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Changed line(s) 1,25 (click to see context) from:
->''"I'd like to have a product that was available for three easy payments and one fucking ''complicated'' payment."''
-->-- '''Creator/MitchHedberg'''
The purpose of infomercials is to sell products, of course. But the way infomercials sell products is not just to present the product but to [[GetTheSensation get the viewer emotionally attached to it]]. You don't buy GLH-9 spray-on hair because you're bald; you buy it because going bald means you're getting old and probably impotent, and the product will stop people from noticing. You don't buy the Showtime Rotisserie because it can hold a ten-pound turkey; you buy it because you want the luscious, mouth-watering baby back ribs and tempting, juicy, golden-brown roast chicken that are going to magically spring forth from it.
But there's one thing that will break the mood for almost any viewer: a high price tag. Those baby back ribs might be delectable, but are they $160 delectable? Not likely.
So what's an advertiser to do? He can't outright lie about the price; that's illegal. He ''could'' fail to mention the price, but the customer will find out anyway if and when he actually orders the product. But what he ''can'' do is reduce the emotional impact of the price by dividing it by three or four. Suddenly he's not asking for $160 of your hard-earned money, all at once; he's asking for "four easy monthly payments of just $39.99".
It works because people fall for repetition. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much—less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
May be preceded by the presenter telling his audience [[NowHowMuchWouldYouPay the price they aren't going to pay]] for the item, usually referring to the "fancy department store brand" or "the price you thought you'd have to pay for this". Even after revealing the Four Equal Payments, the presenter may shock the audience further by removing one of the payments entirely. That's right, you only need to make ''Three'' Equal Payments!
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option—you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even [[UnreadablyFastText rushed through]] in [[ReadTheFinePrint the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type]] which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in North America—and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments"—and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
The UK does at least have the advantage of the stated price always including tax, unlike the US where that is added on top.
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[YearX 20XX]]!" On a more serious note, sub-prime mortgages operated on the same kind of idea on a much larger scale.
Related to the other ad gimmick JustPenniesADay, which is this taken to a much larger scale.
----
-->-- '''Creator/MitchHedberg'''
The purpose of infomercials is to sell products, of course. But the way infomercials sell products is not just to present the product but to [[GetTheSensation get the viewer emotionally attached to it]]. You don't buy GLH-9 spray-on hair because you're bald; you buy it because going bald means you're getting old and probably impotent, and the product will stop people from noticing. You don't buy the Showtime Rotisserie because it can hold a ten-pound turkey; you buy it because you want the luscious, mouth-watering baby back ribs and tempting, juicy, golden-brown roast chicken that are going to magically spring forth from it.
But there's one thing that will break the mood for almost any viewer: a high price tag. Those baby back ribs might be delectable, but are they $160 delectable? Not likely.
So what's an advertiser to do? He can't outright lie about the price; that's illegal. He ''could'' fail to mention the price, but the customer will find out anyway if and when he actually orders the product. But what he ''can'' do is reduce the emotional impact of the price by dividing it by three or four. Suddenly he's not asking for $160 of your hard-earned money, all at once; he's asking for "four easy monthly payments of just $39.99".
It works because people fall for repetition. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much—less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
May be preceded by the presenter telling his audience [[NowHowMuchWouldYouPay the price they aren't going to pay]] for the item, usually referring to the "fancy department store brand" or "the price you thought you'd have to pay for this". Even after revealing the Four Equal Payments, the presenter may shock the audience further by removing one of the payments entirely. That's right, you only need to make ''Three'' Equal Payments!
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option—you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even [[UnreadablyFastText rushed through]] in [[ReadTheFinePrint the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type]] which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in North America—and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments"—and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
The UK does at least have the advantage of the stated price always including tax, unlike the US where that is added on top.
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[YearX 20XX]]!" On a more serious note, sub-prime mortgages operated on the same kind of idea on a much larger scale.
Related to the other ad gimmick JustPenniesADay, which is this taken to a much larger scale.
