CONSUMER CRUSADER | Consumers frequently rely on word of mouth to decide what businesses to use for anything from home remodeling and lawn care to having a piano tuned or a dog groomed.

Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List, has moved that concept online by creating a web site where locals can share recommendations or warnings about businesses.

“Collecting information from other people can be time consuming and people can’t necessarily amass lots of information,” she said. “On Angie’s List, consumers can tap into thousands in the area to see what companies are doing good work and who isn’t.”

Angie’s List started back in 1995 as a hotline and magazine, both of which are still part of the services.

The site recently launched its Bay Area edition and residents can sign up for a free yearlong membership. Users normally pay $5.95 per month to be members.

“People are willing to pay for trusted information,” she said.

Hicks says her site offers useful reviews, not just a series of rants. Members can only comment on a business once every six months. Business owners are not allowed to post reviews, but can respond to negative or inaccurate reviews.

SPOTLIGHT | Peet’s Coffee & Tea turns 41 today. To celebrate, the coffee-roaster is offering special anniversary blends of coffee and tea and of course, lots of anniversary merchandise. Check out your local Peet’s score and wish the Berkeley-born roaster a happy b-day!

CONSUMER CRUSADER | The San Francisco ban in plastic bags is an interesting coup for the environmental movement and I truly hope it helps some consumers change their behavior.

Ever since I wrote about this topic, I cringe everytime I look in my hallway closet and see my bin overflowing with plastic bags. I also cringe now when I use plastic bags as trash liners because I know that allow I’m reusing the bag, it’s going to end up in a landfill where it won’t break down for years.

I’m curious to see if this ban lasts and consumers will embrace it. Perhaps it will just cause a big headache for the grocers who are used to dolling out plastic bags.

RETAIL DETAIL | In case the price reductions at Ross Dress for Less aren’t deep enough for you, Ross Stores Inc., a champion of off-price goods, launched dd’s discounts two years ago to offer even cheaper merchandise than it’s Ross stores. Check out a story I wrote about their current expansion plans.

When I first heard of dd’s, I was skeptical. How could it be cheapter than Ross, a place I consider abundant in bargains. I ventured to a dd’s in Oakland and threw my skepticism out the window. dd’s had me at the $28.99 food processor I would have bought if it weren’t for the slow-moving long line at the registers and a fast-approaching deadline at work.

You won’t find Polo Sport socks or Calvin Klein stockings, but the housewares section definitely had great deals on items like mildew-resistant bath mats and stainless steel dish racks.

dd’s in the East Bay area:

7200 Bancroft Ave., Oakland
(510) 563-5112

561 Floresta Blvd., San Leandro
(510) 351-0110

3355 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo
(707) 553-1818

IT’S MY MONEY | I have been consumed all week with March Madness mania. That may sound surprising considering the only sport I really get is tennis. I have to admit, I don’t know much at all about major sports like basketball and football.

Nonetheless, I bought two tickets this morning to see the men’s basketball team of Vanderbilt (my alma mater–go Dores!) play in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Sacramento tomorrow.

It was a total splurge for me (I spent around $130), but I figured, when is the next time my alma mater will be playing in a city near me? (Vandy is in Nashville, Tenn.). I’ve never spent that kind of money on any other kind of entertainment or sports event.

As I have mentioned before,
I don’t like spending into three digits on single purchases. That starts pushing into the realm of plane ticket spending, which is where I like to do my splurging (if you could call a $200 ticket to Seattle to bond with my siblings a splurge). Perhaps I can justify this by telling myself it’s inflation or some form of trading up.

Hopefully, I won’t regret this decision later and I certainly hope we don’t lose! We are playing Washington State University, a school I detest because my brother went to rival University of Washington (sorry Cougs!).

DAILY DOLLARS | Gas prices have risen steeply in the past month. Read my story about it in today’s paper.

The article focused on how spikes in gas prices affect driving habits and the main consensus is that they don’t: most people drive the same distances even when prices are higher. The fact is, a 16 percent jump in prices is noticeable, but won’t make people change.

The difference, however, does take a bite out of consumers’ disposable incomes and that has some economists concerned as they a slowdown of retail sales.

A piece published by CNNmoney tells us:
Other industry watchers note that they’re worried about the recent uptick in gas prices which could squeeze discretionary spending.
“Consumption is under pressure and it won’t get better any time soon,” said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist with High Frequency Economics.

