Joseph is a longtime customer of Bank of America who has always had a fee-free banking experience. Then he noticed an unfamiliar $3 fee on his account called a “Check Image Service Fee.” He hadn’t heard anything about this, so he signed on customer service chat to find out what it was all about. It turns out to be a fee for having printed images of your canceled checks on a paper statement. Really, the fee is intended to encourage customers to stop receiving paper statements in the mail. [More]
Retail Services
The Children's Place: Where 3 for $20 Equals $20.97
By 2.17.11
After Mario bought some shirts at The Children’s Place shortly before Christmas, he discovered that the “sale” the store was running on the items he bought was a bad deal. Using an amazing trick of fuzzy math, the store actually increased the price of the items that Mario bought by putting them on sale. Wait, what? [More]
Brand-New Kenmore Washer Won't Stop Flooding My Basement
By 2.16.11
Sharon bought a Kenmore Elite Steam washer and dryer from Sears in August 2010. When the appliances showed up in September, they promptly began flooding her basement. She’s been scolded for not following directions correctly (even though she claims to follow the washer’s instructions to the letter) and is coming up on her fourth repair visit for the same problem. Sears keeps reassuring her that she’s a valued customer. Right. Tell that to her basement floor. Update: Sharon is getting a new washer. [More]
New California ZIP Code Rule Results In Landslide of Lawsuits
By 2.16.11
It’s been less than a week since the California Supreme Court issued a ruling forbidding retailers from asking for your ZIP code when making a purchase. In that short time, more than a dozen different lawsuits have been filed against retailers as a result. [More]
Woman Says Mall Made Her Leave For Breastfeeding In Public
By 2.16.11
Rhonda B. is none too pleased with her local mall for giving her the boot because she was breastfeeding. She says security workers at Fairfield Commons Mall in Beavercreek, OH, told her other shoppers had complained that she was feeding her two-month-old daughter and she’d have to leave. [More]
The Secret Economy Behind Free Food Samples
By 2.15.11
The next time you see free food samples at the local supermarket, take a closer look at what’s being served and how it’s presented. You could be on the receiving end of an elaborate and expensive offering cooked up by a clever retailer — or may be getting leftovers that are about to hit their expiration date. [More]
Check The Specs Yourself Before Ordering Electronics
By 2.15.11
Corey found a great deal on a Dell laptop at Best Buy. He was under the impression that the computer included a Blu-Ray optical drive, since Best Buy’s “specifications” page listed the drive as included on the computer. Twice. So did the product overview page. But after bonding with the computer for a few hours, Corey learned that the computer was Blu-Rayless. [More]
Analyst: Material, Labor Costs Increases Will Inflate Clothing Prices
By 2.15.11
Clothing prices have dropped for years thanks to cheap overseas labor, but increases in those labor costs as well as an increase in the cost of materials such as cotton could cause prices to rise. [More]
NFL, Electronic Arts Extend Madden Exclusivity Deal
By 2.15.11
If you like video games and football, you’d better like the Madden NFL series as well, because that’s the only franchise the league will allow to boast games that include authentic teams and players. [More]
Walmart Employees Fired For Stopping Armed Robber
By 2.14.11
When a suspected shoplifter pulled a gun on employees at a Walmart in Utah last month, the staffers say they were left with no choice but to disarm the man, which they managed to do without anyone getting shot. Unfortunately for them, Walmart says it had no choice but to let these employees go. [More]
Man Suing Walmart Claims They Sold Him A Fake iPad And Refused To Refund His Money
By 2.14.11
A man in Georgia is suing Walmart, claiming a store sold him a fake iPad. As the reporter from WSBTV says, “iPad? More like a Lie Pad!” Zing! [More]
LCD Soundsystem Fights Back Against Scalpers By Adding More Shows In NYC
By 2.12.11
You’re not the only one who hates scalpers who drive up the price of tickets from say, $50 to $500 — even the bands with the show in question get ticked off, as is the case with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. [More]
Don't Rush Into Buying Stuff At Liquidation Sales
By 2.10.11
With the news that the Ultimate Electronics chain is to be liquidated, we were reminded of the Circuit City liquidation and the lessons consumers (hopefully) learned from that debacle. [More]
Best Buy's "Buy Back" Program Isn't Exactly A Great Deal
By 2.10.11
When we first broke the news about Best Buy’s new buy back program, we hypothesized that it probably wouldn’t be the wisest investment you could ever make. Now our labcoat-loving cousins at Consumer Reports have confirmed our suspicions. [More]
Best Buy Considers Ditching Discounts In Favor Of Lower Everyday Prices
By 2.10.11
For years, Best Buy has relied on using occasional sales and discounts to lure customers into its stores. But a senior executive at the electronics retailer says it is now looking at moving toward a Walmart-like model of lower everyday prices in order to stay competitive. [More]
Woman Bites Into Razor In Walmart Brand Ice Cream
By 2.9.11
A woman has cut her lip on a razor that was at the bottom of her cup of Walmart brand Peanut Butter Stars. When she called to complain, the customer service rep told her, “I’m sorry, I hope your day gets better.” [More]
Are Any Luxury Dog Items Worth The Price?
By 2.8.11
Most dog owners try to do everything they can for their pooch without crossing the line into heiress-with-poodle-in-her-handbag territory. But with pet shops and online specialty stores flooded with indulgences for your dog, it’s tough to determine what is worth buying and which are superfluous. [More]
Things They Won't Tell You At The Furniture Store
By 2.8.11
Furniture shopping can be a daunting, and often expensive, process. But, unless you like the feel of sleeping, sitting and eating off your floor, it’s a process we all must endure. [More]
