When you buy sheets, blankets or clothing made from “eco-friendly bamboo” you assume you’re getting what’s on the label – not fabric woven from rayon. But the Federal Trade Commission claims four national retailers did just that, even after they were warned to stop.

Last week, Amazon.com, Macy’s, Sears and Leon Max (which does business as Max Studio), agreed to pay civil penalties totaling $1.26 million to settle federal charges that they labeled and advertised textile products made of bamboo fibers that were actually rayon.

“When attempting to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers, companies need to ensure they don’t cross the line into misleading labeling and advertising,” said Charles Harwood, acting director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.  “If a textile is made of rayon, sellers need to say that, even if bamboo was used somewhere along the line in the production process.”

The varying penalty amounts, Sears and its Kmart subsidiaries ($475,000), Amazon ($455,000), Macy’s ($250,000), and Leon Max ($80,000), were based on the amount of items sold as well as how long the companies continued to sell mislabeled products after being warned to stop by the FTC in early 2010.

The four companies did not admit doing anything wrong. But under the settlement agreement they’ll be required to ensure that the labels and ads for the bamboo textiles they sell from now on accurately indicate their fiber content.  The FTC will monitor the firms to make sure this is done.

“We cooperated with the FTC in reaching this settlement in lieu of pursuing further litigation,” said Howard Riefs, a spokesperson for Sears Holdings Corp. in a statement to NBCNews.com. “We continue to take these regulations seriously.”

Amazon.com, Macy’s and Leon Max did not respond to our request for a comment.

The misconception about bamboo fiber
Fabric made from bamboo may not be as “green” as you think.

“There is no reason to go out of your way to buy bamboo fibers,” said Linda Greer, director of the Clean by Design program at the National Resources Defense Council. “While bamboo is environmentally friendly, it takes a lot of chemical processing to create those fibers. This undermines the redeeming natural qualities of bamboo.”

The FTC’s fact sheet on ‘Bamboo’ fabrics explains that there is “no evidence” to back up claims that rayon made from bamboo retains the antimicrobial properties of the bamboo plant. Even when bamboo is used to create the rayon, “no traits of the original plant are left in the finished product.”

More Information:

• FTC: News Release on settlement
• NRDC: Not All Bamboo is Created Equal

Herb Weisbaum is The ConsumerMan. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter or visit The ConsumerMan website.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is America's top businessman, at least according to Fortune's Magazine.

Bezos beat out Apple's Tim Cook, Comcast's Brian Roberts and Steve Burke, eBay's John Donahoe and Larry Page it the magazine's annual Businessperson of the Year issue.

He's a guy who took his love of books and turned it into an online empire, taking on the seemingly impervious retail book world.

Now try to find a Barne's and Noble today.

His latest move is the line of Kindles, sure to be on many a wishlist this holiday season. Can this e-reader cum tablet device trojan horse really compete with Apple and the iPad?

If his gamble pays off, it may cement his legacy as the man they call  "the ultimate disruptor." That name, by the way, which has also been applied to Apple founder Steve Jobs.

A big test will be how well the Kindle Fire HD does this Black Friday.

This morning TODAY's Matt Lauer talked to Bezos about his rise to the top of the business world, his predictions for the holiday shopping season, and who deserves to grace a very coveted slot on a TIME magazine cover.

"I'm very optimistic about this holiday selling season," said Bezos, who said Amazon is making 50,000 seasonal hires to keep up with the expected demand. "I think it will be our best shopping season ever. Knock on wood."

This year Walmart and Target are experimenting with same-day shipping. Order it by noon, and it's on your doorstep by that evening. Amazon can't do that.

"We've always been a hyper competitive industry," said Bezos. "That's good for customers, that's good for companies. Businesses force each other to evolve. We're ready."

Lauer asked, "Can you really compete in the area of coolness with Apple?"

Bezos replied, "I have a lot of admiration for Apple. We take a different approach. The Kindle Fire HD at $199 is a lot of technology into a small package. But we only break even. We hope to make money over time as people use the devices, buying mp3s, movies, and books."

"The Kindle Fire HD is our best-selling device ever," added Bezos.

Shifting gears, Lauer asked Bezos, "I'm really going to put you on the spot here. Who should be Time's 2012 Person of the Year be?" Bezos was honored with the title in 1999.

"I don't know, how about Matt Lauer?" said Bezos.

Pressed again by Lauer, Bezos said "It's an election year, Obama would be a good choice." 

The full list

It’s an odd twist for an employer to offer you tuition money for an education that will lead to a job with another company. But that’s just what Amazon.com has proposed to its employees.

This week, the online retail behemoth announced a new program that would give its full-time hourly employees a maximum of $2,000 a year toward tuition and textbooks. The one catch: workers can’t just decide to go to culinary school.

Amazon.com has chosen only certain fields that are in high demand based on government labor statistics such as engineering, information technology, mechanical and electrical trades, healthcare, construction, transportation, and accounting.

The types of jobs an employee could end up with are those that require technical and vocational training, not bachelors or master’s degrees, and go beyond the walls of Amazon.com including aircraft mechanics, dental hygienists, and nurses, the company said in a statement.

“At Amazon, we like to pioneer, we like to invent, and we're not willing to do things the normal way if we can figure out a better way,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com.. “It can be difficult in this economy to have the flexibility and financial resources to teach yourself new skills.”

Bezos statement, which was posted on the front of the site when customers go to the main page this week and includes a salutation to “Dear Customers”, acknowledged that some Amazon workers at its distribution facilities may want to remain with the company for the long haul, while others may be looking for other careers.

“Amazon wants to make it easier for employees to make that choice and pursue their aspirations,” the company stated.

It’s a kind gesture to employees for a company that came under fire last year for workplace conditions at one of its warehouses in Pennsylvania. 

The customer letter includes a line about how the company’s innovation “has driven improved reliability, accuracy, and speed of delivery, as well as productivity and safety.” Company spokesman Ty Rogers said Amazon’s recent move was not a response to last year's safety issues.

"A long-term, engaged, positive workforce is critical to delivering the high level of customer service that people expect from us," he noted.

No matter what the reason, some workforce development experts saw this as a smart management move.

“When I recommend tuition assistance programs to clients, I tell them you’re may be developing these people right out of your employ, and that’s okay,” said Susan Heathfield, About.com’s human resources expert. “You want the smartest, most developing people working for your company you can find. If you limit what you’re going to pay for in terms of career development you have disgruntled employees.”

She said the types of work that warehouse employees do is hard and many of those workers many not have longevity at Amazon as it is. “In a way,” she continued, Amazon is “investing in people to retain them but they love them enough to be thinking about what this person is going to do in their future.”

Clearly, it will go a long way in making some hourly workers feel better about their employer. Providing career opportunities is a key driver of employee engagement, according to a study released by human resources company Aon Hewitt last month.

One problem with Amazon’s offer is it may not be quite enough for some employees. According to Glassdoor.com warehouse hourly workers make about $12 an hour, and at that rate, saving for tuition today may be tough for some. While Amazon is offering $2,000 maximum a year to employees, the cost of a two-year aircraft mechanic’s degree can run anywhere from $8,000 to $30,000 depending on the school; and nursing two-year associates degrees from nearly $5,000 to over $20,000, according to Educaton.Costhelper.com.

“In many ways its just a gesture because it just not a lot of tuition. Many companies I know provide assistance that goes far beyond that,” Heathfield maintained. “But I’m not going to put Amazon down because I’m so happy to see this.”

“It’s a minimal contribution toward career development of people in jobs that don’t have career horizons,” she added.

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Warner Bros.

If you interviewed for a job as a customer service representative at one company you may be asked this question: "If you were in the movie 'The Wizard of Oz,' which character do you most relate with and why?"

“Why are manhole covers round?”

Most of us are prepared for standard job interview questions such as “What’s your biggest weakness?” and “Are you a people person?”

But what happens when you get hit with a bizarre and unexpected question from a hiring manager such as:

“How can I get to some gold in the middle of the Amazon in the cheapest way possible?”

This question was asked of a job seeker who interviewed for an associate project manager position at Google in Mountain View, Calif., and it’s No. 1 on the Top 10 list of oddball interview questions asked by hiring managers. The list — compiled by Glassdoor.com, a jobs website where people post their job-hunting experiences — was culled from thousands of questions submitted by job seekers this year. 

While unusual questions have always been part of the interviewing landscape, things have gotten increasingly weird in the employment trenches during the tough economy, said Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor’s career and workplace expert.

With more than 8 percent unemployment, some human resource professionals may think you guys are willing to put up with a lot.

Given that power seems to have shifted from the employee to the employer, Rueff said that some interviewers “take advantage of some people and there can be a little hazing that goes on. That’s not fair, but it is what it is.”

