Consumerist
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entrepreneurship
Ways To Raise Funds For a Small Business
Forgive potential investors for being skeptical of tossing you their spare change for your business proposition in this post-Madoff world. Banks aren't exactly waving small-business loans in your face these days either, so what's someone with a great new business idea to do? More » -
follow-ups
Crisis At The Florist: When Cooler Heads Prevail
Flower shop proprietors Billy and Mrs. Billy, previously seen in this Ask the Consumerists post seeking a used floral cooler, have found a solution. The business survives! Billy offers a virtual bouquet of thanks to everyone who tried to help in their hour of need. How did they solve the cooler crisis? More » -
small business
Entrepreneurs: Sweeten The Deal To Keep, Get, Customers
We've told you how now can be a good time to start your own business, but to stay alive in the down economy you need to put a little cherry on top to keep customers and keep drawing them in. The same-old deal just won't cut it anymore.In a Bloomberg interview, marketing professor Philip Kotler says:
Add some additional benefits to your standard offer. Offer free shipment, extend your guarantee, or create a more generous return policy.
One good example is online shoe store Zappos, which periodically gives out memberships to its "VIP Club" offering free shipping, both ways, forever.
Making Money in Chaotic Times [Bloomberg] (Photo: ashi)
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finally
Advanta Notifies Customers About Impending Credit Shutdown
T-Minus four days to the closing of Advanta accounts to new charges this Saturday, the small business credit card issuer sent an e-mail out to customers explaining the situation and how it will affect them. More » -
credit freeze
Advanta Moves Up Credit Freeze Deadline, Still Doesn't Notify Customers
UPDATE: Advanta Notifies Customers About Impending Credit Shutdown
We previously reported that small business credit card issuer Advanta is shutting down all customers' credit cards on June 10th, without giving customers much notice to find alternative cards. Now, the situation is even worse. On Friday, Advanta abruptly announced that they will be cutting off credit lines on May 30. That's this coming Saturday. More »
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credit crunch
Advanta Shuts Down Small Business Credit Card Accounts
UPDATE: Advanta Moves Up Credit Freeze Deadline, Still Doesn't Notify Customers
Advanta, based in Spring House, Pa., is a company that provides credit cards to small businesses. A week ago, they announced that they are shutting down all credit cards to new charges on June 10—less than a month from the announcement. The reasons why, and an internal memo, inside. More »
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reviews
Yelp Will Allow Business Owners To Respond To Negative Comments
Angry small business owners get your keyboards ready — Yelp is going to let you respond to negative comments! This is going to be .... awkward! Oh well, we love a good fight. More » -
credit cards
American Express Judges You Based On Who Holds Your Mortgage, Where You Shop
Has your credit limit been inexplicably lowered lately? Well, it might not be anything personal. The problem might be with your mortgage lender. Or where you've been shopping. Or where you live. American Express, long rumored to judge customers based on this criteria, has admitted that it evaluates who you do business with and where you live when determining how much credit to give you, says MSNBC. More » -
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follow-ups
WaMu Backs Down, Returns The $1500 To Bill's Bank Account
Bill, whose small business checking account had been inappropriately drafted $1500, sent us the following email late last night:
More »After another battle with a branch manager today—who insisted that money couldn't be returned and that I needed to fill out a fraud report—I went over her head. After a heated, uh, discussion, the main downtown Seattle branch put the $1,500 back in my business checking account. The $7 fee was refunded a few hours later.
Some bad PR in Consumerist no doubt helped. Thank you! -
banking
WaMu Presents Random $1500 Check On Someone Else's Account, Then Calls It Fraud
[Update: WaMu has returned the money.] Bill's small business account was hit with a $1500 check written by an unrelated third party to another third party—both completely unconnected with his account. He was also penalized with an insufficient funds fee, although the money was debited from his account. Now WaMu's saying they have to investigate for fraud before they can return Bill's fees. More » -
backlash
Sellers Growing Increasingly Unhappy With Lack Of Professionalism At Etsy
Etsy.com calls itself "your place to buy and sell things handmade" and is a pretty cool website that we personally enjoy. The sellers who use the site, however, are getting all riled up after several stores were shut down without notice due to simple, easily-resolved complaints from buyers. More »
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1-11 of 11 for "Small Business"
