These Are Some Of The Biggest Product Flops of 2011
- Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:16am by
Becket Adams
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A number of incredible new products were launched this year. Apple introduced the iPhone 4S—a phone with voice command — and Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner — a fuel efficient jet built of carbon composite — finally had its first commercial flight.
But not all products and services launched this year did well. Some failed miserably. In fact, some were so bad, it was awesome. 24/7 Wall St. looked at the biggest product launches of 2011 in order to identify the worst of the lot.
Products usually fail for two reasons: they are inferior versions of already successful products or they have little to no demand. Research In Motion’s PlayBook is the greatest example of the former. There was no room for a poorly designed tablet in a market dominated by the top shelf iPad and its inexpensive cousin Kindle Fire. The Playbook was widely panned. RIM publicly blamed its weak sales on competitive shifts in the tablet market, referring to the release of Kindle Fire.
Many companies also often fail to understand consumer sentiment and, as a result, do not accurately estimate demand for the product. When Netflix announced it would spin off its DVD-by-mail service in the form of a new service called Qwikster, customers were outraged.
This is what it looks like when 800,000 people break up with a company.
Nobody wanted the new site and nobody wanted to pay extra money for it. As a result, it failed before it even got off the ground. The Qwikster blunder ended up costing Netflix thousands of customers.
So while this article could focus on the new products of 2011 that did remarkably well as far as sales and customer reviews are concerned, the products that went beyond simple flop and became fantastic flops are way more interesting and worthy of derision.
1. Ashley Push-Up Triangle
Company: Abercrombie & Fitch
We deeply regret our decision to search for this item with Google image.
While no stranger to controversy, Abercrombie & Fitch seemed to have crossed a line this time. In March, 2011, the retailer unveiled its spring line for Abercrombie Kids, a division targeting children ages 8 to 14. Included in the line was the “Ashley” Push-Up Triangle, a bikini top with padding. The launch prompted a violent response from parent groups. Several child development experts also criticized the top because it sexualized young girls.
At first, Abercrombie tried to address the concerns by reclassifying the top as padded and saying it was not intended for very young girls.
“We’ve re-categorized the Ashley swimsuit as padded. We agree with those who say it is best ‘suited’ for girls age 12 and older,” the company stated on Facebook. But while the bottoms are still available, the bikini top is no longer featured on the company’s website.
Congratulations, Abercrombie & Fitch. This is your target demographic.
2. Qwikster
Company: Netflix
In September 2011, Netflix announced that it would be separating its online streaming service and its DVD mail service. Streaming was going to continue under the Netflix brand, while DVD-by-mail was going to operate under a new website called Qwikster. The change and the accompanying increase in prices outraged customers, leading the company to kill off Qwikster before it was even launched.
CEO Reed Hastings announced this decision in a blog post on the company’s website in which he began, “I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation.” The blog post was mobbed with more than 27,000 comments from angry customers. The ordeal cost the company approximately 800,000 customers.
Oh, yeah. They also didn’t count on a baked Elmo taking their Twitter handle.
3. Volt
Company: General Motors
GM was originally so excited about the Volt that the company had announced in January it was speeding up its roll-out by six months. However, by November the excitement had fizzled out.
“It’s naive to think that the world is going to switch tomorrow to EVs [electric vehicles],” Larry Nitz, GM’s executive director for vehicle electrification ,told Reuters.
Indeed, sales for the vehicle have been consistently low. Only 125 models were sold in July 2011. This was after GM spokeswoman Michelle Bunker was quoted as saying that the Volt was “virtually sold out” due to its popularity — a statement later shown to be “misguided” [Editor’s note: that’s the most polite term we could think of.]
Adding insult to injury, Chevy Volts are under investigation for fires involving the cars’ lithium-ion batteries. For concerned Volt owners, GM has offered free loaner cars.
Two products that failed to meet everyone’s expectations?
See other 2011 products that bombed horribly at 24/7 Wall St.





















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Comments (173)
nobull14
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:54amwhen ever the Government tells you what to build ???? like the volt you know its going to be a disaster !!!!
Report Post »SoulReaver
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:40amI really wish that people here would think for themselves. Just because Glenn says something does not mean that you guys need to be his parrots. I am a huge fan but not a parrot. Glenn is a millionaire many times over and most of you are not so maybe you need to really think about what you are agreeing to. Like herman cains 9-9-9 that GB loved would be terrible for the economy. but the GB parrots followed without question. Please do not be like the Ron Paulites and the cronies from infowars.
Give Gm kudos for trying to make an electric vehicle that is good but ahead of its time. They have made some good strides since letting go of that loser CEO with a $25 billion entitlement mentality.
Think for yourselves people what would have happened if Obummer did not bail out GM which by the way was a Bush idea, have you people even thought about the ramifications of not doing it. GM files for bankruptcy, along with Chrysler, at least 30% drop from already dismal sales because no one wants to buy a product that has a 5 year warranty when the company wont be there.
It took 3 bail outs but they finally got this one right, in the first 2 the automakers had no plans to do anything different flying their corporate jets to washington with their hands out again. At least congress and obummer made them do some work and come up with a plan to do something different
As a small business owner trying to get a loan I had to jump through hoops galore was nice to see them do the sam
Report Post »stone2016
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:17amTo sum up your post “Come on parrots, their intentions are pure so we can’t say their product sucks. Be thankful the goverment is there to save us and make sure everything works out in the end.”
