Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

PayPal Knows What Kind of Underwear You Wear and Will Be Telling Everyone!

Soon whether you wear boxers or briefs will no longer be a closely-held secret because of a data privacy move by PayPal.

At the beginning of October, PayPal sent out an email to its members making a change to its legal agreements in late November.

PayPal update email

It doesn’t sound particularly unnerving because they are going to provide information to help you shop. The way that is going to be accomplished, however, has some people concerned. Their more detailed notice states:

*MOUSE PRINT:

The key update to the Privacy Statement (link 1, link 2) explains how we will share information with merchants to personalize your shopping experience and recommend our services to you. Personal information we disclose includes, for example, products, preferences, sizes, and styles we think you’ll like… [emphasis added]

How do they know what you like? According to the Wall Street Journal, they will review your shopping and purchase history, and then sell that information to advertisers.

In most states, your purchases made starting two days before Black Friday will be shared with others unless you opt-out. To opt-out, after you login to PayPay.com, click the settings gear, and then select:

PayPal opt out directions

How do you feel about PayPal sharing your very specific shopping information?

Share this story:

 

ADV
Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Are Tostitos and Other Chip Brands Really Reversing Shrinkflation?

A few weeks ago, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Madeleine Dean wrote to the CEOs of several corporations, including PepsiCo, accusing them of a pattern of profiteering off consumers by shrinking their products and charging the same or higher prices. We’ve covered various PepsiCo products including Tostitos downsizings over the years.

Then last week, breathless headlines announced that PepsiCo, which also makes Ruffles, Doritos, Lay’s and other brands, was reacting to these accusations of shrinkflation, and was now going to add 20% more chips to certain bags.

PepsiCo headlines

In the CNN story, the company said:

A PepsiCo spokesperson told CNN that Tostitos and Ruffles “bonus” bags will contain 20% more chips for the same price as standard bags in select locations. PepsiCo is also adding two additional small chip bags to its variety-pack option with 18 bags, the spokesperson said.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Tostitos Bonus PackConsumer World AI Mock-up

Don’t jump to conclusions that PepsiCo has seen the light, is caving into governmental pressure and consumer anger, and plans to upsize all their products. PepsiCo is simply coming out with some “bonus” bags on some products in some areas it appears. By definition, a “bonus pack” is a temporary promotion whereby the new package has some additional content compared to the regular size. They did not announce a general upsizing of their products.

So, enjoy the extra chips while they last.

Share this story:

 

ADV
Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Verizon’s Trade In “Any Phone” Offer for a Free iPhone 16 Pro Questioned

Regular reader and commenter Joel V. recently caught a bit of nasty fine print by Verizon Wireless in a new TV commercial.


Most viewers would understand the ad to say that if you trade in any cellphone in any condition, Verizon will give you a free iPhone 16 Pro. It would be reasonable to assume that you have to buy a plan from the company because they are simply not just handing out free phones without any catches.

*MOUSE PRINT:

What our consumer caught was this tiny disclosure that was on the screen for about one-and-half seconds:

Verizon "any phone" fine print

Rather than the trade-in offer being good on “any” phone as the commercial explicitly states, it is only valid on these three brands: Apple, Google, and Samsung. What about people who own a phone from Motorola, LG, ZTE, OnePlus, or another brand? They’re out of luck apparently.

Additional terms of this offer are not orally stated in the commercial. But like a similar offer we dissected last December (see prior story), Verizon buries the full details in a three-second on-screen disclosure in tiny print toward the end of the commercial. Those terms include the requirement to purchase the iPhone 16 Pro for $999.99 (either pay upfront or be charged equal monthly payments) and get 1/36th of the purchase price back in a billing credit rebate each month for three years. You also have to sign up for Verizon’s most expensive plan, Unlimited Ultimate, for about $100 a month.

We asked the company why it advertised this trade-in offer as applying to “any” phone when in fact it only applies to three specific brands, why it doesn’t orally disclose other important requirements, and whether they are going to change the commercial. The company did not respond to multiple inquiries.

Consumer World has asked the National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs to take on this case because of the deceptive nature of the commercial.

Share this story:

 

ADV