Are Consumers Getting a Raw Deal?

Consumers are often on the hunt for products to satisfy their needs. While some consumers are picking up products without worrying about buying defective goods or overpaying, still, others are making sure they are getting their money’s worth. Then there are those consumers who look out for promotion and discount coupons on items they want to buy before making a purchase.  

However, with all the selling and buying happening everywhere: are consumers getting a raw deal? There are various reasons why some consumers keep getting raw deals from businesses. Apart from faulty goods and high prices, some consumers face other trials in the shopping arena that seriously needs addressing. While there are consumer protection groups that are responsible for a number of things in the marketplace such as fair trade, competition, accurate information and consumer rights, yet not every unfair treatment that consumers get they can deal with because not every consumer report how wrongly they have been treated. Consumer protection bodies differ according to countries. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the US Department of Justice are responsible to enforce consumer protection in the country.

Reasons how or why consumers get raw deals vary from state and country. However, the main ones are listed below.   

False and misleading advertising

Businesses have to toil in order for their customers to develop trust and one wrong move on their part can destroy everything. Indeed consumers on a whole enjoy seeing honesty in a business and this is one of the things that make them become returning customers. Businesses that practice misleading the public by producing dishonest claims where marketing is concerned in an effort to trick buyers to order many goods are abusing consumer rights.

Overselling deals

When a customer orders an item on the market, he or she expects to get it. For businesses to prosper and stay open, they should make every effort to meet the demands of their customers and deliver goods timely. There is no excuse to cheat a customer out of his or her hard-earned cash by not delivering and letting him or her have the goods already paid for. Companies that continuously practice this way of doing business should be reported to the proper authorities.

Make inflated savings claims

Making untruthful claim is a very unethical way of conducting business. Today, there are still businesses that claim they are giving a certain percentage discount off a price and yet buyers shopping pay more than the discounted price for the item. Some customers do not realize this swindle while others realize and avoid buying the particular item.

Low customer service

Customers will complain if they are not getting proper customer service. In fact, some serious customers will stop buying goods from a business that is low on customer service. It is not only good business strategies that help to grow the profitability of a company, but it is everyone combine and working for the success of the company that will drive it to the top in the market that it belongs and customer service is key if the business is to increase customer ratings.

Lack of proper ethical conduct

Every industry has their ethics attached to it and businesses that do not practice a proper code of conduct, especially when dealing with customers are asking for it. CEOs must always demonstrate that they are promise keepers so that the public and even their own workers can have confidence in them.

Doing the right things as a business is vital if companies must progress to the next level. There is no excuse for swindling or mistreating customers.