If you are hyper-paranoid about getting cut off from Facebook and want to allow members of your trusted inner circle to swoop in and help you out when you’re in need, you’re now covered. Facebook is testing a feature called “Trusted Friends” that lets contacts you choose retrieve access codes to pass along to you if you find yourself unable to log on. [More]
trust
DirecTV Apparently Didn't Trust Me To Pay Final Bill
By 8.26.10
Ian writes that he was once a DirecTV customer. He wasn’t unhappy with their service, and would have considered going back if the stars aligned correctly one day. Switching to Comcast, however, currently saves him $100 per month, which is nothing to sneeze at. What has Ian sneezing mad, however, is that while DirecTV told him that he’d receive a final bill to pay in the mail, the company instead went ahead and charged his credit card for the final bill without his permission. [More]
48% Of Those Planning To Quit Once The Economy Improves Say It's Because They No Longer Trust Their Bosses
By 8.12.10
1/3 of working Americans say they’re going to try to find a new job once the recession is over, and 48% of that group cited losing trust in their employer as being the primary factory, according to a new study. [More]
Chase Banker: I Hate That We're Required To Pull People Out Of Line To Offer Upsells
By 7.31.10
Chase now requires bankers to drag customers waiting for a teller out of line so they can upsell other bank products. One longtime banker wrote in to apologize for the practice, which “blatantly exploits a customer’s trust,” and to encourage customers to call Chase and tell them that they hate it, too. Read the banker’s full heartfelt note, after the jump. [More]
Consumers Have More Trust In Companies That Tweet
By 6.23.10
A new survey shows that 75% of consumers think companies that tweet or post Facebook updates are more deserving of their trust than companies that don’t. The CEO of Fleishman-Hillard, which conducted the survey with Harris Interactive, says he thinks it shows that companies need to respond to crises much more openly and quickly than in years past: “Not in a 24-hours news cycle, but in minute-to-minute monitoring.” [More]
There Aren't Any Jobs Because These Five People Work Everywhere
By 4.6.10
There’s a funny post at the blog Fair Trade Photographer about cheap stock photography, particularly how companies who try to cut corners end up using the same image over and over. Barton has a serious message for companies, too: if you want us to trust you, maybe you shouldn’t put a generic stock photo of generic office people on your generic website. [More]
Hey Online Shoppers, Please Don't Agree To Withdraw Negative Reviews
By 3.9.10
Jessica Palmer at the blog Bioephemera recently had a bad run-in with a bookseller on Amazon, which she talks about at great length in a post. The mistake she made, she says, was that she didn’t exercise due diligence in researching the seller for complaints, and she didn’t read through all the many reviews on Amazon to see if the negative ones demonstrated a pattern. But her bigger issue is that there’s still no way to shame a bad retailer the way local news stations do with local brick and mortar stores, which is why it’s so important to stick by your complaints once you make them. [More]
Amazon Most Trusted Brand Of 2009; Toyota Was Seventh Most Trusted
By 2.23.10
All the money that Amazon has sunk into infrastructure and rapid fulfillment has paid off–the online retail giant was the most trusted brand of 2009, according to a brand study released by Millward Brown. The market research company spent 2009 asking consumers questions like, “How trustworthy is this brand?” and, “Would you recommend this brand?” [More]
Hey Stores! How About Offering Some Cash Back With That Receipt Check?
By 1.12.10
In the comments to our most recent receipt check story, I noticed a reader argued that as long as the store wasn’t willing to reimburse him for his time, he wasn’t willing to give it to them. It makes sense; nothing in the marketplace is free, right? Why shouldn’t consumers be compensated for bag searches and receipt checks?
Another reader, Adam, suggested a similar idea in his email to us this morning. In fact, he thinks maybe the exiting-the-store moment could be a chance to make a little extra cash.
Save The Polar Bear Sweaters Are Nice, But Do The Bears Really Get The Cash?
By 11.6.09
So you’re shopping and have a choice between Sweater A, and Sweater B, the one that saves polar bears. This so-called “embedded giving” where you buy something and part of the money goes towards a charity has become quite popular, especially during the holiday season, but did you ever stop to think if the polar bears are really getting the money?
Warning, iDrive Lite Spams All Your Gmail Contacts Without Your Permission
By 7.9.09
Don’t install the iPhone app iDrive Lite if you value the privacy of your contact list. Avi Muchnick, one of the developers behind the free, consumer-friendly online graphics suite Aviary, used iDrive to backup his Gmail contact list when switching to a new phone. The next day, he awoke to discover that iDrive’s parent company, Pro Softnet Corp, had spammed every single entry in his contact list without his permission.
People Trust Stuff They Read Online More Than Nearly Any Other Medium
By 7.9.09
A global Nielsen survey reports the cool yet frightening revelation that people trust opinions they find on the internet more than those from newspapers, TV, radio and magazines. The only category that trumps online rumblings is “recommendations from people known.”
Companies Accuse Yelp Of Review Extortion, Yelp Says No Way
By 2.20.09
Some San Francisco companies have accused the review website Yelp of manipulating reviews, either in exchange for buying advertising or as punishment for refusing. Yelp flat out denies the charges. They say that the posting and removal of reviews are determined solely by an algorithm and that their sales staff has no access to the reviews. But in this detailed article published this week in the East Bay Express, several restaurants cite phone calls and emails that they say indicates otherwise.
eHarmony Doesn't Believe You're Really Divorced
By 5.3.08
eHarmony won’t let Morgan’s mom join until she proves that she’s really divorced. She tried to join last year, but was rejected because she was only separated for seven years, and not divorced. Now that her divorce is final, she wants to register without spending another hour filling out eHarmony’s “scientifically proven” matching questionnaire.
Are Companies Finally Figuring Out That Bad Behavior Loses Customers?
By 10.16.07
A new market research study of over 3600 consumers has confirmed that there are some key things that will quickly erode any trust a customer has in a company: unethical behavior, bad customer service, and outdated products and services. The bad news is that the study was conducted in Europe, which makes us wonder if U.S. companies will pay any attention.
Renter's Insurance Probably Won't Cover You From A Bad Subletter
By 10.9.07
When we wrote about the glories of subletting your apartment while on vacation, we mused that renter’s insurance might cover it if your guest damages or steals stuff. While talking to USAA today about our renter’s insurance policy we asked them about this and they said nope, it doesn’t. You’re still protected from all the normal things, like fire, flood, and falling space probes, but not by the actions of someone you’ve invited into your home. So, we’ll just continue to beware and use our best judgment and not sublet to sketchy people. Other people with lower risk tolerances will disagree, and we’re okay with that.
Renting Out Your Apartment On Vacation For Fun And Profit
By 6.25.07
Lately, thanks to our girlfriend’s initiative, we’ve been picking up extra cash whenever we go out of town by renting out our apartment.
What’s A Good Dealership Rating Site?
By 11.9.06
Reader Etinterrapax wants to know if there’s any trustworthy car dealer ranking sites.
