Samsung’s ‘$75 Trade-In Credit’

In a promotion for its Galaxy Watch 5, Samsung advertises that consumers can get a “$75 trade-in credit – guaranteed with any watch trade-in, in any condition.”

Any condition?

A TINA.org reader said he was denied the trade-in credit because he couldn’t get his Galaxy Watch 4 to power on.

Turns out – and perhaps this won’t shock you – there are “eligibility requirements” to receiving the credit.

Fine print all the way at the bottom of the page on which the trade-in promotion appears (that must be expanded to read in full) states that Samsung will only award the credit if it “determines your trade-in device meets all eligibility requirements.”

But Samsung doesn’t disclose what all these eligibility requirements are, not even in the fine print. It doesn’t say that the watch must be able to turn on, though it does say that the watch must be a Samsung device, despite claiming that any watch qualifies for the trade-in.

In closing his submission, our reader shared a sentiment often expressed by the FTC in disclosure cases: What the ad giveth, the fine print cannot taketh away. In other (less-Shakespearean) words, the fine print cannot contradict the marketing.

TINA.org reached out to Samsung for comment. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on the fine print here.