Consumer overload: Why we tune out info & services that are supposed to help (TIME)

Consumers are drowning in a flood of messages, perhaps to their own detriment. Following the purchase of an item consumers will usually be asked to fill out a survey or a follow-up. In theory, this allows business to make changes that best please the marketplace. In practice, that many questionnaires are considered a nuisance and typically ignored. The USA Today reported that there were 2,363 product recalls last year in the U.S., which averages to more than six a day. Experts in the article say the public is not “paying attention to them and responding to them in a manner that is necessary for the recalls to be handled effectively. Businesses are required to disclose information so consumers know what they’re getting into. However, consumers have gotten in the habit of skipping over the fine print because it’s so lengthy and complicated.