The generic “store brand” label has been losing its stigma for years. Now, Target is attempting to further dispel the notion that an in-house brand equates to low quality with the launch of an organic, upscale food line.
Companies & Industries
S&P Upgrade of U.S.: More Proof the Ratings Agency Shouldn’t Play Politics
On Monday ratings giant Standard & Poor’s raised the U.S.’s credit outlook from “negative” to “stable.” That may sound a bit like the equivalent of Arrested Development’s Bluth Company going from “Triple Sell” to “Don’t Buy,” but in these troubled economic times, Americans should take what they can get. Thanks to a housing rebound, stock …
U.S. Investigates Honda Minivans for Air Bag Trouble
(DETROIT) — U.S. safety regulators have added about 320,000 older model Honda Odyssey minivans to a widening probe of faulty air bags that affects at least three automakers and more than 2 million vehicles.
Front air bags on …
The Real Reason Telecoms Cooperate on National Security? Money
Verizon, the phone company whose disclosure of customer data to the U.S. federal government is at the center of the furor over cooperation by technology companies with top-secret national-security programs, has offered a precise, clear, but little-noticed public explanation of why it did what it did.
The Verizon explanation is not in the
…
In Fast Food, Five—As in $5—Is Now the Magic Number
It’s not particularly complicated: $5 is a nice round, approachable, affordable-sounding number. At a time when popular fast-casual chains are pushing the average diner bill upward, the $5 price point is especially likely to get the attention of deal hunters. And that’s why fast food customers are seeing more and more of the fiver.
Gimme a Price Already! Edmunds Tries to End the Most Aggravating Part of Car Shopping
“How much?” In almost every retail environment, this wouldn’t be a difficult question to answer. But at the car dealership, the process of getting a concrete final price can take hours. The folks at Edmunds.com now have a tool that promises to make retrieving car prices as quick and easy as shopping at Amazon.
Free Donuts! Everything You Need to Know to Celebrate National Donut Day
National Donut Day falls on the first Friday of June—this year it’s today, June 7. But considering what the day is best known for—free donuts—perhaps it’s time to go ahead and change the name of “holiday” to Free Donut Day.
The Straight Poop on Dollar Shave Club’s Wet Wipes For Guys
The Dollar Shave Club guys are back, and this time they’re knocking on the back door. “I’m talking about poop,” CEO Michael Dubin announces in another self-consciously edgy (not to say “cheeky”) YouTube video shilling his company’s newest product: wet wipes for grown men.
In the blogosphere, the question of whether or not adults …
Chrysler to Recall 630,000 SUVs Worldwide
Just two days after refusing a government request to recall 2.7 million older-model Jeeps, Chrysler has decided to do two other recalls totaling 630,000 vehicles worldwide.
Sharing Is Hard: Legal Trouble for Airbnb, RelayRides, FlightCar
As more consumers turn to services like peer-to-peer rental-car outfits rather than Hertz, local authorities are penalizing participants with fines and ordering the companies to cease operations. Is it still safe to share?
Good For You, Better For Them: The Truth About Retailer Guarantees
Wal-Mart’s new money-back guarantee, like most retailer promises, look terrific on first glance. But the reality is that these guarantees are mainly empty marketing tactics, the commercial equivalent of a date pulling out his wallet with no intention of paying.
Why Hotels Aren’t Making a Killing on Fees Like the Airlines
Love it or hate it, the fee-based business model appears to be here to stay for airlines. But the hotel business is a different story.
