It might be easy to imagine Walmart executives swimming around, Scrooge McDuck-like, in rooms full of gold coins, while throwing bricks of cash on a fire, but really it’s just like any other business (except really frickin’ huge), where a few bad weeks of sales can lead to panic. [More]
Retail Services
Lawsuit: Costco Has Been Selling Bogus Tiffany Engagement Rings For Years
By 2.15.13
While most consumers’ image of Costco involves people stocking up on cases of ketchup, toilet paper, and bottled water, the warehouse retailer does sell some high-end jewelry and accessories. But the folks at Tiffany & Company claim the “Tiffany” rings that were being sold at Costco were anything but. [More]
Retailers Love Latest Attempt At Online Sales Tax Law, eBay Not So Much
By 2.14.13
As we mentioned yesterday, lawmakers in D.C. are going to take another stab at a federal law that would give states the ability to collect taxes from online retailers. Not surprisingly, the retail industry loves it, while eBay says it will only hurt small businesses. [More]
Sears/Kmart Shop Your Way Rewards Program Not Very Rewarding
By 2.14.13
Stuey made a big purchase at Sears and ended up with a huge stack of Sears/Kmart ShopYourWay rewards points to spend. Well, that he could theoretically spend. The problem was that he couldn’t find anything he wanted that was available, didn’t come bundled with things that he didn’t want, and was eligible for purchase with rewards points. What could he do? That’s not very rewarding at all. [More]
Bank Of America, Comcast Among Familiar Names In List Of Least Reputable Companies
By 2.14.13
Once again, the folks at Harris Interactive have released their Reputation Quotient Report, which rates public perception of 60 highly visible companies. Regular readers of Consumerist will not be shocked to see which companies brought up the rear this year. [More]
Best Buy Founder Might Be Retreating From Plan To Buy Company Back
By 2.14.13
Since stepping down as chairman of the board of Best Buy last year, company founder Richard Schulze has been trying to rally investors in an effort to buy the company back from shareholders. But a new report claims that Schulze is now considering a more modest plan. [More]
Lawmakers Set For Another Go At Federal Online Tax Law
By 2.13.13
For several years, there has been a lot of talk — and a handful of legislative efforts — regarding a federal law that would give states the authority to compel online sellers to collect sales tax on purchases. None of these bills have passed, so it’s time to try again. [More]
Walmart Consultant Caught On Camera Bad-Mouthing Town Council
By 2.13.13
If you’re near a live camera and microphone, it’s good advice to be on your best behavior, even when you think no one is watching. Just ask the consultant for Walmart who was recently filmed referring to a Springfield, MO, city councilman as “a dipsh*t.” [More]
Amazon’s Order Fulfillment: Efficiency Through Inefficiency
By 2.13.13
Is Amazon’s shipping system spectacularly efficient, or woefully inefficient? The company’s success has come from getting items where they need to be as quickly and efficiently as possible. Reader Jesse sent along an illustration of exactly how this efficient inefficiency works: the windshield wiper blads that he got for his car last week. [More]
Sears Parts Direct Has A Different Definition Of ‘Rush Delivery’ Than I Do
By 2.12.13
Mike needs a part for his home’s heating system. He lives in Georgia, so the cold weather isn’t as urgent an issue as it would be if he lived up north, but it’s still necessary. He needed rush delivery, but instead Sears didn’t even notify him when the part went on backorder. After two weeks, it finally showed up. And by “it,” we mean “the wrong part.” [More]
Some Walmarts Still Short-Changing Customers On Gift Receipt Returns
By 2.12.13
Nearly two years after Walmart stores were first caught short-changing customers who returned items using gift receipts, and following numerous later reports that the practice was continuing, it looks like some Walmarts have just not gotten the message. [More]
Apparently All Gingers Look The Same To Wells Fargo Because I Am Not A Cat
By 2.12.13
I get it — redheads are rare and so some people might not realize that hey, that ginger in a picture is actually somebody else. We all look the same to some people, so whatever. But for one Wells Fargo debit card holder, that hair color blindness has apparently led someone at Wells Fargo very far astray, as the bank allowed a ginger cat to be featured on his card instead of an actual human being. [More]
FTD Kicks Off The Valentine’s Day Disappointment Season With Subpar Roses On February 11th
By 2.12.13
Alex tried to beat the rush. He had a dozen roses delivered to his lady’s workplace on Monday, February 11th, paying $96 for the privilege. Whatever he expected, it was not what appears in the photo that he sent: even properly lit, there’s a lot more green and a lot less luscious red rose in that picture than there should be. [More]
Make Sure That Local Florist You Found On Google Really Is Local
By 2.11.13
Let’s say that you want to order some flowers for your aunt in Omaha. You remember the frequent warnings on this site to go directly to a local florist, so that’s what you do. You type “florist omaha” into Google, scroll past the paid listings and the ones Google has plotted on a map, and choose a shop with a nice-looking website. Perfect! Only this “local” florist isn’t so local. You tried to make the right choice, but are hurting the very neighborhood flower shop you were trying to patronize when you typed those words in Google. [More]
February Recall Roundup: The Heated Parka’s Revenge
By 2.8.13
In this month’s Recall Roundup, pots and pans collapse on themselves, kids need to keep away from some vitamins, and battery-operated electric parkas turn on their owners and give them too much of a good thing. [More]
Lost Your License Or Passport? Airport Security Will Accept A Costco Card
By 2.8.13
A few years back, I misplaced my license while in Washington, D.C. for a wedding. Little did I know that I didn’t have to take a bus back to New York; I apparently could have just shown my Costco card. [More]
Target Sent My Package To The Wrong Address, Says It’s My Fault
By 2.7.13
It doesn’t matter where you tell Target to send your online orders: if your account has a “default address,” your packages will go there no matter what. Diana didn’t realize this. She thought that if she updated her billing address, then ticked the box that said her billing and shipping addresses were the same, her package would end up where she currently lives. Not so fast! Now the person living in her old apartment has her new jeans, and Target just blames Diana. [More]
