I know its free and its cool, but is there a real reason why a blog needs a call in tip line?

@CompyPaq: Yeah, email seems more efficient.

I won't, but I am very tempted to call to say hi and a "Keep up the good work, Consumerist!".

Is there a way to post the Transcription from Google voice too?

If only as an excuse to run that photo.

Although I suppose GitEmSteveDave should have the number on speed dial so he can snark in person. Plus, you could, I don't know, have audio of the Best Buy assistant manager yelling at you or whatnot.

@mitpatterson2: In my short experience with Google Voice's transcription feature, it doesn't work well.
Google Transcription
"Hi. This is Erin calling from to write the reason for my call. Just to remind you that your trip to have a membership has expired."

The actual call was from someone at AAA (trip to have a AND to write)

Google Voice to Consumerist

You have a new voicemail from
Cash4Gold (954) 555-5555 - mobile
12:01 PM

"Uh yeah, heh heh, this is Cash4 -- er, I mean this is President Obama. You're like, illegal now. Heh. So you can take down the site now. [laughter] Also, um, you have to give Cash4Gold a lottta money. A whole lot. Because, er -- Bye!"

@BabyFirefly: You too huh?

1989 clld. Thy lft y vcml syng thy wnt thr cmmnctns mdm bck.

Or, instead of 347-422-6695 or 347-42C-ON95, you could dial 34-GIBBON-95 ...

...just sayin'...

@CompyPaq: What if someone wants to leave a tip while they're on the go and not sitting in front of email?

Google Voice is cool and all that, but I'm not sure I see the benefit to this. What's wrong with email?

@Cameraman: Oh, it will be on speed dial. I'll have to call from my GV number, 908-912-GESD, though.

Google Voice to Consumerist

You have a new voicemail from
Cash4Gold (954) 555-5555 - mobile
12:04 PM

"So like this is the internet people. You know. The ones who control this internet? And you should turn over consumerist.com to us immediately. And your new domain is baldpeopleurine.net. This is the only one available. To you. At this time. That's .net, not .com. [laughter] So, er, do this right away, um, bye!"

Is it wrong to feel elitist for having "The Consumerist" in my phone?

Can my kittehs call to leave the Cap'n a message? Does the GV translation software work, or do you need someone who studied KSL?

@dmuth: Like Ben said upthread, what if you want to send in a tip and don't have access to email at the moment?

There have been times last year in which I've spotted a glaring issue that I thought Consumerist would find interesting, but I had a dumbphone at that point and had to wait until I was at my computer to send the email, and that was somewhat pointless if I had to plug in my Micro SD card from my phone so I could pull the photos off my dumbphone.

I have a smartphone now, so that's not an issue, but I would've liked a tip line back in 2008.

Next thing you know, you'll be following in the footsteps of Colorado's Suburban Home Records and setting up a Drunk Dial Hotline!

Seriously, though, I can see this being pretty cool. Like, let's say that you're in a Wisconsin Menard's and you've been detained by a security guard. Your first call, obviously, would be to the police. But your second call? To The Consumerist Tip Hotline.

"Hello, Consumerist! This is XXXX. I am currently detained by a rent-a-cop in a Wisconsin Menard's. Say 'hello,' Rent-a-Cop!"

Ben, do you guys keep track of the phone numbers? Not sure I want my phone number to be floating around out there.

They got these big chewy pretzels here that ar ejajdjkga;jkc ac asjdr;kac a;ca... 5 dollars!? Get outta here....

@PunditGuy: Voicemails are so 1999. I mean, if people still left voicemails, then we'd be able to leave voicemails when we called people. Oh wait...

@JRock: Or better yet, Fish-Canny-5

@loquaciousmusic: Brings up a point which made me think. Ben, do we have your permission to give this number out to people who hit on us? I ask this for other people, because surprisingly, it has never come up in my personal expierence. I have been given fake numbers, of course, but never had the chance to give one out.

Also, if that deal for 1000 business cards for $3 is still available from Morning Deals last week, I know a good thing to use it for. We can all make tipline cards and leave them at Best Buy, Wal-mart, etc... Any idea what they should say/picture to use?

So...can we have Consumerist Buttdial Friday where you post the messages left by all of the people who accidentally leave butt messages?

@pecan 3.14159265: They sell it immediately to many different scam companies.

People like to complain about anything, don't they? If you don't want to leave a voicemail, no one is forcing you to. Who cares if The Consumerist has a tip line? No, they don't need it, but it's another contact method. It's certainly not taking away from anything.

@CompyPaq: Clearly, it's so I can drunk-dial them to complain about the inadequacy of my cheeseburger, the call can be recorded and used for massive lulz, and everyone gets some free entertainment. Well, except for me, I'd probably just be shamed off the site.

@Ben Popken: Like when they're in Target and they spot funny pricing! Right? Right?

@ben: Agreed.

I happen to think it's cool. Some people tend to express their ideas better vocally then through written means. Not to mention you get a bit of a emotion in the voice.

:-)

Pretty cool!

@CFinWV: Way to be an ass for no reason.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: I love this idea! Lookin' forward to hearing my husband's butt, it makes a lotta calls!

@GitEmSteveDave_OverSleptThisMorn: "Here. This is my work number."

I know it's only leaky latex, but I'm sort of weirded out that underaged girls were working the Panda Leaky Condom Factory.

@Trai_Dep: Sigh. Need... More... Coffee...

@h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes: Hello Cap'n Duvall Moneycat? This is GESD. I'm at McDonalds right now, and they don't have a Rodeo Cheezeburger. So I can no haz cheezeburger. I just called 911, and thought I'd call you as well to let you know the bad service I'm getting. And another thing...
Excuse me? Yes occifer, I did call you about how come I no can haz cheezeburger because these communists won't let me have it my way. Now I pay your salary, so I wantz you to go in there and make them. And if you can't, you better make it yourself, or no doughnut for you. No, I can't put down the phone, this is an important call to someone more important than you. He's on the internetz and likes oatmeal. What do you mean "taser"? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

::End of New Message::

I hereby officially nominate the suggestion that a different Consumerist person records a message every week, with points given for diction, originality and awesomeness. And that the results are included on the Flickr Pool story or the Weekly Summary story.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Yes, unless you actually get a call back from that number. In that case, you are well within your rights to feel elitist.

@GitEmSteveDave_OverSleptThisMorn: [www.humorhotlines.com] Rejection Hotline, and the message is pretty hysterical.

@PunditGuy: Haha I actually thought the comment was funny. I can see how it could be seen as too critical though.

@Ben Popken: It just seems to me that voicemail is an inefficient way to do it. Perhaps since it is Google Voice you should post that text messages are allowed too.

@MostlyHarmless: It was totally meant in jest, but frak 'em if they can't take a joke.

@squinko: Perhaps Consumerist would like to let you know where their closest Western Union office is, in case you want to send them a telegram.

@CompyPaq: Shhhhhhh. Keep the cool features amongst the cool people.

@Trai_Dep:

@Trai_Dep: Really? I need more Panda. Or perhaps more Panda-Bell.

@MostlyHarmless: Well, as you know, I look for any reason to feel elitist.

Maybe in this case it would be more appropriate to feel "Just a little bit special" instead of elitist.

I'd put this in my phone, but I would only drunk dial it.

I like this. There was one story that probably wouldn't come across as well in an email. I've been meaning to send it to Consumerist for about a year, about MDG computers and how they conned our family in a computer sale (at the time we didn't know much about PC's at all). At one point, the PC that included a DVD drive my dad asked, "Does it play CD's as well?" The guy said "No, that'll be $90 extra" and proceeded to charge him for it. Will have to call this in sometime.

@GitEmSteveDave_OverSleptThisMorn: I nominate you, first.