Consumer Reports has released its annual list of consumer-friendly and not-so-friendly companies.
It’s not just Santa who keeps track of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice for the holidays. Consumer Reports has been keeping a list of its own, and who’s getting coal in their stocking might surprise you.
Consumer Reports is the magazine that, since 1936, has published reviews of consumer products and services based on comprehensive reporting, research and testing.
In 2010, it launched its “Naughty & Nice” list to provide consumers with insights on which businesses have friendly and the not-so-friendly policies and practices – a useful guide for shopping and spending during the holidays and beyond.
Consumer Reports writer Tod Marks pointed out that it’s not just products that need to be put to the test. So do business practices that can make or break a customer experience. On the naughty side, that can be anything from price gouging and hidden fees to sneaky marketing. On the nice? Transparency, generosity and just plain stand-up behavior.
Either way, it’s a list that Santa would be proud to call his own. Among those that made the cut?
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Look for charcoal in these stockings:
- Turing Pharmaceuticals. While the entire industry might have been in the running for its exorbitant pricing policies, this biotech startup is in a league of its own. Its 32-year-old founder and CEO faces a congressional investigation for raising the price of a drug his firm acquired by 5,000%, from $12.50 to $750 a tablet.
- Whole Foods. Fondly called “Whole Paycheck” by many, this popular grocery chain has paid nearly $800,000 in penalties for routinely overcharging customers by overstating the contents of prepackaged foods. It resulted in overcharges of as much as $15 per package.
- Allegiant Air. In an industry that loves to nickel and dime on fees, this discounter juxtaposes “low-low” advertised fares with a host of add-ons that apparently make up the difference. Among them: Carry-on charges of $15 to $20 if you pay in advance and $45 at the airport; an “electronic carrier usage charge” for tickets bought outside of an airline ticket office; and a3.2% processing fee for purchasing your ticket with a credit card.
And bonbons go to:
- CVS. This chain has helped reinvent the wellness space with its 1,000 walk-in medical clinics. More are planned, and some will include hearing centers (with free screenings) and professional optical services as well. Despite its commitment to community wellness, however, there might still be some charcoal in the CVS stocking. A Consumer Reports retail drug pricing analysis found that it and three other chains had far higher prices for certain generics than most competitors.
- Jet Blue. On the other side of the aisle from Allegiant is Jet Blue, known for its consumer commitment. Consumer Reports specifically cited it for its offer of free Internet connectivity on a flight, which normally costs a small fortune. In addition to its Fly-Fi, it offers an upgrade to Fly-Fi+ at $9 an hour that accommodates large file transfers, game playing and audio and video downloads.
- Nomorobo. Despite the federal Do Not Call List, robocalls continue to be a telemarketer’s favorite tool – incessant and annoying if not illegal. Nomorobo, winner of the FTC Robocall challenge, is a free, cloud-based app that analyzes caller IDS and automatically disconnects suspicious calls. It’s already blocked more than 40 million robocalls, earning it an extra serving of sugarplums.
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