Why you're addicted to your smartphone: CBC's Marketplace consumer cheat sheet

If you've been too busy this week to keep up with health and consumer news, CBC's Marketplace is here to help.

Plus: Sears shoppers feel 'duped' by sales and why it's hard to spend bitcoin

CBC News Posted: Nov 05, 2017 9:00 AM EST | Last Updated: November 5, 2017

We tracked a family's device usage over several months and reveal their staggering results in this week's Marketplace investigation. (CBC)

Miss something this week? Don't panic. CBC's Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.

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Sears shoppers feel 'duped' by sales

As liquidation sales continue at Sears, several customers are upset afteruncovering altered price tags.They suspect the prices were marked up to offset store-widediscounts that ranged from 20 to 40 per cent, something the retailer denies.

Elizabeth MacMillan felt deceived when she peeled off the sticker price of a T-shirt at Sears she wanted to buy for her son, and found a cheaper price underneath. (Submitted by Elizabeth MacMillan)

Families can't access stem cells

Parents are struggling to get hold of their children's potentially life-saving stem cellsamid concerns about the Toronto companythey've been paying to store the samples. "I've been calling every day. How do they know I don't need my sample?" one client asked.

Natasha Bitsakakis-Pack has both of her daughters' umbilical cord blood stored with the Cord Blood Bank of Canada. (Lisa Xing/CBC)

The trouble with bitcoin

Bitcoins have fulfilled certain currency-like functions. But,trying to price goods or services in bitcoins is tricky. For example, in 2010 one man reportedly spent 10,000 bitcoins equal to $82 million on two pizzas.

Would you pay the equivalent of $82 million for two pizzas? (Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)

How online reviews can backfire

One couple was taken to court by a contractor for a review they wrote, while an Ontario woman says she was dumped by her doctor after posting her views online. Go Public found Canada lags behind other countries inimplementing protection for peoplewho post online reviews.

This woman's doctor dumped her online after she posted a negative review about him on RateMDs.com. (CBC)

What else is going on?

TD's e-transfer issues.The bank says its payment system is back in service, but one customer says he'sstill waiting for thousands of dollars.

Are grocery stores price fixing bread?The Competition Bureauraided the officesof some Canadian grocers in a criminal probetied to an alleged scheme involving some packaged bread products.

This week in recalls:

Careful in the kitchen.These chicken strips and this salmon caviar have been recalled. Also,2.7 millionfire extinguishersin Canada have been recalled.

Heads up, parents:These children'sfleece pulloversandcoatshave both been recalled.

Marketplace needs your help!

We are looking for people curious about weight loss options. You should have a body mass index of at least 28 or over. If you're interested but don't know your BMI,you can calculate it here. If desired, you may choose to be anonymous for television.

Please contactTyana Grundig for more details:tyana.grundig@cbc.ca.

Addicted to your smartphone?

We went to California to talk to an app developer about how companies keep us hooked on our phones. We also tracked a family's device usage over several months and reveal their staggering results. You can watch the episode online.

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