• Fine Print

    Ann Taylor Changes Terms Of Sale After Purchase?

    Update: Several readers have pointed out that Ann Taylor's return policy says items with prices ending in .44 or .88 are automatically deemed "Final Sale" items. Colleen is stuck with four extra dresses because Ann Taylor marked the items "Final Sale." The problem is, they did this after she ordered and paid for them. As she notes in her email below, she has proof on her order confirmation that the dresses were not marked "Final Sale" when she bought them. She also has previous order confirmations where items have been clearly marked "Final Sale." Now she wants to know how to get Ann Taylor to do the right thing. More »

    10:09 AM on Tue Nov 18 2008
    By Chris Walters
    14,343 views, 93 comments

    Most discussed HIV 2 Elway Resurrected: Speaking purely from an operations & profitability standpoint; people who order things with the intent of returning them are the more »

  • home depot

    Home Depot Website Prices Have Nothing To Do With In Store Prices

    Remember, Home Depot's price match policy doesn't apply to online listings, including its own website. At his local store, Michael paid more than twice the online Home Depot price for a coaxial cable, but Home Depot refused to refund him the difference. They even say as much in small print on each page of their website. With Home Depot, be sure to call and get a valid local price quote before heading off to purchase something you saw online. More »

    8:49 PM on Fri Nov 14 2008
    By Chris Walters
    8,051 views, 78 comments

    Most discussed strathmeyer: So why can't he return it? more »

  • bad packaging

    This Shaw's Pizza Box Is Conflicted

    Someone in marketing really wanted to show the handmade goodness of Shaw's house brand pizza, despite the fact that there is no handmade goodness to the product at all. But not to worry! A little fine print takes care of any legal issues, and you're good to go. More »

    1:59 PM on Wed Oct 1 2008
    By Chris Walters
    11,377 views, 49 comments

    Most discussed dieselman8: what legal issues? better yet, what are your damages? more »

  • Fine Print

    Mattress Giant's 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Doesn't Apply To Mattresses

    Look, if you're going to call your store "Mattress Giant," and you're going to have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, then don't specifically exclude mattresses. More »

    4:00 PM on Sat Sep 27 2008
    By Carey
    32,020 views, 54 comments

  • discover

    Discover Won't Let Man Opt Out Of Arbitration, Even Though Their Terms Allow It

    When John signed up for a Discover card a few months ago, he noticed an interesting item in the fine print—he could opt out of binding arbitration if he sent in a written request that contained a few lines of necessary info and his signature. John followed the instructions, but Discover rejected it. Since then they've rejected his request a second time, failed to call him back when promised, and transferred him to CSRs who don't know what the word means. The latest news: now that 30 days have passed, he's no longer eligible to opt out. John's thinking about canceling the card. More »

    2:56 PM on Wed Sep 3 2008
    By Chris Walters
    8,433 views, 54 comments

    Most discussed MameDennis: I had no end of problems with my Discover card, and canceling it was the best decision I ever made. more »

  • chargebacks

    Chargebacks Have Geographical Limitations

    Longtime Consumerist reader TBT read the fine print for a credit card she recently opened with Bank of America, and discovered that buried in pages 13 and 14 is a section that limits your right to request a chargeback to your home state or within 100 miles of your home address, and only for purchases over $50. He found this shocking, but, actually, this is a limitation provided by the Fair Credit Billing Act. If you dislike it, here's a great post of ours on writing effective letters to Congress.

    2:46 PM on Fri May 9 2008
    By Chris Walters
    4,710 views, 52 comments

    Latest by MadgePolites: @chrisjames: I'd expect many of USAA's customers to care about the declaration of war voiding, given the nature of their more »

  • terms and conditions

    Merchant Tries To Forbid Chargebacks

    A reader wrote in to ask us if we've ever seen anything like the "Chargeback Abuse Policy" that Luxury Car Tuning in Las Vegas includes in their terms—"You agree not to file a credit card or debit card chargeback with regard to any purchase," and if you do anyway, you have to pay any fees that normally the merchant must pay when dealing with a chargeback. The reader wants to know, "Is this allowed by any merchant agreement that you know of?  Sounds pretty ridiculous to me. How likely would it be that they could get away with this?" More »

    9:51 AM on Mon May 5 2008
    By Chris Walters
    10,042 views, 57 comments

    Latest by aaronw1: There are a lot of companies (usually those that deliver 'services' like the web hosting person above) that have gotten more »

  • traveling light

    Travel Light: Fees For Extra Luggage Multiply Like Crazy

    Starting May 5th, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways are limiting coach passengers to one checked bag per passenger. No biggie if you travel light anyway. Business and first-class passengers will get an extra bag or two, but beware of the excess luggage fees. More »

    10:40 AM on Mon Apr 28 2008
    By samglover
    3,812 views, 33 comments

    Latest by bizzz: if this makes americans reconsider what they pack, then I'm all for it, as long as they heavily police the more »

  • atm fees

    Citibank Promises To Credit ATM Fees, But Will Try To Get Out Of It Unless You Badger Them

    Tim was pretty sure he met all the conditions of Citibank's offer to refund ATM fees—he opened his account online and he doesn't live near a Citi Financial center. When he wasn't credited, he contacted them to ask why, and was told he had to meet the conditions he's already met. He had to contact them four times to finally get the $2.00 fee credited as per their advertising. You might be asking yourself, "All that trouble for two dollars?" Well, that's why he ends his email with this: "Can someone point me in the direction of a better bank that actually provides 'reimbursement of the fees other banks may charge you for using their ATMs' without hassle?" More »

    7:37 PM on Fri Apr 25 2008
    By Chris Walters
    4,239 views, 41 comments

    Latest by Juice Box Hero: @PeteyNice: I love my Schwab account. They reimburse my ATM fees at the end of each month like clockwork. Furthermore, more »