All Company
ASUS
If ASUS Installs Your Hard Drive Backwards, Your Computer Can't Overheat
By Laura Northrup on November 30, 2011 8:00 AM
37 Comments
Perhaps it was naive of reader A. to think that sending his overheating computer back to ASUS would end with him receiving a functional computer back. He did expect them to at least put the hard drive back facing in the right direction, though. Or maybe that was the outsourced repair depot's idea of a fix for his problem. A computer that can't boot can't overheat. More »
(matneym)
ASUS Blames You When BIOS Update Bricks Your Computer
By Laura Northrup on November 9, 2011 8:00 AM
124 Comments
In order to start up your PC, you need a BIOS: firmware that tells your computer what devices are attached to it and where it can find the operating system(s). Most people don't ever need to fuss with the BIOS, but Tim did for his ASUS computer. What he didn't know was that the update he downloaded from the company's site would turn his computer into a large, flat plastic brick if he installed it from a USB drive in the default file format. ASUS says that Tim has to pay for the repair, which he thinks is unfair. More »
AT&T
(Jay Adan)
AT&T Cries "Uncle," Pulls Plug On Plan To Buy T-Mobile
By Chris Morran on December 19, 2011 4:48 PM
62 Comments
Faced with regulatory hurdles too tall for it to leap, AT&T has announced that it has pulled the plug on its proposed plan to purchase T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion. More »
More Signs That AT&T Could Pull Out Of Deal To Purchase T-Mobile
By Chris Morran on December 19, 2011 11:38 AM
11 Comments
While AT&T has publicly said it is considering ways to restructure its plan to purchase T-Mobile USA for $39 billion will end the Justice Dept.'s suit to block the merger — and the FCC's plan to put up regulatory speed bumps — a news report claims that there are new signs that the Death Star may be looking to retreat. More »
AT&T U-Verse
Which Internet Provider Is The Best For Streaming Netflix?
By Chris Morran on October 17, 2011 12:30 PM
58 Comments
How well you'll be able to stream season two of Breaking Bad on Netflix may depend largely on which company you're paying to provide internet service to your home. Netflix has just released the results of its own study on network performance and the results may not surprise you. More »
Business's DSL Still Out 1 Month After Account Breach
By Laura Northrup on October 7, 2011 9:00 AM
21 Comments
Derek tells Consumerist that someone contacted AT&T and canceled his business's DSL account. Which is interesting, because that person had no affiliation with Derek's business, didn't have any of the account information, and really shouldn't have been allowed to edit the account at all. Did that stop AT&T from letting the person end the business's Internet access, resulting in early termination fees? Guess. More »
Acer
Man Wrests Free Repair From Acer's Claws
By Ben Popken on July 21, 2011 10:00 AM
41 Comments
Acer is infamous for its inferior or nearly non-existent customer service. Long are the annals of history filled with the tales of those who have thrown themselves against Acer's ramparts and disintegrated on impact. But reader PW shares how he was able to get his 6 months out of warranty Acer laptop replaced after it died. The secret is to look for the email address with .tw after them. That's right, email addresses leading back to the mothership in Taiwan. More »
Google Teams Up With Samsung & Acer To Release Chromebooks In June
By Chris Morran on May 11, 2011 3:31 PM
42 Comments
After the commercial success of its Android smartphone operating system and the growing number of people using its Chrome web browser, Google has announced that it has made a deal with Samsung and Acer to release a slate of PCs running the Chrome operating system. More »
Aetna
(jaubele1)
Good Luck Trying To Find Out How Much A Medical Procedure Will Cost
By Chris Morran on October 24, 2011 4:15 PM
114 Comments
A new report from the folks at the Government Accountability Office has confirmed what anyone who has ever tried to get a clear estimate on what a medical procedure already knows: There's a good chance you can't. More »
(Manhattan District Attorney's Office)
Feds Seize Deadly And Illegal Pest Poison Called "The Cat Be Unemployed"
By Ben Popken on September 21, 2011 12:30 PM
108 Comments
The amusing name belied the deadly and illegal contents. "The Cat Be Unemployed" read the package, featuring a yellow background with a bright-eyed cartoon feline and thick black Chinese characters underneath. Within, was rat poison, and the chemical brodifacoum at 61 times its legal limit. It doesn't kill just rodents. More »
Alaska Airlines
Study: Virgin America Keeps Customers On Hold Longer Than Any Other Airline
By Chris Morran on November 23, 2011 1:46 PM
24 Comments
Holiday travel plans change all the time, meaning lots of people will be spending lots of time on the phone trying to speak to a human being. And according to a new report, passengers on Virgin America should have something to occupy themselves with while waiting on hold, as the average wait time for the carrier is longer than 20 minutes. More »
Is In-Flight Advertising Getting Out Of Control?
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 4:15 PM
47 Comments
Depending on the airline you choose, everything from the exterior of your jet to the overhead compartments to your tray table and the back of your seat to your airplane safety video can be sponsored by an advertiser. And considering the amount of revenue being generated by these ads, they probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon. More »
All Mobile Phone Carriers
HTC: We Can't Make Better Phones If We're Always Fixing Yours
By Laura Northrup on December 23, 2011 9:00 AM
66 Comments
William has tried everything to get a working HTC smartphone: he's e-mailed executives and he's visited his local Sprint store for help. The company replaced his broken Evo Shift with a Design. Yay! ...except that on the new phone, no one can hear him. HTC won't send a replacement phone. Not because he's not entitled to one, but because William tried had swapped in a battery from his old phone when the replacement had shipped with a bad one. More »
If You Want A Cell Phone Without A New Contract, Don't Go To The Verizon Store
By Chris Morran on December 19, 2011 2:15 PM
73 Comments
If you're already a Verizon customer and all you want is a new phone — no change of plan, no contract extension, just the phone — it would make sense that you should just be able to go to the Verizon store and pay full price for a new one. But as Consumerist reader Greg learned, things rarely go as easily as you'd expect when you're dealing with the wireless world. More »
Allstate
Allstate Denied Man's Insurance Claim Because He Went To The Hospital 5 Hours Too Early
By Ben Popken on November 10, 2011 5:00 PM
139 Comments
Usually you're rewarded for showing up early. How could showing up 5 hours early cost you $10,000? More »
Shazam! Esurance Now Owned By Allstate
By Chris Morran on October 7, 2011 12:45 PM
51 Comments
Esurance, the insurance company known for its online quotes and annoying commercials, is now officially part of Allstate, after the larger company announced that it has completed the $1 billion acquisition. More »
Amazon
Amazon Does Me A Solid, Pays International Shipping Fees & Gives Full Refund
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 3, 2012 3:00 PM
21 Comments
In a world where mega-retailers trying to make a buck anywhere they can will resort to terrible tactics (say it in a movie trailer voice and it sounds cooler), any examples of companies going above and beyond to serve the customer warms the cockles of our very cold and jaded hearts. Michael wrote in to shed light on one such positive experience with Amazon. More »
How Long Should You Expect To Wait For Refunds From Online Retailers?
By Chris Morran on December 28, 2011 11:00 AM
18 Comments
We are now three days into the official Holiday Returns & Exchanges Season, and while those shoppers who paid a little more — and put on pants — to go shopping at bricks-and-mortar stores, it's usually just a matter of waiting in line to get your refund. But for gift-givers who did their buying online this year, that wait for a refund could be anywhere from a few days to several weeks. More »
American Airlines
American Airlines Warns Customers Of Potential For Scam Emails
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 3, 2012 2:00 PM
11 Comments
American Airlines is warning customers about a potential email phishing scam that could be trying to steal personal information by posing as the airline. The emails are said to have been sent out as recently as November. More »
Turns Out Bankrupt American Airlines Owns A $30 Million London Townhouse
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 15, 2011 12:00 PM
36 Comments
When a company files for bankruptcy, some interesting things can come up in the listing of assets. Like say, a London townhouse that could be worth up to $30 million — which was listed in American Airlines' recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. More »
American Express
People Are Back To Making Late Payments On Their Credit Cards
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 11:30 AM
19 Comments
Two months ago, the number of people making late credit card payments was at its lowest since Justin Bieber was a twinkle in his parents' eyes. Of course, when you reach a low like that, there is often nowhere to go but up. More »
Credit Card Marketer Uses Clever Way To Circumvent New Regs
By Ben Popken on October 13, 2011 11:00 AM
38 Comments
Looks like at least one credit card marketer has cooked up a clever way around regulations that forbid unsolicited credit cards from being issued and showing up in your mailbox. More »
Amtrak
(balmes)
Locked-Out Commuters Break Down Door Of Amtrak Station To Catch Train
By Chris Morran on November 2, 2011 3:15 PM
112 Comments
So it's pre-dawn on a chilly November morning in Lancaster, PA, and you arrive at the Amtrak station to catch the train, but no one is around to open the station and now you can't get to the platform. What do you do? The answer for some locked-out commuters this morning was to break down the door. More »
(KFreon)
Senator Proposes "No-Ride List" For Amtrak
By Chris Morran on May 9, 2011 8:45 AM
88 Comments
Apparently the only way for a terrorist to plant a bomb on any of the thousands and thousands miles of completely unsecured railroad track in this country is to actually be a passenger on a train — specifically an Amtrak train. Thus, Senator Chuck Schumer of NY has figured out a way to keep our entire rail system safe: A "no-ride list." More »
Apple
Kid In Store Asks Demo iPhone A Question, Siri Tells Him To "Shut The (Bleep) Up"
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 3, 2012 10:00 AM
57 Comments
We knew it was just a matter of time before Siri got fed up with the whole nice, iPhone voice-activated assistance thing and showed her true colors. A young boy in London was trying out one of the phones in a store and asked Siri, "How many people are there in the world?" and got quite the potty-mouthed response. More »
(37prime)
Apple Gives Thief A Replacement iPhone When The One He Took From Me Wouldn't Work
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 2, 2012 1:00 PM
74 Comments
Apple's policy of not intervening in the theft of their products from customers is costing them a wad of cash, after store employees in Toronto handed over a new iPhone to a thief. More »
Applebee's
Cheesecake Factory Once Again Dominates List Of Most Calorific Menu Items
By Chris Morran on July 19, 2011 3:33 PM
78 Comments
Once again, the folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest have taken a look around that the menus of this nation's restaurant chains to identify those items that seem so yummy on paper, so long as you're not actually reading the nutrition info. More »
Toddler Receives Alcoholic Margarita Mix Instead Of Apple Juice At Applebee's
By Mary Beth Quirk on April 11, 2011 9:30 AM
125 Comments
Big mistake. Huge. Police are investigating a Detroit-area Applebee's after a toddler was mistakenly given margarita mix in the place of the apple juice his mother ordered along with his kid's meal. More »
Avis
How To Swerve Away From Extra Car Rental Fees
By Paul Eng on June 17, 2011 3:45 PM
74 Comments
Sure, maybe you're smart enough not to fall for the optional insurance car rental companies like to shill when you borrow one of their fine vehicles. And of course, you're wise to the astronomical final bill you might get if you opt for their pricey fuel options. But do you know what other gotchas lay in store? More »
(nsub1)
5 Tips For Beating Car Rental Companies At The Claim Game
By Chris Morran on March 31, 2011 1:15 PM
40 Comments
Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of fighting a car rental company on an insurance claim — especially over a ding or scratch that you know was there before you drove off the lot — knows that it's often a losing battle. But travel journalist Christopher Elliott has some tips for putting up a good fight. More »
BMW
Study: Fancy Cars Make Us Happy, Briefly
By Ben Popken on July 27, 2011 1:00 PM
69 Comments
In an amazing breakthrough for both Science and the study of consumer behavior, researchers have determined that the pleasures of having an expensive car is fleeting and quickly replaced by thinking about the anxieties of day-to-day existence. More »
BMW Recalls 150,000 Cars Over Fuel Pump Failures
By Chris Morran on October 26, 2010 1:13 PM
17 Comments
While it's never fun to post car recall news, it's at least a change of pace to write about a recall that doesn't involve Toyota. This time it's BMW, who announced earlier today that they will be recalling a variety of vehicles from model years 2007 to 2010 for possible problems with the fuel pump. More »
Bank of America
(birdarts)
Bank Of America Won't Let New Bride Deposit Wedding Gift Checks Because She Didn't Change Her Last Name
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 2:15 PM
188 Comments
While a large majority of women in the U.S. choose to take their husband's last name when they get married, it's certainly not some unheard-of practice that should wreak havoc at a national bank. But Bank of America employees in Albany decided they could not possibly recognize a new bride as her husband's spouse since she hadn't changed her name to match his. More »
All It Took To Convince Bank Of America To Finally Close On A Mortgage Loan Was A Music Video
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 29, 2011 3:00 PM
24 Comments
Next time your bank is being stubborn over closing on a mortgage loan, perhaps consider doing a little song and dance — it worked for one couple battling with Bank of America. Well, that and a really good credit rating of 798. More »
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble Now Selling Electronics, Furniture, Rugs & Just About Everything Else
By Chris Morran on October 20, 2011 12:19 PM
31 Comments
For years, Barnes & Noble's website has been competing with Amazon for the online book market. The two companies even square off directly in the realm of ebooks, each selling its own proprietary eReader. But aside from dabbling in music and movies, B&N has let Amazon be the online superstore where you can buy almost anything. Until now. More »
Barnes & Noble Won't Sell Physical Copies Of Kindle Exclusive Comics
By Mary Beth Quirk on October 10, 2011 1:00 PM
70 Comments
After DC Comics gave exclusive digital rights to Amazon for a few of its comic book titles, Barnes & Noble is getting revenge by refusing to sell physical copies of those books in its stores. More »
Best Buy
Best Buy Manager Dismisses Best Buy Twitter Customer Service, Says "It Could Be Anybody"
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 4:15 PM
55 Comments
Consumerist reader Jonathan recently received a box set of CDs from his brother for Christmas. Unfortunately, one of the CDs that was supposed to be in the box was nowhere to be found. Compounding the problem, his brother had lost the receipt. Oh, and did we mention he made the mistake of buying the box set at Best Buy? More »
Best Buy Screws Up Gift Return, Causes Family Awkwardness
By Laura Northrup on January 3, 2012 9:30 AM
167 Comments
Whenever we post a Best Buy story, commenters scold the tipster: don't they read the site? They should have known better than to shop at Best Buy in the first place! It's impossible (I hope) to blame Todd, though—his mother-in-law bought him a gadget gift there. A car dock for the wrong type of smartphone, along with a gift receipt. This should have been a smooth and simple transaction, right? Of course not. More »
Blockbuster
Blockbuster Wants To Lure You In On Christmas With Free Batteries
By Phil Villarreal on December 21, 2011 9:15 AM
32 Comments
Apparently having given up on the whole movie rental thing as a way to lure customers into its few stores that remain open, Blockbuster is trotting out a free battery gimmick. Go into any participating store on Christmas and you can walk away with two packs of either AA or AAA batteries. If you need more than that, you can buy additional packs for a buck. More »
You Can Buy Blockbuster Gift Cards Again, But Your Old One's Still Worthless
By Laura Northrup on December 16, 2011 8:00 AM
27 Comments
We're going to go out on a limb here and guess that there is absolutely no one out there who can't wait to buy a Blockbuster gift card. It's not exciting consumer news. The curious thing is that while you can buy a Blockbuster gift card today at any of their retail stores, a card for the same brand that you might still have in your desk drawer from only nine months ago is just a worthless piece of plastic. Blame the bankruptcy and sale of Blockbuster. More »
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield Says Man Should Pay $2,306 To Avoid Dying In His Sleep
By Ben Popken on November 3, 2011 11:00 AM
207 Comments
Jason has sleep apnea. When he sleeps, if it can be called that, he stops breathing up to twelve times per hour. His body's reflexive response is that his jaw shoots around wildly, chipping and grinding his teeth, and then he wakes up for a second. A dozen times every hour, every night, he wakes up to his teeth clanging around his mouth. As if that wasn't fun enough, of the $2,400 the mouth guard his doctor prescribed prescribed him, his insurance plan is only going to cover a max of $94. More »
(B Rosen)
Woman Loses Insurance Because She Paid With Credit Card
By Ben Popken on September 21, 2011 1:30 PM
123 Comments
Andrea has been a customer with Anthem since 1995, paying her bill all the time and never submitting any claims. So you can see why they canceled her coverage. More »
Borders
Borders Store To Be Turned Into Library System Nexus
By Ben Popken on October 24, 2011 5:00 PM
17 Comments
Here's another cool liquidated Borders store conversion story. The Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma is buying up a 25,000 square foot Borders store and turning it into their new book master control system headquarters. More »
Man Reuses Letters From Borders Sign To Open "ODE" Bookstore In Same Spot
By Ben Popken on October 24, 2011 10:00 AM
82 Comments
San Francisco is big into recycling and books, and both interests have combined in the form of a liquidated Borders bookstore that is getting reused as a used bookstore. The owner is even finding a place for the letters in the original Borders sign: spelling out the name of the new store, "ODE." More »
British Airways
British Airways To Start Pumping Signature Scent Into Jet Cabins
By Chris Morran on August 25, 2011 1:30 PM
69 Comments
How many times have you boarded a plane and thought, "You know what would make this flight even more fun? If there was a signature scent being pumped through the cabin!" Well then maybe you should start flying British Airways, which will reportedly be smelling up their jets in the near future. More »
(afagen)
When Is A Free Ticket Not Free? When There Is A $350 Fuel Surcharge
By Chris Morran on May 31, 2011 12:45 PM
43 Comments
Even though it's become increasingly easy to amass rewards travel points on most major airlines, it's not only gotten more difficult to cash in those points for free tickets, those "free" tickets could end up costing you hundreds in taxes and fuel surcharges. More »
Burger King
Wendy's Set To Dethrone Burger King As #2 Fast Food Destination
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 11:30 AM
69 Comments
In the over 40 years since Wendy's began slinging burgers, the fast food chain has never been able to slip past competitor Burger King, which seemed to have a permanent lock on the runner-up slot behind McDonald's. But the newest numbers indicate that while the Ohio-based burger joint is set to leap-frog BK into the number two spot in total sales, even though it has almost 1,400 fewer stores in the U.S. More »
(Burger King)
Consumer Reports: New Burger King Fries Are Better, But Still Not As Good As Wendy's
By Meg Marco on December 19, 2011 3:30 PM
93 Comments
Last Friday, Burger King launched some new fries - offering free samples while supplies lasted. Our scientific sisters at Consumer Reports jumped in the car and headed to two Burger King locations near our shared Yonkers, NY, headquarters to see if they could detect any changes. More »
Buy.com
Which Online Retailers Have The Fastest & Slowest Delivery Times?
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 1:15 PM
45 Comments
Today is Free Shipping Day, which is pretty self-explanatory, but free shipping doesn't mean good shipping. That's why the folks at STELLAservice wanted to know which of the top 25 online retailers were able to get you your order in a timely manner. More »
Who Made Consumer Reports' First-Ever Naughty & Nice List?
November 22, 2010 9:45 AM
32 Comments
While Santa and his pointy-eared, non-union laborers toil away at the North Pole, the editors of our more famous sibling publication Consumer Reports have compared their notes on a wide variety of companies' policies on everything from guarantees to fees to refunds and distilled it down to the best and worst of the lot in their first-ever Naughty & Nice Holiday Shopping List. More »
CVS
Walmart.com Has Slowest Shipping, Costco.com Has Fastest
By Ben Popken on August 3, 2011 5:00 PM
74 Comments
Two days before school starts and you need those pencils and TI-89 calculators, stat? If online shopping is the route you're going, Costco will get it to you faster than Walmart, says a new survey. More »
CVS Refuses To Put ExtraCare Rewards On Your Card Because Super-Long Receipts Are "Exciting" To Customers
By Chris Morran on July 28, 2011 3:15 PM
71 Comments
The CVS ExtraCare program lets customers get Extra Bucks rewards, but instead of putting those rewards on your ExtraCare card, they are printed at the bottom of CVS' infamously long checkout receipts. A year ago, the company's chief marketing officer told L.A. Times reporter David Lazarus that this would soon change and Extra Bucks would be placed directly on your card. But now CVS is saying just the opposite — that it deliberately wants those Bucks on the receipt because it's a real thrill to the consumer. More »
Cablevision
Which Internet Provider Is The Best For Streaming Netflix?
By Chris Morran on October 17, 2011 12:30 PM
58 Comments
How well you'll be able to stream season two of Breaking Bad on Netflix may depend largely on which company you're paying to provide internet service to your home. Netflix has just released the results of its own study on network performance and the results may not surprise you. More »
How To Say No To Arbitration With Your Cable Company
By Ben Popken on October 12, 2011 10:00 AM
27 Comments
Here's something neat. Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cablevision/Optimum actually let customers opt out of arbitration when they sign up. If you don't want to give up your right to personally sue them in a court of law and be forced into a kangaroo court overseen by a judge whose fees are paid for by the company you're suing, Cablevision will let you. The caveat is that you have to tell them within 30 days of signing your contract. Here's the links and relevant contract language to opt-out: More »
Capital One
People Are Back To Making Late Payments On Their Credit Cards
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 11:30 AM
19 Comments
Two months ago, the number of people making late credit card payments was at its lowest since Justin Bieber was a twinkle in his parents' eyes. Of course, when you reach a low like that, there is often nowhere to go but up. More »
Report: Fed Concerned Capital One/ING Direct Merger Could Create Another Too-Big-To-Fail Bank
By Chris Morran on September 12, 2011 8:15 AM
19 Comments
Back in July, Capital One announced a deal to purchase online bank ING Direct USA for around $9 billion. And even though Cap One tried hard to quell ING customers' screams of "nooooooo," the folks at the Federal Reserve are reportedly a bit worried that the deal might create another bank so big that its failure would have a disastrous impact on the economy. More »
Carl's Jr.
Does McDonald's Really Have The Worst Burgers?
By Chris Morran on September 8, 2010 10:15 AM
171 Comments
In the current issue of Consumer Reports, our science-minded siblings asked readers to rate the burgers at 18 different restaurant chains on a scale of 1-10. More »
Carl's Jr. Whips Out A Foot-long Of Its Own
By Phil Villarreal on July 12, 2010 10:15 AM
42 Comments
Figuring the hot dog and sub sandwich have kept an unfair stranglehold on the concept of the foot-long fast food for too long, Carl's Jr. has struck out in favor of burgers' rights by introducing the foot-long cheeseburger. More »
Cash4Gold
View MoreCharter
Charter Wants To Charge Me Mysterious Fee, Won't Explain Why
By Mary Beth Quirk on November 14, 2011 10:30 AM
39 Comments
It's always fun to get mysterious charges on your bill and then not get a response as to what said fee is for. And by "fun," we of course mean, incredibly frustrating. Such is the case for Consumerist reader Donald, who's having a mite bit of trouble getting Charter to cough up a good excuse. More »
Costco, Amazon Top Most-Trusted Company Survey; Comcast Brings Up The Rear
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 2:15 PM
69 Comments
We live in a time where very few companies engender a lot of trust in the buying public. But some businesses still do a better job than others at developing a positive relationship with consumers. More »
Chili's
Tequila-Spiked Smoothies Served To Trio Of Children At Chili's
By Chris Morran on July 7, 2011 6:45 PM
82 Comments
Someone at a Chili's in Colorado made a big oopsy over the holiday weekend by serving up three fruit smoothies loaded with tequila to a trio of youngsters. More »
Mother Claims 4-Year-Old Served Boozy Mudslide Instead Of Milkshake At Chili's
By Laura Northrup on April 19, 2011 2:00 PM
143 Comments
There might be something wrong when a 4-year-old child doesn't want to finish a chocolate milkshake. A mother in Chicago claims that her daughter didn't want to finish her shake at Chili's because it was actually the sweet, boozy chocolaty concoction known as a Mudslide. The child was diagnosed with alcohol ingestion overdose, but did she take in the booze at Chili's? More »
Chipotle
Changing Over Chipotle Signs To Show Pork In Pinto Beans Will Take A Few Months
By Ben Popken on October 27, 2011 4:00 PM
110 Comments
In late July, Chipotle garnered kudos after CEO Steve Ells called up a fan who had been Tweeting his displeasure at discovering that Chipotle's pinto beans were cooked with pork. Ells pledged that the burrito chain would change all its menu boards to reflect the pork content. A few months later I walked into a Chipotle in Midtown and noticed their sign hadn't changed. More »
Chipotle & Willie Nelson Team Up For Animated Anti-Factory Farm Ad
By Mary Beth Quirk on August 31, 2011 3:15 PM
78 Comments
In a combination we never would've thought would be so likable, Chipotle has enlisted the help of Willie Nelson covering a Coldplay song to make an animated piece that is anti-factory farming. More »
Chrysler
Man Buys Used Minivan From Thrifty Packed With $500K In Cocaine
By Chris Morran on November 14, 2011 12:30 PM
84 Comments
When you buy a used car — especially one that used to be a rental vehicle — you shouldn't be shocked to find that the previous owner may have done a bit of work that wasn't fully disclosed. But there's a difference between a bit of Bondo and a half million dollars of cocaine stashed in the door panels. More »
Consumerist Talks To Jeep's CEO About Being The Most Reliable U.S. Auto Brand -- But Still Middle Of The Pack
By Meg Marco on October 26, 2011 1:15 PM
22 Comments
Yesterday, our gearhead cousins at Consumer Reports released the results of their Annual Auto Reliability Survey, which had Jeep jumping up seven spots from the previous year to become the top-ranked domestic brand, though it was still #13 overall. Soon after this news came out, we got the chance to speak to Jeep CEO Michael Manley about this mixed blessing More »
Cigna
(cavale)
Health Insurance Companies Really Hate Your Sick Children
By Chris Morran on September 23, 2010 10:15 AM
185 Comments
The health insurance industry is generally known for its efficiency, generosity and — of course — for its customer-first attitude. That's why it comes as such a shock that several of the more beloved insurance institutions like Wellpoint, Aetna, Cigna and United Healthcare have decided to stop selling you insurance policies for your sick children. More »
California AG Investigating 7 Insurance Companies For Illegal Rate Hikes
By Chris Morran on February 26, 2010 10:25 AM
29 Comments
The showdown over skyrocketing insurance rates in California got even nastier yesterday. The state's Attorney General's office announced that it has subpoenaed financial documents and launched an investigation into allegations of illegal premium hikes and wrongfully denied claims by seven separate health insurance providers. More »
Citigroup
SEC Would Rather Fight Judge Than Try To Win A Real Victory Over Citigroup
By Chris Morran on December 15, 2011 10:30 AM
33 Comments
Back in November, a U.S. District Court judge in Manhattan rained all over the Securities and Exchange Commission's Thanksgiving parade when he refused to sign off on the regulator's $285 million settlement with Citigroup because — as is usual in these sorts of deals — the bank neither admitted guilt nor defended itself. But rather than take the judge's decision as an impetus to push harder on Citi, the SEC reportedly just wants the court to stop being such a wet blanket and let it have its settlement already. More »
Renting Doesn't Necessarily Protect You From Inept Mortgage Servicers
By Chris Morran on December 6, 2011 11:30 AM
53 Comments
Whenever I bring up the ongoing mortgage and foreclosure fiasco (and yes, this topic does come up often in my casual conversation; which is probably why I'm single), at least one of my renter friends cavalierly states that he or she is happy to not have to worry about having a bank wrongly foreclose on them, or mistakenly seize their stuff. But as the following story shows, that just isn't so. More »
Coca-Cola
(Coca-Cola Co.)
Coke's Secret Formula Moved To Atlanta Museum
By Marc Perton on December 8, 2011 3:30 PM
48 Comments
For the first time since 1925, Coca-Cola has moved its secret recipe out of a bank vault, and put it on display in the company's World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta. But "on display" doesn't exactly mean visible, since the exhibit includes its own vault, which is about all visitors will be able to see. More »
Coca-Cola Nixes Those White Holiday Cans That Freaked Everyone Out
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 2, 2011 11:00 AM
128 Comments
You have grumbled, railed and complained against stark white soda cans and it seems Coca-Cola is listening, as they've announced they'll return normal red Christmas cans next week. More »
Comcast
Comcast Balks On Replacing Cockroach-Infested Cable Box
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 3:15 PM
51 Comments
We've certainly gotten a number of complaints about Comcast cable boxes containing bugs of the electronic glitch variety, but an Illinois man received a box from Kabletown that he says was full of actual cockroaches. More »
New Bill Would Prevent FCC Commissioners From Jumping Ship To Companies Whose Mergers They Just Approved
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 4:02 PM
55 Comments
Remember last May when then-FCC commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker (pictured at left) ruffled a lot of feathers by taking a job at Comcast, only a few months after approving the cable company's controversial merger with NBC? Well, Congresswoman Maxine Waters hasn't forgotten, and she's introduced legislation aimed at preventing these kinds of obvious shenanigans. More »
Continental
Study: Virgin America Keeps Customers On Hold Longer Than Any Other Airline
By Chris Morran on November 23, 2011 1:46 PM
24 Comments
Holiday travel plans change all the time, meaning lots of people will be spending lots of time on the phone trying to speak to a human being. And according to a new report, passengers on Virgin America should have something to occupy themselves with while waiting on hold, as the average wait time for the carrier is longer than 20 minutes. More »
United CEO: Airfares Are Only Going To Get More Complicated
By Chris Morran on November 10, 2011 4:30 PM
46 Comments
While regulators continue to push through rules intended to make airfares more transparent, airlines continue to pare base ticket prices down while charging fees for everything else that used to be included in the listed cost. Given all the potential permutations, it's not surprising that Jeff Smisek, CEO of United Airlines, doesn't see things getting simpler anytime soon. More »
Costco
(misterjt)
Consumerist Post About Broken Laptop Gets Reader Full Refund Within 3 Hours
By Laura Northrup on December 15, 2011 4:00 PM
28 Comments
Once again, Costco saves the day. Last week, we posted the story of Tom, who bought a Sony Vaio laptop from Costco only to have it malfunction a little more than a year after purchase. Sony didn't seem to want to fix the problem at all, and Costco employees were very kind but couldn't intervene. Only a few hours after that post went up, Costco contacted Tom, and gave him a full refund for the computer's purchase price. More »
Buying Laptop From Costco Extends Your Warranty And Your Aggravation
By Laura Northrup on December 8, 2011 9:33 AM
46 Comments
Last year, Tom bought a Sony laptop from Costco. Part of the reason why he chose Costco to purchase a computer was the warehouse club's famed extension of manufacturers' warranties: more warranty protection on a portable computer can't be a bad thing. Except when it is. In Tom's case, having another company involved just means that he can always get a very nice person on the phone at Costco who isn't able to help him at all. More »
Cox
(sfxeric)
Verizon Gobbles Up More Wireless Spectrum From Cable Companies
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 2:15 PM
17 Comments
Earlier this month, Verizon Wireless made a deal with Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks to buy billions of dollars of those companies' collectively held wireless spectrum. Now it looks like yet another cable provider is looking to get out of the wireless business, as Cox has agreed to sell off its advanced wireless spectrum to VZW for $315 million. More »
Cox Ends Free Web Pages For Internet Service Customers
By Laura Northrup on November 4, 2011 8:00 AM
31 Comments
It's understandable for a company to end a free service for customers when it's little-used. But even if that was the case when Cox Communications decided to stop offering free personal Web hosting for its Internet service customers next month, it might have been helpful for them to give a heads up to their technical support employees. Or maybe that was just the person reader John happened to reach when he called about the transition. More »
Craigslist
Southwest Passenger Uses Craigslist To Track Down Stolen Laptop
By Chris Morran on November 3, 2011 12:30 PM
77 Comments
This story is useful in two ways. First, as an example of how you can utilize freely available online tools to help yourself when others won't. And second, as yet another example of why you should never, ever check your laptop on a flight. More »
If Your Craigslist Ad Says "Everything's Free," Don't Be Shocked When People Start Stealing Your Stuff
By Chris Morran on June 10, 2011 11:00 AM
159 Comments
A woman in Boulder, CO, has learned a tough lesson about being more precise with the wording of her Craigslist ads... and about locking her house, after her plan to give away some unwanted items devolved into looting. More »
Dairy Queen
Vote Here For The Worst Ad In America Awards!
October 7, 2011 7:48 PM
188 Comments
You told us which TV ads annoy you the most, now it's time to select the worst of the worst! More »
Announcing The 2011 Worst Ad In America Nominees!
By Chris Morran on October 5, 2011 12:00 PM
39 Comments
For the second year in a row, we asked you to tell us which TV commercials get on your last nerve, and you didn't hold back. After sifting through hundreds of comments and e-mails, we've finally whittled down all those annoying ads to the elite few worthy of recognition in the Second Annual Consumerist Worst Ad In America Awards. More »
Dell
(kusine)
Canceling Orders Over A Pricing Error Is Not The Same As Bait-And-Switch
By Chris Morran on December 22, 2011 2:30 PM
86 Comments
Several times a year, the Consumerist inbox is flooded with e-mails from people who are livid because they purchased something online at a huge discount only to have the retailer cancel the order, claiming it was a pricing error and the item should never have been listed at that price. Some people are quick to call this "bait-and-switch," and state very confidently that the retailer is somehow legally obligated to honor the original price. These people are mistaken. More »
Dell Ditches Its Netbook Computers As Tablets Continue To Captivate Consumers
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 16, 2011 5:00 PM
75 Comments
Hear that? It's the dying gasp of the Netbook computer, as tablets continue to rule as the device of choice for small, portable computing needs. So clutch your Dell Mini close and tell it you love it, as the company says it isn't selling any more of the 10-inch laptops. More »
Delta Air Lines
(Cathy_c)
Packing Valuable Items In Your Luggage? Check Your Bags Before You Leave The Airport
By Chris Morran on November 11, 2011 3:30 PM
34 Comments
If you've got to take something valuable — especially something fragile and valuable — on a plane, it's best to try to carry it on. And as Consumerist reader Cathy learned, if you must check those items, be sure to look at your bags before you leave the baggage claim area, just in case that item has gotten damaged or disappeared. More »
Man Arrested After Trying To Bail Out Of Mid-Air Flight
By Phil Villarreal on October 26, 2011 9:15 AM
41 Comments
Although some flights are uncomfortable, that's no excuse to try to bust open an emergency exit and take a leap. Authorities arrested a Delta Airlines passenger who allegedly tried to to just that Sunday. More »
DirecTV
DirecTV Tells ID Theft Victim To Take Her Complaint Elsewhere
By Chris Morran on December 13, 2011 2:30 PM
32 Comments
Imagine opening the mail to find a notice from a collections agency that says you owe nearly $700 for a DirecTV account that you never opened at an address you've never even been to. Chances are, the first call you'd make would be to DirecTV. But for one person this actually happened to, that was a dead end. More »
Fox And DirecTV Kiss & Make-Up Hours Before Blackout Deadline
By Chris Morran on October 31, 2011 6:41 PM
37 Comments
With only a few hours to go until a retransmission fee dispute would have left DirecTV subscribers unable to watch a number of Fox cable channels, the two sides have put away their swords and decided to work out a deal. More »
Discover
Credit Card Bumper Crop Boasts Low Teaser Rates, New Snags
By Ben Popken on November 4, 2011 3:00 PM
18 Comments
After being such prudes for so long, credit card companies are raising their hemlines and lowering their standards. They're actively deluging customers with credit card offers and using low teaser rates as a crooked finger. However, they're also coming with new hidden baggage you need to watch out for, like cash back rewards that are high, but have to be opted in again every few months. More »
People Are Back To Making Late Payments On Their Credit Cards
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 11:30 AM
19 Comments
Two months ago, the number of people making late credit card payments was at its lowest since Justin Bieber was a twinkle in his parents' eyes. Of course, when you reach a low like that, there is often nowhere to go but up. More »
Dish Network
You Can Buy Blockbuster Gift Cards Again, But Your Old One's Still Worthless
By Laura Northrup on December 16, 2011 8:00 AM
27 Comments
We're going to go out on a limb here and guess that there is absolutely no one out there who can't wait to buy a Blockbuster gift card. It's not exciting consumer news. The curious thing is that while you can buy a Blockbuster gift card today at any of their retail stores, a card for the same brand that you might still have in your desk drawer from only nine months ago is just a worthless piece of plastic. Blame the bankruptcy and sale of Blockbuster. More »
Dish Hard-Sells Customers At Blockbusters
By Phil Villarreal on October 20, 2011 9:15 AM
26 Comments
Dish Network is making use of its new toy, Blockbuster, by coaxing customers at the rental stores into a lounge in an attempt to sign them up for service. Those who sit through the pitch receive a free month of Blockbuster By Mail and a free game or movie rental that day. More »
Domino's
Everyone Is Ordering Their Pizza Online These Days
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 7, 2011 10:00 AM
111 Comments
Call in for pizza? How quaint! It's all about the Internet these days, as Domino's Pizza reported they took a record 1.08 million online orders for pizza the week after Thanksgiving. More »
Domino's Pizza Managers Charged With Arson In Papa John's Fire
By Mary Beth Quirk on October 31, 2011 11:30 AM
55 Comments
Loyalty to your employer is one thing, but setting a competing business on fire? That's just taking it a bit too far. Two Domino's Pizza managers in Florida have been charged with arson after a Papa John's went up in flames. More »
E*Trade
9 Of The Most Annoying Bank Fees
By Chris Morran on June 13, 2011 3:30 PM
81 Comments
The banks of America are breaking new ground every day in the science of nickel-and-diming consumers with fees that start from the second you open an account to the moment you angrily close your account... only to move it to another bank with a different set of fees. But since there are so many ways in which financial institutions can bleed your account dry, the folks at CNN Money have come up with their list of the most annoying fees. More »
E-Trade, Borders And Frontier May Vanish This Year
By Marc Perton on January 21, 2011 4:30 PM
115 Comments
Get ready to say goodbye to the E-Trade baby and Frontier Airlines. According to 24/7 Wall Street, the two businesses are among their 10 picks for companies that will not survive the year. Others that may not be long for this world: Sara Lee, Gateway and Office Depot. More »
Enterprise
Enterprise Wants $300 For Phantom Windshield Crack
By Laura Northrup on December 2, 2010 9:30 AM
51 Comments
Kyle writes that he rented a car from Enterprise earlier this year, paid for by his then-employer. When he returned the car to Enterprise, and the rental agent didn't walk around the car with him to check for damage. He didn't think much of this at the time, but maybe he should have: the company is now after him for his share of the replacement cost of a cracked windshield. What cracked windshield? More »
Pre-Paying For Rental Car Gas: Not Such A Great Deal, Actually
By Laura Northrup on October 6, 2010 9:00 AM
50 Comments
The next time you rent a vehicle, you might have an exciting new option: to pre-purchase a set of gas for your return, freeing you from both the high markup on gas near the airport and the even higher markup on gas that rental places normally charge when you don't return the tank full. Charles counsels you to avoid this special deal, at least in New York State, since the taxes involved make this deal much, much less appealing. More »
Equifax
Does A Bad Credit Score Mean You'll Be Bad At Your Job?
By Chris Morran on November 10, 2011 3:30 PM
160 Comments
A growing number of employers are running credit checks on potential hires before making a job offer. Unfortunately, there are a large number of people out there whose credit reports are still marred by the recent and ongoing economic troubles. So does it make sense to consider an applicant's credit history? More »
Freeze Your Credit Report
By Ben Popken on October 6, 2011 3:00 PM
52 Comments
One way to protect yourself from identity theft is to "freeze" your credit report. This means that no new lines of credit can be opened in your name because lenders are prevented from taking a look at your credit report. This stops identity thieves from opening credit cards under your name and going on spending sprees. It also means extra hassle for you when you want to legitimately open credit. There's always a tradeoff between security and convenience. Here's how to do it. More »
Expedia
I Didn't Get Married And Now I'm Out $2,500 On Honeymoon Plane Tickets
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 9, 2011 5:00 PM
182 Comments
Plane tickets are non-refundable, a lesson many of us have learned the hard way. But even though Ian expected he'd have to take a hit on a pair of honeymoon tickets he sadly wasn't going to use, he didn't think he'd end up with nothing. More »
How It Took 15 Hours To Use My $309 Virgin America Credit Through Expedia
By Laura Northrup on August 22, 2011 2:03 PM
20 Comments
It's wonderfully easy to book a flight using travel mega-sites like Expedia, but even easier for the buck to be passed and companies to refuse to communicate when things go wrong. That's what happened to Sara when she had to cancel and rebook a flight reservation originally made on Virgin America via Expedia. More »
Experian
(kainr)
Someone Steals My Credit Card Number So They Can Buy Credit Protection From Experian
By Chris Morran on December 14, 2011 3:15 PM
30 Comments
Credit protection programs often cost money. So what's a someone who can't get the credit to buy such a program supposed to do? Well, in this case the answer was apparently "steal someone else's credit card number." More »
Does A Bad Credit Score Mean You'll Be Bad At Your Job?
By Chris Morran on November 10, 2011 3:30 PM
160 Comments
A growing number of employers are running credit checks on potential hires before making a job offer. Unfortunately, there are a large number of people out there whose credit reports are still marred by the recent and ongoing economic troubles. So does it make sense to consider an applicant's credit history? More »
Lawsuit Over Facebook "Sponsored" Updates Allowed To Proceed
By Chris Morran on December 19, 2011 12:30 PM
14 Comments
It's been almost a year since Facebook began taking your "like" list and turning it into advertising via so-called "sponsored stories," and on Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in California rejected the social networking site's attempt to dismiss a lawsuit that claims Facebook unjustly enriched itself with these ads by violating a California law pertaining to commercial endorsements. More »
(dbldbl)
Rescue Messages From Facebook's De Facto Spam Filter
By Phil Villarreal on December 15, 2011 8:30 AM
36 Comments
When Facebook thinks you don't particularly want to read a message that's sent your way, it redirects it into a folder dubbed "other." Some users forget to check the box regularly, and others may not even be aware that they have it. More »
Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Announce Eviction-Free Holidays Once Again
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 1, 2011 11:00 AM
15 Comments
It's hard enough for some of us to enjoy the stressful holidays, and getting booted from your home during this season would be well, a really, really bad thing. Nice then, that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have again announced that certain home evictions will be suspended from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2. More »
(syphlix)
Fannie Mae Needs $7.8 Billion Because It Lost Its Fanny Betting On Derivatives
By Phil Villarreal on November 9, 2011 9:45 AM
74 Comments
Like the irresponsible son who goes to his daddy asking for money to cover gambling losses so loan sharks don't bust his kneecaps, Fannie Mae is begging taxpayers for $7.8 billion because it lost so much money last quarter on derivatives. The $5.1 billion loss in the third quarter dwarfs last year's awful third quarter shortfall of $1.3 billion. More »
FedEx
FedEx Apologizes For Monitor-Tossing Delivery Driver
By Chris Morran on December 22, 2011 12:00 PM
103 Comments
By now, you've all probably seen the video of the FedEx delivery driver caught on camera tossing a box containing a new computer monitor over a customer's fence, rather than just walk the few feet to the front door. The people at the delivery service have realized this is probably not good publicity, so they've come out with a public apology. More »
Couple Takes Advantage Of UPS Laziness, Steals Over 100 Packages From Doorsteps
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 12:00 PM
110 Comments
We've certainly written enough pieces over the years about how some UPS, FedEx and USPS carriers would rather fling your package somewhere in the vicinity of your house rather than knock and wait to see if you're home. Now the police in Somerville, MA, say a couple took advantage of drivers' willingness to leave packages out in the open by swooping in to steal the deliveries right off folks' doorsteps. More »
Ford
NHTSA Investigating Electric Vehicle Batteries Following Chevy Volt Fire
By Chris Morran on November 11, 2011 2:15 PM
32 Comments
As mass-produced plug-in electric vehicles continue to roll off assembly lines, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is taking a closer look at the batteries that power these cars following an incident in which a Chevy Volt caught fire three weeks after undergoing a NHTSA side-impact crash test. More »
Ford Falters, Chrysler Climbs In Consumer Reports' Annual Reliability Survey
By Chris Morran on October 25, 2011 1:45 PM
49 Comments
Our corporate kin at Consumer Reports have released their Annual Auto Survey. And after years of solid showings by Ford on the reliability study, a trio of new models have weighed the automaker down, while Chrysler manages to inch up the ladder. More »
Freddie Mac
(stirwise)
Rules Changed To Make Refinancing Your Home Easier
By Chris Morran on October 24, 2011 3:15 PM
52 Comments
With mortgage interest rates continuing to hover near record lows, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has announced big changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program with the intention of making it easier for homeowners to save money by refinancing their loans at these rock-bottom rates. More »
(coffeego)
30-Year Mortgage Rates Now Lowest Ever, People Still Aren't Buying
By Chris Morran on August 18, 2011 1:50 PM
102 Comments
It's like that scene in Groundhog Day, where Chris Elliott's character enters the Punxsutawney bachelor auction and is greeted by dead silence from the women in the crowd.... Once again, mortgage rates have dropped to record lows while potential home buyers continue to hold off on making a purchase. More »
Frontier
Which Internet Provider Is The Best For Streaming Netflix?
By Chris Morran on October 17, 2011 12:30 PM
58 Comments
How well you'll be able to stream season two of Breaking Bad on Netflix may depend largely on which company you're paying to provide internet service to your home. Netflix has just released the results of its own study on network performance and the results may not surprise you. More »
Airlines Waiving Re-Booking Fees With Hurricane Irene On The Way
By Chris Morran on August 25, 2011 4:15 PM
24 Comments
A really nasty woman named Irene is about to swoop in from the tropics and potentially screw up air travel for everyone. So in advance of the hurricane, many airlines are playing nice with their re-booking fees and policies for flights to and from destinations affected by the storm. More »
Fry's
Before You Buy A Store's Extended Warranty, Check With The Manufacturer
By Laura Northrup on December 9, 2010 11:30 AM
41 Comments
It's no surprise that an electronics store salesperson might try to talk you into an extended warranty that you don't need. However, reader Chris learned recently to be even more cautious in his dealings with salespeeps: they might be misinformed as to how long the manufacturer's own warranty is. Or—gasp!—even trying to mislead customers. More »
(mrbill)
Fry's Makes Me Log On To Bank Account To Prove I've Got Enough Money To Write Check
By Phil Villarreal on July 30, 2010 3:30 PM
212 Comments
Melissa wanted to pay for a hard drive at Fry's Electronics with a check, but management discouraged her from doing so by making her jump through what she feels was an unreasonable hoop. She was told she'd have to use one of the store's computers to log on to her account in front of a worker and prove she had enough money to make the purchase. More »
GM
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: Don't Worry Guys, Chevy Volt Is Safe To Drive
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 7, 2011 12:00 PM
63 Comments
You know those battery fires that could spark up if a Chevrolet Volt crashes, the ones the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are very seriously investigating? Don't worry about it —Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the electric cars are safe to drive. More »
Chevy Volt Owners: GM Will Lend You A Car For Free After Fiery Battery Debacle
By Mary Beth Quirk on November 29, 2011 4:00 PM
54 Comments
Do you own a Chevrolet Volt? If so, your battery might be in danger of catching fire. Instead of taking that risk, maybe you should accept General Motors' offer of a free loaner car while they check out that whole safety issue thing. More »
GameStop
(imgur)
Best Buy Picks The Perfect Place To Tell Customers It Doesn't Suck As Much As GameStop
By Chris Morran on December 1, 2011 4:00 PM
71 Comments
If you're going to pick a location to try to turn people away from a GameStop store, it would be right outside that store's front door. Or maybe the big empty wall directly next to it. More »
(Marike79)
GameStop Employee Sues For Time Spent Being Checked For Stolen Games
By Chris Morran on November 23, 2011 10:45 AM
89 Comments
Considering that so much of the retail theft that occurs each year is a result of sticky-fingered employees, some stores like GameStop have apparently instituted policies that require staffers to be checked for pilfered product when they go to take a break during the workday. But one employee at the video game chain says these breaks cut into the amount of time allotted for mandatory lunch and rest breaks — and he's suing to get paid for that time. More »
Gap
Gap & Netflix Customers Weren't Happy With Them This Holiday Season
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 28, 2011 3:00 PM
31 Comments
Tis the season to get mad at companies for not living up to our standards! Netflix, Overstock.com and Gap were just a few of the holiday disappointments this year in the realm of online shopping, according to a new survey of consumers. More »
Is Gap's Policy Of Not Price-Matching Its Own Website Ridiculous?
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 22, 2011 11:00 AM
104 Comments
Some retailers have the practical policy that if the price advertised on their website for a product, that price will be matched in a physical store. Not so with Gap, apparently, as Consumerist reader Cara says she tried to get a price adjustment recently and was denied. More »
Geico
How Removing Your Late Spouse From A Car Insurance Policy Raises Your Premiums
By Laura Northrup on November 18, 2011 11:30 AM
98 Comments
Statistically, married people are safer drivers than unmarried people, and car insurance premiums vary accordingly One of the things that Dan had to take care of after his wife died was taking her off the car insurance policy. While the GEICO employee he spoke to was very kind and helpful, his new premium caught him by surprise. Removing his wife from the policy didn't cut it in half: it raised it by ten percent. More »
(afagen)
Geico's Money Pile Isn't Watching The Divorced
By Phil Villarreal on June 2, 2010 1:00 PM
138 Comments
Natalie separated from her husband and called Geico about separating her car insurance from her soon-to-be ex, but was told the rate would go up quite a bit. She's feeling discriminated against: More »
General Electric
Will Smart Appliances Save Me Money While Saving The World?
By Chris Morran on January 7, 2011 6:28 PM
61 Comments
Here at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, companies like GE and LG are showing off appliances that should be able to cut into your electric bill. But before you run out and pick one up, there are some things you'll need to know first. More »
Does GE Owe Her For The Icemaker?
