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What Infomercial Ads REALLY Mean

Updated on December 31, 2013
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Jeannie has been writing online for over 10 years. She covers a wide variety of topics—hobbies, opinions, dating advice, and more!

Watching TV at the Crack of Dawn

Are you watching television during the strangest hours? Are you up too late at night or too early in the morning? Chances are, you have stumbled upon some infomercials. Maybe some might even seem appealing to you. Who doesn't want to lose weight, have clear skin, wear jeans that feel like pajamas, find a comfy bra, cook an amazing meal, and get rid of those dark circles? Have you ever wondered what the infomercials are really trying to tell you? I am here to help you figure out what infomercials really mean.

Each infomercial has its own style, yet each are similar in a sense. They want to sell you a product that, in all honesty, you probably really do not need. Infomercials try to convince you that your life will not be the same without that pasta maker or bra, but if you have lived this long without those items, I assure you, you probably still don't need them. Let's explore the meaning behind some popular infomercial phrases and gimmicks.

Free Trial - You Pay Shipping and Handling Charges

A free trial! Really? That sounds too good to be true. Well, that is only because it probably is too good to be true. Eventually, you are going to have to pay in some way. Those shipping and handling charges in the small type of the bottom on the screen? They are probably going to be outrageous. That free trial? Do you have to give them a credit card over the phone? Oh, it is not going to be free.

They are probably going to give you some type of subscription and automatically charge the card if you do not cancel. Always ask about that. Maybe they will give you a large amount of whatever you are buying and then charge you if you do not send it back after 30 days. Always ask what all of the conditions are for this order before you process it. Trust no one!

Highly Skilled Customer Service Reps are Waiting to Assist You

Or are the waiting to try to talk me into more items I do not need? Oh wait, yeah, that is what they are really standing by to do. The customer service representatives have been trained to ask leading questions and encourage you to buy more than necessary. If you get an associate on the phone who is not too pushy, you are lucky. Chances are, she or he is not doing the job the way the company has specified.

Never give more information than needed on the phone. When the sales person on the phone determines your "weak spot," he or she is going to tear into you and try to convince you to buy even more items. If you are not careful, you will find you have bought 3 times what you intended to buy by the time you hang up that phone.

Source

Buy One Get One Free

What a great deal! If I buy one item, I can get one free? Wait, but there's more! If I dial now, I can even get another item free! That is amazing. Sign me up. Hey, wait a minute... what is this stuff actually worth?

You know how much the items are worth? When you buy your one item and get two free, divide the total paid by three. When you have the answer, you will know the true value of just one of the items. Honestly, it probably is not even worth that much. If you are paying $20, it is probably worth about 5 bucks, if that. Sorry!

They purposely overprice this stuff just so they can make you feel special about this "one time only" deal. However, whenever you turn in, I'll bet that one time only offer is repeated plenty of times. Now, do you still feel special? Probably not.

If You Call Within the Next Hour, You Will Get a Bonus

I will bet there is an infomercial playing all the time somewhere at any given time. If you call at any time, I am pretty sure they will give you the deal. I mean, seriously, are they going to lose a sale? This is just another gimmick so you will call as soon as possible. So don't buy into it. Call them when you feel like it and insist on the bonus deal.

Do you realize while you were reading this you missed an opportunity to call and get some random infomercial stuff? Remember... supplies are going fast! Don't let me stop you. Oh wait, but I am sure you don't want it now anyway... right?

As Seen On TV

Have you ever bought anything from an infomercial?

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