Toward a new model of consumer protection: the problem of inflated transaction costs.

From: William and Mary Law Review | Date: March 1, 2006| Author: | Copyright information

ABSTRACT

Contrary to the predictions of conventional economic theory, firms often benefit by increasing consumer transaction costs. Firms do so by, for example, obscuring contract terms in a variety of ways, such as providing them after the contract is agreed to, enclosing them with other more interesting information, using small print, and omitting important terms such as arbitration fees from the written contract. Firms also benefit by taking advantage of predictable consumer behaviors, such as the tendency of consumers not to seek rebates, to overload when provided with ...

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