Anyone and everyone can write reviews of hotels and restaurants at sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp. So why would anyone pay $100 for a card that simply states “I Write Reviews” — something that, to repeat, anyone and everyone can do?
Companies & Industries
You Probably Spent 13 Hours on Hold Last Year
Add this factoid to the many others concerning the poor state of customer service, right alongside the one about how we collectively lose $38 billion annually waiting around for the cable guy to show up.
Hey Kid, Where’s Your Mom? Malls Ratchet Up Restrictions on Unsupervised Teens
Generally speaking, it’s unwise to kick customers — any customers — out of a shopping center. But what if kicking out certain customers increases the likelihood that other, wealthier customers will come to the mall and spend?
Ugh, More Airline Fees: Want a Decent Seat on Southwest? Pay Up
Et tu, Southwest? A relative absence of fees and an overall nonelitist, democratic approach to airline travel are among the reasons Southwest Airlines has been so successful. A new fee — $40 to be among the first on the plane …
Target Introduces Six New Brands … That You Can’t Buy in Stores
Cheap chic retailer Target is renowned for brand collaborations good (the Missoni craze) and bad (the Neiman Marcus collection that no one wanted). Target’s new brand partnerships may be the most intriguing of all. Just don’t go …
Meet the New Family-Friendly ‘People Movers’ (Don’t Call Them Minivans!)
The latest vehicles that are being pumped up as ideal for families include hybrid gas sippers, tiny SUVs, redesigned work vans, and even pickup trucks. You’ll often see them described as “people movers” and “family haulers.” What they won’t be called—not officially anyway—are “minivans.”
How Much Is Twinkies Worth?
The iconic brand is still on the market and will likely be sold in a matter of weeks. But what’s its true value?
It’s Peak Season for Shopping Because You’re Depressed
The most depressing day of the year supposedly takes place right around now. It’s also prime time to be tempted into shopping as a cure for the blues.
Free Tickets, Half-Price Jerseys: After Lockout, NHL Rolls Out Deals to Make Nice with Fans
The NHL lockout is over, and the shortened season’s first games are taking place this tomorrow. But will fans, who have been frustrated for months while players and team owners squabbled, actually show up as paying customers?
Snowboarding May Have Reached Its Peak
Snowboarding is no longer new, no longer extreme, and—now that your mom knows how to ride—no longer quite as cool. No wonder snowboard sales and snowboarder visits at mountain resorts are on the decline.
Policing the Web: How Google’s ‘Cops’ Track Down Bad Ads
The search engine employs hundreds of ‘ad cops’ to keep as many dubious advertisements as possible off their site
Will the EPA Change the Way It Measures M.P.G. Ratings? Maybe Just for Hybrids?
It’s widely believed that the mileage ratings of many hybrid cars are inflated. Is it time for the ratings system to change?
