Three for Thursday 02.18.2021
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Have you ever shifted from thinking "this is the stupidest thing I've ever done" to "this is going to be absolutely great!" I borrowed that line from the introduction to one of my favorite podcasts, The Tim Ferriss Show. Tim is a self-experimenter who deconstructs his guests' habits, skills and talent that make them or their product unique. I love the line because almost all great ideas vacillate between the first and second perspectives. Dreamers, inventors, and entrepreneurs spend a lot of time in this space. The next time you think of an idea like 360 degree rolling wheels on a suitcase, don't be too hard on yourself. Run it by a fellow creative before you share it with a cynic, and then call me. I'd like to feature your great idea for a product or service on TrustDALE!
Watch this Investigation
My gutters are not doing what I paid for them to do! Help!
Ask Dale
Today's Real Consumer Question is from Beth, who asks "Dale, I need to register my new car with the state, and when I searched on the web, I found a site where I have to pay in order to do it. Is this legit?"
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson on making certain a product delivers what it promises:
I bought a gutter topping device and it doesn't work! What did I do wrong, and what can I do? (From today's investigation).
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? You should be appropriately skeptical about companies that want full and immediate payment for a complicated product.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? If not, it's likely too good to be true.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money.
Define - Your deal by comparing Product, Offer and Price.It's easy to purchase a product that claims to perform better than the competition. This is why it's so important to compare what you need with what it does, and look for proof before you purchase.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. It's frustrating to discover your product doesn't perform or underperforms, only then to learn your guarantee doesn't cover the problem. Read and understand your guarantees!
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. Consumers who get "burned" by companies that don't deliver become fodder for internet complaint boards. Read those reviews before you buy!
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. Companies that intentionally don't deliver often become the target of lawsuits. Look for that history.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS