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Don’t be fooled by “1st One’s Free!”

May 12, 2012

Have you ever wanted to buy one of those precious, gotta-have, collector’s items?  You know.  The kind that advertise: “First one free!! No obligation!!”?  Well, before you do, click here to watch CWN’s Terry Smiljanich explain why you should be careful.

These special offers are not so free from cost and obligations, after all, despite the advertising. Don’t be fooled. Before you know it, you might be inundated by more costly, little trinkets than you know what to do with. Watch Terry’s advice in the video below to hear more about the real deal with these “special offers.”

The Mesmerizing Deal

We get it. You see the ad and it’s pretty eye-catching.  That lovely little ornament decorated with your favorite sports team or your favorite pet.  Whatever it is, you just gotta have it.  And hey, the “1st one’s free!”  So, you’ll get the free one and won’t order anymore, right? Not so fast.

There’s a little thing called a “continuity plan” that automatically signs you up for more ornaments, like a book of the month club.  Only problem is, no one told you that you were signing up!

What to do?

With “continuity plans,” you will continue to receive these trinkets without warning, at a high cost, so if you decide you really want one of the “collectors items” for sale, know what you’re getting into.  Here are some tips to follow:

  • Read carefully all of the paperwork you receive to see what hidden obligations you might be agreeing to.
  • Save the material in case you run into a problem.
  • Complain to the company.
  • Complain to FTC if the company is violating the terms of its contract.


Written by Angie Moreschi · Filed Under Top Stories, Where's the Outrage?, Where's the Outrage? by Terry