Complaint resolution service publishes case studies, recall information and consumer news.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reminding consumers that September 15 is the last day to apply for refunds if they purchased Airborned Health products between 2001 and 2007.

Consumers who bought the Airborne-branded products Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Airborne On-the-Go, Airborne Power Pixies, Airborne Nighttime, Airborne Jr., Airborne Gummis, and Airborne Seasonal Relief between May 1, 2001 and November 29, 2007 are eligible for refunds. Consumers who have receipts can apply for a refund for the full amount. Those without receipts can apply for refunds for up to six product purchases, and should visit the Web site for further details.

Find out if you’re eligible at the Airborne Health refund site.

Posted under Health, Products

At a conference last week, a speaker shared a great insight with the audience. It took 21 years for 1 billion cell phones to be sold, but only 3 years for the next billion to be sold. I was impressed and wondered how much mobile phones would become like other commodities.

Verizon has been one of the leaders in this space, first relieving consumers of automatic contract extensions and then recently allowing phones from other companies to be used with a Verizon service plan. The first was about to be legislated into existence, but the second was smart, consumer-centric marketing.

Now Virgin Mobile, a company whose mantra seems to be “good service costs” has announced that service contracts are no longer necessary. The company’s month-to-month phones, once the province of convenience stores and companies reaching out to folks with poor credit, are sure to appeal to a wide range of consumers who have to have the latest gadget, phone or service now.

One caveat though: if you are planning to do any major home revisions when new television regulations take effect in less than one year, speaking to a service provider about bundled services is a smart move. Many cable companies are selling wireless and traditional phone plans while many phone companies are moving into video. They all know that the consumer electronics industry is going to be in flux for the next year, especially during the 2008 holiday season.

Waiting might make sense. And if waiting isn’t appropriate for your situation, then a monthly contract with a well-known provider like Virgin may be a good option.

Posted under Products

A pesticide producer and a telemarketer and distributor in Suffolk County, New York will pay a total of $145,000 for violating the federal pesticide law. Both companies allegedly sold off-spec, misbranded products, with the second also making false claims, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Agency cited the Topaz Turf Corporation in Holtsville and its distributor, Southern Chemical Supply, Inc. in Bohemia. In its complaint, EPA alleged that both companies had been involved in distributing off-spec and misbranded pesticides to the public since at least October 2003. Topaz has agreed to pay $65,000 and Southern has agreed to pay $80,000 in financial penalties under the agreements with EPA being announced today.

“Companies which sell misformulated, unregistered or misbranded pesticides to unsuspecting customers and telemarketers that make misstatements about products will pay a stiff price for their disservice to the public and the environment, both in fines and the trust of their clients,” said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg. “EPA and its partners in the states are keeping a close eye on would be violators.”

Any pesticide product, such as a weed killer, contains a certain percentage of active chemical ingredients approved by EPA for a specific end-use. By law, these registered formulations must match the information on the product label and must have the correct EPA product registration numbers. The percentage of active ingredient in the weed killer sold by Topaz and/or Southern didn’t match the claims made on the labels. In addition, the Agency cited Topaz for selling an unregistered product designed to kill insects on plants and for failing to maintain and furnish records on this product. EPA also found that Southern made misstatements in its telemarketing messages to customers when selling the pesticides.

In February 2006, after discovering the violations during inspections conducted jointly with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, EPA ordered both companies to stop selling their products. Both companies stopped selling the pesticides identified in EPA’s Orders.

Topaz wrote EPA in April 2006 indicating that it had conducted an investigation of the problems in manufacturing and documentation that were uncovered by EPA and the state and that it corrected the problem by implementing a new quality control program during the production process. As part of the settlement, Topaz will submit to EPA a copy of its new program aimed at ensuring the problems in the manufacturing process do not reoccur. Southern Chemical is no longer in business.

Posted under Customer Service, Products

When shopping for a photo printer, 25 percent of consumers indicate price is the most important reason for purchasing a specific brand, followed by printer quality, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Photo Printer Customer Satisfaction Study.

The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with photo printers based on five factors that drive overall satisfaction: performance, appearance, connectivity, ease of use and cost. When examining photo printer performance relative to the drivers of overall satisfaction, Kodak and Lexmark perform particularly well among printer brands.

