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Check Out The Small Print!
Ever signed a contract without reading the small print? Tried to
take stuff back only to find you can't because of a clause in
the small print? The obvious lesson here is - READ IT!
So what will contain
small print?
Apart from
the obvious like
contracts
– such as for mobile phones etc, small print can be found:
·
In
instructions
·
On
advertisements
·
On
the
Internet
·
On
special offers
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Where will I find it?
Well, it
often is
small
and tucked away but it will be there somewhere and
you should
read it.
On printed stuff, look at the
bottom of
the page.
Look out for
asterisks
(*) – when you see one against a word or phrase, it usually
means that somewhere there will be more information and
this is
often important.
On websites, look in the ‘Terms and Conditions’ (T&Cs).
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Read them
– they will help you use items you’ve bought safely and
correctly.
So What If I
Don’t?
If you don’t
read instructions or warnings:
-
The item
might be
dangerous
-
You
might
invalidate any guarantee
-
If you
break it through
misuse,
you won’t get your money back
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 Read them
– they will tell you
what you are
committed to,
what you can expect and what will happen if things go wrong.
They tell you about your
rights and
responsibilities.
READ
IT BEFORE SIGNING OR CLICKING ACCEPT.
So What If I Don’t
-
You may
not be able to cancel
if you change your mind
-
You
might find there are
extra
costs
e.g. delivery or fees
-
You
might have to
commit
for a minimum period
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Read them
– check
all
the conditions – what are they actually offering? What do you
have to do? Is there a closing date? Does the offer commit you
to buying anything else? Is it really a good deal? What about
price promises?
So What If I Don’t
-
You
might have to buy things you
didn’t
want
to get the offer –
is that
really a good deal?
-
You
might have to
commit
to buying regularly
– e.g. book or music clubs.
-
If you miss the closing date, you might have
spent
money you didn’t need to spend.
-
Are ‘free’ offers really free?
How much do you have to spend? What about postage costs?
Maybe you could buy the item cheaper!
-
Price Promises might only apply to your local store or for a
set time. They might not match Internet prices.
It’s too
late to find out after you have paid.
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Read them
– make sure you know
what you are
buying and who from.
Are there any asterisks leading to more information at the
bottom?
So What If I Don’t?
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Read them
–
terms and conditions count!
Who are you dealing with? Is the site secure for making
payments? What if you need to return goods?
So What If I Don’t?
-
Terms
and Conditions are important
– that bargain might not be so good if delivery charges are
high.
-
You
might
have to pay return costs
for goods if you change your mind – these can be high.
-
If you
don’t have an address or phone number for the company,
what do you do if things go wrong?
-
If the site isn’t secure when making payment,
someone
could get your details and steal your cash.
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So remember…
·
Small
print can be found on lots of different printed stuff and even
the Internet.
·
Always read the small print – it’s important! On websites, look
at the term and conditions.
·
Read
everything before signing something or clicking accept.
·
Check
all conditions on special offers.
·
Make
sure you have the name and address of the company you are buying
from.
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