While some Target customers were confused about the retailer’s holiday price-matching policy, where the store would match online prices on its own items (only if they were in stock online) with store prices, everything is about to become a lot clearer and also, permanent. The retailer announced that it’s not only going to price-match all of its online items, in stock online or no, it’ll also match competitor’s online prices in its brick-and-mortar stores, year-round. [More]
Retail Services
List Of Companies With Worst Customer Service Scores Is Full Of Familiar Names
By 1.8.13 — Updated: 3.19.13
Bank of America, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Delta, Charter, American Airlines — these are just a few of the all-too-familiar companies sitting comfortably in the back of the pack in terms of customer service for 2012. [More]
If Your Resolution Is To Finally Figure Out That Whole Hygiene Thing, Walmart Has You Covered
By 1.8.13
It’s a new year, and you know what that means: We all make promises to ourselves that we probably won’t keep (although I swear I’m going to start my own organic dairy farm someday and have a bestselling cheese brand) or will at least give up on early in February. But hey, you, the one without a toothbrush who hasn’t figured out soap yet — Walmart is here for you. [More]
Bank Of America To Pay $11.6 Billion In Latest Countrywide Settlement
By 1.7.13
Like someone who thought they were buying a nice little fixer-upper at a bargain only to find that every ounce of the property is covered in lead paint and asbestos, Bank of America’s 2008 purchase of Countrywide Financial continues to eat away at the company’s coffers. [More]
GameStop Offers To Ship Out-Of-Stock Item, Doesn’t Mention It Will Take 7-9 Days Instead Of 3
By 1.7.13
Joseph wanted to buy a PSVita, and went to GameStop to see whether they had one available. New or used, didn’t matter. They didn’t have any in stock, but told him that they could order one online for him, and it would arrive in three business days, with free delivery. That was fine by him, until he learned what he had actually bought: a refurbished Vita, yes, but one that would take as long as nine days to ship to his house. [More]
Soap.com Sends Me Flour, Oats, Hot Sauce, Air
By 1.7.13
Anoop sent us a photo of his very first Soap.com order, labeling it “the most egregious overpacking [that he’s] seen.” We’ve seen worse, but it’s still pretty bad. [More]
The Return Period On This iPad Sleeve Is Surprisingly Short
By 1.7.13
Cheryl picked up an iPad sleeve from Target on Christmas clearance, because apparently no one buys iPads during the rest of the year. Great! What if she grabbed the wrong one or had to return it for another reason? Too bad, says Target. She bought the sleeve on January 4th and they gave her only until the 5th to return it. [More]
Staffers & Experts Explain Why Walmart Can’t (And Maybe Shouldn’t) Change The Oil In Your Fiat
By 1.4.13
Yesterday we told you about the Walmart customer who didn’t understand why his local Walmart refused to change the oil in his 2012 Fiat 500. He was simply told it was because the car wasn’t in “the book.” We asked if anyone could shine some light on this issue — and you responded. [More]
Hurry Up And Get These Best Buy Year-End Deals If You Want To Buy Stuff At The Full Retail Price!
By 1.4.13
If you’re tired of looking for bargains and want to spend the full retail price on electronics, we have found a great sale for you! [More]
Sears Sends Appliance Installer Who Charges Extra To Do Crappy Job
By 1.4.13
Josh needed a water softener for his new house, so he went to Sears and used their installation service. Maybe he should have known that things weren’t about to go well with the installer when they showed up and charged an extra hundred dollars. Then he got home and discovered a puddle in his basement. The install was sloppy, and the water softener’s drainage hose emptied into his basement’s sump pump and thus out of the basement. Or so the installer thought. Josh’s basement doesn’t actually have a pump. [More]
Consumers Now Feeling The Pain Of Post-Holiday Gift Card Scams
By 1.4.13
Back in December, we told you about how scammers could take money from your gift card before you even get a chance to use it. Now that people are trying to cash in those cards, they’re feeling the sting of finding out they have a zero balance. [More]
Competitors Accuse Walmart Of Providing Inaccurate Price Comparisons In Ads
By 1.4.13
For several months, Walmart has been running a series of ads touting its Low Price Guarantee and calling out specific competitors for their higher prices. But those retailers are now fighting back with complaints in several states. [More]
At Sports Authority, A Gift Receipt Doesn’t Mean Much
By 1.3.13
Marjorie received a Christmas gift from her sister from Sports Authority, and needs to take it back. No big deal: that’s why her sister included a gift receipt. The problem is that the item’s price has dropped, likely because it’s on clearance, and they want to give Marjorie $77 when her sister paid $101. That’s funny, because that’s against the chain’s stated holiday season return policy…on the web site. In retail stores, who knows? [More]
Why Does GameStop Need My ID To Accept A Trade-In?
By 1.3.13
A lot of consumers are concerned — and not without reason — that their personal information is being passed around like bottle of cheap wine around a campfire. At the same time, it feels like more retailers are asking for this sort of information on everything from purchases to returns. [More]
Walmart Won’t Change The Oil In My Fiat Because It’s Not “In The Book”
By 1.3.13
For a few years in the ’90s, I was one of maybe three people (or at least that’s how it felt) in the entire U.S. with a Daihatsu (stop giggling; yeah, I mean you). It was a pain in the rear to get certain parts, but I never once had a problem getting the oil changed. Apparently, times have changed. [More]
Proactiv Has My Box Of Skin Cream, Sends Collections After Me Anyway
By 1.3.13
Eric wanted to give the Proactiv system of skin creams a try. Well, that shouldn’t be so hard: they’re advertised everywhere and apparently very popular. The flaw was that the package didn’t have his office number on it. UPS didn’t know that they could just send it to the mailroom, and instead they dispatched it back to Proactiv. Now the box is allegedly hanging out somewhere on the company’s loading dock, and they’ve sent collections after Eric to pay for the box of creams that he never received. [More]
Amazon Payments Locks Me Out Of Form For Not Filling Out Form
By 1.3.13
Rey had a really great idea for a Kickstarter project. We don’t know what it is: he didn’t tell us. The world may never have the chance to know what his amazing idea was, because he didn’t even get to the point of setting up his page and posting a slick video. Instead, Amazon stood in his way. Amazon? Why Amazon? Well, you have to accept Amazon Payments to use Kickstarter. Amazon needed information that Rey had already provided long ago and was still valid. In fact, they had just sent him some money. They asked him for it again anyway, and then things got ridiculous and confusing. [More]
Best Buy Screws Up, Now I Can’t Get A T-Mobile Account
By 1.2.13
More than a year ago, Consumerist reader Freddy took advantage of a Best Buy/T-Mobile promotion and switched to the carrier’s family plan. But his family immediately disliked the phones that came with the deal, so Freddy canceled the switch within 30 days and everything seemed okay. [More]
