Thanks for Nothing

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Thanks for Nothing – Winter 2025

A few times a year we spotlight offers from companies that are real head-scratchers, are actually less generous than they appear, are just plain outrageous, or may simply elicit a chuckle. Here’s the new crop.

California Olive Oil

Rosemarie L. sent us this picture of two 100% extra virgin olive oil bottles from her local Shaw’s supermarket.

California olive oil

The one on the right, California Olive Ranch, was a dollar cheaper so she thought she would buy that one. That is until she read the bottom of the label.

*MOUSE PRINT:

10% California olive oil

Unlike the Signature store brand which is 100% from California, this one is only 10% from there. Thanks for nothing, California Olive Ranch.

American Blueberries

Tim C. wrote to us about this package of blueberries saying “it certainly leads you to believe you’re buying American-grown produce at first glance.

*MOUSE PRINT:

American Blueberries

We agree. Thanks for nothing, American Blueberries, Inc.

Macy’s Black Friday Sale

Back in August, we complained about Wayfair’s problematic search engine that returned over 9,000 results when looking for a blood pressure monitor when in fact they only had 10 real listings.

Well, what Macy’s did last month during their Black Friday sale makes Wayfair’s tech people look like geniuses.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Macy's Black Friday sale

Even the most ardent bargain hunter will not go through over 150,000 sale items in search of a great deal. Thanks for nothing, Macy’s.

Get $5 Off Any P&G Product?

MrConsumer was very excited to get this email from Procter & Gamble seemingly promising $5 off on any item. That is what the email subject said, and that is what the big print said in the body of the email.

P&G Save $5

Only in smaller print in the email did P&G reveal the true nature of the offer. They weren’t offering a $5 off coupon, but rather…

*MOUSE PRINT:

P&G Save $5 finer print

Thanks for nothing, P&G.

OmegaXL – Satisfaction Guaranteed?

Many mail order products come with a free trial or a satisfaction or your money back guarantee to help consumers feel better about trying something new. This joint supplement called OmegaXL has a most unusual policy, however.

*MOUSE PRINT:

OmegaXL guarantee

If you tried it and you were not satisfied, you can’t return it because their policy requires that the package must be unopened and unused.

Thanks for nothing, OmegaXL.

If you find a product policy, offer, or advertisement suitable for this section, please send it along to Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks.

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Thanks for Nothing – Spring 2024

A few times a year we spotlight offers from companies that are real head-scratchers, are actually less generous than they appear, are just plain outrageous, or may simply elicit a chuckle. Here’s the new crop.

JetBlue Adopts Surge Pricing for Baggage

Jumping on the surge pricing bandwagon, JetBlue just began charging more for checked baggage during peak travel times. This is on top of a higher price for checked bags paid for within 24 hours of your flight. And it is also just after the airline implemented another baggage fee increase only a couple of months ago.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Jet Blue luggage fees

Thanks for nothing, JetBlue.

Rakuten’s 15% Cash Back Offer

On April first, Rakuten sent an email promising 15-percent cash back seemingly at a whole bunch of stores.

Rakuten 15% cash back

But, when visiting the website, the offer all of a sudden changed to only 12-percent back.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Rakuten 12% back at stores

Only about half a dozen stores were offering 15-percent back among the dozens offering 12-percent cash back.

Thanks for nothing, Rakuten, except that this week (May 6 – 13) Rakuten is offering a real 15% back at about 500 stores, and on May 6th only, 20% back at several dozen stores. New members get an extra 10% back for purchases the first week. [Consumer World may earn a commission on certain purchases from this link.]

Russell Stover Valentine’s Heart

Last year before Valentine’s Day, we featured two heart-shaped boxes of candy from Russell Stover and Whitman’s that were about 10-inches high by 9-inches wide, but they only contained between nine and eleven pieces of chocolate inside. This year, we found what looked like the same size box, but for this variety of chocolate, it only had five pieces of candy inside.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Russell Stover heart

Talk about over-packaging to make you think there is more candy inside than there really is. Thanks for nothing, Russell Stover.

90% Off Everything at Temu?

Temu.com has captured bargain hunters’ attention with its incredible low prices. And when they recently sent an email promising that everything was 90-percent off shoppers couldn’t wait to clickthrough. Of course, the old adage, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” applies here.

*MOUSE PRINT:

temu up to 90% off

“Up to 90% off” is far different, so thanks for nothing, Temu.

Malk – $7.99 a Quart?

Grocery prices have just gotten out of hand. For example, a quart of Malk brand almond milk is $7.99.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Malk - 32 oz.

Eight bucks for a quart of fake milk? MrConsumer paid it but only because he was going to get a full price rebate. What excuse does everyone else have for paying such an outrageous price?

Thanks for nothing, Malk Organics.

Pizza Hut – Any Pizza $12?

Pizza Hut says the word “any” a lot in this emailed advertisement for $12 pizzas. ANY pizza… ANY toppings… ANY recipe.

Pizza Hut $12

But Greg L. complained about the smaller print which excluded extra cheese and also their stuffed crust pizza variety. We guess “any” really doesn’t mean “every” in Pizza Hut-lingo.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Pizza Hut exclusions

If you find an advertisement appropriate for this section, please pass it along to Edgar(at)ConsumerWorld.org .

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Thanks for Nothing – Fall 2023

A few times a year we spotlight offers from companies that are real head-scratchers, are actually less generous than they appear, are just plain outrageous, or may simply elicit a chuckle. Here’s the new crop.

Shake ‘N Bake

It seems like skimpflation has hit the grocery shelf again. This time it’s Shake ‘N Bake. The product is well known for helping to make fried chicken by simply having you put the breading in a bag, adding chicken pieces, and then shaking and baking. Now they have made a significant change to the product.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Shake 'n Bake

They removed the always included bag saying it was an environmental move. The consumer who spotted this, Michael P., said in response to their claim, “All it means is they save money and the consumer has to use one of their own Ziploc or other plastic bags.”

Maybe they need to rename the product now to simply ‘N Bake. Thanks for nothing, Kraft Heinz.

Panera Contest

Mark D., a regular Consumer World reader, got some good news recently. He won a prize in a Panera promotion.

Panera prize

That’s pretty generous winning a $99 membership in their unlimited sip club. But then Mark figured out he had not actually won a prize worth $99 but rather he received a sale solicitation to buy a membership in the club for that price – a $20.99 discount from the usual $119.99 price.

Thanks for nothing, Panera. And please do consider dropping deceptive offers like this.

AfterPay Installment Plan

I know that grocery prices are high because of inflation and greedflation, but when you are even offered the option to put a package of beef stew on the installment plan, something is really wrong.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Buy now, pay later stew

Thanks for nothing, AfterPay.

Prices Gone Wild

Speaking of high prices and beef stew, things are really getting out of hand when you have to pay up to $750 for a single stew pot (and could really use an installment plan to finance it).

Le Creuset pot

And when it costs $39.99 for one package of toilet paper (and that is a Target sale price), something has really gone askew.

Price of Charmin

Thanks for nothing Williams Sonoma, Le Creuset and P&G.

If you find an ad suitable for inclusion in our “Thanks for Nothing” series, please send it to: edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks.