Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories

Gimme five … and I’ll write you a rave review

Here are the numbers we're reading and watching for Monday.

14 to 19

That’s the age of student that is being targeted by Michelle Obama’s program entitled Better Make Room, a new initiative geared toward getting students to think about college. More students are furthering their education after high school, but a sizable college access gap remains.

1,114

That’s how many people are being sued by Amazon for offering to write fake rave reviews for as little as $5. It’s part of the company’s crackdown on bogus reviews, which started with a similar lawsuit back in April. As ABC News writes, the accused were posting their offers on Fiverr.com, a freelance job marketplace.

$160

That’s how much Harry Paul and Alex Thompson paid for checking three bags on a Spirit Airlines flight. Whereas discount airlines may lure customers in with low prices, a new study shows that the add-on charges for things like baggage will ultimately deter fliers from choosing certain companies.