Help us help you
Here at Consuming Interests, we get help from all our colleagues and you, dear readers, to share good consumer tips, advice and warnings to our small (but growing) and very savvy shopper community.
Jerry's Gems comes courtesy of PhotogPhenom and Bargain Hunter Jerry who sits a few desks away from me. Retail Dynamo Andrea Walker tells us about sales around town. Reader Jane recently told us about what a headache it can be to request a credit freeze. Financial Sage Eileen Ambrose tells you often about how to save wisely and care for your nest egg. Reader Bob and Reader Sean recently told us where we can find biodegrable poop bags.
Where else, I ask you, are you going to find oddly entertaining and useful advice like that? Well, I've mentioned her a few times in this blog already, but our Uber Consumer Reporter Liz has brought us a really delightful story today about the wonderful volunteers at the Office of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
These men and women do what I do (help resolve consumer complaints and answer consumer questions) on an entirely different level that's wider in scope and far more authoritative. Really. This is the office I call when I'm confused about consumer rights. The groovy thing about the volunteers is that they do it for the love of helping others and they really know what they're talking about since some of them have been there for decades now.
As an extra to Liz's story, she says the volunteer mediators and paid staff had some advice to share with us:
"I keep careful records and keep all invoices so I can prove what I did," said Bill Oberfelder of Pikesville, who has volunteered for more than six years. Used cars are the biggest problem, he added. "If you don't know what the problem is before you buy it, you've bought the problem," he said.
Lutherville resident Irv Ehudin said, "I know now that once you make a purchase, with very few exceptions, you can't cancel." Despite what some people may think, most contracts can't be canceled within three days - especially not for cars, new or used.
"I'm basically a better consumer," said Evelyn Harris of Crofton, paraphrasing Samuel Goldwyn: "A verbal contract is as good as the paper it's written on." She also warned consumers to read the details of any rebate offers before making a purchase based on any potential savings, to make sure they're willing to do everything necessary to qualify. One chain of tire retailers offered a rebate for a fourth tire when purchasing three - but only if the customer also bought some sort of extended warranty.
"We keep trying to encourage consumers, before you rush out to get the newest gadget, make sure you understand how a lot of new technology works," said Assistant Attorney General Rebecca Bowman. "Contracts can be extremely complicated." Bowman said you should ask questions, including where a salesperson's claims are listed in the written contract - and how to get out of the contract if you decide it's not for you. She added, "Consumers really need to be pro-active and understand everything they're getting involved in."
The bottom line shouldn't be the only factor a consumer should consider, either. "Price isn't the only thing. You're paying for service, knowledge," said Stan Greenebaumµ of Pikesville.
Friends and neighbors can be good advisers, said Booker McManus of Severna Park, who became a volunteer a decade ago. "If you know someone familiar with what you're trying to purchase, don't be afraid to ask," he said.
Steve Hannan, of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, said people often fall victim to misinformation, often perpetuated via the Internet. For example, the "lemon law" protecting car buyers applies only to new vehicle sales, not for used vehicles. Often, the biggest problem is that consumers don't seek the assistance of the mediation unit sooner, because the government title on a letter or in a voice mail can trigger a faster response, Hannan said. "With the advent of big-box stores there's an awful lot of time wasted with consumers going back and back and back to talk to a manager who can't do anything for them," he said. "You need to get somebody to advocate for you … The one person the people will respond to is [someone from] a government agency."
Great advice. Great thanks goes to those volunteers and Liz for bringing that story to us.
(Sun Photographer Chiaki Kawajiri)
Categories: Consumer protection, How To
