Fine print , small print , or "mouseprint" are less prominent prints smaller than clearer and larger prints that accompany ads it or describe or partly describe a commercial product or service. The larger prints used together with the delicate prints by merchants often have the effect of tricking consumers into believing that the offer is more profitable than it really is, through legal technol- ogy that requires full disclosure of all (even unfavorable) terms or conditions, but does not specify how (size, typeface, coloring, etc.) of the disclosure. There is strong evidence that shows fine print is not read by the majority of consumers.
The fine writing might say the opposite of what the larger print says. For example, if larger prints say "pre-approved", fine print might say "subject to approval". Particularly in pharmaceutical advertisements, fine prints may accompany warning messages, but these messages are often neutralized by more eye-catching positive images and eye candy. Sometimes television advertisements print fine text with camouflage colors, and for very short periods of time, making it difficult or impossible for viewers to read.
The use of fine print is a common advertising technique in a particular niche, particularly a high margin-specific product or service that does not compete with that in the mainstream market. Such practices, for example, can be used to mislead consumers about the price or value of goods, or the nutritional content of a food product.
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Regulations state that, for advertised offers to be legal, the terms of the offer must be clear and conspicuous, not degraded to fine print.
Video Fine print
Controversial Aspects
Legal restrictions in the United States
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- The US FTC Rule states that unlawful or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce are unlawful. (15 USC Ã, §45 (a)) On the relevant part, they state that contingent terms and obligations of an offer must be clearly and prominently stipulated at the start of the offer, and that disclosure of the terms of the offer specified in the footnote from ads that references made by asterisks or other symbols placed beside the offer, are not considered making disclosure at the outset. (16 CFR 251,1)
Fine print is controversial because of its deceptive nature. The goal is to make consumers believe that the offer is really great. While the real truth about the offer is technically available to consumers in smaller prints - so it almost ensures a reasonable denial of fraudulent claims - often designed to be ignored. Unsuspecting customers, who can immediately see all the interesting aspects of the offer, will, because of natural impulsive behavior, time constraints, and/or personal needs, generally need not bother to learn warnings, but focus on the positive side of the deal.
Many offers, advertised in large prints, are only valid when certain conditions are met. In many cases, this condition is difficult or almost impossible to fulfill.
In many cases, the business states well that it has the right to change the terms of the contract at any time with little or no advance notice. This controversial practice is often seen in the banking and insurance industries. It is also widely misused in the use of statements and privacy policies. However, in early 2009, the federal case of Harris v. Blockbuster Inc. decided that this "unilateral modification clause" is illusory and, therefore, unworkable.
In some cases, sellers using this technique will engage in feed practices and switch. Customers will be notified when ready to purchase it for one reason or another, they will not qualify for the advertised offer, and will be forced into one of the higher prices (see Hard sell). Their reasons may be given including age, credit rating, size or location of residence, the type of vehicle he owns, the number of previous attempts he has made with the company, or various/he wants to buy. Often when this happens, the limitations that make him ineligible will apply to a large majority of consumers.
Very often, consumers, eager to get a product or service they have an urgent need or desire, or that they have been forced to earn, will sign their name on a binding contract. The court may find that the consumer will be liable to the terms of the contract, even if only expressed in fine print, and out of this provision may be expensive or impossible.
Some examples of how consumers are deceived are as follows:
- Credit cards, advertised at the 0% level in large prints, will offer this only for the introductory period for several months. After that, the exchange rate will be something like 19.95%, and can increase more because of the universal default.
- The contract may use a small print that may be unknowingly requiring customers or customers to pay the various costs not listed in the main price. Customers for, for example, mobile phone contracts may be bound by contract for a specified period of time, subject to large payouts for early termination. Tickets for air travel may exclude taxes, luggage fees, and other "extras" that can not be avoided. Some contracts - and sometimes services paid after the free trial period - automatically renew if they are not canceled at a specified time. Vacation can advertise attractive prices in large prints, with "per person, double occupancy" in lowercase. Words like "from" or "as low" may be less emphasized in bidding where more than the minimum amount is usually desirable.
- Items like cars can be advertised well below their market value in large prints, provided that, like military membership, or trade-in, are listed in lower case.
