Follow the 99 Cent Lead

I still think this is a good deal, but the 99 Cents Only Stores are getting sued for raising their prices to 99.99 cents. The class-action suits were filed in Los Angeles claiming unfair and deceptive business practices and misleading advertising.

Now that’s an idea for all of us who went to TT and TTT who were told 98% of graduates make $160,000 and based our decisions and ability to repay loans on those figures.

The 99 Cent Store at least made an effort to disclose:

Eric Schiffer, chief executive of the retailer, told the Times that the company “took every possible effort and avenue to basically bombard the consumer about our increase.” Signs have been changed, large posters are in store windows, and ads have been changed in newspapers.

I took a walk by 3 different TTTs in New York. None of them had signs that mention the employment decrease or the amount of unemployed lawyers. They are still saying everyone is getting a job. Those magical, fictional jobs where lawyers are happy and spend lots of time in court.

The attorney for the class action explained their position:

“If they call themselves 99 Cents Only, it should be 99 cents,” he said. “The people who go to that store are typically lower income or seniors, so the people they’re taking advantage of are the ones least able to discern the difference and least able to afford it.”

So, if they call themselves a law school that has a 98% employment rate 6 months after graduation, sounds like the law schools are taking advantage of the ones the least able to know that they are lying.

I think we should follow the the 99 cent lead. The only way the law schools will stop lying to prospective students is if they are forced to by a court.