The class action system is slow, profitable for lawyers, and flawed, but for now it’s the best tool that ordinary consumers have for holding companies that have wronged a lot of people responsible with a relatively small financial impact. Not all suits are well publicized, though, and you might not know that you’re eligible. Did you buy a computer between 2003 and 2008? How about “natural” cleaning products or lavender-scented baby products? [More]
Retail Services
Toys ‘R’ Us Will Once Again Open At 5 PM On Thanksgiving, Stay Open For 30 Hours Straight
By 11.7.16
Toys ‘R’ Us apparently subscribes to “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” logic when it comes to shopping hours for Thanksgiving: the toy store is once again opening its doors at 5 p.m. local time on Thanksgiving, and will keep those doors open for 30 hours in a row. [More]
Watch Out For Fake Retailer Apps On Your iPhone This Holiday Season
By 11.7.16
It feels like pretty much every major chain retailer out there now has an accompanying app they want you to download to your phone. These are supposed to enhance your shopping experience, provide you with targeted discounts, and provide the retailer with a wealth of useful data. What they aren’t supposed to do, though, is steal your private information — but there are a whole lot of clones out there that do just that, and in the run-up to the holiday shopping season, they’re popping up like mad. [More]
Is Amazon Adding House Cleaning To Prime Membership Perks?
By 11.7.16
For all of the perks that customers of Amazon’s Prime service receive — free two-day shipping on thousands of items, access to on-demand TV and movies, photo storage, music-streaming library, and free audio books — none include physical services. But a new report claims that Amazon may change that with the launch of a Prime-related cleaning service. [More]
Apple Cuts Dongle Prices After Users Complain About New MacBook’s Port Shortage
By 11.4.16
Apple wants to bring its MacBook Pro users into the future, and has done so by eliminating every port on the latest version of the computer except for two USB-C ports. The problem? Most of the peripherals on the market aren’t USB-C, so that means users will have to travel with a fistful of hubs and dongles. Responding to their complaints, Apple has lowered the price of the dongles that customers will need to plug in all of their other stuff. [More]
Fourth Child’s Death Linked To Recalled IKEA Dressers
By 11.4.16
Federal safety regulators have confirmed a fourth death linked to nearly 29 million recalled top-heavy Malm dressers and chests sold by IKEA. [More]
DirectBuy Wants Everyone To Know Its Business Model Is Less Terrible Now
By 11.4.16
Yesterday, we shared the news that DirectBuy, a company often featured on this very site for its anti-consumer practices, had filed for bankruptcy protection. However, the company wants to make sure that you know something: it has been making changes to become less terrible, including monthly fees instead of multi-year contracts. [More]
Mrs. Fields, Interbake Duking It Out In Court Over Cookie Deal Gone Bad
By 11.4.16
Like any good thriller, the story of cookie biggies Mrs. Fields and Interbake Foods is full of alleged deceit, theft, and betrayal. Now the two companies are headed to the courtroom to air their grievances over a relationship that crumbled like stale cookies. [More]
Here Are The Trends We See In This Year’s Black Friday Ads
By 11.4.16
Every year, the Black Friday ad flyers for major retailers “leak” online, giving shoppers an opportunity to pore over them well before the hefty Thanksgiving newspaper arrives on their doorsteps, if they receive a Thanksgiving newspaper at all. [More]
Victoria’s Secret Won’t Be Stuffing Your Mailbox With “Free Panty” Coupons Anymore
By 11.4.16
In the past year, the powers that be at L Brands — the parent company of Victoria’s Secret – have rolled out a number of planned changes: shilling more sports bras, ditching swimwear, and relying on its print catalog less. Now comes news that the company’s ever-present coupons promising a “free panty” will no longer be showing up to a mailbox near you. [More]
J. Crew Decides Trying To Sell Wedding Dresses Wasn’t Such A Great Idea
By 11.4.16
If you’re looking to score a great deal on a wedding dress, we hear there might be sales going on over at J. Crew, after the retailer announced it’s getting rid of its bridal business. [More]
DirectBuy Files For Bankruptcy, Lenders Will Take Over Company
By 11.3.16
You may remember DirectBuy, a store selling furniture and other items to spiff up your home that promises deep discounts to people who sign up for a pricey membership. This business model is apparently not working out for them, since the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week. [More]
Walmart Adding Chase Pay As An Online, In-App Payment Option
By 11.3.16
Despite the fact that Walmart already offers its own mobile payment system, the retailer is opening up doors to other forms of digital payments in an effort to cut costs on processing electronic transactions. [More]
McDonald’s Ends “Create Your Taste” Customized Burger Program
By 11.3.16
For the better part of two years, McDonald’s has tested the “Create Your Taste” menu that allowed diners to customize their burger by choosing from more than 30 premium ingredients without ever talking to an employee. While the fast food giant says those tests went well, the Golden Arches now plans to end the experiment in favor of a more simplified version. [More]
Kohl’s Will Start Selling Apple Watches, Market Them As Fitness Products
By 11.3.16
Just over a year ago, Apple expanded sales of its Watch to Best Buy and to Target, seeking new markets for its wrist computer. Now the company is expanding availability to department stores, so far reaching Macy’s and Kohl’s this fall. [More]
After $4.8M In Property Damage, Millions Of Dehumidifiers Recalled
By 11.3.16
Dehumidifiers are meant to protect homes from mold and mildew, not burn them down. Yet, that’s apparently a possibility for 3.4 million dehumidifiers — covering dozens of brands, including GE, Honeywell, Kenmore, and Sunbeam — that are being recalled after being linked to $4.8 million in property damage. [More]
Sears Will Shrink 12 Stores To Make Space For More Tenants
By 11.3.16
One way that Sears Holdings has been raising cash recently has been to take advantage of its vast portfolio of retail real estate, selling store buildings to an affiliated real estate investment trust and using the proceeds to keep the rest of the company going. That’s how the chain even posted a profit last year for the first time since 2012. Now its new landlord, the trust, is asking Sears to shrink down its living space and take on some roommates. [More]
Whole Foods Names Co-Founder John Mackey As Sole CEO
By 11.3.16
For six years, Whole Foods has been run by two co-CEOs, but amid increased competition and sagging revenue, the high-priced grocery chain has decided it’s for the best to have only one person leading the company: co-founder John Mackey. [More]
