Strange server issues today. The editor can’t retrieve his email. IM tips to “fakeout” (AIM).
announcements
Our Servers are Flub
By 4.4.06
How Long Does it Take to Get a Human?
By 4.3.06
In the wake of purple ribbons, zombies and looking up words in the dictionary, we thought we might want to try something resembling journalism. To that end, we’ve started the Time to Human project.
Lost a Comments Login?
By 3.31.06
There’s been sporadic reports of reader’s comment logins not working, their accounts being deleted, etc etc. Undoubtedly, this is related to Gawker’s recent backend upgrade magic making everything fitter, better, happier and more productive.
This Week In: Top Stories
By 3.17.06
Here’s the stories, or “word wars” if you will, you took the most sick, voyeuristic pleasure in watching again and again this week.
Please Stand By
By 3.15.06
If you’re reading this, we seem to be experiencing some technical difficulty right now and sometimes Consumerist isn’t loading. You can hit refresh a whole buncha times or wait around till we get our act together. Sorry for the inconvenience, please don’t hate us, we’ll be back to full strength soon.
Welcome NPR Listeners
By 3.14.06
If you’re coming here after hearing the broadcast on NPR’s Marketplace, hello and welcome to The Consumerist, an independent consumer affairs-oriented blog in the Gawker Media Network.
The Consumerist Could Be on NPR Any Second Now
By 3.13.06
So… we *might* be on NPR’s Marketplace in about 30 minutes, (5pm, EST), talking about the Worst Company in America poll. That’s about all we know. These crazy radio guys, they’re editing up to like the last second the show goes on. Unlike us crazy blogger guys, who can edit weeks and days after. Tune in on the NPR live stream or check your local listings, both found on the website.
Our Servers Promise to Stop Tripping Out
By 3.10.06
Unlike yesterday, The Consumerist, and all the Gawker Media blogs, should be running smooth now like hot Vaseline on a dolphin’s back.
We May Be On NPR Tonite
By 3.10.06
Ian Chillag for NPR Marketplace’s interviewed us this week about the “Worst Company in America” poll. The bit may be broadcasting tonight at 5pm EST. We should know more by 2:30pm.
Sorry The Consumerist is Gaytarded
By 3.9.06
Have you noticed how The Consumerist has been loading slower and slower and slower? We certainly have.
Introducing Your Editor, Ben Popken
By 2.27.06
Let’s all give a warm, but slightly abrasive welcome to Ben Popken, the new editor of The Consumerist. Ben previously was the editor of the advertising blog The Spunker, is “up with people,” and lives in Brooklyn, the home of enough mangy shopkeeps to keep him fussy far beyond societal norms. Ben’s been the driving editorial voice of The Consumerist for nearly two weeks and is doing, as they say, a heck of a job.
The Consumerist’s Poor Customer Service
By 2.17.06
So as much as it pains me—Joel—to say this, I’ve got to tell you what I did, because it’s painfully ironic.
Reminder: We Want Your Complaints
By 1.23.06
While we’re constantly scouring the web to pick the plum complaints—Craig “‘slist” Newmark is looking for some Dell 2405 drivers for Fedora, we’ve been told—we also want to know what problems our readers have subjected themselves to in the name of procurement. The best stories always come from our readers.
Consumerist RSS Feed Errors
By 1.9.06
Thanks to everyone who noted problems with the RSS feed and permalinks, which for a mysterious reason impervious to our scrying are redirecting to Gawker.com. We are working to address the issue and will fix it as soon as we can give the hamsters a nice long soak in the hot tub.
Introducing Your Guest Blogger, John Brownlee
By 1.3.06
Hello, readers. Joel here. I’m about to catch a plane to Las Vegas to began an in depth report for The Consumerist detailing water quality in casinos’ mixed drinks. (Not really. I’m going as part of the support staff for sister sites Gizmodo and NSFWy Fleshbot.) I’ve also be enjoying letting the PR folk at various tech companies know that I am going to be writing even more about their failings.
Happy Holidays from The Consumerist
By 12.24.05
Since you’ll likely be busy with family and friends this weekend, let us leave you with this story of Christmas from Richard Shenkman’s Legends, Lies & Cherished Myths of American History:
Until the Civil War Christmas was but scantily observed. Most shockingly, retailers hardly seemed to take notice of the occasion. Historians report that the pages of the New York Tribune in 1841 did not contain a single example of advertising with a Christmas theme. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that retailers began experimenting with special Christmas sales. Once they did, however, it didn’t take long for them to discover the commercial possibilities offered by the holiday. By 1970 December had become the merchants’ single largest selling month of the year.
No matter what you celebrate over the next few days, let us join together to worship our Christmas’s most hallowed savior: Mammon.
Welcome to the Consumerist
By 12.7.05
Welcome, internet, to The Consumerist, the latest title from Gawker Media. The Consumerist loves to shop, and is reconciled to utilities, but hates paying for shoddy products, inhumane customer support, and half-assed service.
Reminder: We Want to Hear You Kvetch
Keep those consumer complaints rolling in, folks. We read each one, trying to determine if you’ve got a real beef (and you almost always do), and do our best to get the word out.