For years, consumers have expressed frustration about being unable to get ice cream — particularly a McFlurry — from McDonald’s because of broken or otherwise incapacitated machines. Now, the Golden Arches is working to address the issue by providing restaurants with a new type of ice cream machine. [More]
Retail Services
Company Born From RadioShack’s Ashes May File For Bankruptcy
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 3.4.17
After RadioShack filed for bankruptcy in 2015, a new company — formed by a partnership between Sprint and the Shack’s new owners at Standard General — rose out of the ashes. Now comes news that this company, General Wireless, may also be facing bankruptcy. [More]
680,000 Baby Rattles Recalled Over Choking Hazard Concerns
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Baby rattles come in all shapes, sizes, and designs, but they all have one purpose: To entertain children, not hurt them. For that reason, 680,000 rattles have recently been recalled because they pose a choking hazard. [More]
Costco Raising Membership Fees Starting In June
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
As predicted earlier this year, it was about time for Costco to do it’s once-every-five-years-or-so price increase on membership fees, and we were right. The warehouse club has confirmed a 10% cost increase for most of its members. [More]
San Francisco Suing Hertz For Allegedly Ripping Off Car Renters On Golden Gate Bridge
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
If you rent a car from Hertz in San Francisco, it’ll automatically pay the toll for crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. But the city says in a new lawsuit that the rental car company is gouging tourists by fraudulently charging them millions of dollars in extra fees. [More]
hhgregg Closing 88 Stores And 3 Distribution Centers: Here’s The List
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
hhgregg, a retailer whose name we assure you we have capitalized correctly, is closing 40% of its stores across the country. The company calls this a plan to “advance turnaround,” while its stock has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange for having too low a share price, and rumors swirl that it’s planning to file for bankruptcy protection. [More]
Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins To Eliminate Artificial Colors From Products By 2018
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins on Thursday became the latest chains to join the growing list of restaurants and food producers promising to remove artificial flavors and dyes from its menus. [More]
Abercrombie & Fitch Shuttering 60 U.S. Stores This Year, Probably More To Come
By 3.2.17
After closing 53 U.S. locations last year, Abercrombie & Fitch says another 60 domestic stores are heading for the garbage pile as the company continues to struggle to bring in customers. [More]
Barnes & Noble Blames Coloring Books And Adele For 8% Decline In Sales
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Investors don’t want to hear that a retailer’s sales are down, so when Barnes & Noble had to explain to its backers and to industry analysts why comparable stores sales figures were down 8.3% over last year, the bookseller had some scapegoats to blame: coloring books and Adele. [More]
BCBG Max Azria Files For Bankruptcy, Admits It’s No Longer Chic
By 3.2.17
The fashion retailer BCBG Max Azria closed 120 stores at the beginning of last month, setting off speculation that it might be about to file for bankruptcy. This speculation was correct: The purveyor of dressy yet affordable clothes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today, seeking to either sell the business or make a deal that would give its junior creditors a stake in the business instead of cash. [More]
4 Things To Know About LuLaRoe Sales Reps’ Problems With The Company
By 3.2.17
You may have noticed in recent years an uptick of Facebook friends hawking leggings, skirts, cardigans, and other clothing items in groups dedicated to LuLaRoe. The multi-level marketing company has become a popular option for ambitious “consultants” hoping to earn money and maybe start a career. However, some current and former LuLaRoe sales reps are now publicly voicing their concerns about the company’s business practices. [More]
Best Buy Sales Fall Slightly, But It’s The Electronics Industry’s Fault
By 3.1.17
After years of what seemed like certain retail doom at the hands of Amazon, Best Buy has recently managed to mount an impressive recovery, thanks to things like adding mini-stores for brands, embracing its role as an electronics showroom, and price-matching competitors. However, the chain’s latest sales results show that some things are far beyond the company’s control. Like self-immolating smartphones. [More]
McDonald’s Banking On Mobile Ordering & Curbside Pickup To Win Back Customers
By 3.1.17
Would you be more likely to eat McDonald’s food if you could order and pay for it ahead and pick it up at the curb — or never leave your house in the first place? McDonald’s hopes so. [More]
Why Can’t I Get Spicy Nuggets At Wendy’s Anymore?
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
There are chicken nuggets and then there are spicy chicken nuggets, and if you’re a fan of the latter the former probably won’t suffice when you’ve got a hankering. Which is why we have bad news for those who prefer Wendy’s spicy nuggets: Your odds of finding your chosen nugget are dwindling. [More]
Yelp Buys Restaurant Waitlist Tech Company Nowait For $40M
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Yelp is trying to change the way users visit restaurants — or the way in which they wait for a table with the $40 million purchase of Nowait, a startup that uses technology to streamline the seating process at restaurants around the country. [More]
Samsung Washing Machine Owners Complain Of New Problem After Recall Repair
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
In addition to the Samsung washing machine owners who say they have been unable to get their recalled appliance repaired, Consumerist has heard from owners who’ve successfully had their washers fixed, but now claim to face a new problem: The clothes are now soaking wet when they come out of the wash. [More]
Vanishing Rebate Checks, Canceled Appointments: Stories Of Samsung’s Turbulent Washer Recall
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Last November, Samsung recalled nearly 3 million top-loading washing machines amid complaints about violent vibrations, “explosions”, and one broken jaw. The company offered the choice of an in-home repair, a rebate on a new machine, or a complete refund for recently purchased machines. That was nearly four months ago, but a number of Samsung washer owners tells us they’ve been frustrated with whichever option they selected. [More]
Why Is Samsung Sending A Dish Network Tech To Fix My Washing Machine?
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
The mechanic at your local garage might also be savvy enough to fix your furnace, but you probably wouldn’t expect the furnace company to send her out to your house to do a recall-related repair. So why is Samsung sending out Dish Network techs to fix defective Samsung washing machines? And why is Dish okay with techs using this opportunity to upsell satellite TV service? [More]
