John Norris’ family is drinking a lot less milk these days. He said he considers the higher prices and has cut back on his kids’ milk consumption. But between work and family obligations, he still drives almost as much as he used to.
polls
By 12.14.07
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AdFreak is running a bracket style vote-off to determine the freakiest commercial of 2007. We have a big soft spot for Montgomery Flea Market (featured as an entrant in our “Great Moments In Commercial History” series, but it seems “Orville Deadenbacher” could be slated to sweep the race. [AdFreak]
Comcast Encourages Employees To Stuff Comcast vs FiOs Poll
By 12.7.07
Comcast told its employees to vote in the Consumerist reader poll asking readers what they thought was better, Comcast, or FiOs. Above is the employee email blast they sent, provided to us by several different Comcast employees: Now, we’re definitely more amused than this than anything else, but it certainly was odd. Why would Comcast want to interfere with the torrents of peer to peer opinion sharing? In any event, Fios won, 784 to 277.
POLL RESULTS: Verizon FiOS Is Better Than Comcast!
By 12.6.07
We asked the readers to solve one of the great mysteries of life: Which is better Verizon FiOS or Comcast?
POLL: Which Is Better, Verizon FiOS Or Comcast?
By 12.5.07
Sometimes we get questions we just can’t answer, and this is one of them.
Who Should Play Kevin Trudeau In The Inevitable TV Movie?
By 11.28.07
More than one reader noticed a remarkable similarity between FTC repeat offender and infomercial king Kevin Trudeau and Dallas do-gooder Bobby Ewing—er, Patrick Duffy. Which makes us wonder: if there’s a TV movie in the works about Trudeau, and there certainly should be, who should play him? Share the wisdom of a crowd and cast your vote.
Is This Playstation 3 Too Dusty To Be Repaired Under Warranty?
By 11.14.07
We now have pictures of the Playstation 3 that Sony refused to repair under warranty because the unit was too dusty.
What Do Women Most Want For Christmas? "Gift Cards"
By 10.31.07
Consumer Reports conducted a survey to determine the consumer mood this coming holiday season. They found that of the poll respondents:
67% Of Consumerist Readers Are Cellphone Only
By 10.13.07
When asked about their home telephone situation, 67% of responding Consumerists said they only had a cellphone. 27.7% have both a cellphone and a landline. A paltry 3.6% only have a landline, and just 1.4% say the use neither cellphone or a landline, using payphones instead. The survey had 7735 participants. Clearly, the cellphone is king.
Take Our Survey, Get Chance To Win $100 Amazon Gift Certificate
By 10.12.07
We’d like to know more about Consumerist readers, and we need your help with this brief 4 question survey. We want to know is you age, gender, income, and educational level. Providing email and name are optional, but doing so ensures entrance in a random drawing for a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate. All of your information will be kept strictly private with data only distributed in anonymous aggregated form, and you won’t receive any email or sales pitches by participating; except for the winner of the drawing who will, of course, receive an email notification and an Amazon gift certificate. The survey takes less than 2 minutes. If you have any questions, please email surveys AT gawker.com. Take survey here.
Have You Gone Cellphone Only?
By 10.2.07
Money magazine tells us that a 2006 study reveals about one in eight American adults (26 million) live in households with no land line — they rely solely on a mobile phone. This is up dramatically versus three years earlier when only 2.9 percent had no fixed line. And in the next five years, nearly one in three U.S. households says they’ll cut the cord. — FREE MONEY FINANCE
Former Spendthrift? Naturally Frugal? Who Are You?
By 9.13.07
We’ve noticed that there are two types of people who really like us. Reformed credit card junkies and frugal tightwads.
Most Of Our Readers Self-Identify More As Citizens Than Consumers
By 9.7.07
Happily, most of our poll’s respondents say they are citizens before they are consumers. Perhaps there is hope yet.
Has "Super-Capitalism" Outmoded Democracy?
By 9.5.07
Heard some interesting commentary this morning on the Leonard Lopate show by former Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich on why he thinks “super-capitalism” has outmoded democracy.
Do You Shun Friends With Other Cellphone Carriers?
By 8.9.07
The Times brings us the sad story of Brandy McDowell and Kezia Chandler, two longtime friends whose relationship was shattered when they signed up with rival cellphone companies. The prospect of free mobile-to-mobile minutes has baited many friends groups to sign up or stick with the same carrier, ruining some friendships in the process. The Times article is rife with accounts of people who lost contact with friends banished to wilderness of nights and weekends. Are you loyal to your friends or your wallet? Tell us in our poll, after the jump.
Should Alcoholic Beverages Have Nutrition Labels?
By 8.5.07
Our alcoholic uncle always swore that booze was healthy, and if the Treasury Department has its way, nutrition labels on alcoholic beverages may soon have people thinking he was right. A rule issued last week by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau would require all alcoholic beverages to sport a panel listing traditional information like serving size and alcohol content, along with data on calorie, carbohydrate, fat, and protein content. The alcoholic beverage industry vigorously supports the rule, but some advocacy organizations are concerned that the nutrition labels might imply that alcoholic beverages have some nutritional value. Tell us what you think of the proposed rule in our poll, after the jump.
Ads In Video Games: Annoying Intrusion, Or Welcome Dose Of Reality?
By 8.3.07
Advertisers are expected to quintuple the amount spent placing ads in video games over the next five years. Beyond mere brand placement, consoles with an internet connection are capable of displaying dynamic billboards that can advertise The Simpsons Movie today, and The Simpsons Movie Sequel: The Return Of Spider Pig, in two years. From the LA Times:
The player’s ability to don, kick, toss or use products is part of the appeal. In “Super Monkey Ball,” players try to get their monkey characters to collect Dole-branded bananas. And in “Tony Hawk’s Project 8,” players use Nokia phones.
After the jump, tell us whether you greet ads in video games with skepticism and disdain, or appreciate them as a dose of reality in an otherwise virtual world.
Should Airports Use Art To Improve Their Image?
By 7.31.07
Airports throughout the nation are stocking up on art to entertain bored passengers and promote the local economy. Atlanta already has 300 pieces of art, including “a large display of stone sculptures from Zimbabwe,” a collection rivaled by Phoenix’s 500 pieces, such as “strands-of-light-reflecting-glass artwork.” Are these cultural offerings pleasant distractions, or intrusive nuisances? Vote in our poll, after the jump.
