Brent was ready to order two-day shipping from Amazon merchant Electronics Expo for a set of Boston Acoustics speakers until he realized it would cost an extra $186. The speakers were only $49, and standard shipping was available for $14.99.
fees
Ordered From ProFlowers.com? Check Your Statements For Easy Saver
By 5.27.09
Mark has been taking a closer look at his finances and discovered a recurring monthly charge from some company called Easy Saver (easysaverrewards.com). He’s not sure where he supposedly signed up for the service, but his online search revealed a potential connection that he thinks others might want know about.
Wachovia Sends Out Its Own "Free Credit Report!" Offer To Customers
By 5.27.09
Tom just received a great offer from his bank. He can receive a free credit report just by peeling off this sticker and affixing it to another part of the same page. That’s right, a free motherloving credit report! Who doesn’t want one of those? Free, you say? Sign me up!
Which Credit And Debit Cards Are The Best To Use Overseas?
By 5.24.09
Spending money costs money when you’re abroad, but a list of cards and fees compiled by USA Today can help you decide which card to pack before you leave.
Blockbuster Busted For Overcharging Customers, Must Pay $300k
By 5.19.09
What do you do when the foundation to your business is crumbling and bankrupcty lurks like the Grim Reaper just outside your drop box? If you’re Blockbuster, apparently you charge customers more at the register than what’s displayed on the product, at least in California.
Delta: Not Receiving Any Additional Goods Or Services From Us Is "Free!"
By 5.18.09
Here’s a little something that sums up the state of air travel in our nation. Reader Drew was checking in to his Delta flight yesterday when he noticed that not checking any bags was described as “free.”
United, US Airways Bill Higher Baggage Fee As A Way To Save. Huh?
By 5.17.09
United and US Airways will soon charge an extra $5 to check bags at the airport, charging $20 for the first bag and $30 for the second. Since it will still cost $15 and $25 respectively to pay for checked bags online, United thinks they can herald the chance to “prepay & save!,” while US Airways boasts that they now have a “lower fee online!”
CARD Act Will Also Prevent Gift Cards From Expiring For Five Years
By 5.14.09
One unexpected benefit of the CARD Act, if it passes the Senate vote, is that Senator Charles Schumer of New York has included a provision that prevents abusive gift card practices.
Creative Labs Charges "Maintenance Fee" For Rebate
By 5.13.09
Creative Labs has found a great new way to minimize the risk that a customer will actually benefit from a rebate offer. In Rick’s case, they sent him the rebate in the form of a $10 debit card that was supposed to be good until July 2009, but when he went to a Best Buy to use it last month, it was denied. The reason? He’d been charged a $3 “maintenance fee” every month since January.
HSBC Credit Card's Pay-By-Phone Fee Is Higher Than The Bill
By 5.12.09
Why does HSBC charge $15 to make a payment over the phone? Other, often smaller, companies charge $3 or less, as MG notes in his email below. In this case, since the alternative is so unwelcome—a possible late payment, and a corresponding hit on MG’s credit score—it seems pretty outrageous to hold him hostage to a $15 fee.
Airlines: Thanks For The Extra Billion Dollars In Bag Fees
By 5.12.09
When airlines said that baggage fees were successful, they weren’t kidding. Collectively, they pocketed an extra $1.1 billion in luggage fees in 2008. American and US Airways led the pack — collecting $278 million and $187.1 million in bag fees respectively.
Verizon Loses The Broken Phone You Returned, Suspends Your Service
By 5.10.09
Luis dropped his busted LG EnV in the mail at the end of last year and tracked its progress as FedEx delivered the package to Verizon. Verizon, apparently unfamiliar with tracking numbers, doesn’t believe that Luis ever returned the phone, and insists that they’re owed a $320 replacement fee. Luis disputed the charge, but rather than investigate his claim, Verizon decided it would be easier to suspend his service. Now they want Luis—a customer of seven years who pays over $350 across six phone lines each month—to pay another $15 to reconnect the service they should never have disconnected in the first place. He writes:
Four Checked Bags On Delta Will Cost You $365 In Fees
By 5.8.09
Most travelers make do with 2 normal-sized pieces of luggage or less, but if you think you might have to travel with more bags, or unusually large or heavy ones, be prepared to shell out a lot of cash for what’s called an “excess baggage fee.”
Chase Charges You Fees For The Privilege Of Being Charged Fees
By 5.5.09
Corbin had a very confusing experience with his Chase credit card. Because of a unexplained returned payment by his bank, his $30 automatic minimum payment led to $156 in late fees, overlimit fees, returned payment fees, and a fee charged, as far as I can tell, for being charged fees.
Jiffy Lube Tries To Scam Yet Another Customer
By 5.4.09
Seriously, Jiffy Lube? You haven’t received enough bad coverage about ripping off your customers? Fine, here’s another one: Daniel says they tried to add about $170 in extra “needed” repairs and replacements recently when his girlfriend dropped off her car to get the oil changed. Even after she turned them down, they still slapped an extra $6 “Peak Global Life Time 100%” charge on the bill. We don’t know what that means, but those are all good words, and anything that’s 100 percent has got to be quality. Apparently Jiffy Lube doesn’t know what it means either.
Don't Like What Comcast Tells You? Just Call Back
By 5.4.09
If you’ve followed Consumerist for more than a few days you’ve probably heard that 2009 Worst Company in America quarterfinalist Comcast has been known to engage in some, ahem, sketchy customer service practices.
Watch Out For Foreign Transaction Fees When Booking With Foreign Carriers
By 5.3.09
Cliff logged on to his U.S. internet connection to use his U.S. credit card to buy airline tickets on Aer Lingus in U.S. dollars, a transaction he assumed wouldn’t incur a foreign transaction fee. Nope! Citibank slapped a 3% fee on the $2,600 purchase, something Cliff feels the airline should have warned him about.
Capital One Charges Woman $29 Late Fee For Paying Too Early
By 5.1.09
Jason writes, “My wife just sent me an email saying that she paid ‘too early’ (before the new statement was generated) and got charged a ‘Late Fee’ of $29!” He says she called Capital One and got the fee waived, but it’s a good reminder that if you make a payment before the new statement period begins, your card provider will likely apply the payment to the previous statement period, and will still expect a fresh payment from you by the new due date. Just make sure your payments aren’t scheduled so early that they’re applied to the past and you’ll be fine.
