All Taking it seriously
Bad Consumers
Starting A Mall-Closing Riot Won't Make Those Cool New Shoes Any Less Sold Out
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 7, 2012 3:00 PM
92 Comments
There is no way to go back in time and have those super neat sneaks you want be the opposite of sold out. So you know what you shouldn't do? Start a brawl that ends up closing the mall. No one wins in that situation, especially the innocent lady checking out the latest range of cinnamons in the House of Spice a few stores down, so keep your cool. More »
Target's Unlimited Item Policy Allows Miami Duo To Gobble Up Most Of Jason Wu Line At One Location
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 6, 2012 4:00 PM
178 Comments
When Target releases a designer clothing line for a limited amount of time, shoppers go absolutely nutty. To wit: last year's Missoni fracas where shoppers seeking coveted items crashed Target's site, and rain boots showing up for $31K on eBay. So when one couple in Miami swooped in and grabbed most of one Target store's Jason Wu line, their fellow shoppers were inclined to go berserk. More »
Badvertising
Groupon Figures It's Not Important To Use A Photographer's Actual Pictures To Advertise Photo Deal
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 10, 2012 3:00 PM
33 Comments
What started as casual curiosity about a Groupon deal for a photographer in the Dallas area offering boudoir photo sessions turned into a full-fledged fight when a group of photographers realized the company had stolen an image from one of them. Because of course, don't you want to see an example of a product that you won't actually get if you buy the deal? More »
Clint Eastwood Denies Political Slant In Chrysler Super Bowl Ad
By Chris Morran on February 7, 2012 4:15 PM
87 Comments
Last year, people around the country cheered Chrysler's ad touting the phoenix-like rebirth of Detroit and American automakers. But it's an election year, so the car company's most recent TV spot, featuring Mr. Grizzle himself, Clint Eastwood, has been attacked by some as being propaganda for the Obama administration. More »
Christmas Creep
Yep, The Easter Candy Is Out Already At Safeway And Kroger
By Laura Northrup on December 7, 2011 9:30 AM
51 Comments
In 2008, we published the first reports of Easter candy in stores on December 31. In 2009, they were spotted on shelves on December 23. Last year, the first appearance crept back to December 16. This year, our first reports came from Safeway and Kroger stores as early as December 2. More »
Malls Cancel Plans To Track Shoppers' Movements Via Cellphone
By Maggie Shader on November 29, 2011 8:30 AM
63 Comments
Remember how two malls annoyed more than a few people by announcing that they would be tracking shoppers' movements via their cellphone signals? Yeah, well that's no longer happening — at least for now. More »
Exclusives
Suze Orman Gets Tough & Answers Your Questions In Chat With Consumerist
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 12, 2011 2:00 PM
95 Comments
You asked, and financial advisor Suze Orman answered. Consumerist readers submitted some questions for the TV host, New York Times bestselling author and motivational speaker and she sat down with Consumerist's Chris Morran last week to discuss those financial tidibits. More »
Work For A Bank? We May Want To Talk To You
November 29, 2011 4:30 PM
40 Comments
From tellers to branch managers to senior executives, we know — because you've told us — that a number of Consumerist readers work at (or have worked at) banks. So for a little story we're working on, we'd like to find a handful of people willing to speak with us about their experiences and insights. More »
Features
Ask Tax Cat: Should I Get My Taxes Done For Free At Walmart?
By consumerist.com on January 26, 2012 12:45 PM
55 Comments
Every year around this time, Tax Cat emerges from his basket to answer questions and offer advice to you, the fine people of the internet. More »
5 Bad Deals In Extended Warranties For Holiday Shoppers
By Ben Popken on November 1, 2011 12:00 PM
69 Comments
Extended warranty plans are generally known as being bad deals for consumers. But how specifically are they bad? An insider who works, begrudgingly, for an extended service plan company lays out some of the worst extended warranty deals to watch out for when shopping this holiday season. More »
Government and Legal
(nateone)
White House Tweaks Rule Requiring Employers To Cover Birth Control
By Chris Morran on February 10, 2012 2:15 PM
203 Comments
Late last month, the Obama administration angered some people when it announced that all employers — regardless of their stance on birth control — would need to provide insurance that covers female preventative care. Today, the President said his people had come up with a compromise that he believes will provide birth control while allowing businesses to not be directly responsible for providing it. More »
$25 Billion Mortgage Settlement Is Just The First Step Toward Cleaning Up Mortgage Mess
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2012 4:31 PM
82 Comments
There are a lot of good things about today's $25 billion settlement between the five largest mortgage servicers, the Dept. of Justice and the attorneys general of 49 states. But in spite of the huge price tag on the deal — which could grow even larger if other lenders sign on — it's only the beginning of cleaning up the aftermath of housing market collapse. More »
Great Moments in Commercial History
Will Ferrell Asks If He Can Star In Ads For Old Milwaukee Beer Free Of Charge
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 14, 2011 5:00 PM
66 Comments
If Will Ferrell asks you if he can make ads for your oft-reviled product for free, the answer is always going to be yes. And that's what Pabst Brewing Co. said when he presented the idea to do local TV ads in Davenport, Iowa for Old Milwaukee beer. More »
Badvertising Hall Of Fame Store Moo & Oink May Have To Liquidate
By Chris Morran on August 10, 2011 1:50 PM
21 Comments
Even if you've never lived near Chicago, longtime readers of Consumerist may remember Windy City grocery store Moo & Oink for its so-bad-it's-friggin-awesome TV ad that launched our Great Moments In Commercial History series. But now comes sad news that the dancing cow and pig might be headed to the liquidation slaughterhouse if Moo & Oink doesn't find a buyer. More »
Grocery Shrink Ray
(Richrecruiter)
Large Bottles Of Aussie Shampoo Now Somewhat Less Large
By Laura Northrup on October 27, 2011 10:30 AM
35 Comments
Richrecruiter picked up one of those large bottles of Aussie Moist shampoo from Target recently, and noticed that it was smaller than the previous bottle he had purchased. Why, about 20% smaller, but at the same price. The Grocery Shrink Ray is on the attack! More »
Blue Plate Mayo Proudly Says "No Shrink Ray Here"
By Ben Popken on August 30, 2011 5:00 PM
38 Comments
Blue Plate Mayo wants everyone to know that it's still rocking the 32 oz. More »
Happy Endings
Cablevision Does The Right Thing After A Quick Public Shaming
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 8, 2012 12:00 PM
15 Comments
One way a company can avoid be taken to task by Consumerist on the wide world of webbernets is to have their product do what it should in the first place, or if that fails, at least have customer service reps ready to be helpful. When that fails, you can always pull a makegood and gain back a few points with us. Just a few. More »
12-Year-Old Raises $10,500 To Save Grandma From Foreclosure
By Chris Morran on February 8, 2012 11:15 AM
53 Comments
It's such stuff as uplifting after-school specials are made on. A plucky Wisconsin tween recently managed to raise enough money to save his grandmother from losing a house that had been in the family for three generations. More »
Health
(nateone)
White House Tweaks Rule Requiring Employers To Cover Birth Control
By Chris Morran on February 10, 2012 2:15 PM
203 Comments
Late last month, the Obama administration angered some people when it announced that all employers — regardless of their stance on birth control — would need to provide insurance that covers female preventative care. Today, the President said his people had come up with a compromise that he believes will provide birth control while allowing businesses to not be directly responsible for providing it. More »
Study: Driving While Stoned Is Very Dangerous, But Not As Risky As Drunk Driving
By Chris Morran on February 10, 2012 1:30 PM
60 Comments
You might have a friend — or you might even be that person — who swears that they actually drive better after smoking a bit of marijuana (I believe the kids call it "reefer"); that it clears their head and helps them focus. But a new study confirms what many people had probably already guessed: that smoking pot and driving isn't exactly a good idea. More »
Horror Stories
7-Year-Old Walmart Shopper Fights Off Attempted Kidnapping In Toy Aisle
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2012 3:00 PM
104 Comments
I can't be the only one whose mother used tales of in-store child abductions in an attempt to keep me from wandering off during trips to Sears and Bradlees. She also instructed me to scream like something that screams really, really loud if anyone ever tried to do anything sketchy. A 7-year-old girl in Georgia seems to have learned that same lesson. More »
Bank Of America Doesn't Seem To Care That 'Dead' Customer Is Actually Alive
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2012 2:00 PM
41 Comments
We thought the whole zombie fad was over, but don't tell that to the folks at Bank of America who seem to be having some problems with deciding whether or not a customer is alive or dead. More »
Investigations
(KHOU.com)
Texas Law Allows Basset Hound's Dream Of Getting A High School Diploma To Come True
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 8, 2012 3:00 PM
51 Comments
There are some private schools out there offering high school diplomas for a hefty fee — but be careful, as they might not give a flying bark whether you're man or beast. One local news team investigated a school offering diplomas, and successfully snagged one for their canine pal, Molly. More »
Tax Prep Company Blames IRS, Indian Software Developers, Customers For Bounced Checks
By Chris Morran on February 8, 2012 2:15 PM
45 Comments
Old school Consumerist readers may remember Memphis-based Mo Money Taxes from its appearance in this classic Great Moments In Commercial History post. But now the company, which provides tax prep services in several states, is making headlines because it has put a lot of bad refund checks in the hands of its customers. More »
Pranks
This $10 Tip Is Not The Best Way To Show Your Gratitude To Your Server
By Chris Morran on November 21, 2011 11:15 AM
372 Comments
For a waiter who depends on tips to earn more than minimum wage, a $10 tip can be a welcome sight. But not in this instance. More »
Fake Bank Of America Google+ Account Has 27 Times More Followers Than Real One
By Chris Morran on November 15, 2011 11:30 AM
32 Comments
UPDATE: As predicted, the obviously fake BofA page has been pulled down by Google, because why should anyone be able to have fun at the expense of Bank of America? More »
Recalls and Safety
Study: Driving While Stoned Is Very Dangerous, But Not As Risky As Drunk Driving
By Chris Morran on February 10, 2012 1:30 PM
60 Comments
You might have a friend — or you might even be that person — who swears that they actually drive better after smoking a bit of marijuana (I believe the kids call it "reefer"); that it clears their head and helps them focus. But a new study confirms what many people had probably already guessed: that smoking pot and driving isn't exactly a good idea. More »
A Million Tassimo Single-Cup Brewers Recalled For Possibility They'll Spew Molten Coffee
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 9, 2012 10:00 AM
14 Comments
If you love the simple joy of brewing up your own cup of hot coffee at home in the morning, be careful — more than a million Tassimo single-cup brewers have been recalled after the Consumer Product Safety Commission says they're spraying hot liquid, coffee grounds or tea leaves onto people. More »
Recession Watch
$25 Billion Mortgage Settlement Is Just The First Step Toward Cleaning Up Mortgage Mess
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2012 4:31 PM
82 Comments
There are a lot of good things about today's $25 billion settlement between the five largest mortgage servicers, the Dept. of Justice and the attorneys general of 49 states. But in spite of the huge price tag on the deal — which could grow even larger if other lenders sign on — it's only the beginning of cleaning up the aftermath of housing market collapse. More »
Kodak Gets Out Of The Digital Camera Business
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2012 3:30 PM
41 Comments
Kodak, the company whose name was once synonymous with photography, announced today that it will phase out its digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames during the first half of this year, as it fights to crawl out from under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. More »
Scams
(CBS Denver)
Claiming Adverse Possession Is Not Going To Get You A Mansion For Pennies
By Chris Morran on February 8, 2012 12:30 PM
42 Comments
Many of you are already aware of the Texas man who bragged he had taken possession of an abandoned $300,000 home for $16, only to be given the boot by Bank of America. This man is part of a growing trend of people across the country trying to use "adverse possession" laws to scoop up homes left vacant. More »
(ronalisa)
Scammers Using Real Vacation Rental Info To Trick Victims Out Of Thousands
By Chris Morran on February 6, 2012 12:15 PM
22 Comments
As people have gotten wiser to the obvious hallmarks of online scams, the scammers have had to step up their game in order to keep making a dishonest buck. And now that people begin thinking about their upcoming summer vacation rentals, these scammers are prepared with the latest in darned-close-to-realistic-but-still-fake realty listings. More »
Smoking Guns
Unfortunate Caller ID Foreshortening For The Original Honeybaked Ham Company
By Ben Popken on October 27, 2011 3:00 PM
52 Comments
Probably should have thought that one through. More »
Minnesota Company Maybe Never Sold Steve Jobs Those Turtlenecks
By Mary Beth Quirk on October 18, 2011 9:30 AM
43 Comments
The case of Steve Jobs' iconic mock black turtlenecks keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. After a post on their web site mourning Jobs' demise while offering to give $20 of every $175 turtleneck of a certain style sold to fight cancer, it now seems the Apple icon might not even have worn garments from the company. More »
Unacceptable Food
Surprise! Employees Of Catering Company Claim Their Services Were The Opposite Of Kosher
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 9, 2012 11:00 AM
89 Comments
Employees of a Long Island catering company that claimed it offered Kosher food for over 200 weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs say the owner has been pulling the wool over everyone's eyes for too long. The chef and general manager say that the whole process, from food preparation to storage and service, has all been the opposite of Kosher — tainted. More »
Lawmakers Announce Legislation To Set Limits On Arsenic & Lead In Fruit Juice
By Chris Morran on February 8, 2012 4:08 PM
49 Comments
In the wake of a recent Consumer Reports investigation that found high levels of arsenic and lead in a number of fruit juices, Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro today announced the "Arsenic Prevention and Protection from Lead Exposure in Juice (APPLE Juice) Act of 2012," which would require the Food and Drug Administration to set standards for arsenic and lead in fruit juices. More »
Worst Company In America
DOJ Reportedly Prepping Criminal Charges Against BP
By Chris Morran on December 29, 2011 1:00 PM
25 Comments
More than a year and a half after the disastrous collapse of the BP-operated Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, it looks like someone may finally be held accountable for the accident, as federal prosecutors are reportedly preparing to file criminal charges against the oil company and perhaps some individual employees. More »
BP Accuses Halliburton Of Destroying Evidence In Gulf Oil Spill Lawsuit
By Chris Morran on December 5, 2011 4:30 PM
30 Comments
In its latest effort to spread the love from its Worst Company In America victory, BP has accused another much-loathed business, Halliburton, of destroying internal test results which BP claims demonstrates that the cement used to secure the ill-fated Gulf of Mexico oil well was unstable. More »
