Three for Thursday 01.06.2022
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
The sign read "Selected items always 50% off." First, it worked at one level because it caught my eye. But then I realized, there's no way to verify if those "selected items" are truly marked down. It's much like a jeweler's 50% off sale. It's meant to catch your eye, and appeal to the greed of believing someone is in distress and needs to unload inventory. The reality is people sell products at the point of equilibrium. The only time they take a loss is if the product has diminished in value, such as, a pool product in late September, or it's a relatively inexpensive loss leader to get you in the store. There are no gimmicks at TrustDALE, just value driven companies seeking value seeking consumers. Happy new year and thank you for being part of the TrustDALE community!
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation - Screened Porch. It is reasonable to wait more than a year for an expensive renovation to be made right? Watch, because this could happen to you!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from Scott, who wants to know if there's any relief from a phishing scam that masqueraded as his bank. This is important, please watch.
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is how to know if a deal is really a deal :
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? You are not likely getting a deal if someone requires 100% of your purchase price up front; especially if it's cash.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? So called deals, are often stripped-down versions of what you really need. You'll find that out too late.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. The more "one-sided" the deal looks to be in your favor, the more likely you're being set up for a disappearing act.
Define - Your deal by comparing Product, Offer and Price. This is your best opportunity to determine the value of the deal. Comparing it to competing products and services will help you determine its validity.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. The second most effective way to validate your "deal," is an effective guarantee in the event it doesn't deliver its promise.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. Bad deals often reveal themselves in social media. Check before your purchase!
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. Check for FTC orders against companies that routinely overpromise and under deliver.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS