Humanities desk
< May 31	<< May \| June \| Jul >>	June 2 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

June 1

Disclosure of prices of goods and services

If you go to a brick-and-mortar store or an e-store, then you can see the price upfront. However, there are some things, some goods and services, not disclosed upfront. Are these companies afraid that the price will discourage customers? 2601:545:C780:56C0:B07E:D7CA:8ACA:1C85 (talk) 11:46, 1 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

That varies depending on local laws and customs, but "sticker shock" is one reason. 2603:6081:1C00:1187:7C90:56FA:1615:6FF8 (talk) 16:45, 1 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

In English contract law, advertised prices do not theoretically form part of a contract, but are an invitation to treat. It is up to the buyer to make an offer, which if accepted by the seller, is the contractual price. In practice, the advertised price is the often the only one that the seller will accept, but they cannot be held to it. Alansplodge (talk) 17:11, 1 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Also, see also:

"All the Traffic Will Bear Meaning & Definition". MBA Skool. --2603:6081:1C00:1187:7C90:56FA:1615:6FF8 (talk) 17:27, 1 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

In America, the key example would be automobiles, the source of phrase "sticker shock." Never pay the first asking price for a used car! DOR (HK) (talk) 19:43, 1 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

The important legal consequence of that is that if the wrong price label has been put on an item (e.g. a £1.00 sticker on a £100 item), you can't force the seller to sell it to you at that price. Iapetus (talk) 20:16, 2 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

But in some places if you are charged a larger amount than advertised, you can receive a refund of the price difference and a bonus. In Michigan, if a computer overcharges you from a correctly marked shelf or advertising price, you get refunded the price difference for each item purchased and a one-time bonus of 10 times than amount, limited to between $1 and $5. I had a supermarket pay me to take a block of cheese from them once. Rmhermen (talk) 18:25, 3 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]