Airline complaints range from bad attitudes to bland fruit cups
May 11, 2006

Air passengers filed about 20 per cent more complaints with the Canadian Transportation Agency last year, griping about everything from the attitude of airline employees to lost baggage... MORE»

murmur categories: travel, service

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism travel, service, airlines airplanes

posted by Tessa | 10:35 AM (ET) | Permalink

Levis putting RFID chips in clothing tags
May 2, 2006

Levi Strauss & Co. has come under fire from a privacy group for putting radio-frequency identification chips (RFID) into consumers' pants... MORE»

murmur categories: services, technology, privacy

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism shopping RFID Levis privacy technology

posted by Tessa | 11:09 AM (ET) | Permalink

How to talk to a real person at Rogers Wireless
April 28, 2006

You're a Rogers Wireless customer. You have a problem with your service – nothing serious, nothing a quick chat with a customer service representative can't fix. But circumventing Rogers' automated voice phone system and getting through to a living, breathing human can be a heck of task... MORE»

murmur categories: activism services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism complaining activism customer service

posted by Tessa | 11:28 AM (ET) | Permalink

Tips for hiring a contractor
April 24, 2006

My husband and I recently renovated our basement (typical behaviour of new-parents-to-be) and strangely enough, the process was smooth as butter... MORE»

murmur categories: home, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism house renovations home improvement home

posted by Tessa | 11:01 AM (ET) | Permalink

10 things your dentist won't tell you
April 3, 2006

Ever wondered whether you're getting your dentist is being straight with you about what you ought to be spending to keep your pearly whites clean and healthy? ... MORE»

murmur categories: health, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism dental dentistry

posted by Tessa | 3:13 PM (ET) | Permalink

Want an aisle seat? It'll cost you
March 15, 2006

Cash-strapped U.S. airlines are inventing new ways to generate revenue, including charging extra to passengers who want to sit in the aisle seat... MORE»

murmur categories: travel, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism travel airlines airplanes service

posted by Tessa | 10:19 AM (ET) | Permalink

Loose lips sink sales
March 13, 2006

Gossip can be a retailer's nightmare, a U.S. study says... MORE»

murmur categories: services, miscellaneous

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism customer business customer service CRM customer experience

posted by Tessa | 2:14 PM (ET) | Permalink

Toronto set to be wirelessly connected metropolis: report
March 7, 2006

Imagine a beautiful day in Toronto. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. Why not go to a park, sit on a bench ... and explore cyberspace on your laptop computer? ... MORE»

murmur categories: technology, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism wireless technology internet mobile telecom

posted by Tessa | 11:41 AM (ET) | Permalink

Dress for success if you're looking for good service: study
March 1, 2006

A study from Ohio State University says well-dressed and groomed women received the friendliest and, in some cases, fastest service when they hit the mall... MORE»

murmur categories: services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism shopping customer service business

posted by Tessa | 10:51 AM (ET) | Permalink

Are airports putting a cap on laptop power?
February 28, 2006

You're travelling to an important business meeting and during a layover you go to plug in your laptop to juice up the battery. But it seems all the airport's power outlets have been capped... MORE»

murmur categories: travel, technology, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism travel airports laptops technology energy business

posted by Tessa | 9:43 AM (ET) | Permalink

RFID shopping robots tested in Japan
February 14, 2006

A mall in Japan is testing a new shopping service: a fleet of RFID-enabled robots who can do everything from carry a shopper's bags to lead said shopper to sale items he/she might be interested in... MORE»

murmur categories: services, technology, privacy

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism shopping RFID privacy technology

posted by Tessa | 6:21 PM (ET) | Permalink

'Stupid' British businesses and how they're alienating their customers
February 14, 2006

