Consumer Minute: Pfizer cuts, casket outlet, recycling electronics

Pfizer Cuts
Pfizer pharmaceutical is making cuts. The company will lay-off 800-researchers world-wide, about 500 of them in Groton Conn. where Pfizer handles research and development.  Pfizer already cut about 700 jobs last month from European locations.

Neiman Marcus
Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus is announcing hundreds of layoffs.  The Dallas-based company is cutting close to 400 positions immediately.  December sales were reportedly down more than 30-percent.

Recycle Old Electronics
A new local business wants to recycle and refurbish your old electronics.  ETM Green is opening up in Cranston Wednesday.  The company collects old computers, TVs, printers, and other electronic waste from small and medium-sized businesses and their workers. The president, Thurston Hartford, explains what they do with the devices when they get them.
[“We determine if it can be used, reverse the manufacturing process, de-manufacture, parts, commodities, direct it out to .buyers or processors who use the materials accordingly.”  ETM hopes to expand, at some point, from its current 17 workers.

Casket Outlet
As the saying goes, “nothing is certain except death and taxes.”  Now some funeral directors are saying that in tough economic times.  Many people are trying to cut costs on funerals.

And that’s led to the opening of some discount outlets for caskets.  Funeral Director Robert Webster, who’s actually written books about the industry, says it’s now becoming common for families to call several different places to get price quotes before moving ahead with funeral planning.

He also says more customers are choosing cremation instead of burial—because it’s a lot cheaper.