I have seen my weekly fill-ups rise from about $30 to $35 in the last month. That accounts to about an extra $20 a month on gas. That’s $20 I won’t spend on something else or won’t save. It may not seem like a lot, but if that happens to everyone who drives, the cumulative effect on the economy could be huge.

How much more are you spending on gas?

CONSUMER CRUSADER | The Whole Grains Council, a food issues advocacy group, has started urging consumers to ask for whole grains at restaurants to persuade those businesses to add some or more whole grain items to their menus.

I personally prefer whole grain breads and pastas, but besides that fact, I’m glad the WGC took this step because they are trying to empower consumers to take action. I’m the type of person who takes a moment to think anytime a server or cashier asks, “did you find everything okay?” or “did you find everything you were looking for?”

I have to admit that I once complained I didn’t find something I wanted to buy only to have the cashier tell me “that’s too bad,” but there was nothing she could do or anyone she could tell about my complaint. My response: then why did you ask? I guess cashiers are trained to ask those questions, but businesses should at least be prepared to do something with the responses.

So, if you like whole grains, ask away! Also, if you want a button like the one pictured above, let me know since I have two up for grabs.

RETAIL DETAIL | Peet’s Coffee and Tea chief Patrick O’Dea told me during an interview last week that the number one customer complaint the company hears is “I need a Peet’s store near me!”

I asked Contra Costa Times readers where they would like to see a Peet’s, especially in areas that have an existing store. I received dozens of responses. Here’s a sampling:

1. Pleasanton – residents here are tired or driving to Livermore, Dublin and San Ramon to get some Peets. Heck, even Castro Valley has one!

2. Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek – The downtown has a Peet’s on Locust, but avid shoppers would like to have one closer to the retail epicenter.

3. Brentwood – The city’s sole location is practically in Antioch, one reader tells me, and people on the other side of town want a more central store.

4. Hercules – There are none to be seen for miles!

What do you think?

STICKER SHOCK | I’ve received numerous responses to my article on shopping bags and how they contribute to a retailer’s image.

Part of the image issue nowadays is the green movement. Many consumers are concerned about the earth, but so far, most people still take their purchases home in one-use-only bags.

Here’s a sampling of some comments I received:

On paying for reusable bags: Why should the customer pay for an item used to pack and transport goods they’ve purchased? What’s next? Styrofoam, boxes, cans for food? Envelopes to be the lucky recipient of Direct Mail Advertising?

Instead, why not give the customer a discount–regardless how minimal–to encourage them to PROVIDE the necessary bag to stock their purchases?

From a reader named “Donna:” The “paper or plastic” choice can be downright silly in some cases. Paper bags are from trees and plastic bags don’t break down in the landfill.

For example, what good does it do to have the store’s canvas sack if when you get home you pull out the box of HEFTY HEFTY HEFTY garbage can liners and use those?

From “Lainey:” It infuriates me when I see so many plastic bags in a shopping cart. I have two large bags I crocheted from strips of plastic bags and never, ever forget to take them with me when I go food shopping. I must make another one for discount stores because I swear that the checkout people must have a quota of plastic bags that they must dispense before the end of their shift. I always ask please put everything in one bag and then the clerk says “Shall I double bag it?”

Stores also insist on wrapping each package of meat in more plastic at checkout. I know they are trained to do this, but unless the meat is bleeding I dont want that done. Also what’s with bagging bananas in a plastic bag?

RETAIL DETAIL | It’s amazing to me how some controversies perpetuate for years without any resolution such as the debate over paper or plastic. So, I decided to write a story about the topic.

Once I started thinking about shopping bags, I starting thinking about how much more they represent than packaging. They are symbols of a retailer’s brand and values.

Some retailers are brilliant at using bags for branding. A classic example is Bloomingdale’s line of “Brown bags.” They are basic, but easy to recognize and convey a sense of clever irony. There could be thousands of dollars worth of merchandise inside!

Writing the article also made me realize how easy it is to recycle plastic bags, which is not a perfect solution, but is better than throwing them away. I have a plastic crate full of plastic bags in one of my closets and yes, I do use them to line garbage cans, but I don’t use as many as I receive. I think the answer is not just reuse, renew, recycle, but don’t take them home in the first place.