I have to mention this report, if only because of its fabulous title: "The Stupid Company: How British businesses throw away money by alienating customers." But even beyond the title, it's a pretty interesting read... MORE»

murmur categories: services, miscellaneous

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism customer business customer service CRM customer experience

posted by Tessa | 9:58 AM (ET) | Permalink

No breakfast at Tiffany's for eBay
January 31, 2006

Tiffany & Company, the purveyor of fine jewellery, watches, china, stationary, crystal, and sterling silver phone dialling wands, is taking on auction giant eBay for facilitating the trade of counterfeit Tiffany items on the website... MORE»

murmur categories: money/shopping, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism eBay shopping auction business

posted by Tessa | 9:32 AM (ET) | Permalink

Loan company charged in criminal interest-rate case
January 20, 2006

The owners of a payday lending company in Winnipeg have been charged after an investigation revealed people were paying criminally high interest rates... MORE»

murmur categories: money, services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism finances loans interest lawsuits

posted by Tessa | 9:19 AM (ET) | Permalink

Complaining 101: How to reach a company’s top dog
January 16, 2006

Have a problem with a company/product and want some satisfaction? Sometimes, getting on the horn with Customer Service doesn’t get you anywhere (well, maybe inside a bottle of headache relief tablets!), leaving you feeling powerless and sidelined... MORE»

murmur categories: activism services

tags: consumers consumer news consumerism complaining activism customer service

posted by Tessa | 2:21 PM (ET) | Permalink

Payday loan firm settles lawsuit over ‘illegal’ fees
January 10, 2006

A payday loan company at the centre of a class-action lawsuit will repay more than $1 million to thousands of clients who were charged upwards of 60 per cent in interest and fees for some short-term loans... MORE»

murmur categories: money, services

tags: consumers, consumer news, consumerism, finances, loans, interest, lawsuits

posted by Tessa | 9:25 AM (ET) | Permalink

Cheating the “Your call is important to us” system
November 25, 2005

Ever been trapped in one of those “customer service” phone loops when you’ve called a big company with a query or complaint? You know, those “Your call is important to us… please select from one of the following options…” calls that launch into a labyrinth of keypad number punches and frustrated sighs but nary a human being on the other end of the line... MORE»

murmur categories: services

tags: consumers, consumer news, consumerism, customer service

posted by Tessa | 1:37 PM (ET) | Permalink

New surveillance bill would target cellphone and internet communications
November 16, 2005

The federal government has introduced a bill to make it easier for police and CSIS to monitor private cellphone conversations and communication on the internet... MORE»

murmur categories: technology, services, privacy

tags: consumers, consumer news, consumerism, cellphones, e-mail, surveillance, privacy, security

posted by Tessa | 9:39 AM (ET) | Permalink

Some Brits shop online while drunk and nude: study
November 3, 2005

A handful of Brits are making a habit of shopping online while under the influence, says new research. And some of them are also doing it in the buff, Netimperative reports... MORE»

tags: consumers, consumer news, consumerism, online shopping

posted by Tessa | 10:08 AM (ET) | Permalink

A new banking low: getting charged a fee when you don’t withdraw
October 27, 2005

You might think the banks make enough from the roster of service fees they already slip through your monthly statement, but apparently not... MORE»

murmur categories: money/finances, services

tags: consumers, consumer news, consumerism, banking, fees, atm

posted by Tessa | 10:55 AM (ET) | Permalink

New twists at the funeral parlour
October 18, 2005

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about the ways the traditional funeral home is trying to reassert itself as an essential part of the American lifecycle... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 12:53 PM (ET) | Permalink

Fly me to the Moon, to the tune of $100 million
August 10, 2005

A private, U.S.-based company plans to launch a tourist trip around the Moon as soon as 2008... MORE»

posted 9:58 AM (ET) | Permalink

Clean up nail salons: Paula Abdul
June 29, 2005

Sir Bob Geldof isn’t the only celebrity fighting for a cause these days: “American Idol” judge and singer/dancer Paula Abdul is fighting for cleaner nail salons, AP reports... MORE»

posted 11:25 AM (ET) | Permalink

CRTC rules against big phone companies
May 13, 2005

The CRTC ruled against the big telephone companies yesterday, saying it will regulate internet-based phone service the same as any other local phone service... MORE»

posted 9:18 AM (ET) | Permalink

Theatre chain to publish real movie start times
May 5, 2005

The third largest theatre chain in the United States says it will soon begin publishing the actual start times for feature movie presentations. Beginning next month, Loews says it will include a note in its newspaper and website listings alerting customers that "the feature presentation starts 10 to 15 minutes after the posted show time."... MORE»

posted 9:27 AM (ET) | Permalink

eBay lists items confiscated at U.S. airports
May 4, 2005

In the market for 35 lbs of plastic-handled scissors? Look no further than eBay. If you do a search with the keyword “NTSA” (National Traffic Safety Agency, also known as NHTSA) you’ll find all kinds of goodies that have been confiscated at airport gates by the Transportation Security Administration... MORE»

posted 9:47 AM (ET) | Permalink

Number portability coming to Canada
April 22, 2005

Cellphone users in Canada will be able to keep their numbers when they change phone companies to get better rates or service. That’s the word from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 11:19 AM (ET) | Permalink

