The founders of Consumer Reports are focusing their sights on capturing more women readers who are 30 and older and often the final arbiter on household spending.
This month, the publisher and independent consumer advocacy organization Consumers Union has introduced the 96-page ShopSmart quarterly magazine.
Chock-full of photos, how-to blurbs and a yellow banner declaring its affiliation with its super-powered parent publication, the ad-free ShopSmart targets its audience with 1,000 tested products geared toward a woman and her family's needs.
From the best organic body care products and closet organizers to the best laptops and baby seats, the magazine tells readers what to buy and what to avoid using fewer words, less clutter and more appealing, colorful graphics than Consumer Reports.
- Los Angeles Times
HSN network looks
at remote control retail
Home shopping network HSN is offering another way for shoppers to buy their goods: using their remote control pad to buy such merchandise as clothing and jewelry on TV. It is the first service of its kind being offered in the United States.
The new shop-by-remote interactive TV service quietly began testing in Hawaii at the beginning of the year, while service in parts of the New York market started being tested a few months ago. HSN, a division of IAC/InterActive Corp. controlled by chief executive Barry Diller, plans to roll out the service nationwide over the next several quarters.
HSN will be test selling its goods on mobile phones next year.
- The Associated Press
Google steers users
to video content
Google Inc. has removed a text link to its comparison-shopping site, Froogle, and replaced it with one pointing to Google Video, where amateur spoofs uploaded by users mingle with episodes of Dave Chappelle's show.
Although Google explained the switch as a philosophical one - more about helping users find new video content than driving traffic to any particular section - some bloggers and Web watchers saw the change as more strategically significant.
Traffic on Google's video site was eclipsed in February by YouTube, a startup. In July, about 30.5 million people visited YouTube, compared with 9.3 million to Google Video and 5.3 million to Yahoo Inc.'s Yahoo Video.
New rules announced
for bank gift cards
National banks that issue gift cards will have to tell shoppers more about hidden fees, expiration dates and other terms under new rules announced by U.S. regulators after consumers complained that the charges were eroding the value of their presents.
The Office of the Comptroller said banks must put the expiration date on the front of the card, disclose the amount of any monthly maintenance or inactivity fees, and provide a phone number or Web address for more information. Consumers had complained the cards were deceptive for both buyers and recipients. The agency said the fees sometimes can consume a card's entire balance.
The agency advised banks to avoid practices that might mislead consumers, such as advertising a card as having no expiration date if monthly service or maintenance fees can reduce its value.
- Bloomberg News
