Sometimes you see a deal online—“Get your IQ test results for just $1!”—and it looks harmless. Then, a week later, surprise! You’re billed $10, $30, or more. The refund policy is hidden in another language, the company is shady, and you end up arguing with your bank.
The idea: a public, user-fed database
where you can look up an online offer before you buy. It would tell you:
What’s the real service you’re signing up for (e.g., auto-renew subscription, premium text messages, etc.)
What happens after the first payment (renewal cycle, extra charges)
Where the company is based, and what the refund policy looks like (if it exists at all)
User experiences: “got a refund after 3 emails,” “cancel only by fax to Russia,” etc.
Think of it as a “nutritional label for online purchases.” Instead of calories and sugar, you get renewal frequency, hidden fees, and refund hurdles.
Why? Because if people knew up front that “$1 IQ test” really means “$10/week subscription with Russian refund policy,” they wouldn’t click Pay.