Mouse Print* – Page 264 – Exposing the strings and catches buried in the fine print.

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More Products Downsized

March 14, 2022December 6, 2010 by Edgar (aka MrConsumer)

Earlier this year, Tropicana downsized it half gallons of orange juice. They went from 64 ounces to 59 ounces, but the container appeared to remain the same size.

Just last month, Tropicana’s big competitor, Florida’s Natural followed suit:

*MOUSE PRINT:

The package is a barely noticeable 1/4″ shorter, but contains five ounces less than previously.

When asked by Mouse Print* why their product was downsized, the company responded:

“As I hope you are aware, our major competitors had all previously made the switch. Although we had tried to maintain the 64 ounce size, we were at a big cost disadvantage. Consumers still bought the lower ounce cartons of our competitors, so to remain viable in the juice business, we had to follow suit.

As a company owned by farmers, we understand offering value to our customers. We have no control over the retail price supermarkets charge for our product. With that in mind, we will offer our 59 ounce features at a lower promotional cost, compared to the features usually run on the 64 ounce product.”

Another item that was downsized and discovered earlier in the year was Ivory Dishwashing Liquid.

*MOUSE PRINT:

When asked why the change, P&G responded:

” I’m sorry to hear that you have noticed the downsize in our bottles of Ivory Dish Soap. In the Fall of 2009, Ivory downsized our bottles because our raw materials went up and instead of charging more to the stores to handle our products we changed the size of the bottles. “

Thanks to Paul P. for the photo. Incidentally, he says the price stayed the same at about $2.42.

Cheryl from Massachusetts submitted this picture of Pastene Wine Vinegar which was downsized from a full quart to just 25.4 ounces, but the new bottle was taller than the old one. She poured the new contents into the old bottle to demonstrate just how much vinegar was actually removed.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Lastly, Jerri Q. was dismayed to find her Hill Bros. coffee had been substantially downsized, while the price stayed the same.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Thanks to all the contributors who found these examples of downsized products.Â As we always say, downsizing is a sneaky way to pass on a price increase.

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3% Interest on Checking? Don’t Bank On It!

November 29, 2010 by Edgar (aka MrConsumer)

With so many bank accounts paying “bupkis” (almost nothing)Â according to comedian Jerry Stiller in Capital One commercials, this bank’s ad looked really promising.Â They pay an enticingÂ 3.01% interest on checking, and charge no fees at any ATM in the country.

What’s the catch?

*MOUSE PRINT:

Ah, if there were only one catch… but there are many buried in that ureadable footnote that appears to be printed in four point type.

— There is a limit of $25,000, higher amounts earn only 0.25%
— If you don’t follow all the rules/requirements, your rate drops to 0.25%
— You must make at 12 debit card transactions per month, not including ATM
— You must have direct deposit or have a recurring ACH transaction
— You must get your statement electronically
— You must access online banking at least once per month
— If you don’t follow the rules, you will not be reimbursed for ATM fees

All these requirements are likely to trip up all but the most diligent consumer, and willÂ result in an account that really pays “bupkis”.

Accounts like this are called rewards checking, and can be found at various banks around the country. Because the nature of these accounts is so different from the traditional checking accounts we are all used to, banks need to more clearly disclose the unique requirements in order to actuallyÂ receive the high rate of interest advertised.

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Turkeys Offering Free Turkeys

November 22, 2010 by Edgar (aka MrConsumer)

Wendy A. wrote to Mouse Print* saying she had just gotten an email from MyPoints promoting a free turkey at Office Depot. Not only did it seem odd to her that an office supply store was giving out turkeys, but she was even more taken aback when reading the fine print.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Besides requiring a $125 minimum purchase, it instantly became clear that one could not purchase a whole turkey for the measily $10 coupon that the company was actually offering. She says, “Why not just say “Get $10 off a Thanksgiving turkey?” We agree.

Free and discounted turkey promotions are more popular at supermarkets certainly, and Shaw’s in the northeast jumped on the free turkey bandwagon too. They just sent out emails with the subject line: “Enjoy a free turkey for Thanksgiving”.

It almost sounds like the supermarket is being benevolent and giving away free turkeys. But, there is that dreaded “see terms and conditions”.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Once you’ve spent $500 on eligible items, a coupon with a maximum value of $20 will automatically be printed on the bottom of your receipt.

A $500 purchase requirement [not necessarily all at one time] for a free turkey? That makes Office Depot seem generous, only requiring $125. At least at Shaw’s they realize that a turkey normally costs more than $10, so they are promising $20 worth of turkey AND fixings.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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