i get into work today and read this...and i'm reminded of that. see what i did there?

i'll say this: i doubt i'm the only one to have made that connection but why did it take the tradmed so long to put that together/publish it?

fees fees fees everywhere and not a drop to drink

i've held a citibank card for 12 years, since i was 18. it was my first credit card, my only credit card for about 8 of those years. it's not my back up card and we use it mainly for low interest rate balance transfers. the credit limit is insanely high which works well for those transfers.

earlier this week, i read an article on the new credit card reform law going into effect shortly. the article basically said, beware, the law kicks in soon and some issuers will make sure tho change your terms and conditions before then.

imagine my surprise, then (none), when citibank mails me a change in terms and conditions letter! they are going to start charging me an annual fee of $60, UNLESS i use their card for $2,400 in charges per year.

fuck them! mind you, i get no benefit from this card. it isn't an amex with points redeemable, etc (at least i don't think so, i don't use it enough to know) but even if it is, amex didn't just bend me over and give me an annual fee on my blue credit card.

here's the thing that infuriates me about the whole thing, it ain't like $60 a year is going to break the bank. it's my options, or the lack of them. when are my choices, really? bend over, grab my ankles, grit my teeth and bear it or cancel the card. im pissed enough to cancel and i will. i have until the end of my current card to pay off the balance (something like 16 months).

here's the rub: my credit is now going to take a hit. my FICO score will now reflect this canceled card and my overall credit available will go down so my percentage of used credit goes up. which, as i've constantly read is bad for the score. this is what pisses me off so much. the banks have a choice, we as consumers don't. the choice we have is to bear or take a credit hit. either one isn't a good choice. i wonder if fair isaac takes that into account when the calculate score. fuck sticks.

interaction

all the cool kids (brands) have an online presence, be in facebook, myspace or twits. they think, or least outwardly show, this makes them a great company with whom you can interact with.

here's the thing though: most of them don't have shit for customer support. they spend all this cash to look great online where lots of people interface with the brand. fine, and that's great. but similar to my mtg problems, when you actually CALL a fuckin' company to talk to somebody, they better know what the hell they're doing. in my opinion, interaction with a customer service rep can make or break a relationship with that brand.

here's my story: nixon. the verbal spouse and i have headphones from them. we've had problems with them so i fedexed them back to the company for repair/replacement, along with a key chain that needed a new screw. they held on to the merch for over a month w/o telling me anything about what the hell was going on, whether or not they headphones would be replaced, yada yada yada. i call, they apologize and say they will send my package out priority. two weeks go by, nothing. i call again. we're sorry sir, the gentlemen you spoke with didn't mention they were closed the day after i talked to him for a whole week! my shipment sat at their warehouse. awesome, it's on its way though. i get the package and THEY SENT ONE OF THE ITEMS INCORRECTLY. i got regular headphones, not speaker, iphone compatible headphones. what a mess. i call again, they apologize, AGAIN, and they say they'll send the correct ones out immediately. a week later and i still don't have anything.

the brand's great, i love their stuff and frankly, ive never had a problem with them before. this experience has been beyond a problem though. this is atrocious customer service! not informing me what was going on, holding the package for over a month, telling me it was going 'priority' but really not and then sending me the wrong stuff! not exactly the type of endearing help that makes me want to spend anymore money on nixon.