Don’t you get annoyed when you see something advertised as one thing, but then learn there is also a sneaky catch that changes the offer?
That’s what happened recently to Mark D. He told us about a TV commercial he had seen from Sleep Number — the adjustable bed company — offering zero-percent financing on certain mattresses.
The fine print that is very easy to miss has a surprise for purchasers who were expecting to pay no finance charges.
*MOUSE PRINT:
The company added a sneaky two-percent junk fee onto each monthly payment.
We’re celebrating April Fool’s Day a week early with a little bit of consumer humor.
Remember those old Federal Express commercials with actor John Moschitta rapid-talking his spiel?
Well, almost two decades later, he is not alone any longer. This time, however, even faster speed-talking is used to make important disclosures and disclaimers in a radio commercial for a Boston-based financial advisory service.
*MOUSE PRINT:
That was perfectly understandable, right?
We asked the company, Hackmann Wealth Partners, if those disclosures were required by certain regulations and whether they would make future ads more understandable. They did not respond.
Presumably the disclosures said something like what is stated in a footnote on their website:
Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Wealth Advisors, LLC (BWA), a registered investment advisor. BWA and HWP Inc, DBA Hackmann Wealth Partners, are independent of each other. Insurance products and services are not offered through BWA but are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents.
Radio listeners deserve to be able to hear and understand what these folks glossed over in their commercial.
Last week’s biggest consumer story was Wendy’s plan to introduce electronic menuboards in their restaurants that would allow them to implement “surge” pricing. In other words, to charge more during peak times.
Best we can tell this story was based on a financial presentation made to investors in early February during which the company’s CEO announced a $30-mil investment to deliver “significant restaurant margin expansion” by installing digital menuboards with “dynamic pricing & menu offerings:”
After a flood of news stories and negative consumer reaction to the prospect of having to pay more for the same food that was cheaper earlier in the day, Wendy’s issued a statement in its blog denying the plan.
*MOUSE PRINT:
To MrConsumer, the idea of a restaurant jacking-up its prices during peak times is just plain nasty. Will the items that are being surcharged be noted on the menuboard so customers know which ones they are?
And what about prices during off peak times? Will they be discounted below the current regular price? In other words, if a “Dave’s Single” burger is currently $4.99, will the peak price be, say, $5.99, but the off-peak price will be $3.99?
What do you think of the idea of a restaurant charging more during peak times?