By Ben Popken on November 17, 2010 4:00 PM
45 Comments
Reader Cinnamon has specifically requested Consumerist reader opinions on whether GE should pay her back for the icemaker that broke twice in her refrigerator. More »
MySpace's Tom Advises Google+ On How Not To Become A Cesspool
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 30, 2011 2:00 PM
43 Comments
Remember that guy who started the first successful social network, only to see it fall by the wayside, weighed down by flashing gifs and pornbots? MySpace founder Tom Anderson is back in the news, doling out advice to Google+ on how not to become a cesspool like his site did. More »
Apple Wins Small Victory In Patent Battle Against Android Smartphones
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 20, 2011 10:00 AM
35 Comments
There are so many patent battles going on around the globe between Apple and various smartphone companies, it can be hard to keep track of all the suits and countersuits. In one small but important battle decided recently, Apple has come out on top of HTC, in a ruling that could also affect the way Google's Android operating system works. More »
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
View MoreH&R Block
H&R Block Goofs On My Tax Return, Won't Honor Guarantee To Reimburse Me After IRS Audit
By Chris Morran on September 23, 2011 12:15 PM
81 Comments
Bambi has been getting her taxes done by H&R Block for decades with no problem. But when a recent audit turned up a small error that required Bambi pay $725 in additional taxes, folks at the tax-preparation service seemed to go out of its way, including telling her complete falsehoods about why her claim was being denied, to not make good on its guarantee to reimburse her for the $725. More »
H&R Block/TaxACT Merger Blocked; Would "Substantially Lessen Competition"
By Marc Perton on May 24, 2011 2:30 PM
48 Comments
The Department of Justice has blocked the proposed merger between H&R Block and TaxACT on the grounds that combining the two tax-software giants would "substantially lessen competition in the tax preparation software market, resulting in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation," More »
HP
Letter Detailing Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Former HP CEO Released
By Chris Morran on December 30, 2011 12:09 PM
30 Comments
Those of you who still remember the summer of 2010 may recall when then-CEO of HP Mark "That's Not What I" Hurd resigned following vague mentions of an inappropriate relationship with a female contractor. Yesterday, a court ordered that a letter, detailing allegations of sexual harassment, sent in July 2010 from the contractor's lawyer to Hurd, could be released to the public. More »
Which Online Retailers Have The Fastest & Slowest Delivery Times?
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 1:15 PM
45 Comments
Today is Free Shipping Day, which is pretty self-explanatory, but free shipping doesn't mean good shipping. That's why the folks at STELLAservice wanted to know which of the top 25 online retailers were able to get you your order in a timely manner. More »
HSBC
(emseearr)
Banks To Offer Foreclosure Reviews To More Than 4 Million People
By Chris Morran on November 1, 2011 11:30 AM
17 Comments
Millions of Americans have lost their homes in the last few years and — as any reader of Consumerist knows — the banks who foreclosed on those properties have also made more than their fair share of errors. Thus, starting today, 14 of the country's largest mortgage servicers are contacting millions of foreclosed-upon former homeowners to offer them the opportunity to have their cases independently reviewed. More »
Got An HSBC Credit Card? It Will Soon Be A Capital One Card
By Chris Morran on August 10, 2011 8:30 AM
38 Comments
Two months after upsetting ING Direct customers by agreeing to buy the online bank for $9 billion, the Capital One vikings/barbarians have announced a deal to purchase HSBC's credit card division for $2.6 billion. More »
Halliburton
BP Suing Halliburton To Pick Up The $42 Billion Tab For Oil Spill Clean Up
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 3, 2012 11:00 AM
15 Comments
BP is pointing the finger at Halliburton as the company that should be footing the approximately $42 billion bill for cleaning up the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP claims Halliburton should cover costs because they were the ones who cemented the failed well. More »
BP Spreads The Worst Company Love Around, Sues Deepwater Horizon Partners For Billions
By Chris Morran on April 22, 2011 11:45 AM
22 Comments
As many readers mentioned in the comments leading up to BP's hairline thin victory over Bank of America in this year's Worst Company in America tournament, the oil company wasn't the only one involved in the disaster on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Now, a year on from that horrible incident, BP has filed suits against Halliburton, Transocean and Cameron International. More »
Hannaford
Maine's Supreme Court To Decide If Consumers Should Be Compensated For Hannaford Security Breach
By Chris Walters on October 12, 2009 4:09 PM
47 Comments
—>If a retailer doesn't protect your credit card data and it gets stolen, should you be compensated? Not for any unauthorized charges, which are already covered under banks' zero-liability protection, but for the time lost dealing with the problem, for the anxiety it causes, and for any future credit history/score issues it might cause? More »
Hackers Indicted For Stealing 130 Million Credit Card Numbers
By Meg Marco on August 18, 2009 5:32 AM
41 Comments
—>130 million is a large number, but that's how many credit card numbers a group of three hackers are alleged to have stolen from five different companies including 7 Eleven, Hannaford, and Heartland Payment Systems says the Department of Justice. More »
Hardees
Does McDonald's Really Have The Worst Burgers?
By Chris Morran on September 8, 2010 10:15 AM
171 Comments
In the current issue of Consumer Reports, our science-minded siblings asked readers to rate the burgers at 18 different restaurant chains on a scale of 1-10. More »
Strangely Beautiful Map Shows Territory Controlled In The Fast Food Wars
By Laura Northrup on March 5, 2010 11:15 AM
71 Comments
I had always assumed that McDonalds' hamburger hegemony of the United States, if not the world, was complete. I was wrong. Clearly, I need to leave the Northeast more. The above map shows the dominant burger chains in different parts of the United States. The black dots represent the density of McDonald's, and other colors represent...everyone else. More »
Hertz
How I Got Hertz To Give Me A Free Double-Tow, 1 Day Off My Rental, And A $25 Voucher
By Ben Popken on October 28, 2011 2:00 PM
50 Comments
I was cruising down I-95 to Maryland to see my uncle's bluegrass band with my step-father in the passenger seat and my wife in the back, when I noticed my Hertz rental wasn't steering as responsively as before. The tire pressure indicator light went on, then the passenger-side airbag light was on steady, and so was the car temperature gauge. More »
Hertz Suspends 34 Muslim Employees For Praying On The Clock
By Chris Morran on October 7, 2011 2:45 PM
126 Comments
A group of 34 Hertz employees, all Somali Muslims, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport have been suspended indefinitely for reportedly not punching the time clock before and after taking a few minutes to pray during the work day. More »
Home Depot
(afagen)
E-Mail To Home Depot CEO Resolves Month-Old Problem In 12 Hours
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 3:15 PM
27 Comments
Consumerist reader Jim was feeling a little frustrated with Home Depot. He'd ordered some parts online for his chainsaw, only to find that one of the two boxes was completely empty. This was just the beginning of a month of misleading assurances, conflicting instructions and overall dissatisfaction for Jim. That is, until he penned an e-mail to Home Depot's CEO. More »
(Toolguyd)
Knife Printed With 'USA Quality Guarantee' Is, Of Course, Made In China
By Laura Northrup on December 14, 2011 1:30 PM
71 Comments
Think quickly: if you saw the "USA Quality Guarantee" seal on a product you found in a store, where would you assume that it had been manufactured? If you guessed "China," you're an awfully cynical person. You are, however, correct.
Reader Stuart, who writes a blog about tools, noticed this little badge of dishonor on a knife for sale at Home Depot. If it's not meant to make customers think that the knife was made in the USA, then are the words just for decoration? More »
Honda
Woman Rejects Honda Settlement, Claims Her Civic Didn't Live Up To Its Advertised Gas Mileage
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 2, 2012 12:00 PM
55 Comments
Not content with a proposed settlement from Honda over claims that their Civic Hybrids don't live up to their advertised gas mileage, a woman is bringing the car manufacturers to small-claims court to get what she thinks is her due. More »
Honda's Airbag Recall Continues To Inflate, Adds Another 273,000 Cars
By Chris Morran on December 2, 2011 11:48 AM
15 Comments
Back in 2008, Honda issued a recall of a measly 3,940 vehicles over potentially faulty airbags. In 2009, that number ballooned up to 440,000 cars, and then added another 438,000 in 2010. But like a big white bag that inflates unexpectedly in your face, it just got larger, adding another 273,000 cars. More »
Hotels (All)
Days Inn Books Five Extra Rooms, Empties Your Mom's Checking Account
By Laura Northrup on December 28, 2011 8:00 AM
84 Comments
Heather's mom reserved one room at a Days Inn, and received confirmation for three rooms. She canceled the two extra reservations, then had to call and cancel the original one as well, early enough that there was no penalty. But after the date of her scheduled stay, the company billed her for three rooms, draining her checking account. Wait, what? Days Inn had her down for six rooms, and charged her as a no-show for the three she didn't know about. Now she's broke, and no one can refund her for the three phantom reservations. More »
Priceline Upgrades You To Reportedly Bedbug-Infested Hotel
By Laura Northrup on December 7, 2011 12:15 PM
41 Comments
Ordinarily, it would be a good thing if Priceline upgraded your bid for a 3.5-star hotel to a 4-star bid. This sometimes happens when a classier hotel accepts your bid. It wasn't much of a bonus for Lissa, though. She wanted to avoid a certain 4-star hotel because user reviews in various places complained of bedbug infestations, so she bid only on 3.5-star establishments. Of course, this bid landed her at the allegedly infested hotel. It took her several hours of customer service hell to get out of the situation, which is still better than being chomped on by bedbugs. More »
Humana
Humana Won't Let You Cancel Your Insurance Because Your Signature Doesn't Match Your Signature
By Ben Popken on March 15, 2010 9:22 AM
70 Comments
I got cocky. I thought after several emails with a Humana communications person and a story on Consumerist, the insurance company would surely relent and let Dean's father, Thomas, cancel his unnecessary supplemental Medicare insurance. Nope. After all our efforts, Humana called Thomas only to tell him, once again, that they won't let him cancel. This time, because they say the signature on his request form doesn't match the signature on his policy. Which is odd, because Thomas is the one who signed both. More »
(nycla9)
HyVee
Hy-Vee Invites Customers To Fight Diabetes While Getting Diabetes
By Alex Chasick on September 11, 2009 10:45 PM
61 Comments
—>A reader sent us this great event that Hy-Vee, a midwestern grocery chain, recently held to fight diabetes. Unfortunately the benefit has already ended, but join them next weekend when they fight cirrhosis with dollar beers. More »
Customer Complaint Leads To Sincere Apology, Actual Change At HyVee
By Laura Northrup on September 11, 2009 2:32 AM
53 Comments
—>Matt complained to his local Hyvee grocery/gas station about the excessive holds they place on gas customers' debit cards. The company apologized, offered him a gift card, and changed their signage to prevent further customer frustration. More »
Hyundai
The Repo Man Always Rings Never
By Ben Popken on September 21, 2011 4:00 PM
111 Comments
Tim fell behind on his car payments, then made one big payment to get all caught up. The next day, Hyundai Motor Finance Company repossessed his car. More »
Hyundai To Guarantee Trade-In Values For New Cars (Big Asterisk)
By Chris Morran on April 22, 2011 1:30 PM
42 Comments
As Hyundai's "lose your income and we'll buy your car back" Assurance program comes to an end, the automaker is about to roll out a new plan, Assurance Trade-in Value Guarantee, for keeping customers loyal: guaranteeing trade-in values for up to four years after you purchase the car. Of course, this deal does not come sans conditions. More »
IKEA
Breaking The IKEA Catalog's Fourth Wall
By Laura Northrup on December 1, 2011 8:00 AM
24 Comments
What happens inside the pages of an IKEA catalog when no one's looking? Don't be silly. A catalog is just photographs, not a real-time portal into a secret world where real people are always standing very, very still to create a façade of domestic perfection on a budget. Or that's what they want you to think. More »
Ikea Redesigns Bookshelf To Hold More Non-Book Items
By Mary Beth Quirk on September 12, 2011 11:15 AM
36 Comments
Who needs a bookshelf with important, leather-bound books when you have so many other trinkets to store on shelves? Ikea is taking note of the move toward e-books and has responded to the increasingly electronic world by redesigning its BILLY bookshelf as more of a just, you know, things-shelf. More »
ING
Report: Fed Concerned Capital One/ING Direct Merger Could Create Another Too-Big-To-Fail Bank
By Chris Morran on September 12, 2011 8:15 AM
19 Comments
Back in July, Capital One announced a deal to purchase online bank ING Direct USA for around $9 billion. And even though Cap One tried hard to quell ING customers' screams of "nooooooo," the folks at the Federal Reserve are reportedly a bit worried that the deal might create another bank so big that its failure would have a disastrous impact on the economy. More »
Got An HSBC Credit Card? It Will Soon Be A Capital One Card
By Chris Morran on August 10, 2011 8:30 AM
38 Comments
Two months after upsetting ING Direct customers by agreeing to buy the online bank for $9 billion, the Capital One vikings/barbarians have announced a deal to purchase HSBC's credit card division for $2.6 billion. More »
In-and-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger Sues Maryland Burger Joint Over Logo & Menu Items
By Chris Morran on August 19, 2011 3:30 PM
136 Comments
The lawyers at In-N-Out Burger have a bit of an issue with a Maryland burger shop called Grab-N-Go, claiming that eatery's name, logo and menu items are a little bit too close to the bigger chain's trademarks. More »
Science Confirms In-N-Out Burger Is The Best And McDonald's The Worst
By Chris Morran on June 30, 2011 6:00 AM
176 Comments
Almost a year ago, our survey-loving siblings at Consumer Reports asked several thousand readers to rate burgers from 18 burger chains and to no one's surprise, McDonald's came in dead last. Not satisfied with merely finding the best and worst beef-on-a-bun, CR decided to go for the super-sized option, rating 53 restaurants in five categories to find which ones provide the best food, service and value to customers. More »
JC Penney
Which Online Retailers Have The Fastest & Slowest Delivery Times?
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 1:15 PM
45 Comments
Today is Free Shipping Day, which is pretty self-explanatory, but free shipping doesn't mean good shipping. That's why the folks at STELLAservice wanted to know which of the top 25 online retailers were able to get you your order in a timely manner. More »
JCPenney Employee Checks Store Surveillance Footage To Return Lost $300 To Christmas Shopper
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 14, 2011 12:00 PM
33 Comments
A grandmother shopping for her family's Christmas presents was given the gift of the holiday spirit, in the form of a JCPenney employee who did a little detective work to return $300 she'd dropped at the store. More »
JP Morgan Chase
Don't Fall For The "Locked Debit Card" Text Alert Scam
By Chris Morran on December 20, 2011 12:31 PM
21 Comments
With holiday shopping season heading into the home stretch, it's prime time for ID thieves. Which is why some people might fall prey to scammers who text cell phone users with alerts that their debit cards have been locked. More »
Chase To Cut Checking Account Fee Disclosures From 100+ Pages To One
By Chris Morran on December 15, 2011 10:15 AM
17 Comments
When the charitable folks at the Pew Charitable Trusts first suggested that banks could condense their overly complicated fee schedules from over 100 pages to one simple page, it seemed unlikely that any major bank would follow suit. But this morning, JPMorgan Chase announced it would do just that. More »
Jack in the Box
(Marike79)
Toys No Longer Pop Out Of Jack In The Box Kids' Meals
By Phil Villarreal on June 22, 2011 9:15 AM
26 Comments
Jack in the Box has made preschoolers' crayon-scrawled blacklists by removing toys from its kids' meals last week. A company spokesman said the decision originated not from outside pressure, but for economic reasons. He said the chain's marketing efforts target frequent adult customers rather than children, and that the company found toys weren't drawing parents with kids to the restaurants. More »
Does McDonald's Really Have The Worst Burgers?
By Chris Morran on September 8, 2010 10:15 AM
171 Comments
In the current issue of Consumer Reports, our science-minded siblings asked readers to rate the burgers at 18 different restaurant chains on a scale of 1-10. More »
JetBlue
JetBlue Giving Refunds To Customers Trapped For 7 Hours On Tarmac
By Ben Popken on October 31, 2011 12:00 PM
55 Comments
JetBlue is giving refunds to the passengers who were stranded on the tarmac in Hartford Connecticut for seven hours. More »
Is In-Flight Advertising Getting Out Of Control?