Many things wrong with your post, but since I believe that Capitalism and markets work and Socialism/Communism with government demanded production leads to slavery, I’m a parrot, so explaining it to you does nothing but waste my time and yours.
Report Post »VRW Conspirator
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:34amwhat would have happened?? that is your question? what would have happened if Obama and Bush had not bailed out GM and Chrysler? BTW, Clinton did it too in the 90′s.
Report Post »Hmmm…lets just forget Beck for a minute and USE our brains, shall we? What happens when any company bleeds money? They go BANKRUPT and file for chapter 7, 11 or chapter 13 protections. They have to RE-ORGANIZE, cut costs, sell off needless entities, become more efficient, cancel contracts, pay people less or lay them off, and renegotiate BENEFIT packages and retirement settlements.
OH NO!!!
So what would have happened if both GM and Chrysler had done this? Notice that Ford walked away from the table with Congress, never really had to be there in the first place but Congress and Obama forced them to come with subpoenas. Why you ask? Because Ford has had over 5 Billion in CASH sitting in banks for the last 2 decades, which is why they could always restructure their debt and get new loans while GM had to run to Congress and the President. So GM would have had to BREAK up and SELL off factories and brands or close them down (oh but wait you say, THEY DID THAT ANYWAY WITH THE BAILOUTS) like Pontiac, Olds, etc. What else would have happened? The Stockholders and Bondholders would have been PAID FIRST!! and in FULL and the Unions would have gotten NOTHING!! as it should have been, instead the Unions (Obama’s money base) got FULL pay and the rest, like the Taxpayer, paid for it!
AngryK9
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:36amSo apparently you believe Glenn writes all of these articles himself? And the authors name is faked to cover his tracks?
Report Post »Dutchracer
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:40amSquawk!!!! All of Our Money taken from us to push something that no-one wants is epic failure!
Report Post »Squawk!!! Maybe GM should have listened to their costumer instead of BO!
Squawk!!! Kind of hard to do when all that money has strings attached to it!
Squawk!!! Doomed to fail from the start and failed it did Squawk!
Slayer
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:47amGlen told me not to listen to Soulreaver. So I won’t.
Report Post »ChevalierdeJohnstone
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:59amName the date when Beck said he supported 9-9-9?
Report Post »1proud_Texan
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:12amHere in Texas, we are threatened with rolling blackouts and at times have experienced the blackouts. How do electric cars benefit our electric grid?
Report Post »Cartooner
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:15amSeeing as how you’ve been suitably responded to, I’ll just keep my reply to one of your so-called points.
Report Post »“Give Gm kudos for trying to make an electric vehicle that is good but ahead of its time. ”
A golf cart is farther ahead than this lemon. Besides, it has to be charged by a generator using “fossil” fuel, more just for a particular car than an internal combustion engine would burn for the same mileage. The batteries use many trace metals, most only mined in China–why, being dependent on Chicoms is better than dependent on Middle east sheiks! The spent batteries are an ecological hazard…oh, maybe we could hide them under the solar farm collectors? Soulreaver wanna *******?
Ruler4You
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:17amI couldn’t agree more with your message, generally speaking. Every time GB opens his mouth he is asking, in fact begging, for more money.
There was a time when he had a good message. The message is the same, its just entirely commercialized. Same with O’Reilly. And forget the MSM. They have already gone over to the other side.
As usual, this will have to be done, if it gets done at all, by the average American who is informed and NOT a tool. GB has enough money. And his ego has multiplied many fold. Good for him. If either of those things were of any value any place but in the marketplace it would really be good. But they aren’t.
Commercial flops? Are you kidding me? This is news? I don’t care what failed. I barely care what succeeded any more. There are things FAR more important than this BUY, BUY, BUY mentality. If we have built an economy that is so fragile that without continuous buying it falls, then it should fall. It’s a false god.
Americans need to prepare and get into the fight to stop the islamization of America and take back our country!
Report Post »Browncoat359
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:25amThe bailout was a bad idea no matter which president or political party backed it. Electric vehicles are NOT practical,yet. There’s no reason not to continue to work to develop them but the crap that was put out there surrounding this ill-conceived notion that the Volt was somehow better than any other electric vehicle that had preceded it in the market was just that,crap.
I would like to think that by this point in time everyone understands just how environmentally destructive hybrids and EV’s are. A vehicle that causes more pollution to be created BEFORE it’s various parts are even assembled is not the kind of thing the world needs nore of.
By the way congratulations on not being a parrot of Glenn Beck’s words,although I hate to inform you that there is a certain resemblance between your comments and those of talking heads that sit on teh other side of aisle. I’m sure that somehow exempts YOU from parrot status though.
Report Post »FormerLib
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:28amHad GM been allowed to fail, what would have happened is what always happens. Remember American Motors? Or Hudson? Or Studebaker? All bankrupt, gone, kaput, their carcasses picked clean and absorbed by healthier companies. Such would have happened with GM had the union/government collusion to subsidize failure not been allowed to become as powerful as it has. Anyone with kids knows that if you keep bailing your kids out of their bad decisions, they never stop making them. CEOs of major corporations are no different.
It is perhaps then greatest of ironies that at then turn of the 20th century, there existed a failed horsedrawn carriage company, the Fisher Carriage Co., that went bankrupt and was bought out and reorganized into a company called General Motors. Perhaps the government should have kept Fisher going for a few more years, eh, keeping all those horse collar manufacturers in jobs? I mean, who needs things to fall by the wayside and clear the way for innovation?
