I usually see adverts on TV purporting to sell cheap products. For example, you might see an advert for a sale in which products are selling almost at half price but with a refrain that terms and conditions apply. When one sends money for delivery of the same, you find that they have hidden charges which mean that the products were not that cheap after all.
That's the advertising bluff, they make up the money with shipping costs and taxes. In the UK they must include the taxes in the price stated as a general rule, so people are aware of the actual cost of things. That is one issue I have in the US, having to calculate taxes, and shipping costs to get a final price.
I had been a victim of that delivery charge which I had posted in another thread. There is a similar scheme now being employed by local online shops here (that I feel they put up the site for that scam). This is according to a high school friend that I had seen lately. It's just sad that she forgot the name of the site. The sale is a real sale of up to 90% discount. It's tempting, isn't it. But there is that claim of "as is" condition and the shop doesn't allow returns and exchanges. In fairness to the site, it clearly says that it is not a factory overrun but old stocks that may have slight damages. That word MAY can free the site from any complaints, I just don't know with the words SLIGHT.
That's why it is a must to read all the fine print before purchasing products, because for sure there will be some company that will want to take advantage of unsuspecting customers. If the deal is too good to be true then be wary of the company.
Some retailers even insist that terms and conditions are subject to change . . . Before buying something where they overly stress "the terms and conditions" then first thing I do is find out if those terms and conditions give the companies I'll be buying anything from give the retailers some wiggle room should what you buy from them be defective. If that's the case then I won't buy what they are selling no matter how cheap it is.
Most places do state that all terms and conditions are subject to change and advise you to check regularly. I do read them, or at least glance over them because some do have some specific terms. I have been battling with a company and followed their conditions and they initially refused a refund, but after 30 emails agreed that was their policy. They hoped I would give up until I quoted their own terms and conditions.
It is really hard to avoid being cheated one whether shopping online or offline. Once I bought some cloths from a store, it was on sale and list price was very low, almost half price. When the sales girl prepared me a check, I was like what the F***. The sales girl included value added task and the cloths cost me the normal price.
Well I bet we love hearing these words at the end of the ads. Of course I am being sarcastic but you just have to come to expect these things now. It makes sense when you think about it, you don't want to waste the ad space so you refer them on the particulars, but these days you get the companies who do it on purpose, to deceive. There is a line there, and I bet more people are crossing it now then they used to. Oh well, what can you do.
I have noticed this. I have even experienced it. In the advertisement they will say that the product costs this much and when you order that product then they will say that the delivery charges will be applied and the delivery charges sometimes is almost one third or half of the product cost.
