Numerous federal and state laws offer consumer protection for US citizens. Purchasing a product or service entitles you to certain rights. And if you think that a manufacturer or service provider has willfully violated your rights as the consumer, you need to approach the matter in the right legal manner. Discussing the matter with a competent consumer protection attorney is the initial step in this direction.
Suppose there is an offer of a gift with a certain product. And you feel allured to buy it, first make sure that it is truly a ‘gift’. Well, for starters, the Federal Trade Commission has outlined certain standards with regard to the use of words like ‘free’, ‘bonus’ and ‘gift’ in the advertisement campaigns.
Only when certain conditions are adhered to can a business use these words in product advertisements. Here is a brief checklist of these conditions that need to be followed by the business.
• The terms and conditions as well as any obligations associated with the offer need to be mentioned clearly, so that there is no probability of misunderstanding. This includes all details of the receipt and retention procedure of the gift.
• If the consumer is required to buy a particular product in order to get the ‘free’ one, the price of the former should be equal to the lowest price that is charged recently for a particular period.
• In case of the launch of a new product at a specific price, the business may not offer something free if it wants to discontinue the offer later and sell the product at the same price as before.
If you feel that you have been misled by a similar advert, it is time to talk to a consumer protection attorney. He/she would be able to help you understand the legalities associated with the situation and the right place to file a complaint.