And while we’re at it, the electric car is a stupid idea. Since we are not allowed by the proponents of them to build more coal, nuclear, or hydro power plants, we will be faced with a power shortage and rolling blackouts in California and Texas will be daily occurrences. Once millions of people start driving them, where will the electricity come from which to charge them? Magic fairy dust?
Report Post »Halloween
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:33amSOULREAVER
You are a Liberal !!! Go away now and sin no more!!! (don’t come back)
Report Post »thekuligs
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:34amIf I wanted to be accused of not using my brain, I’d go talk to a liberal. It seems to me that you have the same way of thinking, if I don’t agree with whatever half baked logic you want to use to rationalize your opinion I must not be using my head!
I’d love to hear when Glenn said he supported 9-9-9; all I can recall is him saying at least Cain HAD a plan which is something many of the candidates are lacking. Of course, that could just be you, free thinker that you are.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:07pmIt‘s not ahead of it’s time, it’s a piece of crap just like the rest of the electric cars. The only reason it was made is because the entire alternate fuel car manufacturing industry is completely subsidized by the government.
If a company was actually able to produce a viable electric car that was actually a vehicle rather than a message then people would buy it.
Report Post »Stu D. Baker-Hawk
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:13pmBECAUSE of the GM bailout and the unions fattening their wallets with taxpayer money is the reason I will NEVER buy or drive a GM product. If a company is unhealthy, LET THEM FAIL; in the long run our country will be better off and so will the consumer. Soulreaver, the cr@p you push comes right out of the mouth of your god Obama. Fool.
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:19pmHey soulmoron, all companies that were bailed out should have been allowed to fail. If they would have been allowed to do that, we would by now be on our way out of this mess, because the market would have filled the holes those companies left with companies that would not make the same mistakes. Here is an analogy for you. If you constantly bail out your kid when they make mistakes, they will never learn a darn thing, but if you let them make their mistakes and tell them to figure out where it went wrong, they learn something and don’t make the same mistake again. The same goes for companies, stupid decisions SHOULD NEVER BE BAILED OUT.
Report Post »akairey
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:30pm@soulreaver…..
Report Post »explain why this is the 2nd time the government had to bail out GM & Chrysler while FORD has yet to take a penny? I’m not a FORD driver, but principles are better than not having them.
fightinggranny
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:38pmYou’re on the wrong site. Please log onto Media Matters. Thank you. You want parrots, that is where they reside.
Report Post »PlowMan
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:38pmA couple of problems I have with your post sir. First what is wrong with Glenn being a millionaire several times over? I could be a millionaire but chose not to because I value my family and the future of my sir name. I want my kids to have me around, not off to some meeting because I value $ more than them. It is a personal choice, a choice I don‘t fault anyone for taking but it’s a choice all the same. Secondly, what would have happened if GM would have gone out of business? Have you heard of International Harvester? How about Allis-Chalmers? There are many more in the same category but just to give you a hint, these were two of the top three ag machinery manufactures in the US. They both went into receivership in about 1985 and then got bought out by another corporation. Allis was bought by a German company who had no clue what they were getting into. IH was bought by a company who already owned a competitor. Both companies changed hands at least one more time. But the moral of the story is, we still have equipment manufacturers who meet demand without government intervention. Guess what? The world did not fall apart and we have far superior companies as a result.
Report Post »vrodder
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:54pmYou do realize that BOTH GM and Chrysler filled for bankruptcy right????
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:08pmYeah guys, think what would have happened if GM had to declare bankruptcy. Most of their top brass would have been fired, and they would have been required to restructure to be a better, more efficient company…..or they would have dissolved into nothingness. GASP
Oh, but that would have opened a giant hole in the market for small companies to jump in with innovative and new ideas (something guys like Soulreaver say they believe in but don’t actually support with their behavior). It would have paved the way for the next great company to replace GM.
Report Post »dtsiouts
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:12pmSoulreaver, Glenn thinks for himself and evidently so do you. It‘s just that your take on the relationship between public and private sectors is 180 out from Glenn’s, and mine as well. Using market forces, if GM and Chrysler went under, which they would have done in a level playing field, the DEMAND for cars would not change. The supply would be adjusted to have a larger percentage mix of non GM/Chrysler nameplates to fill the void. After the free market adjustments, other car makers who were solvent and profitable, would pick up the manufacturing slack. New assembly line jobs would have been created to replace the defunct GM/Chrysler jobs and the level of auto industry employment and production would stabilize at or near pre GM/Chrysler failure levels. It’s simply supply and demand. Forget the nameplate issue. Business loans are hard to get for other reasons and I hope you succeed in getting the funding you need. GM and Chrysler proved over 30-40 years in declining sales and quality that they were not competitive. Ford apparently got the memo in time. The other two did not deserve a loan because they had a track record of failure and mismanagement. If you apply for a business loan with a dismal, sure to fail business plan, do you think any bank other than Fannie or Freddie will give you cash? They better not if they want to stay in business. I enthusiastically disagree that the Taxpayer should bail out ANY private company. Sorry, but we can agree to disagree.Merry X
Report Post »rochrealtor
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:34pm“Parrots” repeat only what they hear. Do you live and work in America? Mega companies have failed before. Does it matter which presidents’ decides it course, does it resolve the related issue? GM was saved for two reasons (politically motivated.), unions, and their unsustainable pensions. Would you agree, when GM became a good investment (after years of mismanagement), investors would have purchased this mega company at the bottom? Two things would have happened, reorganization, and immediate turn around. Today after several years, they continue to struggle. Alternative energy and GM need unshackle innovators. Americans will back profitable company’s that deliver a good products at a reasonable cost. We don’t want to carry them on our shoulders!
Report Post »Personally, I always supported Baseball, Apple pie, and Chevrolet, today, you couldn’t give me a Government Motors (GM) car.
You call us “parrots” because we watch and listen to Glenn Beck (apparently you do). Glenn is one of many we can choose from. Would you prefer we “parrots” get false GM advertising on TV commercials as our news source? Should we onlt receive our “factual” reporting from the Main stream Media, or should we “parrots” receive both sides of the story and make up our own minds? SQQACKKK…..!
LookTowardsTheLight
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:36pm@SoulReaver
Dude, what the hell is up with your Glenn Beck rant? First of all, this is an article about the biggest products flops of 2011 and has nothing to do with Beck except for the fact that it’s his website you are reading the story on. Second, everything you spewed is exactly what a NON-Beck fan would spew. True Beck fans already know to do our own research and not take what he says as the absolute truth SO WE DON’T NEED YOU telling us that. Hell, Mr. Beck says it himself.
God, Media Matters trolls need to get a life.
Report Post »rochrealtor
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:37pm“Parrots” repeat only what they hear. Do you live and work in America? Mega companies have failed before. Does it matter which presidents’ decides it course, does it resolve the related issue? GM was saved for two reasons (politically motivated.), unions, and their unsustainable pensions. Would you agree, when GM became a good investment (after years of mismanagement), investors would have purchased this mega company at the bottom? Two things would have happened, reorganization, and immediate turn around. Today after several years, they continue to struggle. Alternative energy and GM need unshackle innovators. Americans will back profitable company’s that deliver a good products at a reasonable cost. We don’t want to carry them on our shoulders!
Report Post »Personally, I always supported Baseball, Apple pie, and Chevrolet, today, you couldn’t give me a Government Motors (GM) car.
You call us “parrots” because we watch and listen to Glenn Beck (apparently you do). Glenn is one of many we can choose from. Would you prefer we “parrots” get false GM advertising on TV commercials as our source? Should we get our Factual reporting from the Main stream Media, or should we “parrots” receive both sides of the story and make up our own minds? SQQACKKK…..!
10-32inIdaho
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:40pmParrots? I think I may have heard the phrase “Do your own homework” maybe just a couple times. People are lazy and tend not to do it, but at least he says to. No other person has been as honest about how THEY feel about the conditions but that is the point. It is how he feels, then OMG asks each person to look into it. If there is something wrong with his ideas, he seems more than willing to have an adult discussion about it. Am I wrong?
Report Post »LookTowardsTheLight
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:41pm@Ruler4You
I have advice for you. Since you don’t like Beck, take your a$$ over to HuffPo or some other liberal website where it belongs. I don’t get dickweeds like you who spout off about GB and yet you frequent a website that is owned by him. Admit it, you have Beck Derangement Syndrome.
Report Post »KevINtampa
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:11pmGive them credit for making a car that primarily runs on coal and in a few cases nuclear power? No thanks. That would be like giving a car company credit for making a car that runs off our food supply. Both stupid ideas.
Why don’t you stop acting like a parrot and evangelizing for stupid ideas, like coal powered cars.
As far as the bailout, they could have declared bankruptcy and restructured. This would have allowed them to negotiate new contracts with affiliates and unions which ultimately they need to do anyway; instead, they’ll be due for yet another round of bailouts in the next couple of years, and unless another Progressive is elected, will require a bankruptcy restructure anyways. See the recent American Airlines bankruptcy restructure.
As far as Bush: Compassionate Conservative is keyword for Republican Progressive. Yes it was his idea too, as Progressives just love spending Federal Resources against a generation that hasn’t even been born yet. This ensures that your children, their children, and their children’s children are born into debt they never agreed to and have no choice in. In other words: NO LIBERTY from the very moment of conception.
So keep parroting that this car that runs on coal and no one wants is somehow better for the environment and is somehow good. I’ll be stocking up supplies and preparing for when people who actually think for themselves reclaim their Liberty and shake off the unconstitutional debts placed on them by their fore
Report Post »FireWolf
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:13pm“Give Gm kudos for trying to make an electric vehicle that is good but ahead of its time.”
WTF are you smoking?
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:16pmTo quote Bugs Bunny, “what a maroon”. GM finally got it right? The volt is a piece of CRAP. An overpriced piece of crap. One that has a tendency to have it’s battery catch on fire when in an accident. I would be surprised if the sold a single one if the government hadn’t so heavily subsidized this boondoggle. As for an all electric vehicle, what happens if you forget to plug it in at night or if during the night the power goes out at your home? What if you need to charge it and you are not near your home, you think someone will let you just plug into their outlets out of the goodness of their hearts? Let me guess, the answer is that that government, make that the taxpayer, needs to build thousands if not millions of charging stations to charge these things. And how long will you have to wait there for your vehicle to be charged? 12 hours? What happens if allot of people by these things, can the power grid handle the demand. Let answer that for you, “NO”.
Report Post »scheduler
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:38pmNot looking out for customers will not do a company good.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »ronin_6
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 3:39pmHad GM filed for bankruptcy it would have let them out of the crippling union contracts they have been forced to sign over the years. They would have reorganized, wiped away a lot of debt and moved forward sans the huge loan guranteed by Joe sixpack and Sally house coat. Bankruptcy would have been the best thing for them. Now they are owned predominantly by the US and Candaian govt. The Volt had all the right tech, it was just put togther poorly.
