consumer

Alonzo Bodden is a comedian and a consumer. And, like most of you, he's had some of those experiences that make you wonder whether there's some kind of conspiracy against the people companies are actually supposed to be serving. We've asked Alonzo to join the the Consumer Ally alliance because...

Some merchants adjusted quickly to the "new normal" of penny-pinching shoppers, but others are still struggling with shrinking consumer budgets or headwinds they were fighting before the bottom fell out. Here's a look at the two groups that are going in two different directions.

Knowing customers' likes and dislikes is about as basic as it gets in retailing. But for years, national department stores got it wrong. More concerned with controlling costs, big retailers focused on sameness. Not anymore.

Simple Green has long appealed to consumers looking for a household cleaner that seems less hazardous than, say, Fantastik or Formula 409. And the manufacturer cultivates an image of an eco-friendly product. But Simple Green isn't simple. And critics complain it isn't so green, either. The...

The Department of Justice today filed an antitrust lawsuit challenging business practices American Express, MasterCard and Visa use to prevent merchants from offering consumers discounts, rewards and information about card costs – anti-competitive behavior it says cost both consumers and...

Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Warren announced early Friday that she had accepted an advisory role with the newly created U.S. consumer protection agency. The move comes despite fierce opposition from the financial industry.

Publishers Clearing House agreed to pay $3.5 million, not to a lucky prize winner, but to a collection of states that accused the marketing company of once again misleading consumers. A decade after the company, best known for its million-dollar sweepstakes, got itself in hot water for misleading...

Black & Decker is recalling Random Orbit Sanders after more than six dozen reports of a piece shattering or flying off during use that caused at least 15 injuries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The culprit is the black plastic disc on the bottom of the sander that is used...

Here's news from the business world and other money matters to watch out for Thursday (last updated at 7:30 a.m. Eastern time): Americans Owe Less Credit-Card Debt: Skittish consumers reduced their credit-card indebtedness sharply in the second quarter, credit-rating company TransUnion reported...

Clothing company American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) reported second quarter earnings of 5 cents per diluted share, down from 14 cents per diluted share a year earlier. The company recorded $18 million of pre-tax closure charges related to the closing of its MARTIN+OSA business in the second quarter,...