Utah Company PC Laptops Would Get $10K From You If You Make Even ‘Disparaging’ Communication About the Business — and Law Prohibits Companies From Having Non-Disparagement Clauses in Their Contracts or Terms of Service Rhett Wilkinson Follow Jul 11, 2019 · 3 min read

“We love you!”, they claim, but do they? A contract I had to sign to get an upgrade included paying $10,000 if a customer made even “disparaging” communication about Utah computer vendor PC Laptops — and it’s against the law for businesses to have non-disparagement clauses in their contracts or terms of service, as NBC reported.

Bryan Stair, a PC Laptops manager, offered to refund the laptop after I told him the $10K provision isn’t legal. He also didn’t deny that it isn’t.

I remember a line in the film “Venom” from the fall where a corrupt company conned folks not likely to read the contract into signing them. I also think about the currently-in-theatres “Aladdin,” where Genie (Will Smith) talks with Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) about effectively making sure you be certain about that to which you are agreeing.

A “Venom” movie poster. I remember a line in the film “Venom” from the fall where a corrupt company is conning folks not likely to read the contract into signing them. (photo credit: Marvel Entertainment, Tencent Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Pascal Pictures)

Of course, many other films are based on the idea that the shady, if not evil, character, benefits off regular folk not specifying, knowing or taking time to be aware of details of a contract or deal.

And even more films have to deal with lawbreaking.

It appears that PC Laptops is banking on the same ideas, where transparency is essentially non-existent. (And do they have an issue with the law, too?)

Aside from exploiting perhaps the most important three words in humanity, they do tug at your heartstrings with their trailers of the most popular movies and saying that their products are made in Utah, which matters to a strong majority of Utahns. All of their staff also boisterously says “hello!” as you walk in.

The Salt Lake City location of PC Laptops. I had to go to this location for computer issues seven times over just 11 months — and three times in just three-and-a-half business hours. (photo credit: PC Laptops)

I was at the point of signing the contract for another laptop because I wrote a poor review about having to go to even one location, in Salt Lake City, Utah, for computer issues seven times over just 11 months — and three times in just three-and-a-half business hours.

(That’s aside from needing to go to another location, in Murray, Utah twice over just that 11 months. I also needed to go in three times over the following three months.)

(It’s also of note that I was told July 10 at the Orem, Utah location of PC Laptops that my laptop would no longer be serviced because of damage to the laptop. A piece of plastic got inside the device.)

And, read the contracts you are asked to sign!

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