Melanie Ritter thought she was buying a video iPod from Target for her daughter’s birthday, only to open the box and find rocks inside. Imagine how much more disappointed she was the second time this happened.
retail
By 10.3.07
../../../..//2007/10/03/a-federal-judge-in/
A federal judge in California certified a class-action lawsuit against Target Corp on Tuesday. The suit claims that Target’s website is not accessible to the blind, and the plaintiffs have accused Target of violating state and federal anti-discrimination laws. “All e-commerce businesses should take note of this decision and immediately take steps to open their doors to the blind,” said the president of the National Federation of the Blind, a party to the suit. [Reuters]
Wal-Mart's Employee Morale, Customer Service At All-Time Low
By 10.2.07
Business Week sent a couple of its own “secret shoppers” to some Wal-Mart stores to see how their new customer service initiative was faring, and found that the employees they spoke with not only didn’t care, but really wanted customers to know this. Said one employee, “If Wal-Mart doesn’t care for me, why should I care? There was this horrible smell in the store the last two days from some overnight spill. They did nothing about it. It got so bad that on the second day the fire department came by and we all had to wear masks.”
"Christmas Creep" Photo Gallery Call For Entries
By 10.1.07
Christmas is threatening to swallow all the other holidays until there is nothing left! Help! This “holiday season” we’re asking our readers to document a phenomenon called “Christmas Creep.”
Gamestop Screws Up Pre-Orders, Still Hasn't Fixed Them
By 10.1.07
It almost goes without saying that you should never trust Gamestop, but you’d at least expect them to honor ads that they’ve approved and printed. Gamestop pre-sold a Consumerist reader the new Medal of Honor game for Xbox 360 back in August. Part of the deal—according to their ad—was a card good for 400 free Marketplace Points for use on Xbox Live. But instead, they cancelled the card from his order, then gave him an incorrect reason for the cancellation, then admitted fault and promised to make everything right. As of today—almost a full month since the game was released—he still hasn’t received the points.
Borders' Popular Rewards Program Proves Both Too Popular And Too Rewarding
By 10.1.07
According to the Wall Street Journal, Borders rewards program is popular. Too popular. And too rewarding. In response, Borders is cutting back the benefits and introducing a new program that it describes as “now simpler than ever” and “a new program to celebrate.”
Are Americans Addicted To Coupons?
By 9.30.07
Alright consumers, Macy’s heard you loud and clear: you want a good deal, not a good price. To celebrate the revelation, Macy’s is proud to announce the return of the coupon. Psychological gratification is yours to clip and snip away, 15%-20% at a shot.
Despite their dowdy image, coupons remain a huge business. In 2006, companies issued 279 billion of them, or roughly 1,000 per person, up 13 percent in four years, according to NCH Marketing Services in Deerfield, Ill.
Retail Panic: Will This Be The Worst Holiday Season Ever?
By 9.26.07
Analysts aren’t pleased with Lowe’s and Target’s latest news.
What Is Minimum Advertised Price?
By 9.26.07
Minimum Advertised Price is an agreement between suppliers and retailers stipulating the lowest price an item is allowed to be advertised at. If you’ve ever tried to shop around and keep nosing up against the same number, you may have just discovered that good’s MAP. This is why sometimes you see signs that say “price too low to advertise!” Or why when shopping online, sometimes the price doesn’t show up until further in the transaction process. Retailers can incur sizable fines and/or penalties from their suppliers for violating MAP contracts.
Walmart Tries To Make DVDs, Toothpaste, Soap, Milk, Beer, Vacuum Cleaners, and Soda Eco-Friendly
By 9.25.07
According to BusinessWeek, Walmart is using its considerable power to pressure its suppliers to reduce manufacturing energy consumption, and in doing so, cut costs.
Canadian Book Buyers Are Angry Over Dollar Parity
By 9.24.07
Canadian book buyers are mad! After decades of higher book prices being explained away by the weak Canadian dollar, book buyers suddenly find themselves paying “more” money for the same book.
Spelling Bee Champ Lands Lucrative Walmart Sign Making Job
By 9.24.07
Besides the obvious misspelling, it seems now that Walmart considers a measuring cup a “gadget.” Ooh, look at these fancy graduated lines! Futuristic. Someone send Gizmodo a press release.
Old Navy Hires Todd Oldham As Creative Director
By 9.22.07
Todd Oldham has a new job: Fixing Old Navy. According to the New York Times, Todd has been hired to attract shoppers in their 20’s, a group Old Navy has identified as their target market after years of “trying to be all things to all people.”
Agassi Sues Target Over Unauthorized Flip-Flops
By 9.21.07
Andre Agassi is suing Target for slapping his name on a pair of brown men’s flip-flops without his permission, says the AP.
All Charges Dropped Against Circuit City Receipt Refuser
By 9.21.07
Legal charges have been dropped against Michael Righi (pictured), the guy arrested after refusing to show his receipt to Circuit City, and his driver’s license to a police officer, in exchange for Righi’s pledge to not sue the city. On his blog, Righi writes that he was willing to fight the city to the end without forfeiting any rights whatsoever, but he wanted to spare his family, who would have been principal witnesses, from a protracted legal battle.
WSJ Editor Caught After Accidentally Stealing From Kmart
By 9.20.07
Kmart detained Wall Street Journal editor Laura Landro after she accidentally stole $8 from them by putting a more expensive pair of flipflops in a box with a cheaper price tag.
Why Stores Love To Force You To Show Your Receipts
By 9.18.07
A former Best Buy employee and Consumerist tipster in good standing shared some insider insights about why store employees are so zealous in checking your receipt, and so zealously underinformed as to how they have no legal right to make you show it.
Walmart Rolls Back Prices Negative One Dollar And Fifty-Nine Cents
By 9.17.07
Nowadays it seems like anyone can make a sign. I yearn for the olde days of sign making when you actually had to know something about signmaking to do it. Signmaking was restricted to knowledgeable guild workers. The penalty for non-guild workers making signs was death. By signmaking.