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 4:15 PM
47 Comments
Depending on the airline you choose, everything from the exterior of your jet to the overhead compartments to your tray table and the back of your seat to your airplane safety video can be sponsored by an advertiser. And considering the amount of revenue being generated by these ads, they probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon. More »
KFC
KFC Apologizes For Not Letting John Travolta Reserve A Table
By Chris Morran on October 20, 2011 3:30 PM
78 Comments
An employee at a KFC eatery in England says that when he received a call from a woman claiming to be a rep for John Travolta, asking to reserve a table for the Boy In the Plastic Bubble star, he told the woman "no," but not because he thought he was being pranked. More »
Yum Sells Off Long John Silver's And A&W To Franchisee Groups
By Chris Morran on September 22, 2011 3:45 PM
73 Comments
After nine months on the market, Yum! Brands has finally announced it has found buyers for its Long John Silver's and A&W restaurant chains. More »
Kmart
First Sears And Kmart Closings Of 2012 Concentrated In Midwest And South
By Laura Northrup on December 30, 2011 8:00 AM
39 Comments
Sears Holdings, owner of the perpetually troubled retailer power couple Sears and Kmart, has released the locations of 80 out of the 100 to 120 "under-performing" stores that will close in the coming months. Most of the stores on this first list are in the southern and midwestern U.S. More »
Sears To Shutter 100 To 120 Sears & Kmart Stores After Disappointing Holiday Sales
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 28, 2011 4:00 PM
66 Comments
Sears is pointing to a big drop in this year's holiday sales as the reason they'll have to close 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores in 2012. Which means it's your fault, consumers, for failing to shell out big dough at Sears. Kidding! Mostly. More »
Kohl's
Which Online Retailers Have The Fastest & Slowest Delivery Times?
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 1:15 PM
45 Comments
Today is Free Shipping Day, which is pretty self-explanatory, but free shipping doesn't mean good shipping. That's why the folks at STELLAservice wanted to know which of the top 25 online retailers were able to get you your order in a timely manner. More »
Rebecca Black Friday Kohl's Ad Annoys Pretty Much Everyone
By Laura Northrup on November 23, 2011 8:00 AM
63 Comments
Congratulations to Kohl's on their early entry in the 2012 Worst Ad in America contest. Their parody version of Rebecca Black's "Friday" is just as grating as the original song, only with worse lyrics. Yes, it turns out that was possible. More »
Kroger
No, Really, How Much Does Yogurt Cost At This Kroger?
By Laura Northrup on December 15, 2011 2:30 PM
43 Comments
An anonymous and slightly confused tipster sent in this photo of a cooler filled with ambiguously priced yogurt at a Kroger store. The sign on the left says that yogurt cups are five for $10. The one on the right says that they're 10 for $5. The latter is the more likely price for little six-ounce store brand yogurts, but we don't want to rule anything out. More »
(kmacp)
131,000 Pounds Of Ground Beef Sold At Kroger Recalled Because E. Coli Doesn't Make For Good Seasoning
By Maggie Shader on September 28, 2011 2:15 PM
30 Comments
Tyson Fresh Meats is recalling approximately 131,300 pounds of ground beef products sold at Kroger because of possible E. coli contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. More »
Lenovo
Is Windows 7 Optional At Lenovo, Or Not?
By Laura Northrup on February 24, 2011 3:30 PM
49 Comments
Greg wanted to order Lenovo's new ultraportable laptop, the x120e, without Windows 7. A site error briefly let some customers (including Greg) order the computer without an operating system, but then restored the unwanted OS when he went to check out. He hopped on customer support chat, and found a representative who... well, we don't want to say that the rep "lied," but they were certainly misinformed about the company's own products. More »
(.:AR:.)
Lenovo Demonstrates How Not To Keep Track Of Your Inventory
By Laura Northrup on January 7, 2011 9:00 AM
22 Comments
When you order an item from Lenovo, your item could be out of stock, backordered, shipping sometime in six months, or have falled into another dimension never to be heard from again. At least, that's what Eamonn discovered when ordering a USB thumb drive along with a Thinkpad. Lenovo first showed an absurdly far-off shipping date, and then finally—days later—admitted that they had sold something that was never actually in stock. More »
Lexus
Hyundai Edges Out Target & Best Buy To Win Worst Holiday Ad Title
By Chris Morran on December 23, 2010 11:15 AM
57 Comments
Of all the ads nominated by Consumerist readers for the title of Worst Holiday Ad of 2010, the Hyundai spots featuring Pomplamoose have been the most vociferously defended in the comments. Alas, it looks like the spots still had enough detractors to push Hyundai into the winner's circle. More »
Vote Now For The Worst Holiday Ad Of 2010
By Chris Morran on December 20, 2010 12:00 PM
158 Comments
Last week, we asked you to vent your frustrations by nominating the most annoying, repetitive holiday-themed commercials of the year, and we heard you loud and clear. More »
Logitech
Trying To Order Replacement Part For Logitech Keyboard Gets Me Brand New Keyboard For Free
By Chris Morran on August 22, 2011 3:30 PM
55 Comments
Consumerist reader Jack was packing up his stuff to go home for summer break when he realized that the receiver for his Logitech wireless keyboard had gone missing among the boxes of stuff in his dorm. After writing Logitech to find out how much he would have to pay to get a replacement part, he got the surprising news. More »
(ryaninc)
Does Logitech Disable Keyboard Combos To Stifle Gamers?
By Phil Villarreal on November 23, 2010 10:30 AM
106 Comments
Greg bought a Logitech keyboard, hoping to use it on first-person shooters. He discovered that a common shift+W+space bar combination, which apparently is often used by gamers, doesn't work on its lower-end products. More »
Lowes
Legislators Call For A Boycott Of Lowe's After It Pulled Ads From American Muslims TV Show
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 12, 2011 10:00 AM
197 Comments
Lowe's seems to have jumped right from the frying pan into the fire, amidst a controversial move to pull its advertising from a show on TLC about American Muslim families. So far at least one legislator is calling for a boycott of the store for doing so. More »
Lowe's Slashes 1,950 Jobs, 20 Stores
By Phil Villarreal on October 18, 2011 8:45 AM
70 Comments
It's hard times for hardware folk, with Lowe's announcing that it will slow growth while closing 20 stores and leaving nearly 2,000 people out of jobs. The company shut down half the stores already and plans to whack the others within the next month. It still plans on growing, opening 25 more stores this year, but will open only 10 or 15 stores a year starting next year rather than the 30 it previously planned. More »
Macy's
Macy's Can't Keep Track Of Who Made Which Payments On Whose Credit Account
By Laura Northrup on January 3, 2012 8:00 AM
27 Comments
Call center representatives who handle Macy's credit card inquiries are starting to wonder what's wrong with reader Melannie. She keeps making $150 payments on her account, but she doesn't owe anything. She hasn't even used the card since 2009. They can refund her the overpayment, but that's not the problem. Because she never made the payment in the first place. More »
Theft Victim Catches Guy Returning Her Stuff To Macy's
By Ben Popken on November 9, 2011 3:00 PM
67 Comments
Rachel thought she would never see her stuff again. Someone had stolen the Christmas gifts she left on the backseat of her car parked in front of her house overnight, along with her iPod. It was $460 out the window. But when she went back to Macy's to replace some of the gifts, her Spidey-sense started tingling. More »
Mastercard
Credit Cards To Sell Your Buying History So Online Advertisers Can Target You More Precisely
By Ben Popken on October 25, 2011 1:00 PM
51 Comments
How about a world where you swipe for a Big Mac and then the next time you go online you get an ad for Slimfast? That's the big idea behind Visa and Mastercard's new business foray: selling off all your swipe data to online advertisers so they can more precisely target their ads to what's going on in your skull. It's another nail in the coffin for the quaint fiction we call "online privacy." More »
(ataq411)
Bank Of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Visa, MasterCard Sued Over ATM Fees
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 3:15 PM
31 Comments
Have you ever glared angrily at the ATM, knowing that you're going to be saddled with fees and wishing you could sue everyone involved? Well, it looks like more than one person has followed through on this idea. More »
Mattel
(u2acro)
Mattel Ordered To Pay $310 Million In Bratz Case
By Phil Villarreal on August 5, 2011 11:15 AM
23 Comments
Mattel and MGA Entertainment have long been locked up in a bitter court battle over the Bratz line of urban-themed dolls. In the latest swing of the pendulum, a federal judge ordered Mattel to pay $310 million in damages and various fees. More »
Ken Dumps Barbie After Learning She's Into Deforestation
By Ben Popken on June 13, 2011 10:00 AM
56 Comments
Last week, Ken broke up with Barbie after finding out some of the paper in her packaging comes from a Singapore company, Asian Pulp & Paper (APP), they accuse of clearcutting rain forests and destroying endangered tiger habitats. In the animated video put out by Greenpeace, he shrieks after seeing video of Barbie chainsawing the forest and laughing like a mad woman, and shouts, "It's over!" before punching the camera. Later, activists rappelled down the side of Mattel's headquarters to unfurl a banner announcing the breakup, and Barbie herself showed up in her bright pink "Dream Dozer" before the cops arrested her. Now in response to the campaign, Mattel announced they're cutting APP out of their supply chain. More »
McDonald's
Wendy's Set To Dethrone Burger King As #2 Fast Food Destination
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 11:30 AM
69 Comments
In the over 40 years since Wendy's began slinging burgers, the fast food chain has never been able to slip past competitor Burger King, which seemed to have a permanent lock on the runner-up slot behind McDonald's. But the newest numbers indicate that while the Ohio-based burger joint is set to leap-frog BK into the number two spot in total sales, even though it has almost 1,400 fewer stores in the U.S. More »
Motley Crew Of Celebrities Complains To McDonald's About Egg Suppliers
By Chris Morran on December 20, 2011 4:15 PM
68 Comments
Less than a month after McDonald's dropped one of its largest egg suppliers over concerns about conditions at the facility, a group of celebrities — ranging from bona fide stars to "oh yeah... them" on the fame scale — has penned a letter to Jim Skinner, CEO of the fast food giant, about what they view as inhumane treatment of chickens at egg farms used by the Golden Arches. More »
Meijer
Frog Found In Frozen Veggies
By Ben Popken on October 19, 2010 2:00 PM
44 Comments
A Michigan couple is croaking about an unusual, tiny, hitchhiker they found in their bag of frozen vegetables they bought at the Meijer supermarket. More »
10 Stores With Cheap Generic Drugs
By Meg Marco on July 20, 2010 1:00 PM
51 Comments
Cheap generic drugs are good for when you're between jobs, between insurance, or if you've just got a prescription drug plan that is costing you too much money. You might find, as Wise Bread did, that a generic version of your medication actually causes fewer side effects in addition to being more cost-effective. More »
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes-Benz Repos The Car You Just Bought
By Ben Popken on September 27, 2011 3:00 PM
132 Comments
Edward leased a Mercedes-Benz, only to wake up two weeks later to a tow truck taking it away. It was the repo man. And when he comes, he doesn't leave empty-handed. More »
Mercedes-Benz Ordered To Pay $482k Over Lemon Car
By Chris Walters on March 9, 2010 7:10 PM
12 Comments
Wisconsin's lemon law for cars is pretty strict. If a customer demands a refund on a newly bought car that won't run and can't be repaired, the manufacturer has to comply within 30 days or pay double the purchase price plus legal fees. Marco Marquez has been fighting Mercedes-Benz for 4 years now over a $56,000 E 320 he bought in 2005 that immediately stopped working. He says the company deliberately stalled on giving him the refund in time, and last week a judge awarded him $482,000. More »
Microsoft
(julian-)
Microsoft Spreads The Holiday Spirit By Telling Me To Donate Extra Xbox At Their Expense
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 21, 2011 3:00 PM
44 Comments
Timothy wasn't sure what to do when an extra Xbox360 landed on his doorstep, along with the one he had ordered for his girlfriend for Christmas. He figured Microsoft would recognize their mistake soon enough and send a packing slip for its return. But instead, he says he's amazed at their response. More »
Mandatory Xbox 360 Update Breaks Some Consoles, Microsoft Claims 'Coincidence'
By Laura Northrup on December 16, 2011 9:00 AM
69 Comments
Last week's exciting Kinect Dashboard update for Xbox 360 consoles didn't just ask users to waive their right to sue and make customers pay to be advertised to. It also appears to have caused problems with a number of consoles. Nothing major: it just keeps them from reading any discs...no, wait, that is major. Microsoft representatives say that this is a coincidence, and that customers with freshly broken consoles need to send them in for repair for $100 or so. More »
Monster Cable
Never Pay More Than $10 For HDMI Cables
By Ben Popken on March 31, 2010 11:38 AM
107 Comments
You already know that coat hangers sound just as good as those pricey Monster cables, but this infographic really lays out the full argument on why you should never pay more than $10 for HDMI cables. Whether it's gold-plated connectors, EM RF interefence shileding, or "gas injected" cables, it's all the same thing: goldbricking. There's no reason to drop $250 on a four-foot cable. More »
McCurry Defeats McDonald's In Trademark Infringement Lawsuit
By Laura Northrup on September 9, 2009 2:29 PM
105 Comments
—>In a victory for little guys worldwide, the Malaysian restaurant McCurry has won an epic trademark battle against McDonald's. Yes, McDonald's. McCurry has been open for ten years, and has spent eight of those fighting McDonald's. They won on the grounds that nobody could possibly ever confuse the two restaurants. More »
Motorola
Motorola Wins Patent Battle And Potential For Injunction Against Apple In Germany
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 9, 2011 11:00 AM
33 Comments
Apple is having a tough go of it over in Europe, as they're involved in various lawsuits in several countries, including one they just lost. Motorola Mobility just scored a big hit against Apple, winning a patent infringement suit against them in Germany. More »
(Ninja M.)
25 CEOs Who Made More Than Their Companies Paid In Income Taxes
By Chris Morran on August 31, 2011 2:00 PM
106 Comments
The Institute for Policy Studies has just released its 18th annual review of U.S. executive compensation and found that 25 out of the country's 100 highest-paid chief executives actually earned more in 2010 than their companies paid out in corporate income taxes. More »
MySpace
(cavale)
10 Brands That Just Might Disappear In 2012
By Laura Northrup on July 6, 2011 9:30 AM
140 Comments
The site 24/7 Wall Street makes an annual tradition of predicting which brands will disappear in the coming year. Next year, they predict the demise of such diverse brands as Saab, American Apparel, Sears, Kellogg's Corn Pops, and Soap Opera Digest. More »
News Corp Dumps MySpace For $35 Million
By Phil Villarreal on June 30, 2011 5:30 AM
21 Comments
When you buy something for $580 million, the goal is not to part with it for $35 million a few years later. Yet that's exactly what News Corp has done, ending its 6-year ownership of the sputtering social networking site by selling it for scrap. More »
NBC
The Super Bowl Will Be Streamed Online & On Some Mobile Phones For The First Time
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 20, 2011 5:00 PM
26 Comments
Not in front of the TV? No problem for those watching this year's Super Bowl if you've got a computer with an Internet connection or certain mobile phones — Super Bowl XLVI will be streamed online for the first time ever, the NFL announced today. More »
(ikibalam)
Regulators Will Keep Stink Eye On Comcast-NBC Merger's Impact On Online Video
By Phil Villarreal on September 2, 2011 10:15 AM
9 Comments
The feds approved the Comcast-NBCUniversal merger earlier this year, but the deal had to clear another hurdle Thursday. Earlier, the FCC and U.S. Department of Justice agreed that the company needed federal court approval of the online video aspect of the deal. Now a U.S. District judge has given the merger a thumbs-up on the condition that the court will keep a close eye on the company's effects on the video industry for the next two years. More »
Netflix
Gap & Netflix Customers Weren't Happy With Them This Holiday Season
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 28, 2011 3:00 PM
31 Comments
Tis the season to get mad at companies for not living up to our standards! Netflix, Overstock.com and Gap were just a few of the holiday disappointments this year in the realm of online shopping, according to a new survey of consumers. More »
(_tar0_)
Netflix CEO Will Take Pay Cut After Rough Year
By Phil Villarreal on December 23, 2011 9:15 AM
33 Comments
Although the average CEO saw hefty pay increases this year, it's a different story for Netflix honcho Reed Hastings. Following a year in which the company introduced a rate increase coupled with a short-lived decision to spin off the disc-rental division as Qwikster, causing an exodus of subscribers, Hastings will receive fewer gold coins to toss into his money bin. More »
Newegg
Which Online Retailers Have The Fastest & Slowest Delivery Times?
By Chris Morran on December 16, 2011 1:15 PM
45 Comments
Today is Free Shipping Day, which is pretty self-explanatory, but free shipping doesn't mean good shipping. That's why the folks at STELLAservice wanted to know which of the top 25 online retailers were able to get you your order in a timely manner. More »
NewEgg Drops The Ball, Gamestop Saves The Day. Wait: Gamestop?
