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There is time to buy things, and there is time to return things. There is time to read manual and there is time to call 1-800 number.
How do we deal with all these issues? How many times do we accept the unsatisfactory answer without putting up a fight? Quiet often we don’t know our rights, and the reps or salespeople are not in a hurry to provide us with a solution to a problem.
“Right now it’s just the best cheaters who are winning in business,” says consumer writer Bob Sullivan.
His book “Gotcha Capitalism: How Hidden Fees Rip You Off Every Day — and What You Can Do About It” … goes on sale Dec. 26. It bares a dirty laundry list of unfair contract provisions, punitive fees, unresponsive customer service reps and inadequate regulation.”
“Sullivan did a survey, and found that credit card companies are most likely to reverse charges after customers complain; the airlines were second. At the bottom of the list were cell phone companies and pay-TV firms, both of which Sullivan charges have “recipes for futility” — many petty fees and an unwillingness to reverse them in the face of complaints.”
Please, read this very informative article published by Reuters.com , where you can find a few preliminary advices.
Once you read an article you may want to buy the book How Hidden Fees Rip You Off Every Day at Amazon.
I think it’s always good to know your options in advance. Having a book, which could be the best present to yourself and a friend, might help on the long run.
We buy things and services not only during the holiday season, which brings in another point: save the paperwork until the matter is paid of and closed. If the purchases have warranties, keep the receipt and the manual in a place, where you can find it 8 months later.
As for the airlines, read the fine print on the tickets, bring the copy of the confirmation, your frequent traveler info, and any preceding mailings with you to the airport. Always have 1-800-NUMBER of the airline in question. If your flight is delayed and the line to the agent is humongous, call the airline from your cell phone: you may be able to resolve your problem faster.
While we are on the subject of knowing your rights, I would like to recommend one more book, which I already have, written by ABC’s Emmy award-winning consumer reporter Michael Finney.
The book is “Consumer Confidential: Money Saving Secrets They don’t Want you to Know and is available at www.Amazon.com .
Great book, priceless content. “Covering everything from buying cars, houses, and insurance, to travel, investing, credit cards and more”.
Keep in mind, that the book was published 3 years ago and some things may have changed. (Hopefully, to the better).