“Price and quality play a critical role in the purchase decision and also have a considerable impact on overall satisfaction once the ownership experience begins,” said Steve Kirkeby, executive director of telecommunications and technology at J.D. Power and Associates. “Generally, consumers have a much more positive attitude toward their photo printer if they believe they received a good deal, which creates a valuable marketing opportunity for retailers’ and manufacturers’ sales channels. By clearly communicating the value and cost-savings in bundling high-quality printers with cameras and their accessories, manufacturers can improve their chances of attracting customers while providing a more satisfying purchase experience.”

The study finds that 25 percent of customers purchase their photo printers through the Internet. Among those shoppers, 27 percent purchase from a retail Web site, 24 percent purchase directly through the brand manufacturer’s site and 9 percent purchase through an online auction site such as eBay. Customers who purchase through the Internet have higher satisfaction levels with their printer (averaging index scores of 801 points on a 1,000-point scale) compared to owners who purchased in a retail store (averaging 779 points).

“Although it is not always the case, customers generally feel that they are able to find less expensive printers online than in a retail store, particularly at online auction sites,” said Kirkeby. “This is further evidence of the critical role price plays in buying a photo printer.”

The study also finds that there is a distinct relationship between overall satisfaction and brand loyalty. Among satisfied printer owners—those who provide an overall satisfaction score of 900 or more index points—52 percent will repurchase the same printer brand. Conversely, only 4 percent of indifferent or disappointed owners—those who provide a satisfaction score of 700 points or less—are likely to repurchase the same brand.

“Our research also shows that if customer satisfaction improves by 25 index points, repurchase intent among owners will, on average, improve by 10 percentage points, which can certainly prove beneficial to manufacturers,” said Kirkeby.

Additionally, while nearly 70 percent of satisfied owners report they would recommend their printer brand to friends and family, only 5 percent of indifferent and disappointed owners indicate they would do the same.

The 2006 Photo Printer Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 2,391 customers who purchased or received a photo printer between July 2005 and July 2006.

Posted under Customer Service, Products

NAFTA boosters are boosting their usefulness after EPA Assistant Administrator Jim Gulliford announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency have given the first joint approval of a “harmonized label” for a pesticide product. The pesticide product is called Far-Go Granular Herbicide in the United States (EPA reg. 10163-287) and Avadex MicroActiv Herbicide in Canada and is registered for use on wheat, barley, beets, lentils and peas.

“As a result of extraordinary collaboration and leadership on the part of governments, growers, and pesticide producers, now joint U.S./Canadian pesticide labels are a reality,” said EPA Assistant Administrator Jim Gulliford. “Joint approvals maintain high safety standards, help ensure producers have pest control tools available, and advance the goal of a North American market for pesticides.”

A harmonized label allows for cross-border movement of pesticide product since the harmonized package labeling satisfies the regulatory requirements in both countries with unique use directions to accommodate differences in the two countries’ use patterns. Thus, the harmonized labels safeguard public health protections in both the United States and Canada.

Currently, 12 more pesticide products are in the pipeline for NAFTA label development. Besides making more choices available, the end result could be lower prices for consumers says Consumer Help Web president Joan Bounacos. “More products mean more choice and that ultimately leads to a wider range of prices,” said the consumer advocacy company’s CEO. “NAFTA is just one mechanism that allows trade to flow freely between partner countries and increase the choices available. Higher end products will naturally move to that end of the cost scale while other products fight to be the low cost provider. This creates more job, saves consumers money and even brings about more jobs. It’s a win-win-win scenario.”

Posted under Products

The satisfying woosh of water tumbling out of an old style toilet tank convinced many consumers that they could never make do when 1.3 gallons per flush toilets were introduced. There was even a quick run-up on sales at eBay and other online traders as consumers sought to have the higher volume toilets installed in their homes.

Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is going a step further, or a few drops backward. The agency’s new WaterSense program offers a label to those toilets that perform their assigned tasks at a volume less than 1.3 gallons per flush.

The labeling program and lower volume toilets are voluntary at this writing. The new toilets are the product of extensive research in fluid dynamics conducted over the last six years. While the exterior differs little from traditional toilets, interior redesign and new mechanical approaches significantly improve flow and reduce water usage.

During the development of its WaterSense program, EPA analysis determined that toilets represented a significant target for its water-efficiency activities. Toilet usage accounts for nearly one-third of home water consumption.

It is estimated that high-efficiency toilets can reduce water bills by about 10 percent. Replacing older, inefficient toilets, which are responsible for much of the water wasted in American homes, could save more than 900 billion gallons of water a year – enough to supply almost 10 million households.

WaterSense-labeled toilets are certified by independent laboratory testing to meet rigorous criteria for both performance and efficiency. Only high-efficiency toilets that complete the third-party certification process can earn the WaterSense label.

WaterSense is a voluntary public-private partnership that recognizes high-performance products and processes. The WaterSense program also seeks to promote consumer use of water-efficient products, certification for water industry professionals, and innovation in water-efficient product manufacturing.

Companies that manufacture, sell or distribute household plumbing fixtures are encouraged to join the WaterSense program, which is also open to water utilities, trade associations, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations.

Posted under Health, Products

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will require manufacturers of portable generators to warn consumers of carbon monoxide (CO) hazards through a new “Danger” label. The label states that, “Using a generator indoors CAN KILL YOU IN MINUTES.”

Manufacturers will be required to place the “Danger” label on all new generators and the generators’ packaging. The label warns consumers that a generator’s exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a poison that cannot be seen and has no odor, and that generators should never be used inside homes or garages, even if doors and windows are open.

The death toll from CO associated with generators has been steadily rising in recent years. At least 64 people died in 2005 from generator-related CO poisoning. Many of the deaths occurred after hurricanes and major storms. CPSC staff is aware through police, medical examiner and news reports of at least 32 CO deaths related to portable generators from October 1 through December 31, 2006.

“These deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are preventable,” said Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord. “The warning labels are meant to stop consumers before they make what could be a fatal mistake.”

Generators should be used outdoors only, far from windows, doors and vents. The CO produced by one generator is equal to the CO produced by hundreds of running cars. It can incapacitate and kill consumers within minutes.

The new “Danger” label requirements for generators manufactured or imported will take effect 120 days after the regulation is published in the Federal Register.

Posted under Health, Products, Safety

Before you purchase a gift card for someone this holiday season – or if you receive a gift card – there are some things you should find out. Different gift cards have different terms and conditions. Here are some of the most important terms and conditions that you should be sure to check, and that should be disclosed to you:

• FEES. Make sure you know whether fees may apply to the card. Some gift cards may not have fees, but others do charge various types and amounts of fees. Some fees may be paid in cash, but others are simply deducted from the value on the card. These fees may include:

– Purchase Fees that are charged when you buy a gift card. These are in addition to the money you pay in exchange for the value on the card.
– Monthly Fees or other regular charges (such as service fees, administrative fees, or maintenance fees) that are deducted from the gift card balance.

– Inactivity Fees that apply if you do not use the card within a certain time period (for example, a monthly fee that is deducted from the gift card balance if the card’s value has not been used up within 6 months after the card is purchased).

– Transaction Fees for using the card – either for all transactions, for a high number of transactions, or for certain types of transactions (for example, ATM withdrawals).

– Miscellaneous Fees for balance inquiries, replacing a lost or stolen card, or other services related to the card.

– Check to see if the gift card, or its packaging, includes information on fees or provides a toll-free number or website with full information about fees connected with the card.

• EXPIRATION DATES. Make sure you know whether there is an expiration date for the card… and what that expiration date is. If a gift card expires, you may not be able to use it, and the company that sold it to you will keep whatever money is left on the card. If there is an expiration date, you should also find out whether you can ask for the card to be reissued with a new expiration date, and what the fee would be for issuing a new card.

If this information is not stated on the gift card itself (or its packaging), check to see if there is a toll-free number or website that will provide this information.

• LOST OR STOLEN CARDS. You should also find out the rules for lost or stolen cards. Can you get a replacement card? Would there be a fee for doing so? If someone else uses the card after it is lost or stolen, would that money be credited to the replacement card?

If this information is not stated on the gift card itself (or its packaging), check to see if there is a toll-free number or website that will provide this information.

Important Reminder: Keep the receipt for the gift card purchase, and write down the card number. These may be needed if you or the person who received the card as a gift needs a replacement card.

• WHERE YOU CAN USE THE CARD. A store gift card often can be used only at the store where it was purchased (or related stores). Other gift cards, like those with a connection to the VISA® or MasterCard® systems, can be used at many locations around the world. Some gift cards can even be used to get cash at an ATM.

• TRUST. Remember that a gift card is like a loan: you are giving money to the company that holds the value of the card until you use it, and they are promising to give that money back when you ask for it. Make sure you know who is standing behind that promise, and remember that you are putting your trust in that company (and its financial stability).

• PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS. If your gift card is lost, or not working properly, or you have some other problem with your gift card, is there a convenient way (like a toll-free number) to make a complaint and get your problem fixed?

