consumer rights

One of the things I love about this digital age is that we have more power as consumers, because we now have a public online forum to voice our dissatisfaction. Sometimes you may feel like your complaints are going unheard. Perhaps the firm did not respond to your multiple calls and emails or maybe the customer service rep was just plain rude. As frustrating as it is, we know that the "customer is always right" adage is no longer true for many establishments. But don't worry, there are plenty of places to voice your unhappiness. Here are some of them:

• Amazon: If you're unhappy with any product you have received, leave a review on Amazon.com to enlighten other customers. Amazon is the largest online retailer in the US so your review will definitely be seen by many pairs of eyes.
• The Consumerist: A bulk of the posts on consumerist.com come from complaints and tips from readers. The blog also scours the news to find other examples of consumers being wronged. Some of the top posts include a customer getting banned from Best Buy after catching the store doing something illegal.
• Yelp: Compelling Yelp reviews can really make a difference. I've gotten messages from shop owners thanking me for my positive review and some who requested me to take down a negative one. Remember, you're the one with the upper hand so don't be cowed by store owners who try to threaten you.

For more places to vent, read on.

Hooray for air travel rights! Airline passengers can celebrate the new regulations by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which take effect today. Some of these include:

• Getting a full refund on all airline tickets if you cancel within 24 hours of making the reservation as long as the departure date is at least one week away.
• Holding a reservation without payment.
• Passengers have to be notified immediately of cancellations and delays longer than half an hour.
• Ticket prices "generally" can't be increased after they are bought (this regulation is pretty vague, but hopefully it'll offer some protection).
• Baggage fees must be disclosed when customers book a flight.
• Mandatory taxes and fees have to be included in airfares displayed in advertisements.

I think the full refund of airline tickets is a huge bonus and will save lots of people money in the long run. Further, some of these new rules will definitely cut down on a lot of needless discussions with customer service reps! Which regulation are you the most excited about?

I find this story inspiring because this is an example of how much a consumer can achieve if she fights back. Kenlie Tiggeman, didn't know what a ride she was in for when she was boarding her Southwest layover in Dallas. MSN reports that Kenlie, who had already lost 120 pounds, and her mother were subject to a public 45-minute conversation with Southwest employees, which included personal questions about their weight, clothing size, and reasons for weight gain and loss. Further, the humiliating discussion was carried out in front of more than a 100 people. Kenlie tells MSN, "I asked him what the weight restrictions were and he said that he didn't know, just that we were too heavy to fly. Too fat to fly."

To make matters worse, the worker from the airline tried to resolve the situation by saying that Kenlie, her mom, and another overweight passenger could get on the flight if the three of them sat together at the back of the plane.

Although Kenlie and her mother managed to get on the plane and sit in seats of their choice and were given a $200 voucher from Southwest, she decided to fight back. She blogged about her experience in the post, The Day Southwest Airlines Turned My Old Fears Into A New Nightmare, which got the immediate attention of Southwest. This led to an executive from the airline contacting her to apologize and offering more vouchers to compensate.

To find out about the good that came out of her experience, read on.