Consumer column moves to St. Pete Times business section

The Action consumer column that previously ran in the state section of The St. Petersburg Times, has been moved to the business section, writes Suzanne Palmer, who writes the column.

She wrote, “While the column is not a forum for editorial opinion, I have the opportunity to comment, based on my experience and the facts. However, when a consumer is angry about a real or perceived wrong and a business is trying to protect its reputation, it is often extremely difficult to get at the facts.

“That’s why you often see complaints and answers presented very directly: the consumer’s side and the business’. I believe readers are smart enough to draw their own conclusions when no resolution is obvious.

“While an inquiry by the press will often prompt a response when none was forthcoming to the reader, Action has no power to subpoena documents, compel sworn testimony or force a business to correct a wrong. That is the bailiwick of the legal system.

“Action will not pressure a business to cave in to unreasonable or unfounded complaints simply because the item may appear in the paper. I specifically counsel against it. There are times when a reader has just done a poor job as a consumer and wants Action to fix it.”

Read more here.Â