The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best consumer experience: New gloves from REI

After I lost a pair of gloves (with fingers) and one of my mittens (no fingers), I went to Macy’s to see if I could find a pair of gloves at a good price. I was hoping to find some on sale. I didn’t get lucky.

Then I thought about ordering some gloves from REI. I’ve just become an affiliate of REI, a program where I receive a small payment for each item ordered through my blog. I looked through REI’s eco-sensitive clothing offerings to see what I could find.

I selected the REI Recycled Fleece Grip Gloves for $24.50. I ordered them on Monday, and they arrived on Thursday – just in time for the freezing weather.

The gloves are terrific, warm and comfortable. And another thing I like about them; they aren’t smelly. Some new clothes have a strong chemical smell – these don’t.

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My worst consumer experience: New payment policy and slow service at Kits Cameras

Recently, Kits Cameras adopted a new policy: You must pay for your photos when you order then, not when you pick them up.

I think this is a bad policy. You don’t have the opportunity to review your photos before you pay for them.

Several times, I explained that I wanted to wait until I saw the photos before I paid; the sales associates agreed.

However, this week, they insisted that I pay in advance. I was upset. Then, to make matters worse, a trainee fumbled around for 15 minutes trying to figure out the amount of my bill.

I plan to write the CEO about this policy. It doesn’t make sense.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Winter garden still producing

Kale, collards, and some Swiss chard are still alive in my winter garden.

With two nights below freezing, I was surprised to see anything standing today.

The turnip seeds I planted didn’t do well. Some bugs or slugs have really chewed on the plants. I planted the seeds in September. Turnips are one of the few things you can plant that late here for a winter garden.

Different bugs loved the cabbages I planted. The leaves look like Swiss cheese.

I harvested a large bowl of kale and cut a couple of the cabbages.

We’ll see what the freezing weather does to the rest of the garden. Snow is predicted for Saturday night.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

California fall colors still bright

After taking 1,500 photos of fall colors in the Pacific Northwest, I thought I was done with fall colors.

However, on a recent trip to Sacramento, I was amazed that the fall colors were still blazing in November.

Here are the fall colors I saw, plus some harvest and farm photos. And, ah, yes, a picture of the Capitol Building and a California sunset.

Here we're not having fall weather, it's winter. Last night it was 27 degrees; tonight's prediction is 29 degrees.

I'm afraid my winter garden has frozen before I harvested it all. I'll report tomorrow.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

‘Brain drain’ predicted – again – as boomers get ready to retire

Before the Great Recession, the Internet and newspapers were abuzz with articles about the bad shape American companies and government agencies would be in when large numbers of baby boomers retired.

With so many people, including boomers, out of work, the topic hasn’t come up much lately. In fact, many articles have been written about boomers working well beyond retirement age.

However, in a recent report, Ithaca College sociologist Stephen Sweet says, as millions of baby boomers prepare to retire, “the inevitable talent drain threatens to alter the national economy.”

The report – "The Pressures of Talent Management" – examined talent management practices at 696 organizations across the 10 leading sectors of the economy.

“Four of every ten employers surveyed anticipate the aging workforce will have a negative impact on their business over the next three years,” said Sweet.

However, 77 percent of employers surveyed had not analyzed projected employee retirement rates or assessed employee career plans.

In 2000, baby boomers represented the largest portion of the U.S. labor force at 48 percent. By 2010, they're projected to shrink to 37 percent of the workforce. As a result, some economists are predicting a shortage of 10 to 15 million workers in the coming decade, with large numbers of inexperienced workers in a dwindling labor pool.

U.S. companies need to start planning for this loss of workers, Sweet said, adding:

Employers should take advantage of programs designed to meet the evolving needs of employees nearing retirement, while at the same time meeting business needs by keeping experienced talent longer and ensuring business continuity.