----
to:
-->-- '''Creator/MitchHedberg'''
The purpose of infomercials is to sell products, of course. But the way infomercials sell products is not just to present the product but to [[GetTheSensation get the viewer emotionally attached to it]]. You don't buy GLH-9 spray-on hair because you're bald; you buy it because going bald means you're getting old and probably impotent, and the product will stop people from noticing. You don't buy the Showtime Rotisserie because it can hold a ten-pound turkey; you buy it because you want the luscious, mouth-watering baby back ribs and tempting, juicy, golden-brown roast chicken that are going to magically spring forth from it.
But there's one thing that will break the mood for almost any viewer: a high price tag. Those baby back ribs might be delectable, but are they $160 delectable? Not likely.
So what's an advertiser to do? He can't outright lie about the price; that's illegal. He ''could'' fail to mention the price, but the customer will find out anyway if and when he actually orders the product. But what he ''can'' do is reduce the emotional impact of the price by dividing it by three or four. Suddenly he's not asking for $160 of your hard-earned money, all at once; he's asking for "four easy monthly payments of just $39.99".
It works because people fall for repetition. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much—less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
May be preceded by the presenter telling his audience [[NowHowMuchWouldYouPay the price they aren't going to pay]] for the item, usually referring to the "fancy department store brand" or "the price you thought you'd have to pay for this". Even after revealing the Four Equal Payments, the presenter may shock the audience further by removing one of the payments entirely. That's right, you only need to make ''Three'' Equal Payments!
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option—you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even [[UnreadablyFastText rushed through]] in [[ReadTheFinePrint the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type]] which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in North America—and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments"—and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
The UK does at least have the advantage of the stated price always including tax, unlike the US where that is added on top.
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[YearX 20XX]]!" On a more serious note, sub-prime mortgages operated on the same kind of idea on a much larger scale.
Related to the other ad gimmick JustPenniesADay, which is this taken to a much larger scale.
----
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Changed line(s) 21,22 (click to see context) from:
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[ExtyYearsFromNow 20XX]]!" On a more serious note, sub-prime mortgages operated on the same kind of idea on a much larger scale.
to:
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[ExtyYearsFromNow [[YearX 20XX]]!" On a more serious note, sub-prime mortgages operated on the same kind of idea on a much larger scale.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 23,24 (click to see context) from:
Related to the other ad gimmick ''JustPenniesADay'', which is this taken to a much larger scale.
to:
Related to the other ad gimmick ''JustPenniesADay'', JustPenniesADay, which is this taken to a much larger scale.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 14,15 (click to see context) from:
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option—you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even rushed through in the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
to:
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option—you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even [[UnreadablyFastText rushed through through]] in [[ReadTheFinePrint the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type type]] which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
dashes
Changed line(s) 10,11 (click to see context) from:
It works because people fall for repetition. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much - less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
to:
It works because people fall for repetition. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much - less much—less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
Changed line(s) 14,18 (click to see context) from:
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option - you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even rushed through in the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in North America - and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in North America - and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
to:
In British infomercials, the full price is usually mentioned as an option - you option—you can pay the full amount ''or'' you can go for the payments (but see below). In North America, though, the full price may only be given at the end of the infomercial by the announcer who tells you that OperatorsAreStandingBy, or even rushed through in the tiniest of mouse-sized legal type which is sneakily asserted as a payment option only available to those who send a check or money order through the mail, which these days is a quickly declining amount of people.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in NorthAmerica - and America—and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthlypayments" - and payments"—and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in North
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly
Changed line(s) 25 (click to see context) from:
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Changed line(s) 10,11 (click to see context) from:
It works because [[ViewersAreMorons people fall for repetition]]. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much - less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
to:
It works because [[ViewersAreMorons people fall for repetition]].repetition. They hear the $39.99 over and over again and convince themselves that they're being sold something for $39.99, which sounds great: after all, $39.99 isn't really that much - less than dinner and a movie for two. It never even occurs to them that they're actually spending $160, a fair hunk of change. The constant repetition of the words "easy" and "just" also reassure the reader that he can easily afford the product.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
to:
The UK does at least have the advantage of the stated price always including tax, unlike the US where that is added on top.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
->''"I'd like to have a product that was available for three easy payments and one [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] ''complicated'' payment."''
to:
->''"I'd like to have a product that was available for three easy payments and one [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] fucking ''complicated'' payment."''
