2 posts and columns on Schwark Satyavolu

New Loyalty Programs Crop Up That Will Give You Cash Back Directly in Your Bank Account

in Commerce on May 11, 2011 at 12:01 pm PT

New forms of loyalty programs are cropping up to eliminate the need to carry a plastic card for every grocery store, coffee shop and department store you go to. The debate is not over whether it will change, but which model will dominate in the future.

Voices

FCC Considers Ways to Simplify Cellphone Bills

in News on October 13, 2009 at 9:47 am PT

If consumer advocates get their way, deconstructing that monthly cellphone bill could become a lot easier. Comments are filing in to the Federal Communications Commission’s request for input on simplifying wireless bills. The deadline comes amid a thicket of consumer-focused fee news, from credit cards to overdraft fees. Consumer advocates are arguing for more transparency in billing, both when shopping around for plans and for existing mobile subscribers.