Report Post »betterthantv
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 5:13pmThere‘s so much wrong with you GM story I don’t even know where to start. You are correct that Bush got the ball rolling, but that’s about it. I do understand what would have happened if GM went belly up. Thousands of spoiled union workers would have flooded the unemployment lines. Cry me a river! Do you have any idea how bad bond holders got screwed in the bailout? And since when is it acceptable for our government to come in and just take over a private company? How can you not have a problem with that? This is America for Christ’s sake! Not Europe. While the old CEO may have been a bad one, we should all cringe at the fact that the GOVERNMENT came in and fired him. Imagine if you are a business owner and one day the government comes in and tells you “sorry dude, your fired. We’re3taking over.” How does that not cause massive outrage?
The Volt was a loser from the get go. You have to plug it in. What do you think fuels the power plants that homeowners are using to charge this stupid little car? COAL! Not very ‘green” now is it? How is anybody ok with $250,000 of subsides PER VEHICLE? If it can’t make it in the free market it has NO PLACE IN THE MARKET!
At least come to the party informed! Nobody around here is gonna let you slide with all your misinformation.
Report Post »lionB
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 5:15pmVRW conspirator is right!!!
Report Post »TEXASGRANNY73
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 5:29pmHi Glenn Hope you’re having a great Christmas. When are you going to change this commentary page more like Utube where comments go back to email address or as Ben Franklin did stop what has no application to upgrade this site. Read Ben’s autobio–he charged a fee for those intent on ruining his site (a clever man). Most on here joined on Sept 01 2010 and respond to each other as if it is their site–all thru Sept. Oct etc 2010. Redundant.
Report Post »metalurgy
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:08pmGM – Government Motors:
Who was bailed out by the taxpayers courtesy of Reid, Pelosi, Obama, paid zero taxes and dismantled the only profitable section of their company, the Satrun. Why did they cut off their nose to spite their face? No union. Robots that build cars don’t pay union dues to elect Democrats.
SoulReaver want a *******?
Report Post »Polly
freedommonger
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:24pmThink for ourselves? Parrots? Shall we reveal where you got this “unique” line of thought, Polly?
Report Post »lawrench
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:25pmLets look at history for a moment. Chrysler was in a similar situation in the 70‘s and 80’s, the government did not “BAIL” them out, but they did loan them some money, which Lee Ioccoca paid back. But then the Unions wanted more money, so they went on strike. The Big 3 was left having to pay outrageous wages and retirement benefits to those Unions. Then here comes the 2010′s when all of a sudden, those benefits have to be paid out. What we got was Government Ownership of those companies, and the actual investors lost millions of dollars that was owed to them. Who recieved most of the money from the bail-out? UNIONS! Who lost Billions on the deal? TAXPAYERS! If a company cannot compete in the open market, it should die. That is CAPITALISM! Just look at Blackberry’s touchpad, and compare it to Apples iPad. The product that the consumer wants wins out, everything else goes away.
Report Post »papakeithjenkins
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:59pmNot a Parrot – the Volt failed because it had/has a serious marketing error and a bad battery configuration, both of which could be fixed for very little – provided we can keep the government out of the deal. As far as BHO and Bush thinking up the bail out, I was against it then and I am against it now. If GM had gone through a bankruptcy in the courts they could have renegotiated all of their employment contracts, insurance packages, pensions and suppliers and by now be back on track WITHOUT a government take-over. And as anyone knows who has seen what happens when the government starts running something, prices go up and quality goes down, and all of a sudden the battery stalls out, burns down or explodes. Some of us are ready to take on the Volt in the marketplace, but not willing to accept any government involvement or union entanglements. Thank God for Texas. We may need to secede in order to save the union.
Report Post »Starkadder
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:32pmSoulreaver……why do you have a picture of Link as your avatar?
Report Post »Shouldn’t it be a picture of Raziel?
borderswill
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:34pmI wouldn’t say that nobody wanted to buy these cars because of a weak warranty. I’d say nobody wanted to buy GM or Chrysler because thier cars and trucks are JUNK!!! Nobody should have to lose a fuel pump/ fuel gauge after only 23K because of a known faulty connection that GM used from 96-04. Here’s a tip for those in the GM/ Chrysler inner sanctum. If you build crap, nobody will buy.
Report Post »NukeHaze
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:54pmSoulReaver,
GM did NOT get it right. Lithium Ion batteries are great where the environment allows them to cool under its heavy heat generation under rapid discharge and recharge. Had they been lead acid batteries, you would have had less than half the price tag and it would not cost 200,000 to taxpayers to produce each one. Wow, that totally turns the idea of profit upside down. Lead Acid are long established and no more dangerous to the environment than oil could be. Lead solder could have saved so much energy over the highly expensive and higher temperature requiring silver solder cost. Lithium Ion is great in -40 Farenheit for flashlights or low power consumption digital devices allowing them toun up to 8 times longer according to Energizer. Your GPS screen will freeze over but your batteries will still work. I made the reference here to solder because of Microsoft’s blunder of using environ“mentally” friendly solder and some engineer‘s bright idea to save energy too by turning down the heat in the manufacturing plant just a little bit because it did not take as much energy to make CPU and GPU ball grid array soldering connections using lead solder so we should obviously try it with the silver solder and then spend a billion dollars restoring Microsoft’s reputation after all of the game consoles soldered under this practice (where using lead solder would have been better electrically, electronically, energy wise, etc.) had to be repaired. One of many Envirofreak ba
Report Post »NukeHaze
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:34pmAnother thought on this… SoulReaver do you also believe the Patriot Bill to be Bush’s?
Biden is its true author. Or is that just me parroting my friend Glenn Beck? rhetorical
I do not have sympathy for the big 3 because I do buy in to the conspiracy of their trying and eventually succeeding in shutting down Tucker when he tried entering the field of automotives. He had a fine product that had some revolutionary ideas but he was not controlled by them. He was viewed as eccentric by them and not deemed controllable. He therefore had to be removed. He kept right on manufacturing and inventing, however. He was a success story despite being shut down literally on his day of triumph when backers withdrew in light of a court battle. The same court was invited outside to see the first and only 50 Tucker automobiles ever made in the parking lot proving he was authentic. Same guy could have been accused of many things that Howard Hughes was accused of minus the extreme OCD. 48 of those 50 Tuckers made in the 40′s are still roadworthy today the last I read. One of the 4 E’s. Entrepreneuership was something this man radiated and led with. Why then would these car companies not have thought competition would have been a good thing? They have rarely united in doing anything since then but I am glad to see that ethics in business at Ford at least appear to be important. I have owned from all 3. Problem I have is bailout, and the government now controlling and using OnStar w/o ove
Report Post »marklabelle
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 7:38amRe: SoulReaver – How long have you been a union boss?
Report Post »Scooder
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:19amThe Volt, 30 miles on a full charge, charge time 12 hours. I sure am glad we saved such a forward thinking company. They continue to ignore the consumer and still build junk. That’s my opinion.
Report Post »Ticklebee
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 12:56pmHey Soulreaver – where does electricity come from? Around here about half comes from coal, so the Volt runs on coal. In my opinion the fault lies in liberals’ inability to connect cause and effect. Throwing money on the fire makes it burn higher? Throw more money! I’m not saying let the fire burn. I‘m just saying you’re an idiot.
Report Post »Entropy_Happens
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 5:19pm“GM files for bankruptcy, along with Chrysler, at least 30% drop from already dismal sales because no one wants to buy a product that has a 5 year warranty when the company wont be there.”
That would be the same GM and Chrysler that, umm… declared bankruptcy anyway?!??
Report Post »Puppy
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 8:27pmThe photo of Obama sitting in the Volt reminds me…er, dare I say it? (Is the Volt the VW of our generation?)
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:37amThey’ve sold around 6,000 Chevy Volts – 6,000! There are many car dealerships that sell that many cars in one quarter (3 months), that this revolutionary product, set to re-invent the auto industry can only sell 6,000 cars nationwide is beyond embarassing, it is proof that politicians should get their noses out of the auto business.
On the upside, the per-car purchase subsidies have only cost us $42M ($7,000 x 6,000 units sold), but the investments in the battery makers, etc. assumed a much bigger sales volume, making their per-car subsidy cost much higher…
Report Post »HemiOwner
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:47amI‘m keepin’ my Challenger.
Report Post »Cartooner
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:18amAnd don’t forget, the federal government bought a fleet of ‘em, too!
Report Post »midnightvelvet
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 4:33pmGive ‘em awhile. Congress will have in place legistlation to force you to buy things like this. Volts and other electric deathtraps will be as ubiquitous as Trabants in the former GDR.
Report Post »BubbaT
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:33amPretty pathetic when even the Libs won’t buy into “Progressive” cars such as Volt and Fiat 500 but that’s no surprise. They don’t ever buy into the ******** they concoct. They just want everyone else to.
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:24pmHey that line chart could represent the declining ranks of the Consevoteapublican Party as well.
Report Post »FamilyVanMan
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:26amWhile bashing the Volt is fun, I find the AC&F push-up bra for girls the most disturbing. This is the same group that has steadily pushed toward the goal of adult men having legal sex with young boys (men and girls came later). They are getting pedophilia classified as a disease, not a crime, which will lead to saying its not really a disease. At the same time, you sexualize children. Girls are easier in our culture than boys, so you start there with products like this. Eventually, and we are hearing it increasingly from universities, you start saying children enjoy sex and benefit from it. The fact a major clothing manufacturer thought this was a good idea shows how pervasive that think is becoming.
Report Post »SoulReaver
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:46amFor Real these guys need to be shut down, but our government is too busy making sure commercials are not too loud.
These guys and MAMBLA need to be shut down, because their motto is if they are over 8 it is too late how sick is that.
Report Post »Bruce_Almty
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:37amAC&F should offer Gift Certificates for Breast Implants for flat fourteen year olds. Now there’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:15amSuch a perfect comment “Two products that failed to meet everyone’s expectations?”!!!
Ambercrombie and Fitch are the FLEA baggers shopping choice.
Netflix? Dropped them as fast as my typing could…..after several e-mails to “come back” I SPAM blocked them!
Volt? Cost me a 53% Tax Paying middle aged White guy over $200,000 dollars each and I still haven’t seen one!!!
ANYONE but Obama in 2012!!!
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:16amFLEA = Freeloading Liberals Encouraging Anarchy
Report Post »Oh, God!
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:28am@ CEMERIUS-I like that one, might have to borrow it, with your permission of course. :)
Report Post »bhelmet
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:00amFLEA – funny – that is bumper sticker material.
Report Post »BlackAce41
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:14amIf you think about it this way Chrysler has been doing better since Fiat took them away from the Government… GM not so well the Quality still sucks and explodes….
