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![]() What is bought vs. what is sold - a morality tale
» Posted by Martin Weil on March 13, 2008 From Odd Numbers
Justin Wolfers explains why this should matter: It seems to me that the truly important violations of the public trust are when the power we give our government officials is sold, rather than what government officials choose to buy. Yet our political scandals are too often dominated by private mistakes, rather than public misdeeds. This is why I'm more worried about what the SEC is selling than what Eliot Spitzer has been buying.
Did I ever mention how much I hate gift cards?
» Posted by Martin Weil on November 13, 2007 Consumer Reports will take a full-page ad in the NY Times to warn consumers about the pitfalls of giving and using gift cards. They found that 27% of all cards go unused, and retailers took in an extra $8 billion because of unused, lost, and expired gift cards. Their tips: All this according to The Consumerist. My own suggestion - make your money work for you and not the retailers: Just don't buy any.
Child labor
» Posted by Martin Weil on October 28, 2007 Amitosh concentrates as he pulls the loops of thread through tiny plastic beads and sequins on the toddler's blouse he is making. Dripping with sweat, his hair is thinly coated in dust. In Hindi his name means "happiness." The hand-embroidered garment on which his tiny needle is working bears the distinctive logo of international fashion chain Gap. Amitosh is 10.From The Guardian. Gap is by no means alone in finding children toiling at many of the firms it outsources to. To their credit however, the Guardian continues: Gap's own policy is that if it discovers children being used by contractors to make its clothes that contractor must remove the child from the workplace, provide it with access to schooling and a wage, and guarantee the opportunity of work on reaching a legal working age. One wonders if the rest of the consumer products industry can say the same?
A consumer's 'how to fight back' guide
» Posted by Martin Weil on October 08, 2007 The Consumerist (a great site by the way) posts this guide to resolving difficult consumer issues. If, as the site says, "you're ready to stop getting mad and start getting results," this is a great place to start.
Peer pressure will save the planet
» Posted by Martin Weil on October 04, 2007 So says new research from ASU in a recent MarketWatch article. Robert B. Cialdini, a social psychologist and Regents' Professor of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University in Tempe, has been researching relationships between psychology and pro-environmental action since the early 1990s. He addressed the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education last week with some of his recent findings.
Verizon customers - take note
» Posted by Martin Weil on September 14, 2007 Verizon Wireless customers who don't want their personal and account information sold to marketers will have to opt-out by calling 1-800-333-9956. A notice tucked into recent bills indicated subscribers had 30 days from receiving the notice to do it. From The Consumerist Note that if you have multiple lines with Verizon, you will need to "opt out" individually for each line.
Get ready for $4 gas
» Posted by Martin Weil on April 04, 2007 So says Phil Flynn, energy analyst at Alaron Trading, in this ABC News article.
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