Montrealmom.com
  • Being Mom
    • Planning /Pregnant
    • Mom of Infant
    • Mom of Toddler
    • Mom of Schoolage Child
    • Mom Of Teen
    • Mom of Twins or More
  • Life
    • Time Management
    • Work & Entrepreneurship
    • Family & Relationships
    • Childcare & Education
    • Money
    • Me.
  • Fun
    • Event Calendar
    • Crafts & Activities at Home
    • Organized Activities
    • Outings
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Disney Fun
  • Food
    • Recipes
      • All
      • Baby Food Recipes
      • Beef
      • Beverages
      • Breads
      • Desserts
      • Eggs & Dairy
      • Fish
      • Pasta
      • Poultry
      • Salads
      • Sauces & Dressings
      • Sides
      • Snacks
      • Soups
      • Vegetarian
    • Menu Planning
    • Nutrition
    • Entertaining
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Safety
    • Home & Garden
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Weight Watchers
    • Shopping
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • DIY
    • Living Green
    • Montreal
  • Travel
    • Family
    • Travel Tips
    • Disney
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Entertainment
    • Apps & Tech
    • Automotive
    • Products & Services
    • Toys
  • Directory
    • Activity Centers
    • Caterering / Pret À Manger
    • Classes
    • Home Services
    • Parties and Related Services
    • Photographers
    • Professional Services
    • Services
    • Services for Mom
  • Work with Us
  • About
    • About Us
    • In the Media
  • Contact

Montrealmom.com

  • Being Mom
    • Planning /Pregnant
    • Mom of Infant
    • Mom of Toddler
    • Mom of Schoolage Child
    • Mom Of Teen
    • Mom of Twins or More
  • Life
    • Time Management
    • Work & Entrepreneurship
    • Family & Relationships
    • Childcare & Education
    • Money
    • Me.
  • Fun
    • Event Calendar
    • Crafts & Activities at Home
    • Organized Activities
    • Outings
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Disney Fun
  • Food
    • Recipes
      • All
      • Baby Food Recipes
      • Beef
      • Beverages
      • Breads
      • Desserts
      • Eggs & Dairy
      • Fish
      • Pasta
      • Poultry
      • Salads
      • Sauces & Dressings
      • Sides
      • Snacks
      • Soups
      • Vegetarian
    • Menu Planning
    • Nutrition
    • Entertaining
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Safety
    • Home & Garden
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Weight Watchers
    • Shopping
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • DIY
    • Living Green
    • Montreal
  • Travel
    • Family
    • Travel Tips
    • Disney
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Entertainment
    • Apps & Tech
    • Automotive
    • Products & Services
    • Toys
  • Directory
    • Activity Centers
    • Caterering / Pret À Manger
    • Classes
    • Home Services
    • Parties and Related Services
    • Photographers
    • Professional Services
    • Services
    • Services for Mom
  • Work with Us
  • About
    • About Us
    • In the Media
  • Contact
Apps & TechHolidays & CelebrationsReviews

Can a Blue Shirt Reduce your Stress Level this Holiday Season?

written by Tanya Toledano

You tell me.

How much of your stress is related to shopping for “the perfect gift”?

If that line just struck a chord, then you may be interested in this.

Christmas Stress

I recently found out that Best Buy has a free PERSONAL SHOPPER program.

I know, it sounds like a gimmick.  That’s why I had to try it out for myself before I was willing to speak about it here.

So I did.

I arrived at the Best Buy in Fairview Pointe Claire and was introduced to Rupinder a.k.a.”Rupy”, my Personal Shopper in a “blue shirt”.  We chatted a bit and then got right down to business.  He wanted to know who I’d be shopping for.

Given that this was an exercise in testing out their service, I created a fictitious list of “giftee” profiles based on what I perceive to be some fairly common (and maybe some not-so-common) gift-giving challenges.

Rupy pulled out a clipboard with a serious profile sheet to fill in.  He wanted to know all about my giftees: Age, gender, how active they were, etc. He took some notes and then we began.

Gifting Challenge #1: An aging parent who

  • has limited mobility;
  • enjoys reading blogs and magazines as well as books when her concentration allows for it;
  • loves watching movies and looking at pictures of her grandkids;
  • travels from time to time, but mostly by car;
  • is in and out of hospital and when she is there can get bored;
  • has family overseas who communicate with her via Skype.

10246505Rupy’s Recommendation:

  • iPad Mini with Retina LTE (4G) 16 GB at $451.64
  • Product # 10229789
  • Recommended as well: A stylus as a stocking stuffer

(Yes, he even marked down the product # on my sheet for me to make it easier for me to return to order the right one or to do so online)

Why the choice? Apple is the most user friendly of all the tablets , even if it is a touch pricier.

