Amazon.com, Microsoft, Verizon Wireless and Southwest all make appearances on the annual customer service roundup. Were they naughty or nice this year? 
Consumer Reports has compiled its second annual “Naughty & Nice Holiday List,” which aims to reveal the best and worst shopping policies in the wild world of retail.
The list exposes both the cruelties and the kindness of some of the country’s top companies, including Amazon.com, Microsoft, Verizon Wireless and Southwest Airlines. Which companies’ backwards policies and fees deserve a lump of coal and which give consumers enough cheerful service to remain in their good graces?
Check out Consumer Reports’ full list, which gives all business owners great customer service guidelines to emulate (or avoid):
The Nice List:
Amazon.com: has mastered the art of wrapping by eliminating wasteful and hard-to-open packaging and empowers customers with the ability to share feedback with manufacturers.
Costco: Returns are rarely a problem for Costco shoppers and the chain offers free electronic tech support and automatically extends manufacturers’ original warrantees on TVs and computers to two years.
Microsoft: Unlike most computer retailers, Microsoft gives full refunds and reimbursement of shipping costs to dissatisfied software consumers.
Live Nation: The world’s largest (and most flexible) live-entertainment promoter gives customers three days to cancel a ticket order for a refund and allows them to upgrade seats after purchase if better seats become available.
REI: Whether customers buy REI products online or in a store, they can return them by mail or in a retail store at any time.
Orvis: is a purveyor of fishing and outdoor gear that gives online customers live chat assistance if they linger on a product for a length of time.
American Express: will provide cardholders with a full return (up to $300) if the original merchant will not within 90 days.
Bi-Lo supermarkets: is a Southern grocery chain that provides customers with a double-money-back guarantee on all returns.
Cablevision: gives subscribers who sign up for its Optimum Triple Play service free and discounted movie tickets, popcorn and soda.
Crutchfield: is an electronics seller that provides installation, setup and tech support as well as 24/7 troubleshooting for the life of products purchased.
The Naughty List:
Verizon Wireless: Consumer Reports says it caught Verizon breaking Federal Communications Commission regulations by not notifying customers who went over their monthly allotment of minutes, then trying to upsell them to more expensive plans.
Southwest Airlines: is still the only airline that won’t charge baggage fees for up to two checked bags, but it does charge $10 per flight for travelers to check in early and improve their chances of getting a better seat (seating on Southwest is always first-come, first-served).
American Apparel: For some reason, American Apparel gives online customers 45 days to return items for a full price refund, but in-store customers only get 30 days to receive a merchandise credit.
AirTran: strangely, this Orlando-based airline’s discounted coach and sale fares don’t include the price of a seat. Instead, AirTran charges poor travelers an extra $6 to $20 each way to select a seat when booking online.
Radio Shack: The fine print on Radio Shack’s website actually admits to (sometimes huge) discrepancies between online and in-store prices.
Liberty Travel: calls itself “America’s Vacation Expert” but offers seemingly great deals with a lot of small print exclusions and excessive fees.
The Swiss Colony: This mail-order food firm charges $2.99 to slap a mailing letter on a package in addition to charging customers for the dollar amount of their order, rather than the size and weight of their parcel.
SiriusXM satellite radio: Customers who wish to receive SiriusXM bills by mail and send a check must pay an extra $2 per month. To avoid the fee, subscribers must give Sirius their credit card information and agree to be billed electronically.
Game Stop: says it reserves the right to refuse any return and sticks to that promise with a lengthy list of conditions and rules for returns and exchanges.
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