I really think that the "as seen on tv" commercials have incredible marketing skills. It is amazing how they can make you think you are only paying "x" amount of money for something but in the end it ends up being three or four payments of that amount. I also feel like the "as seen on tv" products are usually poor quality. This isn't always the case, but most of the time it tends to be. I am definitely impressed with the way they market and advertise to draw people in though.
Those commercials are good. Any time a commerical says but if you hurry we will reduce the payments down from 4 to 3 tells me that it was only worth 3 in the first place and that is not really a good deal.
As a marketing major, it's kind of sad that some of these people prey on people's naivety or wishful thinking. I've been burned by a few of these. I wish there was a gadget that would help me flip burgers without splashing oil or convert my dutch oven into a deep fryer. I'm sure there's an expensive version of these concepts that will last a lifetime but right now, I can't afford to waste money.
These adverts that say you must hurry to get something at a certain price are ridiculous, are they trying to tell us that if we don't hurry to buy their product we will miss some kind of legal deadline to get it at a special price? Maybe they are telling us that if we don't rush out and buy immediately, the product will turn in to a pumpkin at midnight! It's just a ploy. Some years ago i was considering purchasing a computer training course, the representative told me that if i signed today i would get the course at a reduced price. I said i needed time to think about it but he said it had to be today. I said to him ''does that mean that if i agree to sign tomorrow at the reduced price you won't take my money?'' He avoided answering the question so i decided not to go ahead, him and his company had lost all my trust.
It's like they instil FOMO (fear of missing out) into people. They describe the gadget as being indispensible to everyday life (when, in reality, it would get used once and end up in the junk cupboard), that stocks are limited and the dscounts are amazing.
I agree, these companies do try and put fear in to people by making you feel that it would be a personal tragedy if you miss out. A lot of these items are junk really, i don't believe any real quality items are marketed in this way. Before buying any of these products you should ask yourself the following questions:- 1.Can i afford it? 2.Is it worth the money? 3.Will i use it? If the answer is no to any of those questions then don't buy, you won't go wrong with that principle.
I totally agree with this, and any smart shopper would know that those products will eventually be for sale at a mass merchandiser like Target or Walmart soon enough. Eventually the commercial will go away and they still have to try to sell products. It is when you see it at the store that you will realize how cheap the product really is.
I know! These items often turn up in discounter stores over here and I'm certain that a poster here bought a bunch of those microwaveable hot pots from the dollar store! They are in the pound stores over here too! I bought two and whilst I have to say they were an absolute bargain at £1 but would have been a complete rip off at the price which they were advertised on TV for (£12.99, I think!)
