three components of revenue
1 – rebate 80/20 merchant split
2 – split revenue from promotions 50/50
3 - website subscription fee paid from subscribers as noted in split above

Future items:
Electronic yearbooks
Social networking amongst teachers that could be monetized

100 million Americans in K-12 world, no one marketing to this group today

Don’t have a gas vendor today
Grocery highest priority
Then casual dining, faster growing segment of personal expenditures
Then Office/school supplies
Then Apparel

Co-branded debit and co-branded credit being explored

My questions (to be asked)
What percent of Franklin population has and uses a system?
What are traffic counts for existing school pages?