Consumer News: Are smart thermostats worth the cost? Research offers a qualified yes

From Scrub Daddy to Bombas and Ring, some of TV's biggest success stories offer surprising lessons for everyday shoppers

• Big business: Scrub Daddy has reportedly generated more than $2.9 billion in sales, while Bombas has surpassed $2.5 billion.

• Not every winner got a deal: Ring and Kodiak Cakes became major success stories despite leaving Shark Tank without an investment.

• Popularity doesn't guarantee value: Comparing alternatives, checking price histories, and avoiding unnecessary extras can help you save.

Who knew a smiling sponge could become a multibillion-dollar business? Or that a company selling socks could make billions while giving away millions of pairs?

A new Entertainment Weekly ranking looks at 20 of the biggest success stories from Shark Tank, including Scrub Daddy, Bombas, Ring, and Squatty Potty.

Some made their investors very rich, while others were rejected by the sharks but yet still went on to become household names.

But here's a question the TV show doesn't always answer: Are these products actually worth your money?

Let's look at seven popular Shark Tank success stories and the shopping lessons they offer.

1. Scrub Daddy: Don't pay extra for a famous face

The smiley-faced sponge has reportedly generated more than $2.9 billion in sales. Its big selling point? The material becomes firmer in cold water and softer in warm water.

Shopping tip: Before paying a premium, compare Scrub Daddy (and Scrub Mommy) with those ordinary scrub sponges. The handy holes in the sponge isnt a proprietary feature and many others have the same, making them easy to clean large utensils. The takeaway here is if you mainly need something to wipe down counters or do basic dish washing, a cheaper sponge will often do the job just fine.

2. Bombas: Think beyond the price tag

Bombas built a massive sock business around comfort and its buy-one, donate-one model.

The company has reportedly surpassed $2.5 billion in sales.

Shopping tip: Bombas socks aren't cheap, so don't assume the higher price means they'll last longer. Be sure to compare the materials, cushioning and warranty with less expensive brands.

Also, before buying a multipack, try a single pair to see whether the comfort and fit justify the extra cost of the bulk buy.

3. Ring: Watch out for the subscription

In what has become one of the biggest passes in Shark Tanks history, Ring's founder famously left the show without a deal. Then, in 2018, Amazon swooped in and bought the company for approximately $1 billion.

Today, video doorbells seem to be everywhere and come with many different features and price points.

Shopping tip: Don't look at just the price tag on the camera. The more important factor is to check whether you'll need a paid subscription for recorded video, extended storage, or any other features.

Run the math. A $100 doorbell with a hypothetical $5 monthly subscription costs $280 over three years, before taxes or other add-on expenses. Then take that number and compare it with competitors who offer local storage via a mini SD card with no subscription required.

4. Stasher Bags: Do the break-even math

These reusable silicone food-storage bags became successful enough that SC Johnson acquired the brand in 2019. They're designed to replace disposable plastic bags.

Shopping tip: Figure out how many uses it takes to recover the higher upfront cost. For example, a $12 reusable bag would need 120 uses to match the cost of disposable bags priced at 10 cents each. And remember, reusable doesn't automatically mean cheaper if you rarely use it.

5. Kodiak Cakes: Compare the nutrition label, not the hype

Kodiak Cakes became a major success even though the founders didn't accept a deal from the sharks.

As protein has become a popular trend in light of GLP-1 drugs, their protein-focused pancake mixes also gathered momentum and catapulted the brand.

Shopping tip: Compare protein, fiber, added sugar, and cost per serving with less expensive pancake mixes. Sometimes adding an egg or serving pancakes with Greek yogurt can help you meet your protein goals without paying extra for a specialty mix.

6. Squatty Potty: Try the inexpensive alternative first

The Squatty Potty is a footstool designed to make bathroom visits easier, and it became one of the show's most memorable products.

Shopping tip: Before buying a specialty bathroom stool, its smart to consider whether a sturdy, appropriately sized footstool could provide a similar position for you when youre sitting on the pot.

Just make sure it's stable and doesn't create a slipping hazard of any kind. You may not need a branded product to get the same basic functionality.

7. Drop Stop: Solve the problem without overspending

Drop Stop keeps phones, keys, and other belongings from disappearing between your car seats. The company has reportedly exceeded $100 million in cumulative sales.

Shopping tip: Instead of automatically buying the name-brand, compare it with universal seat-gap fillers that have flooded the market. Pay close attention to fit and whether they interfere with your seat belts or how your seats slide forward or backwards.

