Faq

Here's How The CARD Act Will Actually Change Credit Cards

Bob Sullivan at MSNBC—who coincidentally was one of the speakers at our event last night—has published a list of myths and facts about the new credit card bill. His article dispels some of the misinformation that's out there right now about just what the act does, and what card companies are going to do in retaliation. More »

10:25 PM on Wed May 20 2009
By Chris Walters
16,682 views, 122 comments

Most discussed RebeccaOeneus: They need to crackdown on the credit rating agencies next. If it wasn't for their BS formulas it wouldn't be more »

faq

1. How can I become a commenter?

Read the comments FAQ.

2. What's a "blog," exactly?

A blog is a frequently updated website with posts listed in reverse chronological order. To publish material, all we have to do is type it in, press a button and shazam! It's on the Internet. This lack of filtering provides a freshness and immediacy. Every blog story or "post" has its own unique URL, making it easy for people, especially other bloggers, to link to a specific story.

3. Why are you doing a blog about consumerism? Aren't blogs about Hillary Clinton being a lesbian and Tara Reid drunkenly shoving firecrackers up her nose?

Because it's not being done anywhere else, at least certainly not with a good sense of humor. Because in this age of a renewed crisis of the commons where companies use intimidation tactics to silence criticism, it's important for an independent voice to provide that critique. Because we can get stories out fast. Other entities can worry about getting the news out perfect, we can get it out first. When it comes to the money you've earned, slaving away in your workaday, work-a-dollar, you might not want to wait around for someone to decide if you're ready for the news.

4. What kind of biases should we expect from you?

We're biased towards the consumer. We favor bad company stories over happy customer tales. We're not anti-capitalist; we're anti-stupid-capitalist. Our premise is that good customer service isn't a goal in and of itself, it actually makes and saves more money in the long run. Ben is biased against Cingular, having never liked them since he first saw their unironic Superbowl ad with the painting quadriplegic (Cingular was said to help him be more expressive).

5. Who are you, anyway?

Ben Popken is your editor. Meghann Marco is your associate editor. In previous incarnations, Ben wrote radio plays, promoted rollerdisco parties and delivered bulk email. The Consumerist is his hair shirt. He also wrote an advertising blog, "The Spunker." Meghann Marco is the author of Field Guide to the Apocalypse, and has written for The Arizona Daily Star and OK!. She drinks a lot of tea.

6. Do you take reader suggestions?

Yes. We live and die by our reader tips. Send them to tips@consumerist.com. Complain about a shoddy product or subpar customer service. Fink on your employers, past or present. All the anonymity or prominence you desire is yours for the asking.

7. Who is responsible for this?

The Consumerist is published by Gawker Media, the folks also responsible for Gizmodo, Fleshbot, Defamer, Idolator, Jalopnik, Gridskipper, Wonkette, Kotaku, Screenhead, Lifehacker, Valleywag and Gawker.

8. How can I advertise on The Consumerist?

Check out our media kit.

11:46 AM on Thu Nov 8 2007
By popkin
14,094 views, 28 comments

apple

Apple's Website Has Conflicting Gift Card Policy

We recently posted a story in which an Apple customer was having difficulty buying an Apple computer with 8 gift cards that could not be combined or used together without visiting an Apple store 3 hours away, despite the fact that Apple's website says there is no limit to the amount of gift cards that can be used when calling 1-800-MY-APPLE. More »

6:55 PM on Fri Mar 2 2007
By Meg Marco
1,987 views, 11 comments

Latest by Legodude522: Screw Apple. They lied to me before on their policies and I was out $250 and with a $1,299 more »