Terms & Conditions

Went to purchase a phone today. Usually I'd do this online, but the discounted price was very attractive. Thing is you'd have to buy it on a "No cost EMI" plan.

Now, going into the store, I didn't know exactly how these EMIs work. The attractive price is just a number to reel people in, and the amount you're paying is essentially the cost price. The bank still has to charge you the interest, but deducts the interest as a discount offered by the store. The attractive price has nothing to do with the price you're paying and exists only for gullible people like myself apparently.

I was curious about how all this worked at the billing counter and I was told in twisted language that the offer is real, the price displayed is real, and I'm simply getting confused. But I refused to let them bill the product. Fuck that, explain it to me like I'm five. It took a while, reading through the terms and conditions and speaking with my father, but it finally clicked after 20 minutes or so, through no help from the store.
Just annoyed with the time I wasted at the store and how much of an inconvenience all this had been, I couldn't help but laugh and be amused with the entire situation. I offered the store manager an ultimatum - admit that the practice is dishonest (but not illegal), and I'll buy the product at full price right now. They laughed and couldn't admit it, I get it. Store policy and whatnot. So I shook his hand, said thank you, and walked out. Then immediately made my purchase online, paying the full price. I've ignored two calls from the store manager already. Fuck 'em.

I found it interesting that I didn't recognise I was being flirted with until the very last minute. The dance of arguing over a price. But the moment I laid the game bare and their intentions, and tried to play back, the game stopped. Come to think of it, that wasn't even flirting, it was more strong-arming, and not fun. It became fun only when I laid down my rules to play, and they refused to play. I enjoyed the little part where both of us realised the game. The power imbalance threw me off and my first instinct was to expose it. How can I play this game better when I'm at a disadvantage?