You, the Consumer
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
In our free-enterprise system, individuals as well as businesses make choices about
earning and spending money. These individual choices are not always easy to make.
How can you know the right goods and services to buy? How can you get the best
price? If you're like most people, you have only so much money to spend. This
makes the right choices very important.
Buyer Beware! Be a smart consumer. Learn to protect yourself from consumer fraud,
or dishonest business practices used by people who are trying to trick or cheat you.
Please type report in correct MLA Format and follow all rules.
Step 1
Find at least five advertisements that associates a product with a popular idea or
person, suggests that use of these products will make one feel a part of a particular
group or suggests that buying the product is "in." Explain for each ad how it affects
your buying decisions. What you should know before purchasing this product and
location of finding it. Who the target audience is (age) and is there any underlying
message in the ad. (any fraud, etc.)
Staple the ad to each description.
Step 2
Explain in great detail describing ways of a smart shopping techniques,
consumer frauds, and consumer protection offered by the government and consumer
groups. Research the government agencies as well and break down what each group
does. (The Federal Trade Commission, The Consumer Product Safety Commission,
The Food and Drug Administration). Government agencies at the state and local
levels also work to protect consumers. For each Federal Group look up a two
cases and report how it helped you the consumer.
outcome. (Six cases total)
Give concrete facts and the
Step 3
Research and explain in full using two cases what a bait-and-switch scam is?
Step 4
Choose six different consumer products that costs at least $200. Research using
Consumer Reports Magazine (online or in my office) three sources for the product,
such as a department store, a discount warehouse, and the Internet. Write down prices
that you compared with (other stores), services, and other factors that would be
involved in obtaining the item through each of the channels you analyzed. Include in
your findings for each, the brand/model of item, rating, test results, scores, price, and
any other additional features and facts (ex. warranty, and Fraud-alerts, etc.)
Step 5
What else did you learn about consumer reports that weren’t included in your report?
Were there any recalls on a product --please explain in full?
Pick out two separate articles in the magazine and describe what your learned
regarding a product?
Step 6
A work cited page is necessary and make sure you put down what months you used
for the magazine. (Look up how to cite a magazine).
*Consumer Report Magazines are in Mrs. Pryzbylkowski’s Office.
Need After School Help?
See ICAL for any meeting dates that I am unavailable.