In many cases, he added, employers just want to see how creative you can be, and whether you can think on your feet and not get flustered by a curveball question.

His advice: “Put your best foot forward, roll with the punches and don’t get angry.”

He suggested talking out loud through complex and strange questions so a hiring manager can hear your thought process.

For example, if you’re asked, “Why are manhole covers round?” you should take a deep breath and think to yourself, “Why are they round?” Then, answer the question out loud in several parts if need be, such as: “They’re easier to move, or stake. And they could be round so they can’t fall through the hole.”

Bottom line, he stressed, you can’t prepare for such questions so don’t sweat them.

Or you can just write off hiring managers who ask such crazy questions, suggested communications consultant Mark Jeffries, author of "What's Up With Your Handshake?"

“If you’re asked how to get to a pot of gold in the middle of a jungle it’s time to say bye-bye,” he said, adding that employers are going through so many job candidates these days that they’ve “gone insane. Do you really want to work with a company that approaches employment like that?”

Here’s the rest of Glassdoor's Top10 oddball question list:

• “Tell me the restaurant where you dined last night?” – Ernst & Young consultant candidate (location n/a) 
• “Do you feel you had a normal childhood?” – Gentex mechanical engineer candidate (Zeeland, Mich.) 
• “If you can grow anything on a tree, what would it be?” – Red Frog Events event coordinator candidate (Chicago, Ill.) 
• “If you were in the movie 'The Wizard of Oz,' which character do you most relate with and why?” – National Contract Management Association customer service representative candidate (Ashburn, Va.) 
• “Would you rather be ranked No. 1 in the office and hated by everyone or No. 15 in the office but well-liked?” – ADP outside sales representative candidate (location n/a) 
• “If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you want to have with you?” – Cisco Human Resources manager candidate (location n/a) 
• “Jeff Bezos walks into your office and says you can have a million dollars to launch your best entrepreneurial idea. What is it?" – Amazon product development candidate (Seattle, Wash.) 
• “My clock is nine minutes slow every hour. At noon, it tells the correct time. After how many hours will it again tell the correct time?” – Bloomberg L.P. financial applications engineer candidate (New York, N.Y.) 
• “If you had five red balls that contained four red balls and those red balls contained the original five red balls, then how many sets of sets of balls would I take to have a double set of red balls of varying sizes inside each next largest red ball?” – Goldman Sachs investment banking vice president candidate (New York, N.Y.)

 Have you been asked an odd interview questions recently? If so, what was it?

Dave Hogan / Getty Images

English singer-songwriter Adele's "21" has not only proven to be one of Amazon's top sellers, it's among the best selling albums of the year.

By Charles B. Stockdale, 24/7 Wall St.

Amazon.com is the largest e-commerce retailer in the world. In the third quarter of this year the company’s net sales increased 44 percent to $10.88 billion, compared with $7.56 billion in the third quarter of 2010. This Black Friday, Amazon saw 50 percent more visitors than any other online retailer.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed 10 of Amazon’s bestselling items from the site’s most popular categories to identify the top holiday gifts for 2011.

Due to its size and reach, the site’s best-selling items are an ideal proxy for what is currently popular in the U.S. Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs bio is at the top of Amazon’s bestseller list, reflecting the nation’s fascination with Apple’s founder. The popularity of winter gloves that can be used to operate touch screens underscores Jobs’ lasting impact.

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The products on the list have all changed from last December’s most popular products. People are no longer buying the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 or George Bush’s "Decision Points" with the same enthusiasm they were one year ago. They have been replaced by the Kindle Fire and Isaacson’s  book. A lot has stayed the same, too. The bestselling video game has changed from last year’s Just Dance 2 for Nintendo Wii to Just Dance 3 for Nintendo Wii.

Amazon.com’s website is divided into 12 major categories: Books, Music & Movies, Digital Downloads, The Kindle, Computers & Office, Consumer Electronics, Home & Garden, Groceries & Health, Toys & Kids, Clothing & Shoes, Sports & Outdoor, Home Improvement & Tools, and Auto & Industrial. The “best sellers” listed are updated each hour, and the most popular items will often stay on the “Top 100” list by sales in their category for weeks. 24/7 Wall St. looked at 10 subcategories to identify the hottest gifts this holiday season.