That’s good advice. Boomers need flexibility, such as being able to work part time, if they stay in their jobs, or if they look for new ones.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Airlines slapped with precedent-setting fines for tarmac delay

Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines have been fined $100,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for their roles in causing the passengers on board Continental Express flight 2816 to remain on the aircraft at Rochester (Minn.) International Airport for an unreasonable period of time on Aug. 8, 2009.

Continental also provided a refund to each passenger and offered additional compensation to acknowledge his or her time and discomfort. In addition, the department assessed a civil penalty of $75,000 against Mesaba Airlines, which provided ground handling for the flight, for its role in the incident.

These precedent-setting enforcement actions are the first enforcement orders punishing carriers for extended tarmac delays, as well as the first time a carrier acting as a ground handler for another airline has been punished for failing to properly help passengers leave an aircraft during an unreasonably long tarmac delay.

“I hope that this sends a signal to the rest of the airline industry that we expect airlines to respect the rights of air travelers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We will also use what we have learned from this investigation to strengthen protections for airline passengers subjected to long tarmac delays.”

The Aviation Enforcement Office’s investigation found that all three carriers violated the law that prohibits unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation for their respective roles in the incident, in which a Continental Express flight from Houston to Minneapolis/St. Paul operated by ExpressJet was diverted to Rochester due to bad weather in Minneapolis.
 
The aircraft reached Rochester about 12:30 a.m. and the passengers were stranded aboard the aircraft until approximately 6:15 a.m. when they were finally deplaned into the terminal.

In November 2008, the department proposed a rule to enhance airline passenger protections, including a provision that would require airlines to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays and incorporate them in their contracts of carriage.  A final rule is expected by the end of this calendar year.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

‘Capitalism’ the movie calls for consumer action

Having missed the opportunity to see Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” when it briefly played at local movie theaters, I was pleased to see it’s being shown at our local alternative theater.

As a consumer specialist who’s written about consumer issues for three decades, I think the movie has a lot to offer.

When I studied consumer economics at Washington State University and The Evergreen State College, the role of the consumer in the economy was emphasized. Consumers have power in the economic system and a role to play that’s as important as the roles of business and the government.

However, consumers don’t often use their power. Instead, they identify with the producer interests of the companies they work for. Consumers don’t join groups and work for their economic interests. They’re influenced by advertising and capitalistic rhetoric.

While “Capitalism” did a good job of reporting on the abuses of the capitalistic system, especially what went wrong to create the Great Recession, it was outstanding in its call to consumer action.

We need to create new systems that help working people, the people on Main Street not Wall Street.

Look for groups that are working in your community on issues such as affordable housing, health care, the environment, economic justice, and simple living.

To find a Public Interest Research Group in your state, see the Web site of U.S.PIRG.

National groups that are worth working with are: Public Citizen, Center for Science in the Public Interest, and the Environmental Working Group.

We can improve the economic situation of consumers in this country. But we need to get back the power that has been usurped by corporate interests.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Recall of the Week: Stork Craft drop-side cribs that can entrap and suffocate infants

More than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including about 147,000 Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo, are being recalled by Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia.

The recall involves about 1.2 million cribs distributed in the United States and nearly 1 million in Canada.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urges parents, grandparents, and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and don’t attempt to fix the cribs without the kit. They should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side, the commission advises.

The cribs’ drop-side plastic hardware can break or deform, or parts can fall off. In addition, the drop-side can be installed upside-down, which can result in broken or disengaged plastic parts.

All of these problems can cause the drop-side to detach in one or more corners. When detached, a space is created between the drop-side and the crib mattress. The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space, which can lead to suffocation.

Complete detachment of drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib.

The commission, Health Canada, and Stork Craft are aware of 110 incidents of drop-side detachment; 67 incidents occurred in the U.S. and 43 in Canada. The incidents include 15 entrapments; 12 in the U.S. and three in Canada. Four of the entrapments resulted in death.

Included in these incidents are 20 falls from cribs; 12 in the U.S. and eight in Canada. Fall injuries ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises.