When I mentioned that as an elderly person, a monthly data plan may be cost prohibitive and that I don’t like to give gifts that impose an additional cost on the giftee, Rupy reminded me that although we could choose a Wifi only version, that plans are available quite inexpensively these days. Good point.  The 4G would certainly come in handy for those hospital stays where Wifi may not be very reliable.

Gift Challenge #2: A High School Student who:

  • is finding out that the school encourages the use of laptops or tablets in many of her classes;
  • needs something lightweight- her backpack is already ridiculously filled;
  • would love a device that she could use at home & at school for:
    • internet-based research;
    • email;
    • writing papers;
    • creating powerpoint presentations;
    • taking notes in class;
    • class projects where the students are encouraged to use their technology.

10218572Rupy’s Recommendation:

  • Macbook Air 11″ HD711KL/A
  • Product # 10218573
  • MS Office since her school encourages PowerPoint presentations
  • A Sleeve to protect her MacBook ($29.99)

Why not the tablet?  The Air is a fully functional computer and has more capabilities than a simple tablet and yet is extremely lightweight.  That said, Rupy debriefed me on the variety of tablets that could fit the bill if working with a smaller budget.

Gifting Challenge #3: Something Fitness-related to encourage a friend who:

  • just started working out
  • may join a gym
  • likes to listen to music
  • has an old iPod Touch

Note: I was actually sure Rupy was going to recommend an iPod Nano.  He surprised me – and I LOVED the idea!!

1027064410219780Rupy’s Recommendation:

  • An iPod Nano (no shocker here) $135.99
  • A Fitbit Force : WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!!  It honestly hadn’t occurred to me.  What’s a fitbit force?  A thin watch that you can wear all day & all night that tracks your activity, your sleep patterns, how many steps you’ve taken & more… This would be a GREAT idea!!!  $129.99

Gifting Challenge #4: Headphones suitable for kids.

I DO NOT like the idea of earbuds for kids, so I think that headphones are a great gift for both kids and teens and I was not looking to spend a bundle here…you know…kids…

10246408 10274867 10274869Rupy’s Recommendation:
For kids 7-10 Spiderman (#10274867) or Hello Kitty (#10274869) Headphones

(Note: While we did see sets that were fur wrapped, the fur did not seem to be removable for washing – those things would be gone in a heartbeat if anyone with lice ever came close to them…As cute as they are, I wouldn’t recommend them)

For Teens :

N-Tune Monster (#10261247) at $150.44, OR, if you’re not looking to spend a lot:

Senneheiser HD201 (#10169519) at $50.44

Gifting Challenge #5: A friend who:

  • is always crackling through the speakerphone when she’s driving;
  • does not have a hands free  / bluetooth device (yes that’s a hint..)

10173811Rupy’s recommendation: 

  • Jabra Hands-Free FreeWay
  • (#10173811)
  • $120.44

Gifting Challenge #6: A gaming system for my own family that is:

  • family friendly
  • not the original Wii (because we have that already)
  • will have a decent selection of games that don’t involve ANY kind of shooting with guns, violence or bad language

10274044-1 10274171Rupy’s Recommendation:

  • Either: XBOX One at $503.74
    • consider an XBOX Live Gold Membership at $59.99…(I will have to look at the details on that one!)
  • OR: Wii U (game bundle) at $303.74

Note: Rupy took me through each of the systems, explained to me the “types” of games that each are known for and was careful to respect our no-gun, no violence approach.  I actually found this extremely helpful.

Gifting Challenge #7: Someone special who has been pining after a DSLR.

  • It’s a big gift for a very special person
  • Main concern is she needs strong zoom-in capabilities
  • Would like to have lens options

Rupy’s Recommendation, depending on budget (I forgot to give him one here!)

  • B0002507B0002532 10276004Canon T3 or T3i  (or Bundle) $299.99  – $599.99
  • If not included in the bundle, don’t forget an SD card to go with it.  (Anywhere from $30-$100)

Gifting Challenge #8: A videocamera for an expectant couple

  • not too pricey
  • compact
  • Good quality video

10239221Rupy’s Recommendation:

  • Samsung HMX-F90BN at $149.99 – $229.99 ($149.99 is when it goes on sale)
  • Add an SD card for videos – 64GB holds 80 mins ($60 – $150)

MY OVERALL ASSESSMENT:

 

Q: Did I find Rupy helpful?
A: Yes.  His reminders of the add-ons that I would need to keep in mind to respect my budget were super helpful ( software, laptop sleeve, SD cards, etc).  His patience and questions showed me that he really did want to help me find the PERFECT gift for the person in question.

bby_CMYK

Q: If this were truly my gift list, would this experience have a reduced my stress level?
A: Definitely.  Some of the items on my list are pricey and there are so many options to choose from, Rupy’s expert advice and ability to guide me through the plethora of options to narrow it down to the appropriate choice for my “giftee” was invaluable and saved me a lot of time & independent research.

