Caveat Emptor:
Buyers, brush up on your Latin. Don’t let sellers hide behind your lack of knowledge. Caveat emptor means “Buyer beware!” The goods you are buying are “as is;” subject to all defects.
This concept of “caveat emptor” originates from the fact that buyers often don’t have all the information about the goods or services that they are purchasing, while the seller knows much more and uses that information to his advantage. Some buyers don’t even know how to open a box to make sure everything that they think they are supposed to receive, is still inside the box. It is time for buyers to take control. It is time for the seller to beware!
Defects in the goods or services may be hidden from the buyer and only are known to the seller. Thus, the buyer should beware. He must look out for his own interests. In contrast to the “caveat emptor” concept, we have the “caveat venditor” or “let the seller beware” concept, suggesting that sellers can also be deceived in market transactions. The seller must take responsibility for the product and refrain from selling products of unreasonable quality.
How do you take control? Do business with the stores and service providers who really stand behind the warranties, and truly help you when your purchases have a defect.
The Israeli policy:
In Israel, as a customer, you need to be aware that when you purchase anything, you must be on guard at all times. Be suspicious when buying any product or service. Notorious for buyer heartache is trying to cancel a service. Have you ever tried to cancel internet service, or a monthly water delivery service?
We have many laws protecting the person who is actually paying for the service, real estate, or merchandise, but still, we, the buyers, are expected to “share responsibility”. As a result, there is no real balance, and courtrooms in Israel are rarely a place where the seller will be punished for his non-compliance. Fortunately, there are a number of grass roots efforts that are successfully helping consumers fight back, especially in canceling communication services.
The American policy:
In most places in America, the vendor is not legally required to provide an exchange or refund. Fortunately for buyers, the marketing departments of many large chains see this as an opportunity. To attract buyers, they make promises and stand behind their claims for complete customer satisfaction. They successfully tout this as a reason to do business with them.
However, there are vendors who will not provide an exchange or refund. Sometimes consumers bring the inconveniences upon themselves. Most software can be returned, only if the box is not opened. The merchant knows that there are some unscrupulous people who make a digital copy and then try to return the original. Or how about the person who buys an outfit for a special occasion, then returns it to the store the day after. That’s why you often find that stores require a proof of purchase and impose time limits on exchanges or refunds.
However, some larger chain stores exchange or refund merchandise with almost no limitations. Some will go to the extreme that they will even accept a return without proof of purchase at that store.
Israel is not the US and a country of a few million cannot afford such a policy.
The realities in Israel:
When you make a purchase you must be aware. Be careful and trust your common sense. Whatever you are told, get it in writing. A verbal promise at check-out is nothing but an empty promise.
Be Aware When You Eat Prepared Food
In Israel, regulations are not effectively enforced, often they are disregarded. Even when you buy a sandwich, or any other prepared food, you must know and trust your supplier. And remember, kosher labeling has nothing to do with cleanliness.
In practice, sanitation inspection rarely exists in places selling food, fast food or grocery stores. Supermarkets are filthy, carts are rarely washed. Floors are dirty and sticky. Workers behind food counters “forget” to cover their hair and bathrooms aren’t places you would want to visit.
The ingredients in foods are also misrepresented. For example, when you buy a sandwich or when you have breakfast or lunch at a restaurant, you will be asked what kind of bread you want; they offer you “brown bread” (mostly a mix of regular flour with brown sugar added to it for color). You wrongly assume you will be served something of the healthy whole wheat variety.
Are you diabetic or have a food allergy? Never eat anything that you can’t be absolutely sure doesn’t contain the ingredients that will make you sick, whether it is sugar, MSG, nuts, etc. When you go to eat in a restaurant, trust only yourself. Otherwise, you’re risking your life. Answers to your food questions are usually based on the word of a minimum-wage worker who doesn’t know, or is not aware. Management might also provide unreliable information, just to make the sale.
When the menu claims “fresh”, watch out. Steak houses will sell you “fresh kebab”, which are sometimes leftovers from the previous night that were frozen and are now defrosted and returned to the grill. “Fresh pita bread” or “fresh special bread” is frequently really only freshly “defrosted” from the microwave.
Even in large stores and chains in Israel, you will be offered second and third class merchandise (mostly damaged that cannot be exported) as new or grade A or as a bargain. At least old produce, probably because you can see that it is almost rotten, will be discounted and labeled “soog bet“.
Open every box, check every glass, plate or towel you buy, not only the one on the top but the entire set. Be suspicious of “bargains.” Check your purchase before you leave the store!
The reason we have such a deceptive culture:
The only reason merchants act deceptively is because they can! They do it and get away with it without any punitive measures and as a result, they keep doing it.
But, sellers beware. Your customers have become smarter. You are going to lose business if you continue to try to take advantage of them.
One example of those who understand this: today in Israel many of the larger stores will provide you with an exchange receipt, so that if you are buying a gift for someone, the gift can be exchanged with this special receipt, no questions asked.
The Hebrew word, “Mivtza’im” has several meanings in English. It is translated as a “Sale”, a bargain that is too good to pass up. (Keep in mind that it also means a military strike or operation, like Tsuk Eitan). Don’t dare to trust “Mivtzaim“. Ask yourself why your merchant is being “so nice to you,” to take less money for their products.
One Last Word: T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L. – Remember, and remember this well, There Ain’t No Such Thing As: A Free Lunch – You get what you pay for!
