We’ve posted a lot of stories over the years about Walmart greeters who have been on the receiving end of punches, slaps and other forms of assault, but we think this might be the first time we’ve heard of the attacker trying to apologize for his actions. [More]
Retail Services
The Sears Coupon That’s So Restrictive, It’s Convinced Me To Shop Elsewhere
By 2.6.13
Consumerist reader Cliff recently received this coupon for $5 off any purchase of $25 or more from Sears. Seemed generous enough of the retailer. That is, until he looked at the manifold restrictions put on the offer. [More]
This Antifreeze Is Defective: It Froze Solid
By 2.6.13
We don’t have any car experts on staff here at Consumerist, but even we know that antifreeze is generally supposed to stay liquid. Yet that’s not what happened to the gallon bottle that C. bought at Walmart, intending to top off his kids’ car. He stored it outside and found the bottle frozen solid when it came time to use it. That would make things difficult. [More]
Home Depot To Hire 80,000 Seasonal Workers This Spring
By 2.6.13
While most retailers pack on some extra workforce during the holiday season, the spring months are the busy time for places like Home Depot. The retailer annonced this morning that it plans on adding 80,000 seasonal workers in the coming months — 10,000 more than it employed in 2012. [More]
Amazon Says It’ll Give Away Millions Of Dollars (In Its New Digital Currency, Amazon Coins)
By 2.5.13
Amazon announced today that it’ll be giving away “millions of dollars” in the near future. But before you start angling for a piece of the pie and dreaming how you’ll spend it, those millions will be issued in Amazon Coins, the company’s new digital currency that works only to buy apps, games and in-app services on its Kindle Fire. Kinda different. [More]
Did The Recession Create A Dollar Store Bubble?
By 2.5.13
Seven years ago, we were flipping houses with loans we received for passing the “Are you currently breathing?” underwriting requirements. Then it all collapsed and we transitioned from shopping at Neiman Marcus to the local dollar stores, which have ballooned in numbers due to a misguided belief that people will remain thrifty. [More]
How To Get Your Westinghouse Digital TV Repaired Or Replaced: Buy It At Costco
By 2.5.13
Great news and terrible news for reader Mark, who can’t get Westinghouse Digital to repair his TV that broke after only three months. Heck, they won’t even pick up the phone. The great news is that another reader wrote in to tell us how he successfully got his Westinghouse TV first repaired, then replaced. The terrible news is that he accomplished this by buying the TV at Costco. [More]
Ambitious Thief Walks Out Of Costco With 24 Bottles Of Motor Oil Wrapped Around His Body
By 2.4.13
If you’re going to shoplift from a warehouse store, you might as well do it in bulk, right? At least that seemed to be the thinking of one California man, who used bungee cords to secure 24 bottles of motor oil to his body and then headed for the doors. [More]
Investors Accuse Bank Of America Of Continuing Countrywide’s Bad Practices
By 2.4.13
Most of the $40 billion Bank of America has set aside to pay out over the mortgage meltdown can be blamed on malfeasance at Countrywide Financial. But some investors say that BofA’s hands are not totally clean in this mess — and that the bank has gotten off too easy thus far. [More]
Pepsi To Replace Coke In Costco’s Beloved $1.50 Soda & Hot Dog Deal
By 2.4.13
For many Costco shoppers, a trip to the warehouse store isn’t complete without stopping by the lunch counter and plunking down $1.50 for a hot dog and a Coca-Cola beverage. It’s the same price and pairing the company has had since 1985. But that’s about to change, with Costco making the decision to switch all its stores over to Pepsi. [More]
Walmart Will Kick-Start Your Fitness Regime With Chocolate Bark And Crisco
By 2.4.13
Kelly noticed a display at Walmart with signs that said “Get back on track,” which she assumed meant health foods and workout equipment. What else could it be? (Well, maybe NASCAR merchandise.) Instead of protein supplements and Shake Weights, she found cake mixes and cans of Crisco. Pretty much the opposite of what she was expecting. [More]
Bank Of America Site Outage Leaves Customers Without Online Access To Accounts
By 2.1.13 — Updated: 2.2.13
UPDATE: Shortly before midnight ET on Friday, the BofA Twitter account finally provided some good news. [More]
Best Buy Gives Up On “No Customer Service E-Mail” Experiment After Only 6 Weeks
By 2.1.13 — Updated: 2.4.13
Perhaps Best Buy was just in a frustrated, overworked mood because of all the holiday shoppers (who were buying stuff on Amazon) when it decided in December to remove the option of contacting customer service by e-mail. Because that contact info has magically re-appeared on BestBuy.com. [More]
Amazon E-Mailing Tennessee Residents To Remind Them Of Sales Tax Obligation [UPDATE: South Carolina Too]
By 2.1.13
Even if your state doesn’t require Amazon to collect sales tax on purchases, you’re still supposed to be paying any applicable tax to the state when you file your annual tax returns. Virtually no one does. That’s why Amazon is e-mailing customers in Tennessee to remind them of their obligation. [More]
Eviction Papers Served To Squatter In $2.5 Million Mansion, But He’s Sticking Around For Now
By 2.1.13
The sheriff finally served an eviction notice to the man who’s been squatting in a Florida mansion worth around $2.5 million. But it looks like the squatter will at least be able to enjoy the Super Bowl and maybe Valentine’s Day in the bank-owned house. [More]
Just What We Don’t Need — More Gift Cards! And This One’s From Facebook
By 1.31.13
Say the word “gift card” around Consumerist HQ and hackles will raise at an alarming rate. Which is why we’re greeting the news of a new gift card offered by Facebook with what one might call, “extreme wariness and trepidation.” Building on the social network’s recent launch of Facebook Gifts, these cards will be able to hold balances for multiple retailers and are reusable. [More]
Best Buy & Future Shop Suddenly Shut Down A Bunch Of Canadian Stores Today
By 1.31.13
UPDATE: Best Buy Canada has posted a list of Best Buy and Future Shop stores that are closing in Canada. [More]
Ulta Has Secret Limits On Clearance Items, Won’t Sell Me 27 Hair Straighteners
By 1.31.13
Courtney was on a mission. It’s her job to find things for people at low prices, and then buy them in large quantities. For example, one day she learned that beauty chain Ulta had Big Chi Digital Hair Irons, which usually cost $169.99, on clearance for $49.99. Score! One of her clients wanted these, and there were twenty-seven of them in stock. Now, “Clearance” should mean that the store is trying to clear out stock, and should be happy if someone comes along and scoops up everything on the shelf. Right? Not at Ulta. They’d rather not sell items at all than sell them to Courtney by the cartful. [More]