By Laura Northrup on October 6, 2011 8:00 AM
67 Comments
Two months ago, Nathan took advantage of a Newegg promotion for $10 off his pre-order of the collector's edition of the game Dark Souls, which was released on Tuesday. Ordering ahead and getting a discount: points for planning and for shopping prowess. The day before the game was to be released, Newegg (and other retailers, Nathan later learned) had to cancel their pre-orders because they just didn't have enough product. This left him without a collector's edition on release day...unless he could find one in his city, in person. Was such a feat possible? Yes, as it turns out, with some luck and the help of a heroic Gamestop employee. More »
Nintendo
How To Upload 3D Videos Taken On A Nintendo 3DS To YouTube
By Phil Villarreal on December 30, 2011 11:15 AM
9 Comments
Earlier this year, Nintendo released a 3DS firmware update that allowed the device to record 3D videos. Uploading the videos to YouTube without editing them will end in disappointment, because they won't look right. More »
(smcgee)
How To Find Out If 20 Free Games Are Hiding On Your 3DS
By Phil Villarreal on December 19, 2011 9:45 AM
12 Comments
If you bought a Nintendo 3DS and visited its online download shop before Aug. 12, you can download 20 free old games. Dubbed the 3DS Ambassador Program, it's Nintendo's way of apologizing for overpricing for the device at $250 before slashing it to $170. More »
Nokia
(cavale)
10 Brands That Just Might Disappear In 2012
By Laura Northrup on July 6, 2011 9:30 AM
140 Comments
The site 24/7 Wall Street makes an annual tradition of predicting which brands will disappear in the coming year. Next year, they predict the demise of such diverse brands as Saab, American Apparel, Sears, Kellogg's Corn Pops, and Soap Opera Digest. More »
Nokia Skewers iPhone 4 Grip-Related Reception Problems
By Ben Popken on June 29, 2010 4:00 PM
28 Comments
Nokia takes the piss out of iPhone 4 in a new blog post that asks, "How do you hold your Nokia?" One of the problems with the new iPhone 4 is that if your hands are sweaty and you grip it holding the antenna band it loses reception. A Nokia, the blog says, can be held by the thumb and finger, by balancing it, cupping it, or the four edge grip. Or really any grip at all. More »
Office Depot
Office Depot Decides Not To Ship My Order, Then Ups The Price
By Mary Beth Quirk on November 30, 2011 3:00 PM
35 Comments
Robert found an amazing sale on paper at Office Depot, so like anyone confronted with big savings would do, he went ahead and ordered away, and patiently awaited the arrival of his merchandise. Of course, sometimes when deals seem too good to be true, they probably are. More »
Office Depot Packs 18 Flat Cardboard Objects In 18 Separate Boxes
By Mary Beth Quirk on September 19, 2011 4:30 PM
49 Comments
Here at Consumerist, we have seen some seriously ridiculous example of shipping gone wrong. Battered boxes, extraneous packing material, you name it. But 18 flat cardboard containers shipped in 18 separate other boxes? Color us totally bewildered. More »
Orbitz
Orbitz Hit With $60K Fine For Failing To Disclose Taxes & Fees On Airfares
By Chris Morran on October 17, 2011 3:52 PM
21 Comments
Orbitz has been slapped with a $60,000 fine by the Dept. of Transportation because the travel site violated federal laws that require clear disclosure of taxes and fees associated with airfares. More »
Delta Pulls Listings From Three Travel Sites
By Chris Morran on December 29, 2010 11:30 AM
43 Comments
Things are starting to get ugly in the battle between airlines and travel-booking websites. Less than one week after American Airlines pulled its listings from Orbitz.com, Delta has announced its flights will no longer be listed on three other sites. More »
Oxford
Oxford Tweaks Rules So It Can Double Your Monthly CoPay
By consumerist.com on April 16, 2008 4:19 PM
40 Comments
—>Kristine writes:
Oxford healthcare recently updated its policy to read that no dosages of prescriptions exceeding 31 days would be processed. In the case of a patient receiving injectable solution, this may mean that their reconstitution device will give them 18 days of dosing, meaning that they will have to pay two copayments per month in order to receive ample supply of their medication...More »
PG&E
Gain Tries To Market Laundry Detergent With Extreme Creepiness
By Mary Beth Quirk on April 25, 2011 10:30 AM
25 Comments
There's nothing like a creepy smile to sell laundry detergent! Or at least, that's what Gain seems to think. More »
Panasonic
Panasonic Has No Idea Why Your 3D TV Keeps Adding Phantom Channels
By Laura Northrup on December 1, 2011 9:30 AM
38 Comments
Josh really enjoys having a 3D television in his home, and spent a lot of money for the privilege. About six months after purchase, the set began adding phantom channels to his lineup. Not a catastrophic problem, but not a problem that's easy to ignore when you dropped more than two grand on the TV set less than a year ago. But Josh is apparently the only one on the planet with this problem, and while Panasonic can't figure out the cause, they're not about to send Josh a new TV or even send someone out to his home to fix it, even though his service agreement states that's sort of what they have to do. More »
(Alaidh)
Panasonic Marketing Guy: Lack Of Good 3D Movies Makes 3D TVs Sell Poorly
By Phil Villarreal on July 11, 2011 10:45 AM
70 Comments
A Panasonic marketing executive says it's Hollywood's fault you don't want to buy a 3D TV. If there were more Avatars and fewer Clash of the Titanses, he insinuates, you'd feel compelled to spring for the expensive products and their obnoxious accompanying glasses. More »
PayPal
(Regretsy)
PayPal Tells Buyer To Destroy Purchased Violin Instead Of Return For Refund
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 8:05 PM
48 Comments
Oh PayPal... will you never learn how to resolve a situation without having everyone hate you? Mere weeks after enduring the wrath of the internet resulting from its war with Regresty.com, PayPal has once again hit viral vitriol gold. This time, a seller claims that she's out $2,500 and an antique violin after the company told the buyer to destroy the instrument. More »
PayPal And Wells Fargo Promise To Get Your $400 Back, Don't Know How
By Laura Northrup on December 22, 2011 10:30 AM
30 Comments
Shannon made an error when transferring money out of her PayPal account, giving them an incorrect Wells Fargo account number that belonged to an actual person. PayPal assures her that the money will come back to her if she's patient, but $400 is a lot of money to her, and she's losing patience. She's caught in a loop between PayPal and Wells Fargo, and neither company knows how to get her money back. More »
PepsiCo
Pepsi: Mountain Dew Can Dissolve A Mouse
By Phil Villarreal on January 3, 2012 9:00 AM
51 Comments
Back in 2009, a man sued PepsiCo, saying he found a dead mouse in a can of Mountain Dew. Pepsi wanted to prove its innocence by suggesting its high-caffeine drink is so extreme that it would have dissolved the mouse carcass, rendering it a "jelly-like substance." More »
(PepsiCo)
Mid-Calorie Pepsi Next To Launch Nationally Next Year
By Marc Perton on November 17, 2011 3:30 PM
50 Comments
Cola drinkers in Wisconsin and Iowa have apparently given the thumbs up to Pepsi Next, the "mid-calorie" drink being test-marketed in the two states. PepsiCo plans to go national with the 60-calorie soft drink next spring. More »
Pizza Hut
(imgur)
Political Commentary On A Pizza Hut Sign?
By Chris Morran on November 29, 2011 10:15 AM
81 Comments
As you've probably heard, the longstanding rule that classifies 1/8 cup of tomato paste as a serving of vegetables in kids' school lunches — thus allowing a slice of pizza to qualify as a serving of veggies — was set to be changed, but political maneuvering recently scuttled that change. And not everyone is thrilled with that. More »
How Large Should A Large Pizza Be?
By Laura Northrup on October 6, 2011 12:30 PM
212 Comments
There is no national or international governing body that keeps track of how big a pizza is supposed to be. This is probably just as well, but Todd was still disappointed when he ordered a "Large" pizza from Pizza Hut and received a 13" diameter pie that left his party of three hungry. More »
Priceline
Claiming Priceline's Invisible Best-Price Guarantee
By Laura Northrup on December 9, 2011 9:00 AM
19 Comments
Is Priceline's low-fare guarantee hard to claim, or is Ace just bad at navigating websites? When the airfare for his Christmas travel flight fell, he hadn't anticipated it. Well, okay, they have that guarantee thingy - he could just claim that and get the $41 difference between the lower fare and what he had paid. Right? Right, but only if he could figure out exactly how to do that within 24 hours. The clock was ticking, and he missed the deadline. More »
Priceline Upgrades You To Reportedly Bedbug-Infested Hotel
By Laura Northrup on December 7, 2011 12:15 PM
41 Comments
Ordinarily, it would be a good thing if Priceline upgraded your bid for a 3.5-star hotel to a 4-star bid. This sometimes happens when a classier hotel accepts your bid. It wasn't much of a bonus for Lissa, though. She wanted to avoid a certain 4-star hotel because user reviews in various places complained of bedbug infestations, so she bid only on 3.5-star establishments. Of course, this bid landed her at the allegedly infested hotel. It took her several hours of customer service hell to get out of the situation, which is still better than being chomped on by bedbugs. More »
Progressive
Vote Here For The Worst Ad In America Awards!
October 7, 2011 7:48 PM
188 Comments
You told us which TV ads annoy you the most, now it's time to select the worst of the worst! More »
Vote Here For Worst Ad In America 2010!
September 25, 2010 4:15 PM
200 Comments
Now that the nominees have been announced for Consumerist's First Annual Worst Ad In America Awards, it's time to get your vote on! More »
Qwest
Which Internet Provider Is The Best For Streaming Netflix?
By Chris Morran on October 17, 2011 12:30 PM
58 Comments
How well you'll be able to stream season two of Breaking Bad on Netflix may depend largely on which company you're paying to provide internet service to your home. Netflix has just released the results of its own study on network performance and the results may not surprise you. More »
(Ninja M.)
25 CEOs Who Made More Than Their Companies Paid In Income Taxes
By Chris Morran on August 31, 2011 2:00 PM
106 Comments
The Institute for Policy Studies has just released its 18th annual review of U.S. executive compensation and found that 25 out of the country's 100 highest-paid chief executives actually earned more in 2010 than their companies paid out in corporate income taxes. More »
RadioShack
More Shoppers "Renting" Electronics From Retailers
By Chris Morran on December 13, 2011 11:15 AM
86 Comments
A new study shows that a growing number of electronics purchases — up to one in five — are being returned to retailers, and that a large majority of the items returned as defective are in fact perfectly fine. More »
(me)
RadioShack Manager Promises To Replace Broken HTC Phone, Changes Mind Because He Didn't Put It In Writing
By Chris Morran on September 9, 2011 1:15 PM
51 Comments
Consumerist reader says he's gotten the shaft from the folks at The Shack after a RadioShack manager promised him the store would replace his broken HTC Evo 3D, only to change his mind after David had wiped all his important data from the phone and brought it to the store to be exchanged. More »
Redbox
Enjoy Your Last Weekend Of $1 Redbox Rentals
By Phil Villarreal on October 28, 2011 8:15 AM
114 Comments
The era of $1-per-night movie rentals was too sweet to last into November. Perhaps seeing some opportunity to up profits in the wake of Netflix's bumbling, Redbox announced its nightly DVD rental rate will rise to $1.20 on Monday. For now, Blu-rays will stick at $1.50 and video games will remain $2 per night. More »
I Don't Want Some Justin Bieber Fan's Redbox Receipts
By Laura Northrup on June 30, 2011 10:35 AM
63 Comments
Andrew has a common problem: he keeps getting someone else's mail. Not in his paper mailbox, but someone else's e-mail. A Justin Bieber fan in a different state entered his e-mail address when renting a DVD, and Andrew received the receipt. When he contacted Redbox to straighten out the mixup, their unhelpful solution was to block all e-mail receipts from Redbox. Yep, including his own. More »
Safeway
Safeway Security Guard Bans 4-Year-Old From Store For Eating Dried Apricots
By Chris Morran on November 28, 2011 2:35 PM
106 Comments
Three decades later, I still have a very vivid memory of the day I learned about shoplifting. My mom was in the checkout line at Acme and I was eye-level with the candy rack and oh man did that Rolo look tasty. So I took it, because that's what I thought you did. I was wrong and was told so by my horrified mother when I offered her some chocolate a few minutes later. She took me back in, paid for the Rolo and explained to me about shoplifting. I'm just lucky I didn't pilfer that treat from the Safeway in Everett, Washington. More »
Child Seized After Fainting Mother Forgot To Pay For Sandwich
By Ben Popken on October 31, 2011 1:00 PM
212 Comments
A Hawaii couple was tossed in jail and their child taken by protective services for 18 hours after the mother forgot to pay for her sandwich at Safeway. More »
Samsung
(am07)
European Cell Phone Regulators Worried About War Between Apple And Samsung
By Mary Beth Quirk on November 22, 2011 1:00 PM
32 Comments
Look, Apple, Samsung — your fight over patents and intellectual property could affect all of Europe. Think about that, while you're locked in battle over intellectual property rights! And now you've gone and upset EU regulators. More »
Vote Here For The Worst Ad In America Awards!
October 7, 2011 7:48 PM
188 Comments
You told us which TV ads annoy you the most, now it's time to select the worst of the worst! More »
Sears
First Sears And Kmart Closings Of 2012 Concentrated In Midwest And South
By Laura Northrup on December 30, 2011 8:00 AM
39 Comments
Sears Holdings, owner of the perpetually troubled retailer power couple Sears and Kmart, has released the locations of 80 out of the 100 to 120 "under-performing" stores that will close in the coming months. Most of the stores on this first list are in the southern and midwestern U.S. More »
Sears To Shutter 100 To 120 Sears & Kmart Stores After Disappointing Holiday Sales
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 28, 2011 4:00 PM
66 Comments
Sears is pointing to a big drop in this year's holiday sales as the reason they'll have to close 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores in 2012. Which means it's your fault, consumers, for failing to shell out big dough at Sears. Kidding! Mostly. More »
Skype
Here's Why You Shouldn't Carry A Large Balance In Your Skype Account
By Laura Northrup on May 25, 2011 9:30 AM
48 Comments
Some strange things happened to Rob's Skype account recently, Scammers drained his account balance and tried to steal money from his credit card, too. While his credit card remained untouched, and his account is now secure, he'd still like that stolen balance back. Skype is awfully sorry, but he's not going to get that money back. More »
(TheeErin)
Report: Microsoft Close To Buying Skype For $8 Billion
By Phil Villarreal on May 10, 2011 5:45 AM
16 Comments
What do you do when you've got $8 billion burning a hole in your pocket? If you're Microsoft, you head to the corner store and pick yourself up a Skype. A report says the software giant is on the verge of completing a mega-deal to turn itself into a more formidable player in online video communication. More »
Sony
Read The Fine Print Before Taking A Great Gadget Deal
By Laura Northrup on December 29, 2011 12:30 PM
90 Comments
Carolyn bought a Sony Blu-ray player for her husband for Christmas. The player's box boasted of its streaming capabilities, but to use them, she would need to purchase a separate wireless adapter. No problem - she picked up an inexpensive one at the store and gave that to her husband as well. She missed one detail: the only compatible adapter must be ordered directly from Sony, and costs $75. Sometimes, great holiday season electronics deals aren't what they seem at first glance. More »
(Amazon)
Sony's Next Handheld Requires Sold-Separately Memory Cards
By Phil Villarreal on December 23, 2011 8:15 AM
81 Comments
Due out in February, the PlayStation Vita starts at $250, but those who would like to be able to save their games will need a proprietary memory card that isn't included with the device. Unlike Sony's last handheld, the PSP — which accepted relatively cheap run-of-the-mill memory sticks, the Vita demands special memory sticks that range from $20 to $100. More »
Southwest Airlines
Here Are Consumerist's 10 Most-Read Stories For 2011
By consumerist.com on December 30, 2011 5:00 PM
23 Comments
In the last twelve months, we've posted more than 6,000 stories on Consumerist, some of which have garnered a bit more attention than others. More »
(dmuth)
Country Star Escorted Off Southwest Flight
By Phil Villarreal on December 6, 2011 8:00 AM
44 Comments
Country music star John Rich — formerly half of the duo Big & Rich — was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight Sunday from Las Vegas to Nashville before it took off. More »
Sports Authority
View MoreSprint
HTC: We Can't Make Better Phones If We're Always Fixing Yours
By Laura Northrup on December 23, 2011 9:00 AM
66 Comments
William has tried everything to get a working HTC smartphone: he's e-mailed executives and he's visited his local Sprint store for help. The company replaced his broken Evo Shift with a Design. Yay! ...except that on the new phone, no one can hear him. HTC won't send a replacement phone. Not because he's not entitled to one, but because William tried had swapped in a battery from his old phone when the replacement had shipped with a bad one. More »
Consumerist Reader Resolves Sprint iPhone 4S Issue After Almost Two Months
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 22, 2011 1:00 PM
6 Comments
Readers know that we are huge fans of happy resolutions here at Consumerist, so even if it takes two posts and almost as many months, we are pleased to hand out props where they are due. David's trials and tribulations involving a Sprint iPhone 4S with slow data speeds was first posted on this very site on Oct. 31. And now, he reports, all's well that ends well. More »
Starbucks
Starbucks Hikes Prices By About 1 Percent In Certain Parts Of U.S.
