by Gabrielle on May 22, 2010
Tired of nutrition claims on the front of food packages or store shelf signs that are hard to decipher because of non-specific statements or symbols (for instance, indicating the food is “natural”, “low-fat” or “a good source of fiber”) or misleading information (for instance, foods that are labeled “zero trans fat”, but still contain up to .5 grams of trans fat per serving)? The Food and Drug Administration is asking you to help them improve this kind of confusing and deceptive nutrition information by telling them what you’d change or keep about front-of-package and store shelf labels, plus how you notice and use them.
To submit your suggestions: Log onto regulations.gov, click “submit a comment”, enter FDA-2010-N-0210 in the “enter keyword or ID” search box, press “search”, then scroll down and select “submit a comment”. Or mail your comments to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305) Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, Rockville, MD, 20852. Suggestions must be emailed or postmarked no later than July 28, 2010.
Tip: See what other folks have already suggested! Log onto regulations.gov, enter FDA-2010-N-0210 in the “enter keyword or ID” search box and press “search”.
[photo: colros]
by Gabrielle on May 9, 2010
Ever wonder how your restaurant bill got so high? Or why you planned to order a burger but ended up ordering something completely different? You could have fallen for one of the secret psychological strategies on restaurants menus that steer you toward more profitable items, such as…
* Making prices seem lower with a decoy. Ever wonder why some restaurants offer outrageously expensive dishes—like a $100 Kobe beef burger or $1000 sundae topped with edible gold? Restaurant owners don’t expect customers to actually order them. These high-ticket items simply make the other choices seem like more of a bargain, says restaurant menu engineer Gregg Rapp.
* Eliminating dollar signs so you spend more. A recent study in the International Journal of Hospitality Management reveals that diners shell out about eight percent more when there are no dollar signs on the menu. The reason? Without the reminder that you’re spending actual money, it doesn’t feel so painful to order pricier choices, explains study co-author Sheryl E. Kimes, Ph.D.
* Adding money-spending words. The right menu descriptions can boost sales 27%, according to research by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating. The words with the most power to motivate you to spend? Those that describe flavor, such as “triple-basted”, “satiny cream sauce”, “crackling” and “tangy”; those that remind you of home or family members, such as Tennessee rib sauce or Aunt Sadie’s apple pie; and brand names, such as Jack Daniels chicken or Minute Maid orange juice.
* Steering your eye toward the more profitable items. They’ll be easy to spot—for instance, on the upper right hand side of the menu, in their own box or accompanied by a colorful photograph, says Rapp.
[photo: Steven Snodgrass]
by Gabrielle on May 6, 2010
Notice a charge on your credit card bill that you didn’t authorize? If so, you’re not alone—the Better Business Bureau reports that mystery charges are on the rise as a result of companies using underhanded tricks to get you to sign up for services you don’t need—for instance, when you activate a new credit card, sign up for a “free” trial service, check (or don’t uncheck) a box when you purchase an item online or cash a fake rebate check, says Matthew Smith, president of Complaints.com. To avoid being on the hook for these charges, you need to act fast! First, call your credit card company. In most cases, you can ask them to dispute the first charge—after that, they assume you saw the charge on previous bills and ignored it. Some will also allow you block all future charges from that company from going through. Next, find out who’s charging your card by doing an online search for the name listed on your bill. Call the company and tell them you’re canceling their services, then ask for either a letter or email confirming the cancellation.
by Gabrielle on March 22, 2010
Think it’s strange when a salesperson keeps you talking about your personal life instead of plugging the product you’re considering purchasing? He or she may simply be fishing to find something you share in common, such as the same birthdate, hometown or hobby. And for good reason! A study out of the University of British Columbia shows that we’re far more likely to purchase a product when we have something in common with the salesperson who’s selling it. That’s because we all have a fundamental desire to connect with others, and having something in common creates this connection, making you feel closer and more trusting of the other person instantly, the resesarchers explain.
[photo: Tennessee-Mary]
by Gabrielle on March 14, 2010
Received an email from “uscourts.com” or another government-sounding address alerting you that you missed jury duty and instructing you to open an attached subpoena or risk going to jail? Don’t click on it! Doing so instantly downloads a virus onto your computer that steals your passwords and online banking data and sends it directly to the thieves who sent you the email, warns Oregon Attorney General John Kroger. Bona fide jury duty summonses—and summonses for missing it—are delivered only by U.S. mail, never by email or phone.
[photo: Toasty Ken]
by Gabrielle on March 11, 2010
Next time you need to make a purchase (such as a car, appliance or new home), watch out if the salesperson does this: He begins by flooding you with facts, technical jargon and even nonsense words. Then [more…]
by Gabrielle on March 11, 2010
Think you know a bargain when you see one? Maybe not! A study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that by simply making the right-hand digit of a sale price smaller, your brain perceives the discount as larger than it really is. For instance, an item on sale for $211 from the original price of $222 is perceived to be a better deal than an item on sale for $188 from an original price of $199—even though both discounts are $11. So keep a calculator handy the next time you go bargain hunting!
[photo: Cosmic Kitty]
by Gabrielle on March 1, 2010
It’s the one you drool over. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that not only are shoppers more likely to purchase more products when we’re attracted to the salesperson, we’re also willing to pay more for the items! The reason? We subconsciously rate products as being higher in quality when the person selling them to us is good-looking.
[photo: atp_tyreseus]
by Gabrielle on February 18, 2010
New research shows that grocery stores are using some pretty sly tactics to get you to bulk up your bill. To avoid falling for them…
1. Skip the suggested add-on. According to a new study, we tend to buy complementary products that are placed next to each other on the shelves—such as blueberries and whipped cream, chips and salsa, soda and pretzels and ice cream and chocolate syrup. Yet, when we pass by the same products in different aisles, we don’t put them in our cart, reports the Journal of Marketing. [more…]
by Gabrielle on February 10, 2010
Before you hand over your hard-earned cash for a used car, find out if the car is legally allowed to be sold first. The National Insurance Crime Bureau offers a free theft and crime report, which reveals whether the car has been reported stolen and unrecovered or has previously been declared a total loss. To get your report instantly, simply enter the car’s VIN here.
[photo: Hugo90]
by Gabrielle on January 19, 2010
Love it when stores offer free samples, complimentary coffee or other giveaways? So do the store owners. That’s because freebies put you in a great mood, which [more…]