Its a fairly simple product that solves an everyday annoyance. And while it can be a worthwhile purchase, the famous brand isn't your only option.

One final warning: Beware of fake Shark Tank endorsements

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that scammers use fake Shark Tank endorsements to promote questionable products.

Before buying something advertised as "Shark-approved," verify that it actually appeared on the show and research the seller independently.

Fewer unwanted calls are getting through, but rising fraud losses and AI-powered impersonation are keeping consumers at risk

• Only 42% of phone companies have fully installed required technology designed to help stop fraudulent robocalls, according to a new analysis.

• Although scam and unwanted calls have declined, the average reported financial loss from successful phone and text has increased.

• Artificial intelligence is making it easier for scammers to impersonate trusted people and organizations, raising concerns about how consumers can protect their money.

Unwanted calls may be becoming slightly less common, but that doesn't mean consumers are out of the woods when it comes to phone .

A new report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund finds that many phone companies still haven't fully implemented technology designed to verify callers and help prevent fraudulent calls from reaching consumers.

The report, Ringing in Our Fears 2026, examines how well phone companies are following federal requirements intended to combat robocalls. Five years after those requirements began, fewer than half of registered phone companies have completely installed the necessary technology across their networks.

Scam losses are climbing despite fewer calls

The analysis found that 4,853 of the 11,467 phone companies registered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had fully implemented the required technology. The remaining 6,614 had not.

Among the 34 largest or most significant phone companies in the country, 20 had completed installation across their entire networks, 10 had installed the technology on only part of their networks, and four hadn't installed it at all.

There is some encouraging news: YouMail data cited in the report shows that scam and unwanted calls fell to about 2.1 billion per month in 2026, down from nearly 2.5 billion per month in 2025.

However, the financial consequences of successful have worsened. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data shows that consumers who reported losing money to phone in the first half of 2026 lost an average of $3,973 per incident, an increase of nearly 8% from the same period in 2025. Average reported losses from scam text messages reached $1,960, up about 35%.

The report points to increasingly convincing that use personal information and impersonate banks or government agencies. Artificial intelligence adds another concern by allowing scammers to mimic familiar voices through deepfake calls.

What this means for consumers

Phone number spoofing can make a scam call appear to come from a legitimate source, such as a bank, retailer, or local police department. When phone companies cannot properly verify callers, it becomes harder to identify fraudulent calls and potentially trace the people responsible.

Consumers should be cautious when an unexpected call or text asks for money or personal information, even if it appears to come from a trusted organization. A familiar caller ID or convincing voice isn't proof that a request is legitimate.

The report also highlights the need for continued action from phone companies, regulators, banks, and consumer advocates. While unwanted calls have declined, rising losses show that reducing call volume alone isn't enough. Better verification technology and greater awareness of increasingly sophisticated remain important parts of protecting consumers.

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The grocery chains holiday deal feeds eight while helping shoppers balance affordability and quality

• Wegmans is bringing back its Thanksgiving meal deal for less than $5 per person, with enough food to serve eight people.

• The package includes a frozen turkey, traditional side dishes, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie, with promotional pricing beginning November 8.

• A Wegmans survey found that 87% of customers planning to host Thanksgiving are concerned about food costs, while 72% say quality matters more than finding the lowest price.

Hosting Thanksgiving can mean juggling a long grocery list and a holiday budget at the same time. Wegmans is looking to make that task a little easier this year with a traditional Thanksgiving meal that costs less than $5 per person.

The grocery chain announced its 2026 holiday offering, promising enough food for eight people at a price that matches last year's meal. The deal comes as shoppers weigh the cost of holiday ingredients against their desire to serve a meal that feels special.

According to Wegmans, its recent customer survey found that 87% of respondents who plan to host Thanksgiving are worried about food and ingredient costs. Still, 72% said high quality is more important than simply finding the lowest price.

Thanksgiving is about gathering with family and friends around a meal that feels special and familiar, Tom Way, Wegmans senior vice president of merchandising, said in a news release.

Our customers want to make their holiday budgets go further without compromising on quality. By bringing together high-quality products at affordable Hot Zone prices, were making it easier to serve the Thanksgiving experience families look forward to for less than $5 per person.

What's included in the meal deal?

The Thanksgiving package covers many of the basics needed for a traditional holiday dinner.

Heres a look at whats included:

• Shady Brook Farms Frozen Turkey, 13 lbs.

• McCormick Brown Gravy Mix, 2 count

• Stove Top Stuffing Mix Twin Pack, 12 oz.

• Wegmans Yellow Onions, 2 lb. bag

• Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, 2 count

• Wegmans Chicken Stock, 1 count

• Wegmans Dinner Rolls, 1 count

• Wegmans Canned Corn, 2 count

• Wegmans Jellied Cranberry Sauce, 1 count

• Wegmans Cut Green Beans, 2 count

• Wegmans French Fried Onions, 1 count

• Wegmans Cream of Mushroom Soup, 2 count

• Wegmans Russet Potatoes, 5 lb. bag

• Yams, 3 lbs.

• Wegmans Macaroni & Cheese, 2 count

• Sara Lee Frozen Pumpkin Pie, 1 count

Wegmans says many of these items are included in its Hot Zone pricing program, which highlights value-priced products throughout its stores.

What shoppers should know before heading to the store

The promotional window runs from November 8 through November 28, 2026, while the frozen turkey promotion ends earlier, on November 22.

Prices are valid for in-store purchases while supplies last, and the exact cost per serving varies by market. The advertised price does not apply at Wegmans locations in Astor Place or Brooklyn, New York, or Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

For shoppers planning to host, the offer provides a starting point for budgeting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner without having to buy every ingredient at full price. It's also worth checking local store pricing and availability before shopping, particularly if the turkey is the first item on the list.

The deal won't necessarily cover every household's preferred menu, but it gives budget-conscious hosts a concrete option for putting a holiday meal on the table while keeping an eye on costs.

New research reveals how cashier experience connects to sales, management, food service, and other career paths

• Cashier experience can open doors: Monsters research identified connections between cashier jobs and positions in sales, management, customer service, and caregiving.

• Sales was the most common next step: Researchers recorded 2,268 transitions from cashier to sales representative, more than any other cashier-to-role pathway studied.

• A new job title isnt always a promotion: Workers moved between cashier positions and other roles in both directions, highlighting the importance of comparing pay, benefits, schedules, and other job conditions.

Working as a cashier may offer more career possibilities than some job seekers realize. Beyond handling transactions, the role can involve customer service, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills that may also be useful in other positions.

A new report from Monster examines how workers move between cashier jobs and other occupations, including sales, food service, management, and caregiving. The findings suggest that cashier experience can connect to a variety of career paths, although they dont establish that working as a cashier makes someone more likely to land a particular job.

The research also highlights how much a job title can leave out. Depending on their responsibilities, cashiers may gain experience recommending products, resolving customer complaints, managing inventory, or training coworkers. Those skills could help applicants demonstrate their qualifications when pursuing other opportunities.

"Cashier experience can involve much more than operating a register," Monster career expert Vicki Salemi said in a news release. "Job seekers should focus on communicating those capabilities, while employers should look beyond the title to understand what a candidate has actually done."

How Monster conducted its research

Monsters Workforce Mobility Report analyzed resume data covering 990,922 recorded position changes from January through July 2026. For this report, researchers focused on 370,509 transitions that ended in one of the 20 highest-volume destination job titles and involved a different recorded title before the change.

The analysis tracked changes in job titles, employers, and locations over time. Researchers counted a transition as a cross-title move when the previous and destination job titles differed, including cases in which similar occupations were recorded under different names.

The report ranked career pathways by the number of transitions observed. Importantly, it counted position changes rather than unique workers, meaning one person could contribute multiple transitions.

The analysis also didnt determine whether a move represented a promotion, a lateral change, or a step backward. Because the findings covered only selected destination roles, they shouldnt be generalized to every occupation or the entire U.S. workforce.

What the results mean for job seekers

The largest cashier-related pathway was a move into sales representative positions, with 2,268 recorded transitions. Another 1,715 transitions went from cashier to crew member, while 1,415 led to server positions. Researchers also recorded 1,329 moves into management roles and 985 into customer service representative positions.

These connections werent exclusively one-way. For example, Monster recorded 1,638 transitions from sales representative to cashier and 1,799 from crew member to cashier. That pattern shows workers also moved into cashier roles from other positions.

For consumers considering a career change, the findings offer a useful reminder to look beyond job titles. Cashier experience may be relevant to positions involving customer interactions, sales, teamwork, or fast-paced operations, but applicants should match their actual experience to each jobs requirements.

Its also worth comparing the details of a potential new role before making a move. Pay, benefits, hours, commute, workload, and advancement opportunities can all affect whether a job is a meaningful improvement. A different title alone doesnt guarantee a better fit.