If this information is not stated on the gift card itself (or its packaging), check to see if there is a toll-free number or website that will provide this information.

ONE FINAL NOTE TO PURCHASERS OF GIFT CARDS: If information about fees, expiration dates, or other matters appears on a document separate from the gift card itself, make sure you pass that important information on to the recipient to protect the value of your gift!

Posted under Products

Consumers are projected to spend $25 billion on gift cards in the 2006 holiday season. The Federal Trade Commission tells consumers that gift cards, whether purchased from a retailer, a restaurant, or a financial institution, may come with strings attached.

In particular, consumers should know that some gift cards have expiration dates; others have fees that can lessen the card’s value, including activation fees, transaction fees, monthly maintenance fees, balance inquiry fees, replacement fees for lost or stolen cards, and inactivity or non-use fees. A consumer alert, “Buying, Giving, and Using Gift Cards,” offers consumer tips, including:

* Buy from sources you know and trust. Avoid buying gift cards from online auction sites; the cards may be counterfeit or may have been obtained fraudulently.

* Read the fine print before you buy. If you do not like the terms and conditions, buy elsewhere.

* When buying a card, ask about expiration dates and fees. This information may appear on the card itself, on the accompanying sleeve or envelope, or on the issuer’s Web site. If you do not see it, ask. If the information is separate from the gift card, give it to the recipient with the card to help protect the card’s value. It also is a good idea to give the recipient the original receipt to verify the card’s purchase in case it is lost or stolen.

* Check on purchase exceptions. For example, can the recipient use a store-specific gift card at either the physical store or the store’s website? Can an “all-purpose” card really be used to buy groceries or gasoline?

* Treat gift cards like cash. If your card is lost or stolen, report it to the issuer immediately. You may be out the entire amount on the card. Some issuers do not replace the cards, but others do if you pay a fee. If an issuer charges for a replacement card, you will most likely need to document the purchase and provide the ID number on the card. Most issuers have toll-free numbers to report lost or stolen cards.

Posted under Products

Americans are flocking to stores and websites to find that perfect gift, that one card that says it all, that tree to end all trees. But as we feast, give gifts, decorate and travel, we consume lots of resources and generate lots of waste. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of household trash increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and the New Year. That extra waste amounts to 25 million tons.

Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa and New Years may have a special meaning, but this year’s festivities don’t have to negatively impact our environment. There are a number of ways to lessen the amount of trash we produce - - by reducing, reusing and recycling what we can — without putting a damper on the holiday season.

Cards and Gifts

· Consider buying gifts with the Energy Star logo. They use less energy.
· Buy smart - - be on the lookout for gifts and cards that are recyclable or have recycled content.
· Consider substituting postcards for cards.
· Reuse old holiday cards as gift tags.
· Consider gifts with a history - - from your home or a thrift shop.

Decorating

· Decorate with more energy efficient mini-lights and use them when someone is home. This will reduce energy and reduce fire hazards.
· Avoid foil and plastic-embossed paper and cards because they use more resources in the manufacturing process.
· Use wrapping paper from last year to recycle, or consider wrapping presents with cloth or newsprint - - such as comics, travel or sport sections.

Food

· When giving food as gifts, use recyclable containers.
· Store leftovers in reusable containers.

Recycling

· Review the list of recyclables that your community accepts and be sure to recycle all paper, plastic, glass and aluminum you can.
· Bring your own bags on shopping trips so shops won’t have to give you new ones with your purchases.
· Don’t take a new gift box with your purchase if you have a supply of old ones, or try to wrap it without a box.

Transportation

· Walk or use mass transit when shopping. Or buy your gifts by phone or on the web.
· Choose shops you can walk or bike to, instead of driving. When you need to drive, combine several errands into one trip or carpool with others. Less driving means less air pollution and conserves fuel.

Trees

· Buy a living tree you can plant outside or keep as a houseplant.
· Buy a tree grown locally to save energy associated with transportation.
· Buy a smaller tree. There’s less to dispose of when you take it down, and shorter growing time translates into less land required.
· If your town doesn’t have a tree chipping and tree recycling site - - ask why.

And after the holidays are over you can further reduce the amount of waste generated by:

• Plant or donate live trees and recycled cut trees.
• Donate unwanted gifts and food to thrifts stores and food banks.
• Compost veggie and fruit trimmings.
• Recycle all the glass, paper, and plastics left over from the holidays.
• Remember to recycle old electronics, too - - computers, cell phones, printers, etc.

Posted under Products