New DU Group on Consumer Advice? Can I get some takers? DUers can advise each other.

[Faygo Kid]

Need 10 signers with donor stars. I posted today on the Lounge about my awful experience with Best Buy, and there were some great responses and suggestions. If I would have had access to such a group for advice, maybe I would have saved myself two consecutive wasted Sundays waiting for deliveries that never came. I envision a site where folks could go with questions and get answers and suggestions from the rest of us - where we could warn about bad experiences and advise about good ones.

I trust the folks here more than elsewhere, and we could ask and answer questions in real time.

I'm tired of being ripped off. It's time to do the Batusi on these guys. What say you?

[napi21]

1. Sign me up! I know I've actually done this in GD several times.

I also trust the pople on DU much more than others as well!

[nuxvomica]

2. Count me in

I think it's a terrific idea.

[BlackVelvet04]

3. If we can also rate products as well as businesses

I think it would be a great idea. Sort of our own consumer reports.

[brer cat]

28. Yes.

I live in a small town with mostly locally-owned shops, which we LIKE. :) But I could recommend/warn about specific products.

[yy4me]

4. Sign me on for this one, I'm always interested in the experiences

of others. I have a few points that I think would be worthy of a mention. The world is so complicated and one of the things we could do to help each other would be to pass on experiences, both good and bad, that would make life a little easier. Good idea, faygokid.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

5. I agree, I've made a couple of purchases based on DU posts and they were spot on.

Yes, and :kick: MKJ

P.S. Have you checked with the mods and what is the mission statement?

[BlackVelvet04]

6. We just finished doing a lot of remodeling on our

house and I know that I have acquired a lot of information about products and services through the process.

Some recommends on this thread would help get attention for the cause.

[Deja Q]

7. Sign me up.

It's always fun to prattle on about good products... or bad ones.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. I think you'll also find some experts in certain fields

to help with consumer problems. I'm a licensed pest control specialist, and have done extensive studying on my own about things consumers can do to control pests-and things they shouldn't do because they are dangerous. Always like to give folks this information if they need it.

[Phentex]

9. I like the idea...

It would be nice to have a place to discuss our buying experiences, good and bad.

[bananas]

10. Yes - great idea. nt

[devilgrrl]

11. Excellent Idea!

:hi: count me in.

[Nomad559]

12. I suspect

you will also get fanboys whoring for their particular product.

:)

[Faygo Kid]

18. Yes, I thought about that. But I figure DUers will know if somebody is shilling.

I guess you could say the same thing about paid political advisers. I for one will take my chances here. I think it's a need even assuming that risk.

[Metta]

13. We do this anyway. Makes sense to have it all in one spot.

Hope it happens.

[LeftyMom]

14. I'm all for it.

A general-interest product and vendor review group would be cool with me. I post product reviews in Veg/Vegan/AR group sometimes, but obviously that's a fairly small niche and there's no place for reviews of broader application.

[Cameron27]

15. I'm interested,

I'm in the process of upgrading or replacing everything from tv's to sauce pans, so this kind of group would be invaluable.

[spooky3]

16. pm me if you need more signers!

[BlooInBloo]

17. Dammit. Something else useful I'll never see again. Sigh.

[babylonsister]

19. Not to put a damper on your idea, but there are also these groups:

Frugal and Energy Efficient Living Group and DIY & Home Improvement Group

Your idea might put everything all in one place.

[Faygo Kid]

20. Thanks - but I won't impinge on existing groups.

Those are great groups, and thanks for the heads up, but their scope goes beyond consumer evaluation and recommendations.

Just a simple, "Hey, I am thinking of buying a Ford from this dealer. . . " kind of thing.

[robinlynne]

21. cool. I have a story to add to that list. (not bestbuy, but a rip off camera store.)

[KitchenWitch]

22. I am in!

[Cha]

23. I say "Holy Crow Batman!"

Sign me up, Scotty!

[Faygo Kid]

24. OK, everybody - I have notified the moderators, thanks to you. We'll see from here!

Not sure what the rest of the process is, as I have not done this before. But, hugs and kisses to all here (well, most - you know best, and I am sloppy), and may we all be Superheroes once this site is established. . .

http://www.alternet.org/images/managed/Story+Image_thumb_051006_story1.jpg

[redacted]

25. Sign me up!

Although just noticed my donor star is gone? What happened? Help Mods?

[maddezmom]

26. Great Idea

count me in

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

27. Sounds good to me !

I have had bad experiences with Lowes here in CT and also with UPS. It would be nice if others could be forewarned.

[MaraJade]

29. Sheesh!

I, too, had a terrible experience at Best Buy. Put me down for agreeing that we need a consumer group here.
It would be a great place to rant, but also to warn others to steer clear of certain unscrupulous businesses.

:kick:

[tbyg52]

30. Count me in. nt

[atommom]

31. Count me in too. nt

[alstephenson]

32. Count me in, too. The DU version of "Consumer Reports". Cool.

[Skinner]

33. This group has been created.

The mission of the DU Consumer Advice Group is to provide a place where people can post information and questions about consumer items, and get answers and suggestions from other DU members - where we warn about bad experiences and advise about good ones.

Click here to add this Group to your My Forums list.

Click here to visit this Group.

[marions ghost]

34. this should include

not only products but services, and also discussion about consumer protection and laws. I could see it extending into such things as how communities and states handle consumer complaints, what resources are there, etc.

I know for a fact, the average citizen is woefully unprotected from product violations, cheating on services, deceptive advertising, scams & fraud.

Look at the concerns of state governments. Look at our mess of a corrupt Justice Department. There is a lot of lip service to concern about the consumer. It's a sham. Consumers fight their own battles without much help in a society where anything goes...might makes right, and it takes a lot of money to do anything about any kind of consumer crime.

We DO need support groups--I'd like to see a nationwide network of really effective consumer support groups. There are models in other countries. But we don't really have them here.