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 3, 2012 12:00 PM
53 Comments
If you live in the Northeast or the Sunbelt, expect to be doling out just a little bit more for your Starbucks double-shot-no-whip-extra-foam-vanilla latte, as the company is raising prices in those areas by about 1 percent. More »
Small New Hampshire Coffee Roaster Wins Legal Victory Over "Charbucks" Name
By Chris Morran on December 29, 2011 4:15 PM
27 Comments
Since August of 1997, the folks at the Black Bear Mico Roastery in New Hampshire have been slinging pebbles at coffee colossus Starbucks over the smaller company's "Charbucks" blend. And in spite of court rulings in favor of the little guy, Daddy Starbucks has continued to fight. But last week, a U.S. District Court in New York may have shut the door on the Seattle java slinger's attempts to rid the world of Charbucks. More »
Subway
(mick62)
Get Your Cheap Eat On: Subway To Offer $2 Sandwiches In December
By Mary Beth Quirk on November 30, 2011 2:00 PM
60 Comments
Not in the mood for an entire $5 foot-long sub? The holiday season has brought yet another gift, in the form of a deal: Starting tomorrow and going through December, you can grab a $2 six-inch sandwich from Subway. More »
Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie Beats Out Chewy Competitors In Consumer Reports Test
By Chris Morran on November 1, 2011 12:45 PM
73 Comments
In the world of chocolate chip cookies, an eternal war rages between those who prefer their cookies light and crispy, and those who defend their right to a chewier treat. And, at least in one battle waged in the Consumer Reports tasting lab, a single crispy chocolate chip cookie won the day. More »
T-Mobile
EECB Scores Hit On T-Mobile, Saves Customer $400 Charge For Phone UPS Lost
By Laura Northrup on December 30, 2011 11:30 AM
12 Comments
When Jeffrey received his replacement smartphone from T-Mobile, he packed up his old one, used the enclosed prepaid UPS label, and dispatched it using a UPS drop box. From there, the phone disappeared. One customer service rep after another assured him that the lost phone situation would be resolved...and then a $300 charge for the phone appeared on his bill. It was time to escalate. It was time to use a powerful tool he learned about from this very site: the executive e-mail carpet bomb. More »
T-Mobile Waives $1000 In Roaming Charges, Then Un-Waives Them
By Laura Northrup on December 22, 2011 11:33 AM
63 Comments
While visiting the Philippines with her grandson, Esther had a family emergency and needed to use her T-Mobile phone. She expected a larger than usual bill when she got home, but didn't expect it to be more than $1,200, including data roaming when Esther doesn't have data service on her phone in the first place. A friendly customer service representative told her that she would only have to pay $296.14 due to a billing error. Then T-Mobile turned around and told her that yeah, they needed the entire $1,200. More »
TGI Fridays
(lymang)
Three Weeks Without Internet Access: No Hurry From Time Warner, And No Credits
By Laura Northrup on September 23, 2011 4:00 PM
53 Comments
In the six years she's lived in her current apartment, Kate hasn't had any major problems with Time Warner. Now Her Internet access has been out since the beginning of September, despite a modem replacement. They're sort of giving her a whole decade's worth of major problems all in one go. When Kate mentioned that she needs Internet access to look for jobs, one rep helpfully suggested that she change providers. More »
(razor512)
No More Burger King Or Dairy Queen For Soldiers In Afghanistan
By Chris Morran on April 5, 2010 6:04 PM
172 Comments
Because the last thing a soldier stationed thousands of miles away fighting the Taliban should want is a taste of home, the U.S. military is axing several fast food vendors from their bases in Afghanistan. More »
TJ Maxx
(pmarkham)
TJ Maxx Subsidiary Kicks Out Girl With Service Dog, Apologizes, Then Kicks Her Out Again
By Ben Popken on October 28, 2011 11:00 AM
152 Comments
After an autistic girl and her service dog were wrongly kicked out of a discount clothing store owned by TJ Maxx, the district manager profusely apologized and gave them a $25 gift card to pick out anything she liked. When she returned and tried to use the gift card, store staff kicked her out for having a service dog again. Looks like someone didn't get the memo. More »
Want To Get Married At Home Depot? How About TJ Maxx?
By Chris Morran on July 8, 2010 5:39 PM
61 Comments
A few months back, we wrote about a couple in Illinois who tried to combine cheap with hilarious by getting married at a Taco Bell. For better or for worse, it looks like that happy couple is not alone, with an increasing number of people walking down the aisles of retail stores and restaurants. More »
Taco Bell
Taco Bell To Stake Its Future On Doritos Locos Tacos
By Marc Perton on December 8, 2011 2:30 PM
84 Comments
Taco Bell has been rolling out the Doritos Locos Taco over the past year. Now the company has reportedly declared that the taco — which does indeed have a Doritos-based shell — is a "breakthrough product designed to reinvent the taco," and the company's strategy for 2012 will be built around it. More »
Man Accused Of Tossing Molotov Cocktail At Taco Bell For Not Giving Him Enough Meat
By Ben Popken on October 28, 2011 10:00 AM
74 Comments
There's better ways to lodge a complaint against Taco Bell than by lofting a Molotov cocktail at the drive-thru window, but filling out a suggestion card wasn't the one this incensed Georgia customer chose at 5am. More »
Target
Target Helpfully Suggests I Donate Item Since It's Not What I Ordered Three Months Ago
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 28, 2011 5:00 PM
43 Comments
Lindsey was already frustrated that she had to wait about three months for an item she ordered on Target.com, on the day the popular Missoni for Target line launched. But then when the wrong item showed up, things got even more annoying when customer service shrugged and suggested she donate it. More »
Breastfeeding Moms Stage Nurse-Ins At Targets Across Country
By Chris Morran on December 28, 2011 2:47 PM
284 Comments
Earlier this morning, groups of nursing moms gathered in Target stores around the country to stage "nurse-ins" to protest what they believe is the retail chain's anti-in-store-breastfeeding stance. More »
The Shack
Radio Shack's Hassle-Free Replacement Plan Full Of Hassles, Doesn't Replace Item
By Laura Northrup on August 22, 2011 1:02 PM
57 Comments
While buying headsets at Radio Shack,Orlando let himself be talked into buying the Shack's replacement plan for the item. There's no hassle to using the plan, the salesperson assured him, but he probably should have realized that there is no such thing as "no hassle" at Radio Shack. While the plan replaced a broken headset, there was plenty of hassle, and the plan didn't fully replace the item. More »
Here's Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2011!
By consumerist.com on March 14, 2011 12:00 PM
186 Comments
For the sixth year in a row, we asked Consumerist readers to send us their nominations for our Worst Company In America tournament. And this year's response was the greatest by far. More »
Ticketmaster
You Could Score $1.50 As Part Of Class Action Suit Against Ticketmaster
By Mary Beth Quirk on November 28, 2011 5:00 PM
76 Comments
Start greasing up your piggy bank, Ticketmaster users! If you bought tickets from the online behemoth between October 21, 1999 and October 19, 2011, you could be entitled to anywhere from $1.50 to $25.50 as part of a settlement in a class action suit. More »
Ticketmaster Promises To Restore Lost Radiohead Tickets, But Doesn't
By Laura Northrup on September 28, 2011 8:45 AM
44 Comments
Tonight and tomorrow night, Radiohead, a band from England that you may have heard of, is playing two shows at the Roseland Ballroom in New York. The show was announced only a few weeks ago, and tickets went on sale Monday. Through Ticketmaster. Yes, this ends about as well for reader Kelsey as you would expect. More »
Tiger Direct
(NoNo Joe)
Circuit City Rises From Dead, Traps Customer In Laptopless Purgatory
By Laura Northrup on February 9, 2011 9:30 AM
43 Comments
Systemax, the same company that now owns TigerDirect and the CompUSA brand name, devoured the remains of Circuit City and relaunched it. Unfortunately, this zombie retailer seems to have the collective customer service skills of...well...zombies. Kelly ordered a laptop, which is waiting around to be shipped. No one seems capable of throwing the computer on a truck, or telling her why the computer has not yet been placed on a truck. More »
Why Does Tiger Direct Want My ID And Utility Bill?
By Chris Morran on March 2, 2010 4:11 PM
50 Comments
We get a lot of readers asking us about the rights and wrongs of when you should and shouldn't show your ID when making a purchase. But it's a rare occasion when someone writes in to share a story of having an online retailer asking to see ID. More »
Time Warner
(lymang)
Time Warner Cable Has No Idea What It Is Supposed To Charge You
By Chris Morran on December 28, 2011 3:30 PM
65 Comments
Consumerist reader Stephen is a Time Warner Cable customer who is considering ditching cable TV and opting instead to use services like Hulu and Netflix for his video-based entertainment. So one would think that a simple chat with TWC would inform him of exactly how much his bill would be if he dropped cable and switch to internet-only. One would think that, but one would be mistaken. More »
Comcast, Time Warner Cable Give Up Dreams Of Becoming Wireless Powerhouses, Sell Spectrum To Verizon
By Chris Morran on December 2, 2011 11:30 AM
23 Comments
Over the last decade, cable companies have done a decent job of picking up ground in the home phone market, and many have attempted to make inroads into selling wireless data services. But it looks like two cable titans have given up their dreams of becoming wireless wonders, as Comcast and Time Warner Cable have sold billions of dollars of spectrum to Verizon Wireless. More »
Toshiba
Toshiba Considers Using Your Laptop Mouse 'Abuse'
By Laura Northrup on August 24, 2011 5:03 PM
73 Comments
Even though his Toshiba laptop is less than a year old, Toshiba won't repair the touchpad of Justin's computer. He doesn't think that he's done anything out of the ordinary with the machine, but Toshiba insists that the button won't work because of "accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, improper installation, or improper maintenance." They're happy to sell him an extended warranty that will cover the repair, though. More »
Glasses-Free 3D Fails To Wow At CES 2011
By Chris Morran on January 7, 2011 12:06 AM
30 Comments
If glasses-free 3D is truly the future of TV, you wouldn't know by the handful of companies that are showing off the technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. More »
Toyota
Recalls Issued For 420,000 Toyota & Lexus Vehicles Over Steering Concerns
By Chris Morran on November 9, 2011 11:15 AM
22 Comments
Earlier today, the folks at Toyota issued a recall of approximately 283,000 Toyota vehicles — Avalon, Camry, Highlander, Sienna, Solara — and 137,000 Lexus vehicles — ES330, RX330, RX400h — over concerns that a potential problem in these vehicles may suddenly make it much harder for the driver to steer. More »
(blue_j)
Toyota Cashes Lease Payment Check, Repos Van Anyway
By Laura Northrup on August 5, 2011 11:35 AM
64 Comments
Mendel works for a not-for-profit organization that leases a few Toyotas, including the van that he drives. Somehow, there was a mixup where Toyota somehow failed to notice that the organization had made its monthly payments (if a bit late) and just went ahead and repossessed the van. So, just pay Toyota, pay the impound lot, and get the car back, right? If only it were that simple. More »
Toys R Us
How Long Should You Expect To Wait For Refunds From Online Retailers?
By Chris Morran on December 28, 2011 11:00 AM
18 Comments
We are now three days into the official Holiday Returns & Exchanges Season, and while those shoppers who paid a little more — and put on pants — to go shopping at bricks-and-mortar stores, it's usually just a matter of waiting in line to get your refund. But for gift-givers who did their buying online this year, that wait for a refund could be anywhere from a few days to several weeks. More »
Toys R Us Will Be Open For 112 Hours Straight Before Christmas
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 20, 2011 11:00 AM
24 Comments
For those waking up in the dead of night, terrified that they forgot to find that perfect toy for their kid, Toys R Us will be leaving its grinning giraffe arms open for 112 hours straight. Starting this morning at 6 a.m., the toy shillers will keep stores open until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, December 24. More »
TransUnion
Does A Bad Credit Score Mean You'll Be Bad At Your Job?
By Chris Morran on November 10, 2011 3:30 PM
160 Comments
A growing number of employers are running credit checks on potential hires before making a job offer. Unfortunately, there are a large number of people out there whose credit reports are still marred by the recent and ongoing economic troubles. So does it make sense to consider an applicant's credit history? More »
Groups Call On TransUnion To Stop Selling Employee Credit Reports To Employers
By Ben Popken on October 26, 2011 5:00 PM
84 Comments
Employers pull the credit reports of prospective employees as a way to determine whether they're trustworthy and good at managing money. But now more than 25 civil rights groups, labor unions and consumer groups have banned together to demand that TransUnion stop selling credit reports to employers. They say the practice is invasive, discriminatory, and worst of all, doesn't even work. More »
Travelocity
(Yandle)
Executive E-Mail Carpet Bomb Resolves Travelocity Error, Preserves Awesome Price
By Laura Northrup on September 23, 2010 10:30 AM
2 Comments
Gail writes that when things went awry with her hotel and car package reservation on Travelocity, regular customer service wasn't able to resolve the error. Representatives told her to give up and reserve them separately, or to leave Travelocity staff alone and use another service. As a Consumerist reader and loyal Travelocity customer, she knew that she deserved better. She found an e-mail for the company's VP of Sales and Customer Care, which didn't get her the package deal she wanted—she got her hotel stay for free instead.. More »
Should Travelocity's "TotalPrice" Guarantees Cover Mandatory Surcharges?