Can you hear me now?
April 20, 2005

"Why in the world would you think your [cell] phone would work in your house? The customer has come to expect so much. They want it to work in the elevator; they want it to work in the basement." ... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 10:40 AM (ET) | Permalink

CRTC improves safeguards for 1-900 users
March 30, 2005

The maximum per-minute fees that 1-900 psychic and betting hotlines can charge callers are being drastically cut as part of new safeguards announced by Canada's broadcast regulator today... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 4:13 PM (ET) | Permalink

Blockbuster settles 'No Late Fees' complaints
March 30, 2005

The movie rental chain Blockbuster will offer refunds and pay $630,000 US in costs after its highly visible "No Late Fees" campaign confused patrons, the Oregon attorney general said yesterday... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 10:45 AM (ET) | Permalink

Big phone companies must credit customers for poor service: CRTC
March 25, 2005

Canada's telecommunications regulator has ordered that customers of the country's big phone companies be given credits on their phone bills this year and in the future if they get sub-standard service, CBC Business News reports... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 11:44 AM (ET) | Permalink

Levi's body scanner promises perfect fit jeans
March 23, 2005

I hate trying on jeans. I find it almost as pitiful as bathing suit shopping, which according to a recent survey by Levi's puts me among the ranks of the majority of shoppers: women said that jeans are the second-most difficult item to fit after bathing suits and men rated "fit" as their No. 1 reason to buy a pair of jeans... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 9:38 AM (ET) | Permalink

Cellphone lawsuits a go again
March 17, 2005

An appeals court in the United States has reinstated five lawsuits that claim the cellphone industry has failed to protect consumers from unsafe levels of radiation, Bloomberg News reports... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 12:03 PM (ET) | Permalink

Ontario bill targets 'gender-based pricing'
March 15, 2005

Haircuts, dry cleaning and clothes could soon cost the same for men and women in Ontario if a bill currently before the legislature passes, CBC News Online reports... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 12:06 PM (ET) | Permalink

Outsourcing customer service costs more than it saves, study finds
March 8, 2005

Most companies that outsource customer service functions are losing money and customers, a survey by the analyst firm Gartner has found... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 10:24 AM (ET) | Permalink

Virgin Group to push for cellphone number portability
March 2, 2005

The newest entry in Canada's cellphone market is promising to make portability of phone numbers a key issue, CBC Business News reports... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 9:50 AM (ET) | Permalink

Wal-Mart ordered to stop harassing workers in Quebec
February 28, 2005

The Quebec Labour Relations Board has ordered Wal-Mart Canada to stop intimidating workers who want to form a union, CBC Business News reports... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 12:05 PM (ET) | Permalink

Virtual mini-me goes shopping
February 21, 2005

I have met my virtual self and I’m jealous of her hair – and the fact that she has really good posture... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 1:23 PM (ET) | Permalink

Home improvement problems top list of consumer complaints in U.S.
February 15, 2005

According to a new report, the number one complaint of American consumers is home improvement problems, followed by car sales and repairs, and then credit... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 10:38 AM (ET) | Permalink

British seniors pilot new shopping device
February 10, 2005

The BBC reports on a new barcode reader system that’s being tested by elderly and housebound residents of Bristol. Seniors scan grocery items from a supermarket catalogue and then submit their orders via the telephone. Their order is then delivered to the seniors home by police-vetted drivers... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 10:04 AM (ET) | Permalink

Romanian villagers walk eight kilometres for their cellphones (uphill ... in the snow)
January 28, 2005

Ananova reports that residents of Ciosa, Romania, are buying up cellphones, even though they have never had electricity in their village... MORE»

posted by Tessa | 11:20 AM (ET) | Permalink

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