- Car workshops often advertise either with large coupons or signs outside their business for general maintenance and repair services, such as oil changes, tune-ups, and tires. These advertisements fail to mention factors that can increase the price, such as fees and add-ons for various services, the mechanic tells customers that more expensive repairs are needed or other vehicles may be more damaged, or the price for each individual section ( such as wheels), where the vehicle has several parts that all require services, and thus multiplies the cost by that amount. Many ads will also state in fine print "most cars", but the fact is, most cars, including car customers looking for services, will be excluded.
- Warranties: Guarantees for many products, such as cars, offered or sold with the promise that they will cover a large number of scenarios, if that happens, and often routine maintenance. But they are accompanied by fine print to exclude just about any improvements that may be required. Coverage for some routine maintenance can also be an attraction where a service center will intentionally damage a vehicle, unknown to its owner, thus forcing the owner to return for additional cost repairs in the future.
- Insurance policies: Particularly health and life insurance will exclude many scenarios in which people usually make claims. For example, life insurance usually will not cover suicide within a certain period of time after the policy is purchased, and homeowner insurance usually will not bear the burning.
- Rebates: Many products are advertised at a price that is printed in bulk. However, higher prices are printed above in a much smaller amount, and a large print price is only given after the rebate. Initially, the customer must pay the high price first. In order for rebates to be redeemed, the customer must then follow a series of instructions. In some cases, meeting all the requirements necessary to get a rebate may be difficult, and as a result, many rebates are rejected.
- Infomercial products: These come in various forms. Often, companies either load their sales with a lot of fine print, or simply do not comply with their promises (the latter is technically illegal, but many do not worry because the amount they make from ripping people usually makes up for the amount of fines they pay to the government ).
Maps Fine print
Smooth printing on TV and other video media
A common practice is to use fine prints in television commercials. In such cases, fine print is displayed at the bottom of the screen in ways not seen by many viewers, or displayed for a short time so that no one has time to read the entire paragraph without being artificial. means of stopping the commercial, ie recording or freezing the frame, as with a digital video recorder (DVR), to read it. Attention is drawn from this small part by a more interesting or large print description of the offer, which is not true.
Fine prints are often illegible, for example when TV pictures are noisy, low resolution, or vision is impaired. Banking offers have been featured on video billboards with roads not readable by passing drivers.
Verbal fine print
Some TV and radio ads are summed up by "fast talking", which is barely audible or understood in large part. While this is the message that states all required disclaimers and exceptions to the ad, it is often stated too soon for viewers or listeners to understand. These are often combined with pleasant background music and positive images, which in turn eliminate the consumer's focus on the disclaimer.
Fighting fine print
Many consumer advocates are actively lobbying for legislation to limit advertisers' rights to use good prints to hide the truth, and to extend the rights to consumers who are victims of fine print. Because of the free speech given to advertisers, passing the law in the United States has proved difficult.
Credit card
Consumer advocates have criticized the credit card industry for its increasing cruelty in practice, allowing banks to have unlimited rights to charge whatever they want, to rewrite the terms and conditions facing consumers at will, and not to be challenged by consumers in their practice. Consumers who initially obtained the card must have been drawn by a large print, accompanied by small printed pages likely to be read fully or understood. During the 1990s, two laws against such practices were dropped by the US Supreme Court, and these decisions are said to have opened the floodgates for more cruel practices.
Rebates
Some countries have considered laws that require resellers to provide rebates advertised to customers at the time of their unconditional purchase. This law has been widely opposed by corporations, and has not yet been authorized in any state, except Connecticut and Rhode Island, where they are only allowed if not advertised.
Banking
Ads by conventional banks are relatively highly regulated, requiring disclosures that are generally made, but appearing in lower case. In some cases, the minimum size of each small print is set, such as credit card/apps disclosure requirements Schumer box. One bank offers non-FDIC-insured CD yields 10% in nearly 3 letters? high, while small writing 1/16? high disclosed lack of insurance.
See also
- The teaser number
- Trojan horses (business)
- Privacy policy # Criticism
References
Further reading
- Sullivan, Missy (February 2012). "Attack of the Fine Print". SmartMoney .
External links
- mouseprint.org, collection of ads with fine print
- PBS Frontline - History of Credit Card Secrets
- Claim "healthy food" AOL
- Fine print tricks used by car dealers
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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