On Monday, we shared with an exciting new discovery from one of the Raiders of the Lost Walmart: copies of Naruto 2 for Nintendo GameCube available for only $39.94. We probably should have expected that Walmart stores all over the country are also expecting a huge surge in demand for GameCube titles from 2006. Knowing something about both technology and commerce, we had not anticipated this. [More]
Retail Services
Raiders Of The Lost Walmart Find More 7-Year-Old GameCube Titles, Ancient Flash Drives
By 4.17.13 — Updated: 8.15.13
Bank Of America To Shell Out Another $500 Million To Settle Another Investors’ Lawsuit
By 4.17.13
Nearly five years after swallowing the rancid slab of meat that was Countrywide Financial, Bank of America is still vomiting up hundreds of millions of dollars to settle lawsuits tied to that failed company’s misdeeds. The latest is a $500 million class-action settlement with groups that invested in Countrywide’s radioactive mortgages. [More]
Walmart Banking On Return Of Nintendo GameCube, Still Charging $40 For Game From 2006
By 4.15.13
We know there’s a market for classic games and game consoles out there, but one Walmart is holding steady on the price for a Nintendo GameCube title that was released seven years ago. [More]
Soda At Walmart Is Wholesome, Healthy, Delicious, Or One Out Of Three
By 4.15.13
Reader Kathy sent along this photo that she took at Walmart. She found this display kind of puzzling, and for good reason. “Seriously? So suddenly soda is ‘wholesome and healthy’?” she writes. “Yeah right… good one, Walmart.” [More]
Is It Legal For Employers To Make Employees Pay For Uniforms?
By 4.12.13 — Updated: 5.23.17
Millions of Americans have jobs that require them to sport a uniform of some sort. This is especially true in retail, food service, hospitality, and other public-facing industries where uniforms further the brand and aid customers in identifying employees. But should — and can — employers require that workers fork over their own money to cover the costs of these outfits? [More]
FOX Not Done Ruining Firefly Fans’ Lives: Network Trying To Ban Handmade Jayne Hats
By 4.12.13
Ever since FOX ruined the lives of Firefly aficionados by canceling the show after only four months back in 2002, fans have been coping the best way they can, including knitting their own orange “Jayne” hats in an homage to one of its characters. In one of the only 14 episodes, Jayne Cobb’s ma sends him the cozy headgear. He loves it, it’s silly looking and thus, it’s awesome. But attracted by the scent of money changing hands for these handmade versions on Etsy and elsewhere, FOX suddenly seems to care about Firefly. [More]
Home Depot Customer Grabs Saws, Tries To Cut His Own Arms Off In Store
By 4.11.13
We’ve heard of nightmarish customer service experiences, but one Home Depot shopper created a nightmare of his own making when he reportedly grabbed a saw and tried to hack off his own arms inside the store. His fellow customers were apparently a bit disturbed at the scene because a man was trying to cut his own limbs off in public. Yikes. [More]
Chase Won’t Stop Robocalling About My Low Account Balance: I Don’t Have An Account
By 4.11.13
Late last year, Dennis got a new phone number. That shouldn’t be anything to complain about, and indeed he has no complaints about his mobile carrier or about his new phone. The problem is that Chase Bank keeps calling him about his account balance, which he would appreciate if he actually had an account with Chase or a low account balance. He does not. [More]
In-Store-Only Digital Downloads Are Not The Way To Get People Flocking Inside Best Buy
By 4.10.13
For brick-and-mortar retailers, getting customers to walk into their stores has always been a challenge. Today, it’s even more so. But the secret to success in the third decade of the e-commerce era probably isn’t making digital downloads “In-Store Purchase Only.””I wanted to buy some Microsoft points for Xbox…..ummm, I’m not quite sure I understand this one Best Buy,” reader Aaron writes. “Digital Download in-store?” [More]
Target Probably Didn’t Check Spanish Dictionary For “Urine” Before Selling “Orina” Sandals
By 4.9.13
Dear readers, cast your brains back all the way to last week: Remember when Target caught a bit of flak for selling only the plus-size version of a dress in Manatee Gray in an apparent mix-up that had the other ladies’ version in regular Heather Gray? The company apologized and blamed an internal process for the glitch. That’s all cleared up — but who at Target made the decision to go ahead and sell Urine style sandals? [More]
Walmart: Prices So Low, We Have To Raise Them To Put Things On Sale
By 4.9.13
Welcome to Walmart, where our prices are so low, we have to raise prices to put things on clearance! No, wait, that doesn’t really make sense. Hmm. Most likely, some prankster rearranged the numbers in this sign that reader Anthony found this weekend. That’s the story we’ll go with, because we like to retain some faith in the staff of Walmart. [More]
Worst Company In America Final Death Match: Bank Of America Vs. EA, Part II
April 8, 2013
This is it. Make no mistake where you are. After weeks of gouged eyeballs, pulverized ribs, countless bruised egos, and one dislocated thumb, the battered bodies of 30 bad businesses are licking their wounds and vowing to fight another year, while your votes have set up an epic rematch of the 2012 Final Death Match. [More]
Target Admits “Manatee Gray” Is Maybe Not The Best Color Name For Body-Conscious Shoppers
By 4.5.13
Earlier this week a Target shopper sparked a controversy on Twitter after discovering that the same gray dress was listed as “Manatee Gray” in the plus-size version and simply “Heather Gray” in the “Missy” category. The company is now scrambling to apologize for the snafu, saying it uses the manatee color name all over the site. That makes us wonder — what other totally inappropriate and/or wacky color names are floating around out there? [More]
Worst Company In America Semifinals: Bank Of America Vs. Comcast
April 5, 2013
Today’s Semifinal Double-Bill kicks off with a pair of former champs (well, sorta) trying to earn a spot in the WCIA Hall of Shfame, which is a combination of Shame and Fame that we just made up. [More]
The Smartphone Killed The Department Store Portrait: Photo Company Closing All Locations
By 4.5.13
Your mother would yell at you to pull a comb through your tangled hair, tuck in your brother’s shirt for the third time and your dad would awkwardly stand behind everyone with his hand on your mom’s shoulder. It was family portrait time, and for many Americans, it happened inside a department store. But one company that operates thousands of locations in mostly Sears and Walmart stores announced it’s shuttering its shutters for good. [More]
Meet The Final 4 Contenders For Worst Company In America 2013
April 4, 2013
After more than two weeks of dismemberment, disembowelment, and all-around good family fun, this year’s Worst Company In America tournament nears its finale, with only four contenders remaining with a chance at claiming the ultimate victory and clutching the Golden Poo. [More]
Bank Of America Introduces ATMs With Live Remote Tellers On Video Screens
By 4.4.13
Instead of screaming in frustration at an unresponsive machine, Bank of America is introducing the potential for customer to interact with more than just a hunk of machinery by way of its new remote teller video ATMs. And this isn’t some weird computer-generated customer service tool, the ATM will have a live video link for certain transactions. [More]
How Bank Of America Lost All Of My Business Over A $2 Balance Check Fee
By 4.4.13
As a reader of Consumerist, Shawn knew that he should probably stay away from mega-bank and Worst Company in America 2013 Final Four contender Bank of America. Yet his non-BoA lender of choice sold his mortgage to…well, guess who? He moved his other banking there for the sake of convenience, and that’s when he walked up to an ATM and conducted the fateful transaction. [More]