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:03amFact, in 1992 there were electric cars by GM. I personaly saw them at the old vehical emission testing facility at the old (now gone) Van Nuys facility. My hubby worked there. For a long time they were “papered” up so one could steal the design. As if anyone would. I believe the only ones sold were to munipalities on the left coast. They weren’t sleek looking, but I bet they sold more than the volt. GM always tries to have good will with Washington, it just never works out on the bottom line. People do not want this, how hard is that to get?
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:01amWhen Harry Reid spoke of Unicorns, maybe he was thinking about the Volt?
Report Post »C-C-C-C-COMBOBREAKER
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:51amWere any Volts bought by someone OTHER than a government employee? 6,000 sold this year…. All government ought and paid for….
Report Post »nichevo
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:55amI own one and, I must say, it is a great American car. What happened to pride in America at the Blaze? It is non-existent.
Report Post »str8blues
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:03am@nichevo My American Pride starts when a company makes something I actually like and who makes a profit on their own without having the American People have to buy out their company and push a worthless car on those of us who want POWER in our vehicles and STRENGTH in our TRUCKS. You sir…….are the 1% of 1%. Another puppet of the US Government useful idiot buyer program.
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:06amThe Volt has nothing to do with American Pride. It has alot to do with symbolism. The Volt represents a Government forcing it’s people in a direction nobody wants to travel, kind of like Socialism…
Report Post »FamilyVanMan
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:20amIf GM wanted to sell the Volt to the public, it would be a full-size pickup truck! Or 7 passenger crossover SUV. Its a freaking show piece like the EV1 before it. Even the Govt. sales are a farce. Compare Volt sales to V-8 Luxury Suburban sales to the Gov. After all, every official in DC needs at least 4 to go out to eat! The Volt, like the Beetle in Germany, is for the “people”. The Suburban, like the Mercedes Benz staff car, is for the “ruling class”.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:23am@ NICHEVO
If you live 40 miles or less from your work or shopping venues and your employer supplies charging stations for your car, then you are OK.
The problem with the Volt is limited range. It just isn’t for the average American who travels on a regular basis.
I’m sure you remember the ZIL, the USSR’s attempt at motor vehicles. Other governments have tried to produce cars for their populace, all were dismal failures except Volkswagen (ger: Folks Vagen) which was developed by the Hitler regeim but eventually gained worldwide support after WWII.
As for pride in American cars – - – BUY FORD and not either of the other GOVERNMENT MOTORS bailout creations. The Volt is a Obama mandated creation and like other government produced cars, it will soon be a museum relic (Batteries removed for fire saftey reasons).
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:37amAmerican pride starts with paychecks. You cannot make paychecks with losing products.
Report Post »SoulReaver
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:47amI agree with Nichevo on this one you guys are just against because GB says it THINK FOR YOURSELVES MAN
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:47amThe real moral obscenity here is that people who can not afford ANY new car, let alone a $40,000 car, and who struggle to pay their taxes, are picking up the $7500 tax credit that Volt buyers get. It is disgusting.
Report Post »If you want a Volt or a Leaf, or a Prius, etc., fine, but don’t confiscate my money to buy one, and then self-righteously tell me how pleased you are with yourself. It’s disgusting…
tamatt27
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:48amOk, Let’s face facts here. Obama has virtually NOTHING to do with the Volt. It was concieved in 2006 and put into product testing and developed before the general public even knew who Barack Obama was.
Report Post »I understand why everyone dislikes the fact that GM had to take a loan from the gov’t….believe me I’m there as well. If the gov’t would not have intervened…GM would have gone bankrupt and layed off a LOT of people, but they likely would have emerged a MUCH leaner company, without the unions (thanks Obama) owning the company.
That said, however….Obama had nothing to do with the Volt, as it was already designed, tested, and being built about the time he took office. Some of y’all need to step back from the kool-aid a bit and look at things a little more clearly.
im_a_free_man
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:49am@starman70,
Report Post »When will idi0ts stop posting things they know nothing about? The Chevy Volt has a 375 mile range on one tank of fuel. There are millions of gas stations where you can buy more fuel. To say the Volt only has a 40 mile range is a ridicules assertion.
PlowMan
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:52pmThe only way an electric vehicle will work is for there to be batteries that are already charged at the “gas” station so you can slide the discharged one out and slide a charged one in. That coupled with longer ranges will make them take off. This form of alternative fuel has the same problem that they all have, infrastructure. We need to settle on one and go with it. I personally think the way to go is propane. Clean, easy to handle and it’s domestic. Look up “propane auto fuel”
Report Post »rocker98
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:12pmYou want pride? Colt, Winchester, 1960‘s era Chevy’s, FORD, the freaking flag and pledge. Just because America makes it, doesn‘t mean it’s a good product. I show lots of pride for this country, but it does have it’s dolts. Most get jobs in the Federal Gov. The Volt has potential. But it needs more research and development, and RANGE. And, lets not forget the reason why the Fed is in on it. Because they are not cost efficient. The incentives are part of the bail out. By the way, good luck when it comes to battery replacement. And please tell us how much your electric bill has gone up. I’d like to know just how much it really costs to charge.
Report Post »10-32inIdaho
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:53pmThe VOLT is the new Pacer or Gremlin. Some people were very happy with their purchase but that doesn’t make it sustainable due to the FACT there is not enough market interest.
Report Post »ZeroOff4impact
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:46amOn the up side obummer did sell more guns than anyone ever in the History of man.
