Future Shop has to follow the same policy techs have when they sign a first time client... They have to make you sign the contract, then proceed with the purchase. Since they want to make their sales, they probably go throught contract obligatin really quic and make sure the paper is quickly signed. They probably have the same penalty that techs have if they don't
When you first sign in with Express Vu they require you to have a contract either 1 or 2 years. They don't want you to have a 2 year contract, they just want you to have one. It's actually better for them if you choose the 1 years term, that way they don't have to give you months free or service discount and they actually make money of you cause you have to pay for the tech
When the CSR make the activation if he follows the ote for the activation he should confirm with the client that he is aware that it's a 1 or 2 years contract, and that penalty will be applied if he cancels. Problem is, lots of time at the time of the activation that information is not yet entered in the system, and, instead to misinform the client, get into an argument and create a supervisor call agent prefers not to say anything. In the case that service is installed by the tech since he is the one who has the actual contract agent will ask the tech which contract he made the client sign and then confirm with the client based on that information
In your case if you threat to disconnect for whatherver reason and say that you didn't know you had a contract th agent won't be able to do anything to avoid the early termination fee...
The only way you will be able (maybe!) to get them credited is by going back to the Future Shop and complain that they didn't inform you that they were signing you for a 2 years