01:50 pm | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment
Our Post on “Bogus Virus Email Affecting Sun Country Airlines,”
had an increase in traffic these last few days. I thought it was just
an isolated case with Sun Country Airlines, as it turns out readers are
emailing me other examples from other airlines facing the same problems.
So far, Frontier Airlines, AirTran Airlines and a few others are
being attacked. Now Northwest Airlines’ customers are under attack by
the email as well.
On July 5th, MarketWatch reported Northwest Airlines warning customers of phony email being sent in their name.
The emails thank the recipient for using the new service “Buy flight
ticket Online” on the airline’s website. It states an account has been
set up and gives the email user an account number and password. It also
tells them how much their credit card has been charged. An attachment
is supposed to be the invoice and ticket but instead contains a virus
that infects the user’s computer once it is opened.
The email also contains spelling and grammatical errors.
According to Al Lenza, NWA’s VP of E-Commerce, “Customers should be
aware that these emails are not coming from the airline. NWA
itineraries are specific and contain information that customers will
recognize. If the format does not look familiar to you, and you have
not recently purchased a ticket, do not open the attachment. Delete
the email right away.”
The new airline email virus is coming at a bad time. With airlines
facing bankruptcies and layoffs, airlines charging fees galore, and now
dangerous emails, what’s next? The airline industry is under attack?
What can we do to help? Should we help? How can we protect ourselves?
I don’t have an answer. Yet.
From Leverage with Love,
Austin Chu
Update:
Seems like the email has been hitting other countries than the
United States. According to the comments, it has hit the UK and parts
of Australia. Word to the wise: Spammers are getting smart, we need to
spread the word before and find out how to help each other.
Recommend This If you liked this, let others know:
01:06 pm | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment
We’ve been following The Sharper Image bankruptcy quite closely on SavvyWallet. To quickly sum up the bankruptcy, Sharper Image filed for bankruptcy in February. At the same time, The Sharper Image voided all of their gift cards and merchandise credit. Then, Sharper Image decided to accept their gift cards if consumers spent twice the value of their gift cards. Sharper Image attempted but failed. Then around June, all The Sharper Image stores started to close down, one by one, thus discontinuing all use of their gift cards. I’m not sure if there are any stores around still.
The fact that The Sharper Image is sitting on roughly $25 million in gift cards bothers me. That’s $25 million
that The Sharper Image owes it’s consumers. However, The Sharper Image
is still around and is keeping their name for licensing purposes. I
don’t see how they can continue to make money, but not pay it’s
consumers back the money that is rightfully theirs.
So get this. Yesterday, a press release was submitted by The Sharper Image.
According to MediaPost’s Marketing Daily:
-Begin-
Less than nine months after going belly up, Sharper Image is getting a shot at rebirth. Its new owners have signed a $540 million, five-year licensing agreement with HoMedics, which makes personal health, wellness and relaxation products.
While the current economic climate may not seem ideal for
re-launching a brand many people associate with vibrating chairs and
other high-end gadgets, Federico De Bellegarde, VP/licensing for
Sharper Image, disagrees.
“We have 32 years of a really rich consumer history, and our customers loved our products,” he says. “And while people are very cautious right now about how they’re spending their discretionary income, our
following embraces emerging technologies. As long as we introduce
products that are truly innovative–not just some product we’ve
rebranded–and price them right, consumers will respond.”
The Sharper Image shut down its nearly 200 retail stores
early this year, stung not just by consumers cutting back on spending
and increasing competition, but also from the protracted legal woes
surrounding its Ionic Breeze air purifiers. (Back in 2005, Consumer
Reports said that the devices not only failed to clean air, but were
potentially unhealthy as well.)
De Bellegarde says many consumers either won’t know or
remember the back-story to the company’s bankruptcy, but will recall
the brand name. Among the new offerings will be MP3 docking
stations; products for the home environment, including air purifiers;
and a category called Concierge, which will include things like
motorized tie racks and yes, those iconic nose-hair trimmers.
Now owned by the Hilco Organization and Gordon Brothers Group,
the company is formulating a marketing and advertising strategy for the
new products, which will make their debut at the Consumer Electronics
Show early next year in Las Vegas, and at the International Housewares Show in Chicago in March. Products
will be distributed through such retailers as Bed Bath and Beyond and
Macy’s, as well as through catalogs, online, and home-shopping programs.
-End-
Ok, there are several things that bother me about what is going on:
- “We have 32 years of a really rich consumer history, and our customers loved our products” — I used to think The Sharper Image made super cool products, but how about products that aren’t safe? Don’t forget the unhealthy ionic breeze and the exploding toy helicopter. I think he said correctly, “…our customers LOVED our products.” Good luck trying to convince us.
- “De Bellegarde says many consumers either won’t know or
remember the back-story to the company’s bankruptcy, but will recall
the brand name” — doesn’t this statement bother you? It surely
bothers me. Consumers should remember the back-story to the company’s
bankruptcy. We, the media, the readers, the consumers need to get
together and not support a company that created unhealthy products,
nonetheless sold them. In addition not paying us back what is
rightfully ours - our hard-earned money.
- “Products will be distributed through such retailers as Bed
Bath and Beyond and Macy’s, as well as through catalogs, online, and
home-shopping programs.” This is where The Sharper Image is going to make its money - on the licensing.
In conclusion, as predicted, The Sharper Image will be around and
earning money. It’s their responsibility to pay their consumers back,
and it’s our job as consumers to make sure that they do.
If you’re interested in organizing a peaceful plan or if you have
ideas, let me know, and perhaps they’ll read this post and assign a
part of the $540 million to their gift card holders.
What do you think?
Join the resolution and the Sharper Image Class Action Lawsuit!
Check out our youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dWgHeF0D_8
Recommend This If you liked this, let others know:
05:51 pm | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment
Right now debt levels are making it increasingly difficult for restaurants to succeed. For the consumer the solution is easy, simply use up your gift cards and buy as much product as you want before your favorite chain goes out of business. In this case, that chain could be Uno.
UNO Chicago Grill On The Brink Of Bankruptcy?
August 14th, 2008 — Gift Cards, bankruptcy
High debt levels continue to make it difficult for restaurants to succeed, and according to Bloomberg,
bankruptcy could be looming for UNO. The chain will have its credit
rating cut to “default” if they miss a payment this week, although the
company wants to delay paying the interest, making use of a 30 day
grace period allowed in the terms.
The Wall Street Journal quotes the CFO of Chicago Grill as saying: “We are not in any imminent danger of filing for bankruptcy.”
I would expect the CFO to say that, although nothing is for certain and it’s simply too early to tell for sure.
My advice? Spend those gift cards before they do file for
bankruptcy. Get some pizza, go out and have fun. If you don’t spend it
and you purchased your gift cards through LeverageCard.com, don’t worry, you’re protected by our bankruptcy policy.
Buy a pizza and freeze it.
Recommend This If you liked this, let others know:
