The CDA Press Consumer Guy is opening up more opportunities for consumers in our area to share their experiences with each other. It's my new blog.

Not everyone is familiar with what a blog is and how it can be useful. A blog is “a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.” How might this benefit you? Not only can I update it daily, but you can talk back. How cool is that?

When I spot a scam, or maybe a business that deserves positive recognition, or maybe someone who's not happy with my writings, it can be posted for anyone to read. While the Consumer Guy column in the Coeur d'Alene Press will continue to be my main area of effort, the Consumer Guy blog will be there to provide support and information to consumers. It will also provide a way for consumers to “talk back.” The web address for the blog is: cdapressconsumerguy.com.  It's new and still has some rough spots but go ahead and use it. There is a place to sign up for a newsletter. I promise never to let anyone else borrow, use or otherwise have access to your email address. The only thing I would ask is please don't write a post that is libelous. That might get us both in trouble and hurt our collective credibility. I will review all submitted posts before putting them on our blog.

Now onto some interesting consumer-related problems. (When did problems become “issues”?)

Chickens come to mind. I was in a large chain supermarket looking for a non-frozen chicken. In the meat case there was a pile of good-looking candidates for my culinary musing. The sign in the middle of the pile read, “Sale 99¢/lb.” I picked up a chicken but just as I was putting it in my basket I glanced at the label. It read “$1.68/lb.”

My first thought was that this chicken was clearly mismarked or some careless consumer had picked it up from somewhere else and put it back down in the wrong place. Wrong! Upon closer inspection I noticed that the 99-cent sign was placed squarely in the middle of one pile of chickens. The chickens to the left of the sign were all marked 99 cents per pound and the chickens to the right of the sign $1.68 per pound.

I asked to speak to the meat department manager. He assured me that it was a mistake and that there was no intention to mislead or deceive shoppers. Unfortunately, I found the same deception being practiced the next two times I shopped that store. I took it up with the store manager. He was embarrassed and it hasn't happened since. I am not that meat manager's favorite shopper! This may seem relatively harmless but it clearly takes advantage of trusting consumers, careless consumers, and people like me with bad eyesight.

LESSON: Read the label carefully before putting anything in your basket.

I happen to be “mobility challenged,” for those of you who remember Chester from the old “Gunsmoke” TV show. Age, injury and a new hip have taken their toll on my ability to stand and walk for long periods. Recently I went shopping for large bales of “bathroom tissue,” paper towels and 50-pound sacks of dog food. I wouldn't want to mention any names of stores but you can probably guess where I was.

It's often difficult to get an electric cart to use there. Turns out according to the person in charge, our branch of this unnamed store is only authorized three carts. She was able to get “regional” to give the Coeur d'Alene branch four carts. Big whoop! It seems that the hundreds and hundreds of shoppers flooding that store per day might warrant a few more electric carts. This area is, after all, a well-known retirement community. We have a large number of disabled elderly, including disabled vets living in our community.

On this particular day I arrive at the front entrance to find one cart available and an elderly lady sitting on her walker/chair patiently waiting. I told her to go ahead and take the cart. She said she couldn't because staff of the store had “reserved” it for a man having a $1.50 hot dog and a soft drink in the food court. I had a discussion with the store director. She said that reserving carts was against store and corporate policy and that she would make sure all workers there would never do that again.

The lady in the walker/chair took the electric cart and drove off to do her shopping. The store director explained to me again that she had no control over what her regional office policies were regarding electric carts for those shoppers who need a little extra help. I gave her my contact info and asked her to have her higher-ups contact me. They haven't. My opinion is that this store, while in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, is nevertheless unfriendly to those with mobility problems. Most other stores in our area have policies and carts available, with the exception of one relatively new “employee-owned” store.

Be careful out there! Be a good consumer and appreciate your local merchants!

I have many more interesting cases that I'm working on as The CDA Press Consumer Guy. Call me, (208) 449-7222, email me at CDAPressConsumerGuy @gmail.com or fax me at (866) 362-9266. Also include your full name and a phone number. I am available to speak about consumerism to schools, and local and civic groups.

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Bill Brooks is the CDA Press Consumer Guy. He is an active Associate Real Estate Broker for Tomlinson-Sotheby's International Realty in Coeur d'Alene.