Brokerblogger

Shouldn't Legitimately Victimized Consumers Get Mad, Then Get Justice vs. "Get Even"? - Brokerblogger

I don't think that Ralph Nader ever wanted to "get even" as in the book "Get Even: The Complete Book Of Dirty Tricks " , even though he probably believes that many companies have played "dirty tricks" on the consumer.  As he is an attorney, I feel he wants justice, and corrections to the consumer problems he exposes.

But, I just viewed an ABC 20/20 webcast entitled "Customers Get Even".  While the title is mostly "News Link Bait", it may send the wrong message to some viewers who are more into revenge than justice, in my opinion.  In all fairness to 20/20 though, Ben Popken of the Consumerist said on this webcast that this is "audio visual consumer revenge".  I like the Consumerist overall, but to get consumers thinking in terms of "revenge" is dangerous and bad for consumers.

20/20's transcript of that webcast entitled "Viral Video: Consumer Revenge"  at first, showed legitimate consumer generated complaint content, and then said:  "But wait a second.  This isn't exactly Consumer Reports. There are no editors checking to see whether complaints are valid. Anyone can say anything."  Then it showed a young male consumer who was upset with a water cooler dispensing slowly as seen in this online video:  "Don't buy GE's GXCF20E Water Dispenser".  20/20 said that the manufacturer said that he did not read the instructions.  That is a half-truth as the Consumerist shows in "GXCF20E Water Cooler Of Infamy".  That young male consumer, Jacob Lodwick, says in the comments section:  "I need cold water in my office. I buy a water cooler and subscribe to Poland Spring. Why on EARTH should I, as a consumer, have to deal with compatibility issues?" 

The whole truth is that, in their promotional materials and advertising, a conspicuous disclaimer by GE was, and is, needed that says:  "Attention! - Water Cooler Works Best with Bottled Water Containers That Have a 'Center Plug' in the Cap".  However, ABC's 20/20 did not use their high paid editors "to see whether complaints (Jakob Lodwick's in this case) are valid.  Anyone (20/20 this time) can say anything."  So, in this instance, 20/20 appears to be "the pot calling the kettle black"!

Continue Reading to see a 10/25/06 UPDATE on the GXCF20E "Loading the Dispenser" instructions.

BusinessWeek's Baby Boomer Statistic Quote Misleading? - Brokerblogger

"Microsoft Magnifier, one of the accessibility features in Windows XP, opens a floating window that enlarges different parts of the screen—just like a magnifying glass."  Microsoft is trying to help Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964) who may develop vision challenges.  This is part of their "Ten Tips for the Awkward Age of Computing".

Ever since I read this 9/25/06 BusinessWeek Online article entitled "Boomers: A Web-Marketing Bonanza", something didn't seem right with this quote from it:  "Today, baby boomers make up the Web's largest constituency, accounting for fully one-third of the 195.3 million Web users in the U.S., according to Jupiter Research."  That would mean that 65, 034, 900 of the U.S. Census estimated 78, 200, 000 Baby Boomers use the Internet (83%).  I DON'T THINK SO!  I would love to know just how Jupiter Research got those numbers.  I've always been skeptical of how statistics are compiled due to what market are they being sold.  For example, how and from what income level were the sample Baby Boomers gathered, how large of a sample was used, and what specific questions were asked.  Statistics can be slanted in one general direction, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Focalyst’s Online Activity Report has more recent Baby Boomer statistics that are even more unbelievable to me.  This "American Boomers, 60+ Generation Active Web Users" article says:  "Focalyst’s Online Activity Report, which is based on a survey of more than 30,000 U.S. consumers ages 42 and older, also found that almost one-third of all online boomers — 21 million people — have been using the Internet for more than 10 years."  What do they mean by "using the Internet"?  They got AOL in the mail years ago and used it for the free period only?  Let's look closer.

Bernanke - Baby Boomer Strain Means Pain - Brokerblogger

Today, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said:  "As the population ages, the nation will have to choose among higher taxes, less non-entitlement spending by the government, a reduction in spending on entitlement programs, a sharply higher budget deficit or some combination thereof."  This was quoted in the AP  Wire:  "Bernanke: Baby boomers will strain U.S."

I've always believed that there should be more done by the search engines to educate Baby Boomers to the Internet and search from a consumer advocate and national pride perspective.  This would be a hugh undertaking, but the payoff would also be huge, if done properly.  It would be a win-win-win for all by helping the growing number of Baby Boomer consumers to shop and educate themselves more completely, the search engines would gain more active users and advertisers, and the USA would have more Baby Boomer online buyers and sellers contributing to the economy from PC's and home based businesses.

Here is another article from CNN Money.com

Do You Trust "Certified Authority Seals"? - Brokerblogger

Lately, I'm seeing far too many "Seals" that are intended to give the appearance of credibility and trust.  In fact, now you can make up your own online seal, as I have done here, and in my "Does E-10 Ethanol Gas Hurt Older Cars' Fuel Systems?" post.

To me, there has been a "watering down" of the potential good that could be achieved through "authority seals", by companies or organizations that try to be legitimate (vs. the fun website above).  This 9/29/04 article entitled "Seal of Approval" says:  "The premise behind an online seal is not unlike that of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval that my parents' generation found comforting. Consumers recognize a Web site displaying a seal as being a high quality site, or at least that's the idea."

Here is why I'm skeptical about trusting all "authority seals", even the more established ones like TRUSTe.