One of the sights I like to read frequently is The Consumerist. It’s a great website with all kinds of useful information pertaining to consumers. These folks have even been able to help some people out by showing them how to properly write a complaint letter, tell them who to send it to, and have even put pressure on the entity in question to get answers.
But one thing I have also noticed is that if you read the site long enough you’ll find that consumers are fed up with Wall-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, and all the other big chains. They are also fed up with American Airlines, United, Delta, etc. Keep reading the site long enough and you’ll start to wonder where can you go to buy that big-screen TV, blender or your next plane ticket.
We may not technically be in a recession, but I think if you ask the average person they’ll tell you that things are bad right now. Gasoline is up and the trickle down effect is horrible. Add that to the shrinking value of the dollar and we are setting ourselves up for even more problems. And sure, that is part of it. But here is the catch:
Americans are still buying as much oil as they were before it skyrocketed. They are still buying as much food, clothing, electronics, etc. People are still spending money, which is why we aren’t in a recession.
But what I think is happening is that consumers have no confidence in retailers and are fed up with what they are getting for their money. Pretty much everyone has a horror story about getting screwed by some commercial entity. But now, it’s almost as if it’s the norm. Promises that are broken, abysmal customer service, horrible business practices, etc. That’s why people are fed up. Not only are we paying more, we are getting less product, a less than favorable experience and the market is basically telling us “tough shit.”
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