Changed line(s) 16,19 (click to see context) from:
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in Canada - and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in installments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in installments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
to:
More egregiously, shipping and handling will usually only be mentioned in passing even though shipping and handling are often quite high on these items, especially in Canada North America - and it's usually charged in total at the time of the first payment. Cue the legions of dissatisfied customers whose first "easy monthly payment of $39.99" was well over a hundred and twenty dollars, because shipping and handling was eighty bucks.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying ininstallments.instalments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? in order to not pay it all at once. [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in
Changed line(s) 22,23 (click to see context) from:
Related to the other ad gimmick ''JustPenniesADay!''
to:
Related to the other ad gimmick ''JustPenniesADay!''
''JustPenniesADay'', which is this taken to a much larger scale.
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Changed line(s) 20,21 (click to see context) from:
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[ExtyYearsFromNow 20XX]]!"
to:
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[ExtyYearsFromNow 20XX]]!"
20XX]]!" On a more serious note, sub-prime mortgages operated on the same kind of idea on a much larger scale.
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Added DiffLines:
A similar tactic is often used by furniture stores where payments are deferred: "Do not pay anything, not even the taxes, until [[ExtyYearsFromNow 20XX]]!"
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Changed line(s) 12,13 (click to see context) from:
May be preceded by the presenter telling his audience [[NowHowMuchWouldYouPay the price they aren't going to pay]] for the item, usually referring to the "fancy department store brand" or "the price you thought you'd have to pay for this".
to:
May be preceded by the presenter telling his audience [[NowHowMuchWouldYouPay the price they aren't going to pay]] for the item, usually referring to the "fancy department store brand" or "the price you thought you'd have to pay for this".
this". Even after revealing the Four Equal Payments, the presenter may shock the audience further by removing one of the payments entirely. That's right, you only need to make ''Three'' Equal Payments!
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 18,19 (click to see context) from:
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in installments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]]
to:
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in installments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.[[/note]]
[[/note]] This trick is also done with rent-to-own sales, where the total payments can end up being two to three times the original value of the item being purchased.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
hottip cleanup / removal
Changed line(s) 18,19 (click to see context) from:
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in installments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? [[hottip:* :This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.]]
to:
In the UK the phrase is "four ''equal'' payments", which doesn't sound anywhere near as sexy as "four easy monthly payments" - and that's deliberate, as the word "equal" is mandated by law and is expressly meant to remind viewers that they're paying in installments. However, the UK has an additional, much sneakier variant: the amazing product that's sold for only £99.99, or 12 convenient equal payments of £10.99, plus shipping and handling. Do the math: 12 times £10.99 is £131.88, or over thirty pounds ''more'' than the purchase price for anyone who paid for it at one go. Basically you're paying about 30% interest on the money you didn't even realize you were borrowing. Exactly whose "convenience" is that for? [[hottip:* :This [[note]]This type of padding is so "convenient" for sellers that it's actually ''illegal'' or rate-capped in many countries, including Canada - which is why you don't see it often in commercials produced for the North American market.]]
[[/note]]
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-->-- '''MitchHedberg'''
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-->-- '''MitchHedberg'''
'''Creator/MitchHedberg'''
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<<|CommercialsTropes|>>
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lead: correct spray-on hair name
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The purpose of infomercials is to sell products, of course. But the way infomercials sell products is not just to present the product but to [[GetTheSensation get the viewer emotionally attached to it]]. You don't buy GL-9 spray-on hair because you're bald; you buy it because going bald means you're getting old and probably impotent, and the product will stop people from noticing. You don't buy the Showtime Rotisserie because it can hold a ten-pound turkey; you buy it because you want the luscious, mouth-watering baby back ribs and tempting, juicy, golden-brown roast chicken that are going to magically spring forth from it.
to:
The purpose of infomercials is to sell products, of course. But the way infomercials sell products is not just to present the product but to [[GetTheSensation get the viewer emotionally attached to it]]. You don't buy GL-9 GLH-9 spray-on hair because you're bald; you buy it because going bald means you're getting old and probably impotent, and the product will stop people from noticing. You don't buy the Showtime Rotisserie because it can hold a ten-pound turkey; you buy it because you want the luscious, mouth-watering baby back ribs and tempting, juicy, golden-brown roast chicken that are going to magically spring forth from it.