Report Post »pizzacorner
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:39amOnly a Anti-American POS would buy a new Chevy -Chrysler, I don’t care what kind of deal they give you.
Report Post »Miyegombo Bayartsogt
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:47amThe deal is for the Chevy Volt American taxpayers are giving drivers $250,000 subsidy for each vehicle and that has to be a good deal for somebody even if that means for everyone else it’s a government gang rape.
Report Post »dnewton
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:34amThis is simply the failure of group think to solve problems in spite of the warm fuzzy feeling that everyone in the group feels just before the ship hits the sand. The poster boys for this concept should be our own congress. We will socialize the cost using all of the rich people’s money seems to be the flawed concept of the decade. We don’t have to make sure a program or its duplicates work as long as it has any potential for getting us more votes later. Debt? What debt? We simply owe it to ourselves. Group think becomes toxic when it is encouraged by authority figures.
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:27amI saw a Volt actually being driven on the Pennsylvania turnpike………………Elvis was driving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »tobywil2
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:24amThe Chevy Volt could only be produced by the Cronyism Economy! http://commonsense21c.com/CRONYISM.html
Report Post »itsmyfirstday
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:15amThe Volt….the only car a government can buy…Netflix….dropped them like a hot potato…Abercrombie & Fitch who??
Report Post »Pro-Palin
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:13amBought a 96 ford 200,000 on it no payments this yr , gave my inlaws a pt cruiser 85,000 on it they are broke not becuase of policy so much as lack of thinking and treating their 46 yr old girl like a girl.
Report Post »I will NEVER again NEVER OWN A CHEVY or CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN !! SUC IT OB !!
pumpalope
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:31amWTF?…up your meds
Report Post »Barack Oburgundy
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:07amI see your WTF and definitely raise your meds….. There are some real issues there….lol. It has nothing to do with policy just that your just as crazy as they are…lmao!
Report Post »Joe Ski Bum
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:50pmWere not most of those sales to the federal government?
Report Post »Me neither.
10-32inIdaho
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:02pmIf somebody makes a stand, even if we don’t agree, based on their own principles why would you mock it. It seems there are way too many of those types anymore. If you think they are crazy don’t make the same choices. We need to stop the name calling. I would not purchase a new bailout vehicle either, but I wouldn’t buy new. I couldn’t afford it.
Report Post »rlhard
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:07amWhat no reference to Obama’s failed solar panel company, how ’bout all those great green energy jobs?
Report Post »Carter John
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 4:21pmWhich one of them?
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:04amA better way of using our POTUS in advertising would not be for the Chevy volt but for a antidepressant .
Report Post »Sumrknght
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:59amObama’s photo sitting in the Volt… Howard Dean and his girly scream… Dukakis riding in a tank.
The Volt even demonstrates Obama’s Presidency – nice and shiny on the outside – just waiting to start on fire… (Hope and Change promises to get elected… then every policy is a crash and burn for the country)
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:55amOnly 125 models were sold in July 2011. ………..good job Dumbo! you can pick them
Report Post »little big man
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:00amThe style ofthe Volt is nice, if Chevy dropped in a V6 it would be a nice ride with good MPG.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:15amThe volt had a 250,000.00 subsidy for each one made too. Communist General Motors did really well on them. They sold most of them to who??? The GOVERNENT!!! You and I picked up the price tag on both ends!
Time to return to the Constitution and stop this BS!
Report Post »Ron Paul 2012
Gonzo
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:21amObama himself is the biggest “product flop” of the last half century!
Report Post »Revere2
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:49amDitto !!
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:54amYou took the words right out of my mouth
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 11:06amYeah, well, the problem is that Obamabots have so much invested psychologically that they can’t back out of their commitment to the guy. I once heard someone say that Democrats were the worst case of Battered Wife Syndrome that the world has ever witnessed. Consider the weeping and wailing by the N. Koreans as a like example.
Report Post »isgau8
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:16amHey look! Two products that failed to meet everyone’s expectations!
Actually, both these “products” are performing exactly as I expected them to.
Report Post »Obama_Sham
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:46amI’m calling B$ on this article… Barry Soetoro is the biggest political flop that the left has ever or will ever produce… Even though they have a photo of him endorsing another product flop, his photo should be at the very top of the list…
Report Post »Your Name Here
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:14amBarry has already topped the list as the worst president in American history.
He is such a loser that they need to create a new category. They could give trophies for all that participated and call it the B.O. award. For added effect it would be dipped in Bo’s crap. (the dog’s, not the jackass’)
Time to go, I have to drop Obama off at the Oval Orifice. Flush twice, it’s a long way to Washington.
Report Post »Bill Burns
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:16amWhen Oborrow got behind the wheel the fate of the Volt was doomed.
Report Post »RuttRoh
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:33amHey look! Two products that failed to meet everyone’s expectations! – definitely the captioned photo of the year!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:04amYep, that is the perfect picture to illustrate that we need “hope and change”, and it isn’t the Volt or Barry.
Report Post »oldsoldier10
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:36amI am believe both of those products have the potential to burst into flames, one when it gets to hell.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:52amOne made by george soros, the other made by george soros’ other creation.
Guess we know who to thank for both!
RESTORING LOVE , July 26 27 28 , Dallas, TX
http://www.meetup.com/MercuryOneHQ
Do you GBTV?
Report Post »Paul -Indiana
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 7:21pm“Two products that failed to meet everyone’s expectations”. Not around here. I saw through the community organizer from day-1. The volt was better designed and vetted than BHO, but isn’t ready for prime time – by far.
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