Please help to rate or comment on my essay. Thanks so much!
"A business should not be held responsible for providing customers with complete information about its products or services; customers should have the responsibility of gathering information about the products or services they may want to buy."
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
I disagree with the statement that a business should not be held responsible for providing customers with complete information about its products or services, and that responsibility should lie with customers instead.
First, businesses cannot assume that every consumer has the ability and resources to do their own research. Even the most basic research such as a Google search requires the consumer to have access to the internet and be familiar with using a computer. For example, how can it be fair to expect an elderly and uneducated person buying a water heater to be knowledgeable about it? If for example, the water heater will explode if it is used for more than 8 hours consecutively, is it not only fair that the customer be informed about it?
Second, even if we make the far-fetched assumption that all consumers have the ability and resources to do some basic research, there is some information that will only be available to someone who possesses specific knowledge. Take the example of a weight loss pill. A non-medical professional would not be privy to the information that the pill could have dangerous side effects such as kidney failure. Failing to include this information together with the pill could lead to serious or even fatal consequences for consumers. Another example could be the Lehman mini bonds that blew up during the recent financial crisis. It is not fair for the financial institutions selling this complex product to assume that all consumers would know exactly how the product works. It is only right to disclose all information about it so that consumers can make an informed choice.
Third, there should be no reason for businesses not to completely disclose information if they believe that their products or services are good. Relieving businesses of the responsibility of disclosing information would mean that businesses no longer have to be concerned about whether there are any negative side effects of their products or services. No more extensive research would be required. This would have very serious implications on society.
In conclusion, while customers should do their own research to ensure they are getting the best products or services to suit their needs, it is not socially responsible for businesses to push away that responsibility completely to the extent that it does not need to provide customers with complete information about its products or services. Since businesses make money from consumers, it is only right for them to have a responsibility towards them.
"A business should not be held responsible for providing customers with complete information about its products or services; customers should have the responsibility of gathering information about the products or services they may want to buy."
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
I disagree with the statement that a business should not be held responsible for providing customers with complete information about its products or services, and that responsibility should lie with customers instead.
First, businesses cannot assume that every consumer has the ability and resources to do their own research. Even the most basic research such as a Google search requires the consumer to have access to the internet and be familiar with using a computer. For example, how can it be fair to expect an elderly and uneducated person buying a water heater to be knowledgeable about it? If for example, the water heater will explode if it is used for more than 8 hours consecutively, is it not only fair that the customer be informed about it?
Second, even if we make the far-fetched assumption that all consumers have the ability and resources to do some basic research, there is some information that will only be available to someone who possesses specific knowledge. Take the example of a weight loss pill. A non-medical professional would not be privy to the information that the pill could have dangerous side effects such as kidney failure. Failing to include this information together with the pill could lead to serious or even fatal consequences for consumers. Another example could be the Lehman mini bonds that blew up during the recent financial crisis. It is not fair for the financial institutions selling this complex product to assume that all consumers would know exactly how the product works. It is only right to disclose all information about it so that consumers can make an informed choice.
Third, there should be no reason for businesses not to completely disclose information if they believe that their products or services are good. Relieving businesses of the responsibility of disclosing information would mean that businesses no longer have to be concerned about whether there are any negative side effects of their products or services. No more extensive research would be required. This would have very serious implications on society.
In conclusion, while customers should do their own research to ensure they are getting the best products or services to suit their needs, it is not socially responsible for businesses to push away that responsibility completely to the extent that it does not need to provide customers with complete information about its products or services. Since businesses make money from consumers, it is only right for them to have a responsibility towards them.
