The legal fight between Airbnb and San Francisco over rental registrations in the city is over, now that the two sides have agreed to kiss and make up. [More]
Retail Services
Decades Later, There Are Still 3 McDonald’s Serving Pizza In U.S.
By 5.1.17
Three decades ago, McDonald’s waded into Pizza Hut’s territory adding pizzas to the menu at thousands of stores. But after a brief affair with the cheesy pies, the fast food giant ditched the products — except for two locations, that is. [More]
Don’t Jump Into The Giant Fish Tank At Bass Pro Shops Just Because You Can
By 5.1.17
Much like fountains, aquariums, zoos and other places where the public can come into contact with lots of water, the fish tank at your local sporting goods shop is not intended to be your personal swimming hole, even if it’s large enough for you to jump into. [More]
Camping World Buys What’s Left Of Bankrupt Gander Mountain
By 5.1.17
Big-box sporting goods chain Gander Mountain has a new owner, and it’s not competitor Sportsman’s Paradise, as anticipated. Instead, the recreational vehicle dealer chain Camping World won the bidding, teaming up with liquidators Tiger Capital, Hilco, Great American Group, and Gordon Brothers to buy the brand, its stores, and its inventory. [More]
FedEx Won’t Throw My Package Over The Fence — Even Though I Asked Them To
By 5.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
We’ve all seen videos featuring delivery drivers showing off their athleticism, chucking, tossing, throwing, and otherwise unceremoniously dumping items. This tends to annoy both the recipient and the sender, who sometimes has to replace damaged items. It would seem to make sense for FedEx to have a “don’t throw packages” policy, but what if you need the driver to give your parcel that extra push? [More]
Homeowners Nationwide Complain About Home Depot’s Lazy Lead Paint Removal
By 5.1.17
The Home Depot’s lead paint removal business is currently the subject of a federal criminal investigation, with homeowners around the country complaining that high-priced contractors hired through the retailer used unsafe practices that endangered lives. [More]
In Battle For Supermarket Shelf Space, Big Brands Losing Ground To Fresh Food
By 5.1.17
For decades, your typical supermarket had one wall of produce, and a corner deli counter, with the core of the building given over to boxed, canned, and bottled products from recognizable brands. But as grocery stores revamp stores to attract shoppers looking for fresher food, companies like Kraft, Mondelez, and Kellogg are losing ground. [More]
Mallgoers Would Rather Deal With Pigeon Poop Than Noisy Bird Call Recordings
By 4.28.17
Although music to shop by isn’t going to please everyone, shoppers at one New York mall would rather risk getting hit by bird droppings than listen to the sounds coming out of the complex’s speakers. [More]
82,000 Osprey Baby Carriers Recalled After Reports Of Children Falling Through Leg Holes
By 4.28.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Strapping on a baby carrier and toting around your child can make things a lot easier for a busy parent or caregiver. But before you hit the hiking trail, you might want to make sure your carrier isn’t one of the Osprey backpacks being recalled following reports of children falling out. [More]
Reebok Takes On Nordstrom With $425 ‘Sweat-Stained Shirt’
By 4.27.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Earlier this week, Nordstrom came under fire for its latest entry in the “crimes against jeans” files. While Twitter mercilessly mocked the department store for its $425 jeans with “caked-on-muddy coating,” at least one other retailer was apparently waiting in the wings with its own joke: Reebok debuted a pre-sweat-stained t-shirt, for you guessed it, $425. [More]
Wegmans Hash Browns Also Recalled For Possible Golf Ball Bits
By 4.27.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Golf balls and potatoes are both round, dimpled, and typically found on the ground. That’s about all they have in common, though, so the recall of hash browns produced by McCain Foods and sold under supermarkets’ private labels that may contain diced golf balls is still an interesting agricultural mystery. Now another retailer, northeastern chain Wegmans, has recalled its store brand hash browns. [More]
Apple Store Thieves Run Off With $24K In Useless Products
By 4.26.17
If you’ve browsed an Apple Store recently, you may notice that the display devices are no longer tethered to their docks or tables. That’s because new security measures mean that the devices don’t work outside of the store. Maybe no one told the five young men who ran off with with more than 20 devices that can only really be used as pretty paperweights. [More]
Auto Lender Fined Another $1.25M For Failing To Issue Refunds To Servicemembers Threatened By Debt Collectors
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
An Ohio-based auto lender that has already been penalized for $3.28 million for using aggressive debt collection tactics against members of the armed forces is once again in hot water with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for failing to issue refunds to the servicemembers that were harassed. [More]
Amazon’s ‘Echo Look’ Is A Camera That Will Let Strangers Judge Your Clothing
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Amazon’s newest web-connected device, the Echo Look, may resemble a home security camera, but Amazon has found an even creepier product to put inside your house: a $200 camera that lets complete strangers judge your outfits. [More]
Deserted Malls Find New Use As Retail Call Centers
By 4.25.17
In order to keep bringing in the cash amid store closings, some malls have gotten a bit creative with their thousands of square feet of space, from leasing to doctor’s offices and supermarkets to using empty space as party venues. Some retailers are filling these empty mall spaces, but with call centers, not merchandise. [More]
Teen Has Sold $1M Worth Of Custom Socks Even Before Graduating High School
By 4.25.17
In the wise words of the late musician Aaliyah, when it comes to launching a successful apparel business, “age ain’t nothin’ but a number.” Just ask the teenager who has already sold $1 million worth of his custom-designed socks — before he’s even finished high school or moved out of his parents’ home. [More]
Today In WTF Fashion: TopShop Sells Clear ‘Jeans’ While Nordstrom Charges $425 For ‘Muddy’ Ones
By 4.25.17 — Updated: 4.28.17
In the annals of fashion, Spring 2017 may be remembered as the high-water mark for laughable, high-priced jeans. TopShop is now doing its knee-sweat inducing “window” jeans one better by just selling clear plastic leggings, while Nordstrom wants to charge you a small fortune for the privilege of looking like you fetched your pants from a flooded dirt-floor basement. [More]
LuLaRoe Offering Refunds To Everyone Who Bought ‘Defective’ Leggings Since Jan. 2016
By 4.25.17
In the wake of a lawsuit claiming that its products are defective and it won’t give refunds, multi-level clothing retailer LuLaRoe has announced a massive refund program for customers who are dissatisfied with their new clothes. [More]