1. "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson

•  Category: Books
•  Price: $17.49
•  Days in the top 100: 98
•  Company: Simon & Schuster

Jobs died on October 5, 2011. Isaacson’s book on the tech pioneer has been on Amazon’s top 100 bestselling books list since September. The book, based on nearly 50 interviews conducted over two years, reflects on the life of one of the greatest innovators of all time.

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2. Kindle Fire

•  Category: Electronics
•  Price: $199.00
•  Days in the top 100: 80
•  Company: Amazon

The Kindle Fire is shaping up to be one of the holiday’s hottest gifts. The tablet has been on the Amazon bestsellers list since its introduction approximately 11 weeks ago. The company recently reported that it is selling one million Kindles per week. According to a statement by Dave Limp, vice president of Amazon Kindle, “Kindle Fire sales increased week-over-week for each of the past three weeks.”

3. Just Dance 3

•  Category: Video Games
•  Price: $29.96
•  Days in the top 100: 85
•  Company: UBI Soft

In December of last year, Amazon’s top selling video game was Just Dance 2. This year it is Just Dance 3. The popularity of the Nintendo Wii game, where players sing and dance to hit pop songs, represents a major shift in the industry away from  role playing games and first-person shooters. The game also features a mode specifically for cardio training.

4. Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System

•  Category: Beauty
•  Price: $26.00
•  Days in the top 100: 371
•  Company: Olay

Olay’s Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System includes a face brush and exfoliating renewal cleanser. According to the company, the system “is as effective as a system sold by skin professionals for nearly $200.” Olay must be doing something right. The product has been on Amazon’s bestsellers list for 371 days.

5. "21" by Adele

•  Category: Music
•  Price: $9.99
•  Days in the top 100: 355
•  Company: Columbia

While CD sales have dropped dramatically in recent years, that has not prevented the English singer-songwriter from doing incredibly well in Amazon’s music department. Adele’s second album  has been in the Amazon top 100 for longer than any other album except for her debut album, "19." "21" has also topped Billboard’s year-end list of top-selling albums.

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6. Alex Toys Friends 4 Ever Bracelet Making Kit

•  Category: Toys
•  Price: $20.47
•  Days in the top 100: 759
•  Company: Alex

Replacing last year’s Scrabble Flash Cubes by Hasbro as Amazon’s bestselling toy is the Alex Toys Friends 4 Ever Bracelet Making Kit. The kit makes up to 22 “friendship bracelets” with floss and beads. The product’s 759 days on the bestselling toys list speaks to its popularity.

7. "The Help"

•  Category: Movies
•  Price: $16.99
•  Days in the top 100: 107
•  Company: Walt Disney Studios

Amazon’s list of bestselling movies is topped by the DVD copy of Tate Taylor’s adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestselling novel. It bests three different Harry Potter features, which occupy the second, third and fourth slots. The DVD’s success is not entirely surprising, considering how the film dominated the box office this summer. It remains to be seen whether it will remain a holiday favorite, compared to classics like "Star Wars" and "The Wizard of Oz," both of which also appear on Amazon’s bestsellers list.

8. Levi's Men’s 501 Jeans

•  Category: Clothing
•  Price: $39.99
•  Days in the top 100: 1,224
•  Company: Levi’s

Many shoppers go to Amazon.com to order their jeans. Levi’s Men’s 501 Jean has maintained its position on the Clothing top 100 for 1,224 days — the longest of any item on this list. Twenty-six different washes are available, in many more sizes than are available in most stores. Surprisingly, some comments on Amazon.com suggest that customers have turned to Amazon because their size was not available on Levis.com.

9. Heart Mother & Daughter Beads Charm

•  Category: Jewelry
•  Price: $9.99
•  Days in the top 100: 235
•  Company: Pugster

Amazon.com has a large selection of jewelry, most of which is affordably priced. Currently, the most popular item is the Heart Mother & Daughter Beads Charm. The charm is a two-piece heart. One side reads “Mother,” and the one which reads “Daughter.” It only costs $10. A number of other deals on Pugster products are listed on Amazon.

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10. Agloves Original Touch Screen Gloves

•  Category: Sports & Outdoors
•  Price: $19.99
•  Days in the top 100: 54
•  Company: Agloves

One of the worst times to have a touch screen phone has always been the winter. The gloves make it impossible to use the phone. Agloves has capitalized on this problem with the company’s “touch screen gloves,” also listed as iPhone gloves and texting gloves. According to the company, the gloves are compatible with “touch screen phones, cameras, multimedia devices, game systems, and eReaders.”