Consumer Reports is spinning off sites from it's main site so that a subscriber to ConsumerReports.org may find they have to pay extra for certain Consumer Reports content - apparently in whatever category Consumer Reports decides to withhold.
I have been a subscriber to Consumer Reports online service, ConsumerReports.org because I like to compare products before I buy and make sure I am getting the best value for my money.in that regard, it has been moderately useful. I go to the site perhaps once a month and most of the recommendations I have tried to buy are for product models that are no longer available. I usually guess that the newer version of the older model inherits it's best qualities (but I know that's assuming a lot).
So the site has been moderately useful to me because it is cluttered with outdated product reviews.
But today I was looking for reviews of "weight loss programs". Consumer Reports HAS done a review so I log in to the site to read the report. As it turns out, "weight loss programs" fall into the "Health" category and thus are only available on "ConsumerReports.org/health", which I must subscribe to (and pay for) separately.
WTF? It's not even it's own domain name? Why do they want me to pay again for Consumer Reports content when I am already a subscriber to their site?
I can't remember if I was promised "health" information when I signed up but I know I was not told that it was separate. I just checked by following their signup process today and they sure make it seem like you are getting ALL their content when you subscribe. Thats bait and switch at worst and misrepresentation at best.
It seems like this is a strategy they are extending to other "categories". They have created separate sites for:
Health
Drugs - (separate from health)
Websites
Shopping for women
Car Prices
Car Best Deals
Green Choices
What's next? A separate subscription for Refrigerators and another for Freezers?
How much do they really think this information is worth? All together I was debating it's $6/month cost. Once I caught this sneaky ploy I unsubscribed immediately.
I want to warn those who would expect Consumer Reports to behave with more integrity that they are not. They are luring people in to subscribe to their famous "content" and then offering only certain slices of the pie.
Very very shady.
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