Coupon-clipping Target shoppers are ticked off at the news that the retail chain has been shortchanging customers on some manufacturers’ coupons since at least mid-summer. [More]
Things To Buy Exclusively At Warehouse Stores
By October 13, 2010
Warehouse stores such as Costco and Sam’s Club like to lull you into a false sense of security, sure that everything you see on shelves is cheaper there than elsewhere. But in many cases, warehouse prices are unbeatable. [More]
Helpful Best Buy Employees Recycle Van Full Of Computers, Delight Customer
By October 7, 2010
Mindy writes that she had all of the elements for a disastrous morning lined up: she visited Best Buy with a preschool child, an infant, and a van full of old electronics for recycling. However, she found herself in a parallel universe full of helpful Best Buy and Geek Squad employees willing to accept more electronics than the usual limit and give helpful advice. [More]
Meet The Disposable, Recyclable, Reusable Cardboard Shopping Cart
By August 12, 2010
One great thing about living in a city like New York: Being able to buy just about anything you need. The problem: Getting the things you buy back home. That’s why a designer in the UK has come up with a cart constructed completely out of cardboard that could allow you to wheel your purchases down the street and onto the bus or train. [More]
Experience The World Of Sam's Club At Next Week's Open House
By July 28, 2010
To some, member’s only warehouse store Sam’s Club is kind of like a semi-secret society of savings and free food samples. That may or may not be true, but you can find out for yourself next week when the retail chain tries to get its hooks into more members by hosting a three-day open house. [More]
Buy This Twin-Pack Of Deodorant And Save… Negative $.97
By July 26, 2010
If you’re shopping for Right Guard deodorant at Walmart, be careful before you pick up that twin-pack thinking that, like the packaging says, you’ll “Buy 2 and Save.” Because if you do the math, you’ll realize you’ve just saved yourself out of $.97. [More]
Is It Too Early For Back-To-School Sales?
By June 24, 2010
Public school students in Union City, NJ, just wrapped up classes earlier this week. So Consumerist reader Juhgail was caught off guard when she popped into a Staples to pick up some supplies and came upon an entire rack of back-to-school items. [More]
Did Target Adopt This Sorbet?
By June 7, 2010
In the Super Target at St. Charles, IL, there is a forgotten container of sorbet that is damaged, missing a seal, and over a year past its expiration date. Keith says it’s been sitting there by itself in the freezer case for at least four months now. He and his wife say hi to it whenever they shop there. [More]
Ohio Kmart Turns Into Jerry Springer Show Over Coupon Argument
By June 4, 2010
We’ve all been there — You’re in a rush at the store and the person in front of you is trying to redeem too many coupons, or there’s a problem with a coupon, etc. You get irritated, might even grumble something under your breath. But I’m guessing it’s never come to fisticuffs. Unfortunately for shoppers and employees at a Super Kmart in Ohio, one customer couldn’t manage to show such restraint. [More]
Shoppers Love Costco And Dillard's, Say Target And Walmart Are Subpar
By June 1, 2010
Consumer Reports asked 30,000 readers to weigh in on the best and worst chain stores in the country, and it looks like people really love Costco and Dillard’s. Both stores received above average ratings in things like merchandise quality and value. On the other end of the spectrum, Target’s women’s fashion, jewelery and watches were rated below-average in quality. [More]
Best And Worst Places To Buy Tech Gear
By May 23, 2010
PC World has compiled a list of the best and worst places to buy a range of gadgets, including digital cameras, laptops and printers. While many of the results may not be surprising (Amazon ranked at or near the top in almost every category), there are a few interesting wrinkles, including a Best Buy victory for HDTV shopping. [More]
Kmart Wants Your Dirty Laundry
By May 19, 2010
If you live in Iowa City, Iowa, you’ll soon be able to do your laundry at Kmart. I don’t get it either, but that’s what the retailer has announced. It will be testing a laundromat addition to one of its Kmart stores in the city, and has named it Kwash. I’m assuming you’re supposed to pronounce it K-Wash, but for the first five minutes I kept reading “quash” and wondering how in the hell that was supposed to make me think of clean clothes and cheap goods. [More]
FutureShop Accuses You Of Scamming For No Good Reason
By May 5, 2010
Adam was shocked when he tried to return a router and a switch to FutureShop and they accused him of being a scammer. All because of a little dust on the items. Well, that little dust turned into quite a dustup when a huffy assistant manager at the Canadian Best Buy subsidiary got involved. “Fine, I will play along with your little game,” she ended up saying to Adam once the actual manager overrode her and made her stop getting in the way of the return. What the heck? [More]
Red "Sale" Sign At Kohl's Means Item Is FOR Sale, Not ON Sale
By April 28, 2010
Nice try, Kohl’s, but we see through your game. An item isn’t on sale just because you say it is. You have to actually decrease the price. Noah writes that when he found a tag emblazoned with the word SALE, he thought this meant that perhaps the item was on sale. Don’t be silly, Noah. [More]
Famed Fake Newspaper Columnist Sides With Receipt Checkers
By April 23, 2010
As any dedicated Consumerist follower knows, our readers generally fall down pretty squarely on the side of not having to show your receipt when you exit a store. That being said, we should always welcome the dissenting view, especially from a respected journalist. [More]
What's Going On With Retail Medical Clinics?
By April 20, 2010
Retail medical clinics — you know, those little offices in places like Walmart that promise to treat minor ailments in the amount of time it takes to check out on the express line — have been around for a few years, but haven’t exactly won over tons of customers from the neighborhood GP. Now, it looks like they’re about to take off in a big way. Or collapse. Or do nothing. That’s what happens when you get a second opinion about the fact that Kroger is closing 20 of its Little Clinic branches. [More]
Abercrombie & Fitch CEO's Perks Include Money For Not Getting Perks
By April 18, 2010
It makes sense to reward those who perform well at their jobs, and withhold perks from those who don’t — but it seems Abercrombie & Fitch is a little bit confused on that last point. The company, mired in its “aspirational” $90 prices for cargo pants and its ads featuring gamboling half-dressed models, netted only $254,000 last year. So what’d they do? Take away the CEOs exorbitant travel budget. And then pay him more money to not spend money. [More]
Bikinis For Children: Now With Padded Bras
By April 15, 2010
What constitutes an appropriate swimsuit for elementary school-aged girls? Is a bikini inappropriate? How about a padded bikini? This summer, U.K. discounter Primark tried marketing a bikini with a padded top, aimed at girls as young as seven. It didn’t go well. The chain removed the suit from its racks only hours after tabloid The Sun declared the product a [pedophile] bikini. [More]