By Carey Alexander on June 26, 2010 6:00 PM
54 Comments
Aaron's pissed because Travelocity's quote for a one week car rental in Costa Rica didn't include a mandatory insurance charge that cost him more than $100. Aaron feels cheated and wants Travelocity to pony up under their TotalPrice Guarantee, but Travelocity may not have done anything wrong. Join us across the jump to help us sort this out. More »
Best Buy Manager Dismisses Best Buy Twitter Customer Service, Says "It Could Be Anybody"
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 4:15 PM
55 Comments
Consumerist reader Jonathan recently received a box set of CDs from his brother for Christmas. Unfortunately, one of the CDs that was supposed to be in the box was nowhere to be found. Compounding the problem, his brother had lost the receipt. Oh, and did we mention he made the mistake of buying the box set at Best Buy? More »
Steps To Stop Social Media From Sucking Away All Your Time
By Phil Villarreal on December 2, 2011 2:30 PM
29 Comments
Not that this has happened to us, but our friends say that they've found themselves wasting away entire days at work not having accomplished much of anything other than getting sucked into an endless vortex of status updates, instant messages and YouTube videos. Social media is a powerful tool that can actually increase your efficiency, but it can also dominate those who lack the discipline to compartmentalize it. More »
U.S. Airways
You Can't Score A Free Plane Seat For Your Baby By Putting Him On Your 3-Year-Old's Lap
By Chris Morran on December 30, 2011 12:15 PM
146 Comments
As any parents who have flown with little babies probably knows, many airlines will not require a ticket for children under two years of age, so long as the child is seated on an adult's lap. But U.S. Airways had to give the boot to a family of six after the parents figured they could simply seat one of their under-2 children with their ticketed 3-year-old. More »
My Camera Disappears After Airline Forces Me To Gate Check Carry-On
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 1, 2011 1:00 PM
86 Comments
You know the feeling where you look at your boarding pass and it's like, Zone 83 and there are a ton of people in front of you chomping at the bit to get their rolling suitcases into the overhead bins? Photographer Shaun S. was recently forced to gate check his carry-on, and suffered a big loss in the process. More »
UBS
(twicepix)
UBS Gives Employees 43-Page Manual On How To Dress
By Ben Popken on December 15, 2010 2:00 PM
151 Comments
Are you dress-SOX compliant? Swiss bank UBS has passed out a 43-page book to employees at 5 of its branches telling them what to wear and what not to wear. More »
Swiss Govt Says Tax Cheats Can Stay Anonymous
By Marc Perton on January 28, 2010 4:52 PM
46 Comments
The Swiss government has reneged on a deal with the U.S. to disclose the names of American customers of UBS who may have stashed their cash in the Swiss bank to avoid taxes. Two Swiss courts said that the deal violated the country's secrecy laws and could not be enforced. More »
UPS
EECB Scores Hit On T-Mobile, Saves Customer $400 Charge For Phone UPS Lost
By Laura Northrup on December 30, 2011 11:30 AM
12 Comments
When Jeffrey received his replacement smartphone from T-Mobile, he packed up his old one, used the enclosed prepaid UPS label, and dispatched it using a UPS drop box. From there, the phone disappeared. One customer service rep after another assured him that the lost phone situation would be resolved...and then a $300 charge for the phone appeared on his bill. It was time to escalate. It was time to use a powerful tool he learned about from this very site: the executive e-mail carpet bomb. More »
UPS Won't Budge On Refunds For Packages That Didn't Make Guaranteed Christmas Delivery In Colorado
By Chris Morran on December 28, 2011 12:09 PM
76 Comments
There are several thousand irritated UPS customers in the Denver area this week. They paid for UPS' guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery but Big Brown was unable to make good on its promise and 50,000 packages didn't make it under the tree in time. Now UPS is saying these customers will not be getting refunds because the delay was snow-related. More »
USAA
(strobist)
USAA Knows There's A Bug In Online System, Waits For Me To Find It
By Mary Beth Quirk on May 2, 2011 11:45 AM
56 Comments
It's so funny how math works! In the case of Consumerist reader Sam, he got a glimpse of the delightful ways math can be manipulated when comparing his USAA online money manager balance with the bank's internal ledger. At one point, his balance was thousands of dollars different between the two. More »
USAA And Mastercard Turn Celebrity Librarian Into Unwitting Consumer Scofflaw
By Laura Northrup on September 10, 2010 9:00 AM
65 Comments
K.G. writes that she used her Mastercard to pay for a car rental from Avis. The card issuer, Consumerist darling USAA, assured her that the card provided insurance coverage for rental cars. Good to know! Except for how the insurance claim was denied, possibly because she used a coupon for the car rental. No one is entirely sure. The bill went straight to a collection agency without ever giving K.G. an opportunity to, um, actually pay it. Now she's being penalized for ducking a bill she was never sent, and still can't get a straight answer out of any of the companies involved. More »
USPS
(cakefarm)
Postal Carrier Told He Can No Longer Wear Santa Suit On The Job
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 4:30 PM
125 Comments
For more than a decade, a postal carrier in Bellevue, WA, has spread Christmas cheer along his mail route by donning a Santa Claus costume over his uniform for a few days leading up to Dec. 25. But after someone complained to the USPS about his Kris Kringle getup, the Santa costume will have to remain in his closet this year. More »
(_tar0_)
USPS Delivers Christmas Gift 371 Days Late
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 1:30 PM
70 Comments
A woman in Florida recently received a Christmas gift from her daughter in Arkansas, but she isn't waiting until Dec. 25 to open it. Why? Because the Postal Service was supposed to have delivered in time for last Christmas. More »
United Airlines
(ashi)
Couple Says United Airlines Employee Used Gay Slur Against Them
By Chris Morran on November 28, 2011 3:15 PM
131 Comments
The folks at United Airlines are looking into a complaint from a gay couple who say that they were not only treated rudely by airline employees but that one actually called them "f****ts" at Denver International Airport. More »
Study: Virgin America Keeps Customers On Hold Longer Than Any Other Airline
By Chris Morran on November 23, 2011 1:46 PM
24 Comments
Holiday travel plans change all the time, meaning lots of people will be spending lots of time on the phone trying to speak to a human being. And according to a new report, passengers on Virgin America should have something to occupy themselves with while waiting on hold, as the average wait time for the carrier is longer than 20 minutes. More »
United Health Care
AMA: Health Insurers Still Making Errors On Nearly 20% Of Claims Processed
By Chris Morran on June 20, 2011 12:15 PM
70 Comments
Last June, when the American Medical Association announced its finding that nearly one out of every five health insurance claims had been processed incorrectly, it had probably hoped it was giving the insurance biz a much needed kick in the pants. But one year and another AMA report card later, that statistic remains virtually unchanged. More »
United Healthcare Decides You Only Needed Second Of Two Procedures
By Laura Northrup on May 20, 2011 3:20 PM
92 Comments
The good news is that after having two procedures on her spine last fall, Jackie is able to walk again. The bad news is that even though the two procedures were identitcal, United is only paying for the first one and not the second, and won't actually explain why. She has appealed the decision, but things don't look promising. More »
Verizon
(dooley)
Verizon Catches On To Unlimited Data Loophole, Returns Account To Tiered Pricing
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 12:32 PM
44 Comments
Apparently, there had been a way that you could talk the Verizon Wireless automated CSR into changing your current tiered data plan into an unlimited one. But now that this work-around has been published and oodles of people have tried it, VZW appears to have caught on and has begun auditing changes to customers' accounts to make sure people aren't working the system. More »
Verizon Caves, Pulls Plug On $2 Convenience Fee
By Chris Morran on December 30, 2011 3:35 PM
71 Comments
Well that was fast. Only hours after publicly stating it wouldn't back off from charging a $2/month fee to customers who paid online or by phone with a debit/credit card, Verizon Wireless has pulled a complete 180 and decided to nix the fee completely. More »
Verizon FiOS
FiOS Bringing 26 Channels Of Live TV To Xbox 360
By Chris Morran on November 29, 2011 1:15 PM
49 Comments
As we wrote early last month, the folks at Microsoft had signed some sort of then-nebulous deal with Verizon FiOS to bring more live TV options to Xbox 360 users. Now, as the twosome prepares to roll out its offerings, details of the deal have finally been released. More »
(wsh1266)
From FiOS, To Cablevision, To Hell, And Back Again
By Ben Popken on November 11, 2011 1:00 PM
27 Comments
Oliver tried to two-time FiOS after he got burned on a bad install. But Cablevision didn't treat him right either, reneging on its promise to pricematch his old bill. Now he's back again trying to rekindle a relationship with FiOS but they're still up to their old ways and not giving him the tender loving he deserves. More »
Virgin America
Virgin America's New Reservation System Still A Complete Disaster
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 2:20 PM
13 Comments
It's been a month since we reported on the study that found Virgin America's new reservation system was keeping customers on hold for an average of 24 minutes — four times as long as the next-worse airline. And according to a new report, things have not improved as travelers head into the crowded holiday travel period. More »
Study: Virgin America Keeps Customers On Hold Longer Than Any Other Airline
By Chris Morran on November 23, 2011 1:46 PM
24 Comments
Holiday travel plans change all the time, meaning lots of people will be spending lots of time on the phone trying to speak to a human being. And according to a new report, passengers on Virgin America should have something to occupy themselves with while waiting on hold, as the average wait time for the carrier is longer than 20 minutes. More »
Visa
Visa Launching PayPal-Like V.me Service Next Year
By Marc Perton on November 17, 2011 3:00 PM
30 Comments
Visa will roll out its V.me online payment service early next year. The company, which announced plans for the service in March, has also launched a developer program to help merchants incorporate its payment systems into their web sites and other products. More »
Credit Cards To Sell Your Buying History So Online Advertisers Can Target You More Precisely
By Ben Popken on October 25, 2011 1:00 PM
51 Comments
How about a world where you swipe for a Big Mac and then the next time you go online you get an ad for Slimfast? That's the big idea behind Visa and Mastercard's new business foray: selling off all your swipe data to online advertisers so they can more precisely target their ads to what's going on in your skull. It's another nail in the coffin for the quaint fiction we call "online privacy." More »
Volkswagen
(Chauncer)
168,000 Volkswagens Recalled Because Fuel Isn't Supposed To Leak
By Chris Morran on October 7, 2011 11:45 AM
32 Comments
The volks at Volkswagen have issued a recall on a total of 168,275 Golf, Jetta and Audi A3 vehicles over concerns the fuel line could crack and leak, potentially causing an engine fire. More »
Volkswagen Tiguan Pinata Commercial Makes Us Giggle
By Mary Beth Quirk on May 26, 2011 3:15 PM
44 Comments
We've gotta hand it to Volkswagen: When it comes to crafting a commercial that not only makes a strong selling point, but causes an eruption of giggles, chortles and squees that we usually reserve for an episode of Trailer Park Boys, you've got an A+ ad team. More »
Vonage
Vote Here For The Worst Ad In America Awards!
October 7, 2011 7:48 PM
188 Comments
You told us which TV ads annoy you the most, now it's time to select the worst of the worst! More »
Wachovia
(WSOC-TV)
Wells Fargo Admits To Sending Thousands Of Statements To Wrong Addresses
By Chris Morran on October 27, 2011 12:15 PM
27 Comments
Need another reason to make the move to paperless bank statements? How about the fact that one of the nation's biggest banks managed to send thousands of its customers' statements to the wrong people? More »
Wells Fargo To Pay $590 Million Over Wachovia "Pick-a-Pay" Loans
By Chris Morran on August 5, 2011 1:30 PM
13 Comments
Nearly three years later, Wells Fargo is still feeling the stomach ache from its decision to gobble up the expired scraps of Wachovia. It was revealed today that the Fargo folks have agreed to shell out $590 million to settle the class-action lawsuit over Wachovia's "Pick-a-Pay" loans. More »
Walgreens
Why Does This Candy Bar Have Three Different Prices?
By Laura Northrup on December 16, 2011 11:30 AM
54 Comments
It's time for yet another exciting installment of "No, seriously, how much does this item cost?" More »
Drugstore.com Named In Lawsuit Over Knock-Off Sex Toys
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 6, 2011 4:00 PM
23 Comments
Opting not to buy into name brand hype can be cheaper, but in the case of one company that manufactures vibrators, knockoffs might mean a legal battle. A Canadian company claims that Walgreen's online-only entity Drugstore.com is importing knockoff sex toys and selling them in the U.S. More »
Walmart
Tests Show No Connection Between Enfamil Baby Formula & Child Deaths
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2012 11:31 AM
11 Comments
Late last month, Walmart and a handful of other other retailers decided to pull certain lots of Enfamil powdered baby food formula from shelves following the death of an infant in Missouri who had recently consumed the product. But tests by authorities at the Enfamil plant now show no link between the formula and this child's death. More »
Your $1 Million Bills Are No Good At Walmart, Or Anywhere Else
By Phil Villarreal on January 2, 2012 9:00 AM
52 Comments
If you happen to have a $1 million bill handy, you'll probably want to limit its use to wall display or gags. Trying to use the obviously counterfeit piece of paper to buy stuff will probably get you in trouble with authorities. More »
Wellpoint
(jaubele1)
Good Luck Trying To Find Out How Much A Medical Procedure Will Cost
By Chris Morran on October 24, 2011 4:15 PM
114 Comments
A new report from the folks at the Government Accountability Office has confirmed what anyone who has ever tried to get a clear estimate on what a medical procedure already knows: There's a good chance you can't. More »
WellPoint Hiring Jeopardy-Champ Computer To Make Treatment Decisions For Customers
By Chris Morran on September 12, 2011 1:15 PM
59 Comments
We're sure that most of you were sitting around thinking that the one thing the U.S. health insurance business needs is to be even less human than it is currently. And it looks like the folks at the health insurance behemoth WellPoint have heard those thoughts, because they have decided to "hire" Watson, the IBM supercomputer that beat two humans on Jeopardy earlier this year to help them decide on issues of treatment for policyholders. More »
Wells Fargo
Here Are Consumerist's 10 Most-Read Stories For 2011
By consumerist.com on December 30, 2011 5:00 PM
23 Comments
In the last twelve months, we've posted more than 6,000 stories on Consumerist, some of which have garnered a bit more attention than others. More »
PayPal And Wells Fargo Promise To Get Your $400 Back, Don't Know How
By Laura Northrup on December 22, 2011 10:30 AM
30 Comments
Shannon made an error when transferring money out of her PayPal account, giving them an incorrect Wells Fargo account number that belonged to an actual person. PayPal assures her that the money will come back to her if she's patient, but $400 is a lot of money to her, and she's losing patience. She's caught in a loop between PayPal and Wells Fargo, and neither company knows how to get her money back. More »
Wendy's
Wendy's Set To Dethrone Burger King As #2 Fast Food Destination
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 11:30 AM
69 Comments
In the over 40 years since Wendy's began slinging burgers, the fast food chain has never been able to slip past competitor Burger King, which seemed to have a permanent lock on the runner-up slot behind McDonald's. But the newest numbers indicate that while the Ohio-based burger joint is set to leap-frog BK into the number two spot in total sales, even though it has almost 1,400 fewer stores in the U.S. More »
(Consumer Reports)
Wendy's Hot 'N Juicy Not So Juicy: Consumer Reports
December 8, 2011 12:30 PM
83 Comments
Our sensory-specialist siblings over at Consumer Reports have tasted the Dave's Hot 'N Juicy burger from Wendy's, and have declared that the burger, while thicker than previous Wendy's offerings, isn't all that juicy. More »
White Castle
Get A Cold Beer With Your Crave Case At White Castle Indiana Location
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 21, 2011 12:15 PM
21 Comments
Instead of stumbling in to White Castle to get a Crave Case after a night on the town, White Castle could be your night on the town. The steamed burger chain is testing out sales of beer and wine at one location in Indiana. More »
(stirwise)
Woman Robs White Castle Via Drive Thru, Doesn't Steal Any Sliders
By Mary Beth Quirk on August 24, 2011 9:30 AM
26 Comments
St. Louis has some odd class of (alleged) criminals! A woman there (allegedly) robbed a White Castle from the drive-thru window, but didn't even take a Crave Case on her way out. Crazy! More »
Whole Foods
Wrong Holiday: Whole Foods Doesn't Bother To Research What People Actually Eat During Hanukkah
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 20, 2011 1:00 PM
91 Comments
UPDATE: Just hours after a Washington Post blogger ranted against a Washington D.C. area Whole Foods with a Hanukkah display of matzoh has responded via Twitter to apologize for the incident. More »
The Whole Foods Resignation Letter Of Doom
By Ben Popken on July 25, 2011 12:00 PM
121 Comments
If you've ever wondered what it would look like if you pulled back the shiny hippy veneer of Whole Foods and saw what was squiggling underneath, now's your chance. A Whole Foods worker just cc:'d their resignation letter to the entire company, and it's quite the mangum opus. More »
Xbox
(julian-)
Microsoft Spreads The Holiday Spirit By Telling Me To Donate Extra Xbox At Their Expense
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 21, 2011 3:00 PM
44 Comments
Timothy wasn't sure what to do when an extra Xbox360 landed on his doorstep, along with the one he had ordered for his girlfriend for Christmas. He figured Microsoft would recognize their mistake soon enough and send a packing slip for its return. But instead, he says he's amazed at their response. More »
(tubbynj)
Microsoft Makes Gamers Promise Never To Sue It After Xbox Update
By Phil Villarreal on December 8, 2011 8:15 AM
109 Comments
It turns out that shiny new mandatory Xbox 360 update was something of a Trojan Horse that allows Microsoft to twist gamers' arms and make them agree never to sue the company. More »
Yahoo
Report: Xbox 360 Update Uglies Up Video Playback
By Phil Villarreal on December 19, 2011 8:15 AM
36 Comments
That Xbox 360 update that makes gamers promise not to sue and reportedly broke some consoles also may have brought another annoyance along with it. Reports say updated machines have trouble properly playing video, making colors appear washed out. More »
Yahoo Makes Guy Drop Fantasy Football Avatar To Access Email
By Phil Villarreal on September 30, 2011 10:45 AM
21 Comments
Of all the ways to fail at fantasy football, one little-known possibility is to use an avatar that Yahoo would consider "vulgar, obscene or otherwise objectionable," such as a grandmother smoking marijuana. Yahoo banned a user who used such a picture in his fantasy football account, cutting him off not only from his roster but his email as well. More »
YouTube
Red Light Camera Company Posts Car Crash Montages On YouTube
By Chris Morran on December 28, 2011 4:15 PM
167 Comments
We're all familiar with traffic cam footage being used in local news highlights of rain-slicked roads or cars drifting through snowy intersections, but one of the country's biggest suppliers of red light traffic cameras has been posting collections of crash clips on YouTube to show how dangerous running a red light can be. More »
Vote Here For The Worst Ad In America Awards!
October 7, 2011 7:48 PM
188 Comments
You told us which TV ads annoy you the most, now it's time to select the worst of the worst! More »
Zipcar
Thieves Decide They Want Zipcars' Wheels Right Now
By Ben Popken on July 22, 2011 4:00 PM
52 Comments
Looks like some thieves took Zipcar's slogan, "Wheels when you want them," too literally. More »
(nsub1)
5 Tips For Beating Car Rental Companies At The Claim Game
By Chris Morran on March 31, 2011 1:15 PM
40 Comments
Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of fighting a car rental company on an insurance claim — especially over a ding or scratch that you know was there before you drove off the lot — knows that it's often a losing battle. But travel journalist Christopher Elliott has some tips for putting up a good fight. More »
eBay
PayPal Throwing Its Hat In The Online Daily Coupon Ring
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 14, 2011 11:00 AM
30 Comments
PayPal is planning its own daily deal program in the U.S., joining the already crowded online arena where Groupon and LivingSocial are currently duking it out to offer the best discount. It's all about options, these days. More »
(CNNMoney)
Shoppers Buy Goods Online At Physical eBay Pop-Up Store In London
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 5, 2011 11:00 AM
11 Comments
Now that many us shop online for holiday presents, you might be feeling nostalgic for the feel of a physical store, or at least that's what eBay seemed to think when they put up a Christmas boutique pop-up store in London last week. More »
