What's On Your Mind? Facebook, Just Flowers, J.C. Penney

What is Facebook's definition of a friend? It might not be what you assume. Most Facebook users get friend suggestions from Facebook all the time, but as Gwendolyn, of Rapid City, Mich., recently discovered, that doesn't mean Facebook really thinks you should be friends with them.

“Recently, I sent friend requests to about 10 or 15 of some 40 or 50 suggestions generated by Facebook itself,” Gwendolyn told ConsumerAffairs.com. “To my chagrin and surprise, i was warned by Facebook that I was engaging in trying to friend people i didn't know! And i was told that i needed to cancel these requests. So I did that. Now they are telling me that I must actually know them personally before being able to make a friend request!”

We can see how Gwendolyn might be confused. Maybe Facebook should get out of the business of trying to suggest friends for people.

Just Angry

Just Flowers has a very unhappy customer on its hands.

“I ordered flowers for my Aunt's funeral and what was delivered was embarrassing,” said Audrey, of Albuquerque, N.M. “My order totaled over $85. What was delivered was maybe $19.99. I could have done better at the local grocery store. I called them in tears thinking that it was the local florist that had shortchanged me, they refused to give me the name of the local florist. They then sent me an email stating the order had been 'filled to value.' I replied and sent them a picture of what was delivered and the picture of what I was under the impression I had ordered. They stopped responding to my email.

It's usually a good idea to deal directly with the florist that is going to make the delivery. That way, misunderstandings can be minimized.

Dangerous commercial

We continue to get complaints about J.C. Penney's TV commercial featuring screaming women. While most people simply find the ad annoying, David, a chaplain from Centerton, Ark., finds it dangerous.

“I have heard that this was aired at a hospital waiting room and affected those in the waiting room in a awful way emotionally,” David said. “This needs to be taken off the air immediately and if not, a suit needs to be filed against JC Penney. For now a boycott would hit them in the pocket and send a message until it is removed.

The commercial is promoting a new policy that goes into effect today. Perhaps now the commercial – and the screaming – will stop.