fine print là gì

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This article is about text in a small size. It is not to lớn be confused with fine press printing.

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Fine print, small print, or mouseprint is less noticeable print smaller than vãn the more obvious larger print it accompanies that advertises or otherwise describes or partially describes a commercial product or service.^[1] The larger print that is used in conjunction with fine print by the merchant often has the effect of deceiving the consumer into believing the offer is more advantageous than vãn it really is. This may satisfy a legal technicality which requires full disclosure of all (even unfavorable) terms or conditions, but does not specify the manner (size, typeface, coloring, etc.) of disclosure. There is strong evidence that suggests the fine print is not read by the majority of consumers.^[2]

Fine print may say the opposite of what the larger print says. For example, if the larger print says "pre-approved" the fine print might say "subject to lớn approval".^[3] Especially in pharmaceutical advertisements, fine print may accompany a warning message, but this message is often neutralized by the more eye-catching positive images and pleasant background music (eye candy). Sometimes television advertisements flash text fine print in camouflagic colors, and for brief periods of time, making it difficult or impossible for the viewer to lớn read.

The use of fine print is a common advertising technique in certain market niches, particularly those of high-margin specialty products or services uncompetitive with those in the mainstream market. The practice, for example, can be used to lớn mislead the consumer about an item's price or value, or the nutritional nội dung of a food product.^[4]

In the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations state that, for an advertised offer to lớn be lawful, the terms of the offer must be clear and conspicuous, not relegated to lớn fine print.^[5] US FTC regulations state that unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce are unlawful. (15 USC § 45 (a))^[6] In relevant part, they state that contingent conditions and obligations of an offer must be phối forth clearly and conspicuously at the outset of the offer, and that disclosure of the terms of the offer phối forth in a footnote of an advertisement to lớn which reference is made by an asterisk or other symbol placed next to lớn the offer, is not regarded as making disclosure at the outset. (16 CFR 251.1)^[5]

Controversial aspects[edit]

Fine print is controversial because of its deceptive nature. Its purpose is to lớn make the consumer believe that the offer is really great. Though the real truth about the offer is technically available to lớn the consumer in the smaller print of the advertisement—thus virtually ensuring plausible deniability from claims of fraud—it is often designed to lớn be overlooked. The unsuspecting customer, who can instantly see all the attractive aspects of the offer, will, due to lớn natural impulsive behavior, time constraints, and/or personal need, generally not bother to lớn learn the caveats, instead focusing on the positives of the khuyến mãi.^[3]

Many offers, advertised in large print, only apply when certain conditions are met. In many cases, these conditions are difficult or nearly impossible to lớn meet.

In many cases, the business states in fine print that it reserves the right to lớn modify the terms of the contract at any time with little to lớn no advance notice. This controversial practice is often seen in the banking and insurance industries.^{[citation needed]} It is also widely abused in terms of use statements and privacy policies. However, in early 2009, the federal case of Harris v. Blockbuster Inc. ruled that these "unilateral modification clauses" were illusory and, thus, unenforceable.^[7]

In some cases, the seller who uses this technique will engage in the practice of bait and switch. The customer will be told when ready to lớn purchase that for one reason or another, they will not be eligible for the advertised offer, and will be coerced into one that is higher priced (see Hard sell). Reasons they may be given include his/her age, race, religion, credit rating, size or location of residence, the type of vehicle s/he owns, the amount of prior business s/he has done with that company, or the variety of the item s/he wishes to lớn purchase. Often when this occurs, the limitations that render him/her ineligible will apply to lớn an overwhelming majority of consumers.

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Very frequently, consumers, eager to lớn obtain a product or service they have the dire need or wish for, or that they have been coerced into obtaining, will sign their names on a binding contract. A court may find the consumer to lớn be liable to lớn the terms of the contract, although stated only by the fine print, and an exit from these terms may be costly or impossible.

Some examples of how consumers are deceived are as follows:

• A credit thẻ, advertised with a 0% rate in large print, will offer this only for an introductory period of a few months. After that, the rate will switch, for example, to lớn a much higher rate of 19.95%, and may increase even more due to lớn universal mặc định.^[8]
• A contract may use small print that may pass unnoticed to lớn require a customer or subscriber to lớn pay various fees that are not stated in the headline price. A subscriber to lớn, for example, a cell phone contract may be bound to lớn the contract for a specified period, subject to lớn a large payment for early termination. Tickets for air travel may exclude taxes, luggage charges, and other unavoidable "extras". Some contracts—and sometimes services payable after a không tính tiền trial period—automatically renew if not cancelled by a specified time. A holiday may advertise an attractive price in large print, with "per person, double occupancy" in small print.^{[citation needed]} Words such as "from" or "as low as" may be under-emphasised in offers where more than vãn the minimum is usually wanted.^{[citation needed]}
• An item such as a xế hộp may be advertised at far below its market value in large print, with conditions, such as military membership, or a trade-in, listed in small print.^{[citation needed]}
• Auto repair shops frequently advertise either with coupons or large signs outside their businesses for common maintenance and repair services, such as oil changes, tune-ups, and tires. These ads fail to lớn mention factors that may raise that price, such as fees and add-ons for various services, mechanics telling customers more costly repairs are necessary or else the vehicle may be further damaged, or the price being for each individual part (such as a wheel), where the vehicle has several of that part all needing the service, and thereby multiplying the cost by that number. Many ads will also state in fine print "most cars," but in reality, most cars, including that of the customer seeking the service, will be excluded.^{[citation needed]}
• Warranties: The warranties for many products, such as automobiles, are offered or sold with the promise that they will cover a large number of scenarios, should they occur, and often routine maintenance. But they are accompanied by fine print to lớn exclude virtually all repairs that will likely be needed. The coverage for some routine maintenance may also be a lure in which the service center will intentionally damage the vehicle, unknown to lớn its owner, thereby forcing the owner to lớn return for additional costly repairs in the future.^{[citation needed]}
• Insurance policies: Particularly health and life insurance will exclude a good khuyến mãi of scenarios in which one would normally tệp tin a claim. For example, life insurance will not normally cover suicides within a specified time after the policy is bought, and homeowners' insurance will not normally cover arson.
• Rebates: Many products are advertised with a price printed in large numbers. However, a higher price is printed above in much smaller numbers, and the large-print price is only given after a rebate. Initially, the customer must first pay the high price. In order for the rebate to lớn be redeemed, the customer must then follow a phối of instructions. In some cases, meeting all the requirements necessary in order to lớn obtain the rebate may be difficult, and as a result, many rebates are denied.^[9]
• Infomercial products: These come in many forms. Often, companies either load their sales with a lot of fine print, or simply bởi not abide by their promises (the latter is technically illegal, but many are not worried because the amount they make from ripping people off usually makes up for the amount of fines they pay to lớn the government).
• Online Marketing Scheme: Many online marketers attracted consumers with không tính tiền trials and asked for their credit thẻ details to lớn manage the shipment of the products. However, FTC found out that they were using hidden charges to lớn take money from the customers without their approval.^[10]

Fine print on TV and other đoạn phim media[edit]

A common practice has been to lớn use fine print in advertising on television. In such a case, the fine print is displayed at the bottom of the screen in a manner where it is not noticeable to lớn many viewers, or is displayed for such a short time that no one has the time to lớn read the entire paragraph without an artificial means of stopping the commercial, i.e. record it or freeze frame it, such as with a digital đoạn phim recorder (DVR), in order to lớn read it. The attention is drawn away from this little section by the more eye-catching or large print mô tả tìm kiếm of the offer, which alone is untrue.

Fine print is often illegible, e.g., when a TV picture is noisy, low-resolution, or the viewer's sight is impaired. Banking offers have been displayed on đoạn phim billboards by highways that are unreadable by passing drivers.^{[11][better source needed]}

Verbal fine print[edit]

Some TV and radio commercials are concluded with "fast talking", which is barely audible or comprehensible to lớn most. While it is this very message that states all necessary disclaimers and exceptions to lớn the advertisement, it is often stated too fast for the viewer or listener to lớn comprehend. This is often coupled with pleasant background music and positive images, which in turn takes the consumer's focus off the disclaimer.

Fighting fine print[edit]

Many consumer advocates are active in lobbying for laws to lớn limit the rights of an advertiser to lớn use fine print to lớn hide the truth, and to lớn expand rights to lớn consumers who fall victim to lớn fine print. Due to lớn không tính tiền speech that is granted to lớn advertisers, passing such laws in the United States has proven to lớn be difficult.

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Credit cards[edit]

Consumer advocates have widely criticized the credit thẻ industry for its increasing ruthlessness in its practices, which allow the banks seemingly unlimited rights to lớn charge whatever fees they wish, to lớn rewrite the terms and conditions faced by the consumer at will, and to lớn not be challenged by the consumer in their practices. The consumer who initially obtained the thẻ was inevitably drawn by the large print, which was accompanied by pages of fine print few are likely to lớn read in full or to lớn understand. During the 1990s, two laws against such practices were overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, and these rulings are said to lớn have opened the floodgates for even more ruthless practices.^[12]

Rebates[edit]

Several states have considered laws that would require retailers to lớn provide advertised rebates to lớn customers at the time of the purchase with no strings attached.^[13] These laws have been widely opposed by corporations, and are yet to lớn have passed in any states, except Connecticut and Rhode Island, where they are only allowed if unadvertised.^[14]

Banking[edit]

Advertising by conventional banks is relatively highly regulated, requiring disclosures that generally are made, but appear in small print. In some cases, the minimum size of any small print is regulated, such as credit thẻ advertising/application Schumer box disclosure requirements. One ngân hàng offered non-FDIC-insured CDs yielding 10% in letters almost 3″ high, while the small print 1/16″ high disclosed the lack of insurance.^[15]

See also[edit]

• Teaser rate
• Trojan horse (business)
• Privacy policy#Criticism

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Sullivan, Missy (February 2012). "Attack of the Fine Print". SmartMoney.

External links[edit]

• mouseprint.org, a collection of ads with fine print
• PBS Frontline - The Secret History of the Credit Card
• AOL "health food" claims
• Fine print tricks used by xế hộp dealerships