The recall involves drop-side cribs with plastic hardware, but doesn’t include cribs with metal rod drop-side hardware.

See the commission’s announcement for information on how to identify the recalled cribs.

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Major retailers in the U.S. and Canada sold the recalled cribs including BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com. The cribs were sold from January 1993 through October 2009 for between $100 and $400.

For additional information, contact Stork Craft toll-free at 877-274-0277 anytime to order the free repair kit, or log on to www.storkcraft.com.

Class action lawsuits are being filed in Canada against Stork Craft Manufacturing, ConsumerAffairs.com reports in its article “Stork Craft Facing Wave of Lawsuits.” The article also discusses flaws in Canadian consumer protection laws exposed by the crib recall.

To learn about other recalls, visit www.recalls.gov.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best consumer experience: Good customer service at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

When I went to a Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts store in Sacramento with my daughter to buy some material, we received good customer service.

We were looking for broadcloth for two children’s costumes. A sales associate, who we were able to locate quite quickly, showed us where to find it. She also explained what broadcloth is and what fabrics were similar.

The woman who cut out fabric also was courteous. She also told us about her job, her interest in sewing, and when and where Jo-Ann’s was founded.

When we checked out, the cashier was friendly.

All in all, a good consumer experience.

My worst consumer experience: Confusion about a tip at a coffee shop

While my daughter was at work, I went to Temple coffee shop in Sacramento to work on my blogs.

The first day was fine. Nice staff, good atmosphere, excellent hours.

However, on the second day, I had problems about the tip.

Temple doesn’t accept credit cards, only debit cards. And they charge 35 cents for the use of a debit card.

The clerk handed me the device used for making charges and told me the green screen was about the tip. I didn’t understand what he meant. I knew he wanted me to decide about a tip, but I hadn’t seen the “green screen” tip option and I didn’t know how to use it.

I typed in my security code. “No, no, no,” he said, deleting the information. Then I figured out I was supposed to enter information on the size of the tip.

I usually don’t give tips to clerks who stand behind a counter, unless it’s a coffee shop I go to regularly. Since an issue was being made about the tip, I entered 50 cents and went on to the next screens to compete the transaction.

The clerk was snappy and unfriendly. Not a good consumer experience.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top 10 worst toys of 2009

W.A.T.C.H., World Against Toys Causing Harm, has announced its 2009 10 Worst Toys list. It includes:

1. Disney-Pixar Wall-E Foam Rocket Launcher
2. Moon Board Pogo Board
3. Curious Baby Curious George Counting – My First Book of Numbers
4. The Dark Knight Batman Figure
5. X-Men Origins Slashin' Action Wolverine
6. Lots to Love Babies – “Mini Nursery”
7. Just Kidz Junior Musical Instruments
8. Cat “Rugged Mini”
9. Pucci Pups Maltese
10. Spy Gear Viper-Blaster

See “2009 '10 Worst Toys’ List” for details on why these toys were selected and what W.A.T.C.H. thinks needs to be done to improve toy safety.

W.A.T.C.H. is a Massachusetts nonprofit corporation founded by Edward M. Swartz, a trial lawyer and child safety advocate. W.A.T.C.H. has been issuing its worst toy list since 1973.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Happy Thanksgiving to you

 

Best wishes to you and your loved ones on Thanksgiving Day, if you celebrate this holiday. I hope that your Thanksgiving holiday is filled with fun and joy and many memories to cherish.

 

On Thanksgiving Day, many people give thanks for life’s treasures. I’m thankful for a loving family and good health. I also have a nice, warm home and enough food to eat. In addition, I'm thankful for being able to blog and be a consumer writer. I receive abundant amounts of joy in sharing information with baby boomer consumers.

 

If you’re feeling down during this holiday season or if you’re missing someone special, see the articles “10 Steps to Surviving the Holidays” and “How to Avoid Holiday Depression.”

 

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist