RIP Consumerist (2005-2017)
November 1, 2017 7:49 PM Subscribe
After 12 years, The Consumerist is no more. Founded by Gawker Media (also RIP), Consumerist was sold in 2009 to nonprofit Consumer Reports and reborn as a nonprofit consumer affairs blog with a snarky, savvy tone. On October 30, Consumer Reports moved toward its long-term strategy of "transitioning Consumerist from a standalone site" by shuttering the site and firing the writing staff: Chris Morran, Mary Beth Quirk, Laura Northrup, Kate Cox, and Ashlee Kieler.
Some Consumerist highlights previously on MeFi: WTF jeans, Worst Company in America 2012, You can't go wrong with pizza unless it's terrible pizza, and my favorite, The Weird Al Yankovic Namesake Sandwich He Never Knew He Asked For
From the dusty archives of the internet, The Consumerist of 2005-2006 and its very first MeFi post
Kate Cox's last big story for Consumerist: 5 Things Experts Say You Should Know About Obamacare Open Enrollment
Some Consumerist highlights previously on MeFi: WTF jeans, Worst Company in America 2012, You can't go wrong with pizza unless it's terrible pizza, and my favorite, The Weird Al Yankovic Namesake Sandwich He Never Knew He Asked For
From the dusty archives of the internet, The Consumerist of 2005-2006 and its very first MeFi post
Kate Cox's last big story for Consumerist: 5 Things Experts Say You Should Know About Obamacare Open Enrollment
.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:01 PM on November 1, 2017
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:01 PM on November 1, 2017
Consumerist was a daily read for me, too. I was there in the early days, when there were comments on posts (though true to form I mostly lurked.) One of the best commenters there was our very own Eyebrows McGee.
This is indeed sad.
.
posted by ApathyGirl at 8:08 PM on November 1, 2017 [11 favorites]
This is indeed sad.
.
posted by ApathyGirl at 8:08 PM on November 1, 2017 [11 favorites]
.
When I saw the last post come up in my RSS reader, I was like... wtf, they posted earlier today, surely this must be a hack. The first notice was just from the first two paragraphs of that last post (everything before the update). Only a few hours later, there was an update, and it actually looked like the nails were in the coffin. I knew the days were numbered, at least at its own site and RSS feed, but the abruptness of it all was unsettling.
Golden Poo trophies forever.
posted by deezil at 8:12 PM on November 1, 2017 [2 favorites]
When I saw the last post come up in my RSS reader, I was like... wtf, they posted earlier today, surely this must be a hack. The first notice was just from the first two paragraphs of that last post (everything before the update). Only a few hours later, there was an update, and it actually looked like the nails were in the coffin. I knew the days were numbered, at least at its own site and RSS feed, but the abruptness of it all was unsettling.
Golden Poo trophies forever.
posted by deezil at 8:12 PM on November 1, 2017 [2 favorites]
.
Thank you for your tireless exposure of the Grocery Shrink Ray.
posted by yellowbinder at 8:12 PM on November 1, 2017 [18 favorites]
Thank you for your tireless exposure of the Grocery Shrink Ray.
posted by yellowbinder at 8:12 PM on November 1, 2017 [18 favorites]
This along with the changes to Wirecutter/Sweethome are making me very sad. Things just keep turning to shit.
-Grumpy old man
posted by srboisvert at 8:14 PM on November 1, 2017 [10 favorites]
-Grumpy old man
posted by srboisvert at 8:14 PM on November 1, 2017 [10 favorites]
Wow that memo is really something else--it is like a caricature of bad management writing:
since its inception — Consumerist has been a unique and fearless watchdog, shining a light on shady corporate practices and galvanizing action around important consumer issues with velocity, sincerity, and passion. We remain immensely proud of this work...I want to offer my sincere thanks to the team that has worked so hard to make Consumerist a unique and special voice for so many readers.
You have my sincere thanks for doing such a wonderful job, and by the way, you're all fired. Unbelievable.
posted by eye of newt at 8:26 PM on November 1, 2017 [18 favorites]
since its inception — Consumerist has been a unique and fearless watchdog, shining a light on shady corporate practices and galvanizing action around important consumer issues with velocity, sincerity, and passion. We remain immensely proud of this work...I want to offer my sincere thanks to the team that has worked so hard to make Consumerist a unique and special voice for so many readers.
You have my sincere thanks for doing such a wonderful job, and by the way, you're all fired. Unbelievable.
posted by eye of newt at 8:26 PM on November 1, 2017 [18 favorites]
This would be the perfect time for Gizmodo Media Group to announce its new sub-blog, The Capitalist, and so achieve perfect Gawkception.
posted by nicebookrack at 8:26 PM on November 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by nicebookrack at 8:26 PM on November 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
nah things actually are turning to shit. there's something rotten at the core of media now. i think it has to do with the fact that really, the online advertising market makes no sense. there's tons of fraud and lies and also an obsession with things that can be easily measured.
posted by vogon_poet at 8:31 PM on November 1, 2017 [33 favorites]
posted by vogon_poet at 8:31 PM on November 1, 2017 [33 favorites]
.
posted by oneironaut at 8:32 PM on November 1, 2017
posted by oneironaut at 8:32 PM on November 1, 2017
the online advertising market makes no sense. there's tons of fraud and lies and also an obsession with things that can be easily measured.
If it was just ads, I wouldn't run an ad blocker. But it's tracking, malware, autoplay video....just, no.
posted by thelonius at 8:38 PM on November 1, 2017 [45 favorites]
If it was just ads, I wouldn't run an ad blocker. But it's tracking, malware, autoplay video....just, no.
posted by thelonius at 8:38 PM on November 1, 2017 [45 favorites]
I loved Consumerist so much. Along with Meg Frost's CuteOverload, I've been with them since the beginning.
posted by reiichiroh at 8:40 PM on November 1, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by reiichiroh at 8:40 PM on November 1, 2017 [5 favorites]
If it was just ads, I wouldn't run an ad blocker. But it's tracking, malware, autoplay video....just, no.
This. All of this, right here.
And sorry to see you go, Consumerist.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:40 PM on November 1, 2017 [4 favorites]
This. All of this, right here.
And sorry to see you go, Consumerist.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:40 PM on November 1, 2017 [4 favorites]
cf the amazing mattress story from last week about how effectively all review sites & blogs have been terminally compromised.
if people won't pay for CR, where will they get their real reviews from? how will we know they are real?
posted by lalochezia at 8:57 PM on November 1, 2017 [9 favorites]
if people won't pay for CR, where will they get their real reviews from? how will we know they are real?
posted by lalochezia at 8:57 PM on November 1, 2017 [9 favorites]
I pay for CR but now I'm mad at them for killing Consumerist!!
posted by nicebookrack at 9:00 PM on November 1, 2017 [15 favorites]
posted by nicebookrack at 9:00 PM on November 1, 2017 [15 favorites]
Well, shit. I'm really gonna miss Consumerist. And now I have to go find out what's happening to Wirecutter. Damn it all.
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:03 PM on November 1, 2017
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:03 PM on November 1, 2017
I have kept a Consumer Reports paid sub for years because what other way of funding wouldn't corrupt them? Wirecutter is still fine and the merger with Sweethome was a good idea. But the new design kinda sucks ass. Hope review quality stays good for both.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 9:09 PM on November 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 9:09 PM on November 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
This along with the changes to Wirecutter/Sweethome are making me very sad.
Oh no! Is something happening to the Sweethome? The Sweethome is basically the only way I can buy household items without immediately keeling over from acute Paradox of Choice.
posted by redsparkler at 9:13 PM on November 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
Oh no! Is something happening to the Sweethome? The Sweethome is basically the only way I can buy household items without immediately keeling over from acute Paradox of Choice.
posted by redsparkler at 9:13 PM on November 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
I used to read Consumerist, and the big thing I remember was the astounding toxicity of the comments- every story would be accompanied by dozens or even hundreds of comments about how anybody harmed by a company or screwed out of something or otherwise mistreated had it coming and had no right to complain or seek redress. Eventually, in one of the few shining examples of companies actually giving a shit, they temporarily disabled commenting, presumably ran the math on what it would cost to moderate their comment section, and announced that comments would not be returning. That was plainly the right move, and more people should've taken that tack over the years.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:19 PM on November 1, 2017 [25 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:19 PM on November 1, 2017 [25 favorites]
"One of the best commenters there was our very own Eyebrows McGee. "
Ha! Yes, I had a Gawker star or whatever it was back in the day for my routine screeds on Consumerist, on many of the same topics as the routine screeds you have come to know and love here at MetaFilter -- civil rights, illegal retail practices, breastfeeding accommodations. I haven't visited Consumerist on the regular in a while -- just popping by when it's something in their wheelhouse I want to read about -- but I am sad to hear of its demise and I will miss it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:21 PM on November 1, 2017 [16 favorites]
Ha! Yes, I had a Gawker star or whatever it was back in the day for my routine screeds on Consumerist, on many of the same topics as the routine screeds you have come to know and love here at MetaFilter -- civil rights, illegal retail practices, breastfeeding accommodations. I haven't visited Consumerist on the regular in a while -- just popping by when it's something in their wheelhouse I want to read about -- but I am sad to hear of its demise and I will miss it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:21 PM on November 1, 2017 [16 favorites]
⚫️.
posted by hijinx at 9:33 PM on November 1, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by hijinx at 9:33 PM on November 1, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Wirecutter/Sweethome broadened their coverage to potentially anything. Also they changed up their deals page to make it easier to visually skim, and reduced the number of mentions of their Twitter feed.
posted by ZeusHumms at 9:57 PM on November 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by ZeusHumms at 9:57 PM on November 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
.
posted by limeonaire at 11:02 PM on November 1, 2017
posted by limeonaire at 11:02 PM on November 1, 2017
I long since stopped regularly reading Consumerist, so I guess it's hard to complain, but man, that site stood for something. There's so much to be outraged about now as a consumer, as someone who doesn't enjoy being treated like crap, someone who thinks we should be treated as people by Equifax and airlines and banks, and The Consumerist was one of the few places that stood up for the idea that it was a worthy cause to fight for this.
.
posted by zachlipton at 11:20 PM on November 1, 2017 [7 favorites]
.
posted by zachlipton at 11:20 PM on November 1, 2017 [7 favorites]
Here’s what happened to The Wirecutter: it’s now owned by The NY Times.
posted by notyou at 12:56 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by notyou at 12:56 AM on November 2, 2017
I work for a competitor of The Consumerist, and I’m going to miss stealing story ideas from them.
Godspeed.
posted by notyou at 12:57 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
Godspeed.
posted by notyou at 12:57 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
Farewell to another old Gawker site. Consumerist was good stuff. When it was proposed as a new site, the advertising department figured it would be about coupons and shopping. And instead it was a pre-Twitter megaphone that people could use to make the actions of terrible companies known to the public.
Blogs are out of favor in general, now, so even a good site with good editorial faces a world where most traffic is through social media clicks ... until the collapse of *that* fad.
posted by kenlayne at 1:04 AM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
Blogs are out of favor in general, now, so even a good site with good editorial faces a world where most traffic is through social media clicks ... until the collapse of *that* fad.
posted by kenlayne at 1:04 AM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
My heart goes out to the defenestrated journalists. Losing your job is bad enough; it's particularly hard to fight your corner when you know you're doing something that really needs doing, and to do it well, and to be told you can't do it any more. In public, too.
Tough gig.
posted by Devonian at 3:35 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
Tough gig.
posted by Devonian at 3:35 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
I'm another longtime CR subscriber who's pissed off at them for this. Yes, the crap tide is still rising, and CU just added to it by knocking down an important dike.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:41 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:41 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
> there's something rotten at the core of media now. i think it has to do with the fact that really, the online advertising market makes no sense.
Except Consumerist was literally and deliberately ad-free. If anything this is proof that fan-funding can be an even more tenuous business model when scaled.
posted by ardgedee at 4:16 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Except Consumerist was literally and deliberately ad-free. If anything this is proof that fan-funding can be an even more tenuous business model when scaled.
posted by ardgedee at 4:16 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
nah things actually are turning to shit. there's something rotten at the core of media now. i think it has to do with the fact that really, the online advertising market makes no sense. there's tons of fraud and lies and also an obsession with things that can be easily measured.
Not to mention advertorials and affiliate marketing models have replaced the online ad model and have completely corrupted one's ability to get independent reviews of products anymore. It's one thing to have ads that are clearly ads and another for "influencers" to product place five things in every photo or review.
It's why paying for CR (or, rather, visiting your local library who almost assuredly has a subscription you can access for free) still made sense until recently. I'd rather pay for good advice then get shitty advice for free.
posted by notorious medium at 4:45 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Not to mention advertorials and affiliate marketing models have replaced the online ad model and have completely corrupted one's ability to get independent reviews of products anymore. It's one thing to have ads that are clearly ads and another for "influencers" to product place five things in every photo or review.
It's why paying for CR (or, rather, visiting your local library who almost assuredly has a subscription you can access for free) still made sense until recently. I'd rather pay for good advice then get shitty advice for free.
posted by notorious medium at 4:45 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Juicy Raspberry will forever be my favorite
posted by fluttering hellfire at 5:16 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by fluttering hellfire at 5:16 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am not anticipating a lot of warm feelies for this, but: I never found that Consumerist was willing to let facts/research get in the way of a good story. Ostensibly a champion of consumers everywhere, they were grinding out snark as clickbait for the years that I was working with them, roughly 2008-13.
I edited Time Warner Cable's blog, during those years, and I expected to get bashed by them for any number of things - that company did a lot of stuff that needed to be called out. But for fuck's sake, I shouldn't have to show a reporter who covers the broadband business how to run and read a traceroute, repeatedly.
posted by chinese_fashion at 5:35 AM on November 2, 2017 [7 favorites]
I edited Time Warner Cable's blog, during those years, and I expected to get bashed by them for any number of things - that company did a lot of stuff that needed to be called out. But for fuck's sake, I shouldn't have to show a reporter who covers the broadband business how to run and read a traceroute, repeatedly.
posted by chinese_fashion at 5:35 AM on November 2, 2017 [7 favorites]
While a regular reader of Consumerist, I do have to agree a bit with chinese_fashion. The snark could get pretty bad sometimes. And, it always seemed Consumerist had a big rough cob up its collective ass when it came to the USPS. There would be heavy-handed snark even when the story was ostensibly positive of the USPS.
Nonetheless, Consumerist will be missed on my daily reading.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:45 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Nonetheless, Consumerist will be missed on my daily reading.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:45 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
That really sucks. In a previous life as a consumer advocate, I used to be a source from time to time for Consumerist. Although I appreciate Consumer Reports, they absolutely have their own agenda and advocacy viewpoint. Despite some flaws, consumerist was unique in doing responsive, independent journalism on consumer issues. Although outlets like the NYTimes etc might do more in-depth reporting on consumer issues from time to time, Consumerist was out there gathering information consistently on all the little scams from people on the ground (as well as covering the bigger issues.) Actual reporting, in other words.
So now there's a void in independent journalism focused exclusively on consumer reporting. I hope someone jumps in to fill it!
posted by yarly at 6:27 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
So now there's a void in independent journalism focused exclusively on consumer reporting. I hope someone jumps in to fill it!
posted by yarly at 6:27 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Aw, man I just thought of the grocery shrink ray recently when I bought a pack of brand name bars of soap and realized they were smaller than they used to be.
.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:29 AM on November 2, 2017
.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:29 AM on November 2, 2017
I am not anticipating a lot of warm feelies for this, but: I never found that Consumerist was willing to let facts/research get in the way of a good story. Ostensibly a champion of consumers everywhere, they were grinding out snark as clickbait for the years that I was working with them, roughly 2008-13.
I edited Time Warner Cable's blog, during those years, and I expected to get bashed by them for any number of things - that company did a lot of stuff that needed to be called out. But for fuck's sake, I shouldn't have to show a reporter who covers the broadband business how to run and read a traceroute, repeatedly.
posted by chinese_fashion at 5:35 AM on November 2 [+] [!
I get what you're saying! They were generalists, though, and the snark was needed to get a broader range of eyeballs on their content. It's just a damn shame that a populist forum on consumer rights is being axed right when consumer protections are also being gutted ...
posted by yarly at 6:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I edited Time Warner Cable's blog, during those years, and I expected to get bashed by them for any number of things - that company did a lot of stuff that needed to be called out. But for fuck's sake, I shouldn't have to show a reporter who covers the broadband business how to run and read a traceroute, repeatedly.
posted by chinese_fashion at 5:35 AM on November 2 [+] [!
I get what you're saying! They were generalists, though, and the snark was needed to get a broader range of eyeballs on their content. It's just a damn shame that a populist forum on consumer rights is being axed right when consumer protections are also being gutted ...
posted by yarly at 6:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Man, I LOVED The Consumerist back in the days of Ben Popkin and Meghann Marco. They were just the best. After they left, and the site got sold, I logged off and never looked back.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 6:37 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 6:37 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sucks. Just goes to show how inept CR is when it comes to non-retiree audiences (cf. Zillions). I've been reading Consumer Reports since I learned to read. As a teenager, I took endless joy in their dry editorial style and withering takedowns of mediocre family restaurants, cheap motel chains, and Buicks. I still subscribe, but the individual issues are such a letdown, with their endless wheezy "features" about how to stay safe online, avoid elder abuse, cut out salt (cook more at home!), etc. Their lack of sophistication about consumer electronics should inspire them to dedicate more space to reviewing durable goods that aren't covered elsewhere, not trot out another TV buying guide.
posted by ndg at 8:58 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by ndg at 8:58 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
.
posted by dinty_moore at 8:58 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by dinty_moore at 8:58 AM on November 2, 2017
It's not about snark versus non-snark. It's about the journalistic integrity required to present facts in a story even if they do disrupt the site's preferred narrative. You can like them all you want, but they're not much more journalistically sound than Fox News.
It's not better journalism just because you like the narrative. Any honest accounting of online journalistic standards requires admitting when the guys on your team are still cutting corners and taking cheap shots for traffic's sake - and Consumerist did that a LOT.
I never tried to schmooze or skew their reporting, but I did make myself abundantly available for fact-checking - and was never ONCE reached out to proactively. I can't tell you how many times I had to say "you know, you guys are spreading stories that just aren't true," or "I think you're overlooking a few crucial facts here" and how rarely I'd see that corrected, updated or redacted.
I walked from a very solid job at TWC because it was starting to challenge my ethics/morals, and I don't think we should ever shed a tear for major corporations' treatment by consumer watchdogs.
But the Consumerist's brand of storytelling was a lot more like the WWE than the NYT and it shouldn't be ever be confused with real reporting.
posted by chinese_fashion at 8:59 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's not better journalism just because you like the narrative. Any honest accounting of online journalistic standards requires admitting when the guys on your team are still cutting corners and taking cheap shots for traffic's sake - and Consumerist did that a LOT.
I never tried to schmooze or skew their reporting, but I did make myself abundantly available for fact-checking - and was never ONCE reached out to proactively. I can't tell you how many times I had to say "you know, you guys are spreading stories that just aren't true," or "I think you're overlooking a few crucial facts here" and how rarely I'd see that corrected, updated or redacted.
I walked from a very solid job at TWC because it was starting to challenge my ethics/morals, and I don't think we should ever shed a tear for major corporations' treatment by consumer watchdogs.
But the Consumerist's brand of storytelling was a lot more like the WWE than the NYT and it shouldn't be ever be confused with real reporting.
posted by chinese_fashion at 8:59 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
To be honest, the thing that made me stopped reading the consumerist (and a lot of the other blogs I used to read) is the death of google reader back in 2013.
posted by dinty_moore at 8:59 AM on November 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by dinty_moore at 8:59 AM on November 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
Non-paid recommendation: Use Newsblur as a feed reader, it's awesome.
posted by Chrysostom at 10:39 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Chrysostom at 10:39 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Man, I miss Google Reader.
I went the Feedly Pro route, but that was just because they were the most visible at the time, and I paid $50 for a lifetime of Pro, which seems to be worth it. They also seem to be aggressive about improving it and listening to the users.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 11:09 AM on November 2, 2017
I went the Feedly Pro route, but that was just because they were the most visible at the time, and I paid $50 for a lifetime of Pro, which seems to be worth it. They also seem to be aggressive about improving it and listening to the users.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 11:09 AM on November 2, 2017
"I think you're overlooking a few crucial facts here" and how rarely I'd see that corrected, updated or redacted.
I tried the same thing as an outsider/reader, and none of my (legitimate and sourced) corrections ever made a difference. And yes, they did have a hate-on for the Postal Service, which I never understood.
Now, we're supposed to go to the CR "News" page, which, like the rest of CR, is utterly devoid of humor. Consumerist loyalists are not going to enjoy it.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:31 AM on November 2, 2017
I tried the same thing as an outsider/reader, and none of my (legitimate and sourced) corrections ever made a difference. And yes, they did have a hate-on for the Postal Service, which I never understood.
Now, we're supposed to go to the CR "News" page, which, like the rest of CR, is utterly devoid of humor. Consumerist loyalists are not going to enjoy it.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:31 AM on November 2, 2017
Another ex-Google Reader reader who has settled in with The Old Reader, even willingly paying $6 a month for my massive collection of feeds. And Consumerist was one of them. The most frustrating thing about the shutdown memo was CR's semi-promise that sometime soon they'd add RSS to the main site... like WHY HADN'T THEY DONE THAT FOR YEARS?!?
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:25 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:25 PM on November 2, 2017
watchdog, shining a light
There's the problem. Dogs have difficulty holding flashlights.
posted by scratch at 1:57 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
There's the problem. Dogs have difficulty holding flashlights.
posted by scratch at 1:57 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
As an aside, are gizmodo what's left of gawker, or are they separate entities?
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 2:58 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 2:58 PM on November 2, 2017
Yeah, Gizmodo Media Group is the collection of sites spun off of gawker to Univision. At least we still have those for now. I just logged into my The Old Reader account and discovered that dnainfo and gothamist are now gone too (as of sixty one minutes ago).
posted by NormieP at 3:02 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by NormieP at 3:02 PM on November 2, 2017
I hate to hear of people losing their jobs.
.
(I bet they are popping champagne at the reigning Worst Company in America (Comcast) tonight).
posted by 4ster at 3:04 PM on November 2, 2017
.
(I bet they are popping champagne at the reigning Worst Company in America (Comcast) tonight).
posted by 4ster at 3:04 PM on November 2, 2017
I just came to post that shutdown , NormieP. The Gothamist, SFist, LAist, etc. sites (no relation to Consumerist) were my other source of lightly sourced snark. They certainly had no compunction about running ads, so it's a little puzzling why they wouldn't be profitable.
posted by wnissen at 3:07 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by wnissen at 3:07 PM on November 2, 2017
I loved the Consumerist for a long time - I accidentally discovered it during it's very first week and I visited daily for years. Part of what I really loved about it was the comment section. There was so much to be learned from the experiences of others. It was a gold mine.
When they shut down the comment section it ceased to be nearly as interesting to me.
