Consumerist: fads

The Crocs Fad Is Over?! Profits Down, Will Close 1 Factory

Meg Marco — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:24:46 EDT

Like Zubaz pants before them, Crocs seem to be well on their way to assuming their rightful place of honor in the bad fad hall of fame as the company slashed its sales forecast and announced that it would be closing a plant in Quebec due to decreased traffic in its US stores.

Crocs CEO says:

"Current macrotrends in the environment" have led to weaker-than-expected sales, according to Crocs Chief Executive Ron Snyder, speaking to analysts during a conference call on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Japan is tired of children's feet being mangled by escalators and has instructed the shoemaker to fix a design flaw that causes the shoes (and toes) to be sucked down into the escalator's moving parts. CNNMoney says the Trade Ministry issued the warning after receiving 65 complaints about Crocs getting stuck in escalators. From CNN:

The Washington Metro _ one of the nation's largest transit systems _ has even posted ads warning about such shoes on its moving stairways. The ads feature a photo of a crocodile, which is the company logo, though the signs don't mention Crocs by name..

Crocs shares plummet 40 percent after outlook slashed [Reuters]
Japan seeks design change for Crocs because of injuries [CNNMoney]
(Photo:loop_oh)

Shopdropping: The Anti-Shoplifting

Carey — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:05:52 EST

Have you heard about shopdropping? It's the big new fad among burgeoning anarchists who, instead of stealing, spread havoc by smuggling unwelcome items into stores. Think Che shirts in Target's clothing department, or unwanted bunnies roaming the pet store after Easter. It's all very badass and has several stores in a tizzy.

At Powell's Books in Portland, Ore., religious groups have been hitting the magazines in the science section with fliers featuring Christian cartoons, while their adversaries have been moving Bibles from the religion section to the fantasy/science-fiction section.
This week an arts group in Oakland, the Center for Tactical Magic, began shopdropping neatly folded stacks of homemade T-shirts into Wal-Mart and Target stores in the San Francisco Bay Area. The shirts feature radical images and slogans like one with the faces of Karl Marx, Che Guevara and Mikhail Bakunin, a Russian anarchist. It says, "Peace on Earth. After we overthrow capitalism."

"Our point is to put a message, not a price tag, on them," said Aaron Gach, 33, a spokesman for the group.

Mr. Jennings's anarchist action figure met with a befuddled reaction from a Target store manager on Wednesday in El Cerrito, Calif.

"I don't think this is a product that we sell," the manager said as Mr. Jennings pretended to be a customer trying to buy it. "It's definitely antifamily, which is not what Target is about."

What is Target about? Corporate mouthpiece Bethany Zucco explains:

Our goal at all times is to provide comfortable and distraction-free shopping.

Shopping takes focus, people! Shopdropping is a dangerous distraction, a threat that could make us stop and think about our purchases.

Anarchists in the Aisles? Stores Provide a Stage [NYT]
(Photo: Kike Arnal/The New York Times)

Crocs To Make Annoying Plastic Clothes To Go With Annoying Plastic Shoes

Meg Marco — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:29:44 EDT

We're all for comfortable footwear, but we really don't get the whole "Crocs" thing. They again, we've never tried them on, so perhaps we're not being fair. They look like good shoes for space pirates or RNs and we are neither (sadly).

Anyhow, according to an announcement from Crocs, we'll soon be left behind on the whole "plastic shirt" thing, too.

Yes, Crocs will soon being manufacturing clothing out of something called "Croslite rt." It's similar to the substance that the shoes are made out of, but more "relaxed."

The material will come in colors that complement your Crocs. Won't you be sexy?

Plastic fantastic: Crocs launch clothing range [Daily Mail]
(Photo:Daily Mail)

You Tube Video Causes Self-Stirring Cup Fad

Meg Marco — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 10:58:04 EST

This video is featured on You Tube's main page. It's a self-stirring cup, nothing new (apparently), but the video caused a run on similar cups in stores. From Hammacher Schlemmer's website:

SOLD OUT Due to the popularity of this item, we are unexpectedly sold out. Please contact customer service at 1-800-321-1484 regarding future product availability.

What is it about seeing some regular people enjoying a product that makes people want to purchase it? Do people just really need a $30 self-stirring cup, but didn't know it existed? Will this cause a teaspoon glut? Lately, we noticed advertisers trying to replicate "You Tube" or "blog" style videos in their commercials... but it's just not the same, is it? —MEGHANN MARCO

Self-Stirring Mug [Hammacher Schlemmer]

Wu Yi Tea, The New Diet Scam

Profio

Doris started her year off right, with a New Year's resolution to lose weight. She ordered a free trail of Wu Yi tea, "Hollywood's Hottest Diet", decided it wasn't worth it, and tried canceling her order. Four months later, Wu Yi tea's still giving her the run around. At least they had the decency to admit on their website "all the diet formulas have been, at best, disappointing, at worst, outright frauds."Check out her story, inside.

Hi Editors,

As part of my new year’s resolution I made a pledge to lose weight like 90% of Americans do. On January 18, I ordered the Wu –Yi teas to help with my weight loss program. I was not relying on it being my salvation or miracle diet but I just wanted to try the tea. They offered a free trial on the website and was only suppose to be charged for the shipping and handling fee of $6.95. I DID read the fine print. I had 2 weeks to cancel and if not then I would be charged for subsequent monthly shipments. Well definitely within 2 weeks I canceled! Since I am not someone who balances my checkbook at the end of every month, I just noticed additional charges from Living Lean in Las Vegas for 19.95. Originally, I thought it was fraud and it is! I called the company and they are a cover for Wu Yi Teas. The customer service person answers the phone and refuses to give the name of the company she works for. She just keeps asking for how she can help and what service that I was calling about. When I asked for a refund (after being on the phone with her for 15 minutes) she pretends that we have a bad connection and that she can’t hear me. Disconnected. It took 4 more phone calls to get to a supervisor who needed to research my account, kept me on the phone for 20 minutes to say that she will refund me within 3-5 business days.

There are many reported cases of scam under Living Lean in Las Vegas and Wu Yi Tea or their other name Easyweightlosstea.com. I really want to bring light. Consumerist readers beware of this scam! I have been fighting these charges since February..and it is now end of May. There is nothing free in life. These people cost me time and aggravation.

Doris, you're long overdue to start a chargeback. These people clearly aren't interested in dealing with you honestly. A quick search for "Wu Yi Tea" and "scam" gives plenty of reasons to steer clear of these guys. Their website alone, (www.wu-yisource.com), is cause for concern, with it's claim that the medical industrial complex and gyms conspire to keep you fat in order to prop up the fashion industry. Seriously.

"Firstly, let’s look at the world of fashion; it would absolutely crumble if everyone was thin and beautiful. There would be no one to buy the magazines and expensive, "stylish" clothing in a continuous, desperate attempt to live up to the standards set out there by these media moguls, because we would all be living on a relatively level playing field in the first place."

Maybe next year's resolution should be to checking out online vendors before handing over your credit card?