On my experience in usability tests, i can say this: users don’t read alert messages, error messages etc.

Here in Brazil, the electro-electronics are not, mostly, bivolt. This created a problem for users who buying the wrong product, for not read the instructions on the screen. We had to leave these products without any SKU selected for the user to select what he wants, before clicking ‘Buy’. Do not know if it’s the best idea, but it works and the problems stopped.

Searching for articles about this, I found a UX site with some myths in design, usability and mostly UX.

I’ll put here some of them, mostly articles about problems here in Brazil.