Read the Fine Print

When you shop beware! Important buyer information may be lurking!

"Accepts no responsibility... Terms are for one year after which...
Use of this product is entirely... "Warranty does not include...
Valid only with the activation of... Company reserves the right..."

Often camouflaged in befuddling text are details explaining what you need to know, and if it was easily read and understood you might likely walk away. That is why it is disguised and made fuzzy.

Small, hard to read print with many confusing words and details are popular marketing strategies in advertising, agreements and contracts. Hiding important information from a prospective buyer can complete a sale where there would not be one, and it can save a company money when consumer dissatisfaction arises later. In short, this sly business practice is to increase profits, and in a nasty way.

Ignoring these areas of a contract or promotion can be a regrettable and costly experience for the shopper when the new purchase is not at all as expected or the warranty is void. Yet we so regularly do pass over reading the little words because it is just too difficult and time consuming.

This is yet another unfriendly and mean manner in which much of business is treating today's consumers. Fine print is appearing everywhere and is even standard practice in certain industries. Scammy marketing and foul treatment of customers is no longer a rarity. The dear valued customer has become the dear valuable scapegoat.

Again our governments are letting us down to the corporate advantage. So Consumer Beware!

Fine print is in print advertising, commercials, food package labels, information lists, customer contracts, and wherever there may be vital negative information to conceal. We should expect that if we do not read all or do not comprehend the transaction conditions, we will be helping the merchandiser sell us a regrettable purchase, increase their profit, or save them money after the sale is completed and complaints arise.

We have come to expect this business trickery in our everyday shopping and particularly with costlier transactions, but unfortunately we have become somewhat complacent when it comes to complaining. It is common for many consumers to accept and regret it, perhaps even feeling a bit embarrassed about getting trapped.

Or we may fume when we get stung because we didn't know all the facts as we have with a lot of other shady retail transactions. But business does not seem too concerned about this reaction anymore as its use continues freely amongst the competition.

We should always take the time to read the fine print in a contract, agreement or promotion carefully. If we can read and understand what they are saying it will be worthwhile. Unfortunately the specifics may be mind boggling and impossible to comprehend, or require a magnifying glass to read. Most of us just won't take the trouble to read this important information if it troublesome and annoying.

But beware - they know it, they planned it!

Fine print is sometimes so small that it simply cannot be read. The little text might also be in gray, the opposite of bold, and fuzzy to read, like conditions on the back of my credit card statement. The words, "IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT" are quite prominent. The gross account agreement is on two sides of legal size pages and printed in gray.

How obvious are their intentions?

Service contracts, credit agreements, insurance plans and 'too good to be true' ads should be carefully scrutinized, if possible. If these promotions and documents are not easily understood should a consumer go there if there is an alternative?

Some newspaper telecommunication advertisements have conditions at the bottom that are printed so small that it appears to be a joke. But nobody is laughing. The consumer would need to very carefully ask the right questions and hope to discover the traps before buying.

As long as business needs to sell to compete, and there are no strict guidelines to stop this type of marketing, expect that treatment of consumers will only worsen. When we get stung with inferior purchases or unexpected costs we simply lick our wounds, and do not complain. Because we do not complain fine print is common in business today and will likely be around for some time.

"Fine words and insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue." - Confucius