Q: Would I recommend that my readers who are time-crunched use the services of  a Best Buy Personal Shopper (in a Blue Shirt )to help get them through their list?
A: Yes.

CONCLUSION:
If finding the perfect gift or gifts is stressing you out, then indeed, used properly a “Blue Shirt” CAN reduce your stress level 🙂

Happy shopping and if you happen to meet up with Rupy at Fairview – Tell him I say hi – He rocks!!!

Tanya

As with all sponsored posts, I will only ever share with you products and/or services I believe in. All opinions contained within are my own and cannot be bought  :)

Can a Blue Shirt Reduce your Stress Level this Holiday Season? was last modified: March 17th, 2016 by Tanya Toledano
0 comment
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Tanya Toledano

previous post
Home for the Holidays at Ethan Allen Montreal
next post
Beario – A Gift of Purpose, Meaning and Starlight.

You may also like

Shop Local for the Holidays at the WE2 Holiday Fair Sunday Dec 6th!

December 1, 2015

Choosing a Colour for your Counters

October 15, 2014

Tisano Chocolate Tea…Guilt-Free Indulgence.

May 28, 2012

McDonald’s Canada is Kickin’ it Up a Notch…

December 2, 2015

These Boots Were Made For Winter! #montrealmomAPPROVED

February 17, 2015

Lifeforia- A Hidden Gem (of a Spa!)

June 8, 2015

AeroGarden at 1 month – We’ve Got Basil!

June 15, 2012

Purim- The Hamentaschen Holiday!

March 6, 2012

How I Bought Myself Drawer-Space & Time for $5.99

April 2, 2012
Featured Video Play Icon

#FlippOutFriday May 6 – Includes a #Giveaway!

May 6, 2016

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • GIVEAWAY: Enter for Your Chance to WIN One of Fifteen Family Packs of Four Passes to See the Montreal Advance Screening of Marvel Studios’ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

  • GIVEAWAY: Enter for a Chance to WIN One of Ten Family Packs of Four Passes to See the Montreal Advance Screening of Disney’s Strange World!

  • NEW! Pre-K Program in the West Island at Inventor STEM School!

  • It Took Me Over Two Years To Let My Guard Down…and Less Than Two Days to Test Positive.

  • GIVEAWAY: ENTER for a Chance to WIN One of Five FAMILY PACKS OF FOUR PASSES to See the Montreal Advance Screening of Disney and Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ !

Subscribe to our Newsletter

  • #GIVEAWAYALERT Who would like to see the Montreal Advance Screening of Marvel Studios’ 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quant… https://t.co/lzjoGC9Ohk

    01-Feb-2023

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • Must share that I LOVE @TommyBahama -and that it’s available online in #Canada 💗 Not only are the dresses the BEST…… https://t.co/mHrgGKHFIc

    12-Dec-2022

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • #GIVEAWAYALERT ENTER for a chance to WIN one of 10 FAMILY PACKS OF FOUR PASSES to see the Montreal Advance Screenin… https://t.co/FRs4UGrUqU

    08-Nov-2022

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • Still looking for a Pre-K program with an enriching and educational experience in a half-day format? You'll be thri… https://t.co/xyrdoJ4SGd

    15-Aug-2022

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • #GIVEAWAYAlert Who would like to see the Montreal Advance Screening of Disney and Pixar's 'Lightyear'?!? ENTER… https://t.co/riTuuYJQgM

    07-Jun-2022

    Reply Retweet Favorite
team-teluspg-mom-badge

Archives

Categories

LATEST FROM INSTAGRAM

Follow on Instagram

AS SEEN ON TV

Subscribe to montrealmomTV on YouTube to be the first to see Tanya's latest videos.
  • Our Family’s Experience with the Ford Expedition

Subscribe to our Newsletter

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube
  • Periscope
Footer Logo

© 2016 montrealmom.com. All rights reserved  |  Powered by Red Dream Studios


Back To Top
We use cookies on our website to give you the best experience on our website. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT