It pays to be a šmejd

The ČOI retail inspectorate scored a big victory over Christmas when it nailed Alza.cz for violating the ban on sales on eight national holidays in stores exceeding 200 sqm. Alza denied that its Holešovice showroom was in violation of the new law, saying that it was merely allowing customers to make returns and pick up orders. This is what a lawyer might call an unmeritorious defense, but hey, who cares? The maximum fine is only Kč 1m, and Alza received 10 times that in free publicity. Alza merely made a calculated business decision. The same goes for PPF, whose O2 CR continues to charge customers for extending their data plans, even though the customers have the automatic function turned off. Even if some customers get really angry, it's still worth it, because many customers don't even realize they're being ripped off. It pays to be a šmejd (miscreant), esp. when the laws are written for - and often by - those they are supposed to guard against.