Consumer Confidential: Cribs, roads and malls
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Here’s your tip-top-Tuesday roundup of consumers news from around the Web:
-- Following the largest-ever recall of cribs, the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission has acknowledged that the agency didn’t move fast enough to get kids’ products that posed danger off the market. You think? Some of these cribs have been around for 16 years. Still, props to Commission Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum, who admitted, ‘We have just not been acting as quickly as we should have at the Consumer Product Safety Commission on these types of incidents.’ That’s a start at fixing a system that clearly could use some improvement.
-- The economy may be in the slow lane, but our friends at AAA say a whole lot of us will still be hitting the road this holiday weekend. About 38 million people plan to drive 50 miles or more this T-Day, up 1.4% from last year. ‘This year’s expected increase in travel reflects improved confidence from one year ago, better financial market performance and a growing sense among many consumers that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us,’ AAA said. It also means it’s either too expensive or too big a pain to fly.
-- We’ll also be hitting the mall. The National Retail Federation estimates that up to 134 million people plan to shop this Friday, Saturday and Sunday as retailers unleash a flurry of holiday sales. ‘Regardless of what we’ve already seen these last few weeks in terms of promotions, retailers still have a few tricks up their sleeves to excite Black Friday shoppers,’ said Tracy Mullin, president of the federation. ‘With retailers fully aware that shoppers are looking for incredible deals, Americans can expect huge sales on popular items like toys, electronics and apparel.’ And those of us who cringe at the thought of crowded shopping centers will happily go online in search of those bargains.
-- David Lazarus
