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OldGeek

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#261674 10-Dec-2019 11:11
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In recent years Consumer NZ has introduced new innovations that I still find to be a problem: "Consumer Trusted" and the "Donate" nag.  I raised this with Consumer and got the standard corporate response that did not address the detail of my objections.

 

 

 

Consumer Trusted is outlined here: https://www.consumer.org.nz/topics/about-consumer-trusted.  This is a new revenue stream for Consumer NZ (outlined in the FAQs).  In the world of constant independent product testing that Consumer inhabits, there can be no such thing as a trustworthy company, any more than the follow-on model of any product that performed well in Consumer tests can be trusted to be perform equally well or better.  Once Consumer allows a company to display the "Consumer Trusted" logo, if the company subsequently betrays that trust all Consumer can do is require the company to remove the "Consumer Trusted" logo.  For consumers, the absence of the once-displayed "Consumer Trusted" logo will probably go unnoticed and the consumer will continue to regard that company as 'Consumer Trusted'.  Consumer cannot, for example, require a company that has been stripped of its Consumer Trusted status to advertise that this has happened.  "Consumer Trusted" is simply a step too far for Consumer to be considered fully independent.

 

In recent times, Consumer web pages, even for logged-on subscribers, nags for a donation.  Subscribers have already paid - nagging them when using their subscription is similar to a wait-person expecting (rather than hoping for) a tip in NZ.

 

Am I the only one with these issues?





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ilovemusic
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  #2371585 10-Dec-2019 11:55
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i'm with you.

 

as soon as any consumer watch group accepts payment for their endorsement all objectivity goes out the window no matter what guff they spout about key prinicples and integrity.

 

bottom line is that they are making money from this.

 

they become no better than any other marketing organisation.

 

it's just more bs.

 

caveat emptor !

 

 




quickymart
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  #2371992 10-Dec-2019 19:56
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I used to subscribe to the paper magazine version of Consumer, but I found eventually it wasn't that great value for money. It cost a fair amount each year and I found that once I got it, I would read through the whole thing in a few days - whereas I could loan it from the library for nothing and have it for a week, which suited my situation better. I did find it quite interesting and informative though, back in the day. Today there are few more sources of that information online.


floydbloke
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  #2372165 11-Dec-2019 07:12
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ilovemusic:

 

...

 

as soon as any consumer watch group accepts payment for their endorsement all objectivity goes out the window no matter what guff they spout about key prinicples and integrity.

 

...

 

 

Agreed.

 

I feel a bit like this about the AA participating in a fuel discount loyalty scheme.  It doesn't sit quite right.





Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?




sbiddle
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  #2372170 11-Dec-2019 07:44
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floydbloke:

 

ilovemusic:

 

...

 

as soon as any consumer watch group accepts payment for their endorsement all objectivity goes out the window no matter what guff they spout about key prinicples and integrity.

 

...

 

 

Agreed.

 

I feel a bit like this about the AA participating in a fuel discount loyalty scheme.  It doesn't sit quite right.

 

 

And even worse AA profiting from AA Smartfuel by licensing their brand.

 

 


OldGeek

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  #2497050 2-Jun-2020 20:49
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Today my annual membership of Consumer expired (as I intended) for the reasons I gave in starting this thread.  I have raised these issues with Consumer both at the time I started this thread and yesterday in an email to the new CEO.  The response was the same on both occasions, although the CEO admitted in responding to me that 'Consumer Trusted' delivers licencing revenue to the Institute as I suspected.  Consumer consider the 'donate' nag to be OK for members (and non-members alike) and that 'Consumer Trusts' is awarded only to companies that demonstrate a long history of fair play to their customers (along with a willingness to pay to use that appellation).  This is a summary and does not address my concerns.  My belief is that (subscriber) members should not be nagged and Consumer should never endorse any company in any way.  So it is a goodbye from me to an old, but no longer trusted, friend.  





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frankv
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  #2497064 2-Jun-2020 21:31
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It's the usual story. Something good, particularly witha good reputation, gets monetized and exploited until it has no nett value.
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quickymart
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  #2497101 2-Jun-2020 22:57
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It's a small world. I've since remembered that used to work with the CEO (Jonathan) many, many years ago (at then-Telecom), back when he was still at Vic.


 
 
 

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Geektastic
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  #2497272 3-Jun-2020 10:24
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quickymart:

It's a small world. I've since remembered that used to work with the CEO (Jonathan) many, many years ago (at then-Telecom), back when he was still at Vic.



It’s certainly a small world. You’ll have noticed that the very same pool of people rotate on the Boards of large NZ companies!

“You haven’t been on Telecom for a while have you? You do that and X will take your place at Fonterra then Y can have a go at Air NZ for a change of scene. “





kotuku4
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  #2497298 3-Jun-2020 11:22
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An issue I had was that they only tested brands, models that suppliers were willing to submit.

 

Often a limited range of mid to high end stuff, that I was not interested in/out of my price range.

 

An example was a Local manufacturer was the best brand and product range, but did not appear at all in successive years.  Possibly due to cost for licencing Consumer trusted, and best/voted number one.   

 

Now if I want to research something I can subscribe for a week, and then quit.  Or use other sources of information, all taken with appropriate scepticism.

 

I noted once that another agency only offered platinum, gold, silver ratings.  Based on what the supplier was willing to pay for the rating/review. 





:)


surfisup1000
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  #2497308 3-Jun-2020 11:55
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How long will consumer magazine survive?   In fact, the entire magazine industry could go under.  Death by google and cheap Wordpress servers.


loceff13
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  #2497310 3-Jun-2020 12:05
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Geektastic:
quickymart:

 

It's a small world. I've since remembered that used to work with the CEO (Jonathan) many, many years ago (at then-Telecom), back when he was still at Vic.

 



It’s certainly a small world. You’ll have noticed that the very same pool of people rotate on the Boards of large NZ companies!

“You haven’t been on Telecom for a while have you? You do that and X will take your place at Fonterra then Y can have a go at Air NZ for a change of scene. “

 

 

 

It's a good thing really, fresh eyes that have talent constantly moving between boards. 


Geektastic
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  #2497319 3-Jun-2020 12:35
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Fresh eyes? Is that sarcasm?





OldGeek

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  #2497323 3-Jun-2020 12:39
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surfisup1000:

 

How long will consumer magazine survive?   In fact, the entire magazine industry could go under.  Death by google and cheap Wordpress servers.

 

 

The magazine has been dead for years.  I am surprised it is still printed.  The value in reading Consumer publications has long since gone into the website.





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quickymart
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  #2497331 3-Jun-2020 13:06
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Oh he wasn't on the board or anything back then, him and I were both answering phones :) he moved on to something bigger and (much) better though.


Bung
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  #2497368 3-Jun-2020 13:48
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kotuku4:

An issue I had was that they only tested brands, models that suppliers were willing to submit.


Often a limited range of mid to high end stuff, that I was not interested in/out of my price range.


An example was a Local manufacturer was the best brand and product range, but did not appear at all in successive years.  Possibly due to cost for licencing Consumer trusted, and best/voted number one.   


Now if I want to research something I can subscribe for a week, and then quit.  Or use other sources of information, all taken with appropriate scepticism.


I noted once that another agency only offered platinum, gold, silver ratings.  Based on what the supplier was willing to pay for the rating/review. 



AFAIK the test samples are purchased from random outlets not supplied by manufacturers. The range tested possibly relates to testing being shared with the Australian equivalent magazine Choice.

My issue is that test scores are like wof, just a reflection of performance on the day. Comment by members that the product has crappy reliability stays hidden in comments.

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