I also kind of miss the Ben Popken, though I realize that sounds kinda weird. I just liked his style.
RIP Consumerist
posted by crayon at 3:26 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
When they shut down the comment section it ceased to be nearly as interesting to me.
I also kind of miss the Ben Popken, though I realize that sounds kinda weird. I just liked his style.
RIP Consumerist
posted by crayon at 3:26 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ah, hell. Just...hell.
posted by praemunire at 6:22 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by praemunire at 6:22 PM on November 2, 2017
Hell, I read the Consumerist every workday while eating lunch. Now I am breaking into my afterhours reading by reading AskMe at lunch.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 11:23 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by a humble nudibranch at 11:23 PM on November 2, 2017
(cf. Zillions)
Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. They published one of my video game reviews as a kid, and I remember doing some kind of testing of cameras for them as well. I can't imagine that publication made any financial sense at all, but it was so cool that it existed (for the definition of cool that encompasses financial education for kids, which is my kind of cool).
posted by zachlipton at 2:31 AM on November 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. They published one of my video game reviews as a kid, and I remember doing some kind of testing of cameras for them as well. I can't imagine that publication made any financial sense at all, but it was so cool that it existed (for the definition of cool that encompasses financial education for kids, which is my kind of cool).
posted by zachlipton at 2:31 AM on November 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
.
Ugh, I'm so sad about this. I, too, was a very longtime Consumerist fan. I guess the way to describe it is I remember the comments section.
I've also been a lifelong fan of CR, but it's just not the same. And I do mean lifelong -- I absolutely loved reading the magazine as a kid. A few years ago I thought about it for a sec and decided it was because I had a chaotic upbringing, but CR showed me that for some aspects of life there were concrete questions that could be asked and answered. Like, I couldn't understand my parents' motivations but I could know, absolutely, which was the best vaccuum cleaner for shag carpet.
And then, via a posting on Consumerist, I got the (for me) amazing opportunity to apply for and win a job as a CR tester. I only spent about a year at it, because Reasons, but it definitely filled me up with joy.
Still, boo hiss at CR for wiping out a very enjoyable part of the web, not to mention firing those great writers with no notice.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:10 PM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ugh, I'm so sad about this. I, too, was a very longtime Consumerist fan. I guess the way to describe it is I remember the comments section.
I've also been a lifelong fan of CR, but it's just not the same. And I do mean lifelong -- I absolutely loved reading the magazine as a kid. A few years ago I thought about it for a sec and decided it was because I had a chaotic upbringing, but CR showed me that for some aspects of life there were concrete questions that could be asked and answered. Like, I couldn't understand my parents' motivations but I could know, absolutely, which was the best vaccuum cleaner for shag carpet.
And then, via a posting on Consumerist, I got the (for me) amazing opportunity to apply for and win a job as a CR tester. I only spent about a year at it, because Reasons, but it definitely filled me up with joy.
Still, boo hiss at CR for wiping out a very enjoyable part of the web, not to mention firing those great writers with no notice.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:10 PM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
I love how CR says it'll only bring "parts of the Consumerist archive" over to its own site, with no promise of keeping the archive alive for any length of time. Fuck em.
Here's Chris Morran's quick take:
We've been neglected by CR management since the beginning, but after losing another $9m in subscriptions they needed a scapegoat.
posted by mediareport at 6:11 AM on November 4, 2017
Here's Chris Morran's quick take:
We've been neglected by CR management since the beginning, but after losing another $9m in subscriptions they needed a scapegoat.
posted by mediareport at 6:11 AM on November 4, 2017
According to Morran, one of the people who voted to shut down Consumerist was Craig Newmark of Craigslist.
posted by mediareport at 6:29 AM on November 4, 2017
posted by mediareport at 6:29 AM on November 4, 2017
« Older Overlooked Authors . . . for Various Reasons | Your hard drive will be deleted in 4m 26s, to stop... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
.
posted by njohnson23 at 7:57 PM on November 1, 2017 [21 favorites]