The fine print.

• Author: Rundles, Jeff
• Position: Rundles Wrap-up - Product/Service Evaluation

JUST A LITTLE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE GIANT VIDEO rental company Blockbuster launched a series of pretty over-the-top television advertisements to announce that the firm was ending the practice of charging late fees on its rentals. In the ads, "End of Late Fees" came across as tantamount to the end of World War III.

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But since the first of the year, when the practice went into effect, Blockbuster, or more precisely Blockbuster customers, have apparently had nothing but problems with the "End of Late Fees." Turns out that Blockbuster won't recharge a customer for the movie if it's one or two days late--the late fee--but after eight days it will simply charge the customer's credit card the purchase price of the movie. So, if you have a momentary lapse, it won't cost you and arm and a leg, but if you really space out--or go on vacation, have an illness, get a life--you own the movie.

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The company ended up involuntarily selling so many movies to so many customers--customers who assumed there would be no late penalty--that complaints quickly mounted. In late March, not three months after the practice began, 47 states, including Colorado, forced Blockbuster to make refunds to customers and to pay an additional $630,000 to stop what has been called a deceptive business practice.

Maybe it's because I read so much--who knows?--but I was aware from the very start that the "End of Late Fees" only extended to eight days and then you owned the movie.

But the general public, it seems, is easily deceived, and that demonstrable fact has become the basis for what passes as modern-day marketing.

I was talking to a friend about this who pointed out a recent episode of The Simpsons that included a deceptive practice. Homer was watching television when an advertisement came on for Krustyburger, a fast-food joint that said it would give each customer a check for $20 for coming in and trying its new burger--then one of those super-quick parenthetical voices added, "Checks will not be honored."

This, I believe, validates my point because surely you're onto something when art imitates life, or vice versa.

It's all part of what I call The Fine Print. It's very easy to play the fine-print game these days, whether it's in print, or in run-on, audio disclaimers, because...