Beware The 7 Sins Of The Marketplace
Here's seven different sneaky ways companies snag your cash, a little series CBC is calling "The Seven Sins Of The Marketplace." There's the sin of Addition, Omission, Creation, Salvation, Assurance, Persuasion, and Deception. What do those mean? Well, for instance, the Sin Of Creation is when a company invents a need you never knew you had, and then sells you a product to fulfill it. For the rest of 'em, check out CBC's cool video.
How not to fall prey to the seven sins of the marketplace [CBC Marketplace]
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Comments:
Internet is the biggest "Marketplace Sin" of all. Invented so many things we didn't think were necessary and now we can't be without them. #2 - Cell phones. Alas, I'm a victim of both.
But what's in the box? What's in the box? Is it too little stuff flopping around or too much stuff shoved in. WHAT'S IN THE BOX!
I like the 7 sevens more...
Can we get an article about those?
@Jonbo298: Um, the "Internet" was "invented" to give researchers a way to share information and communicate with each other.
Reminds me of Bill Engvall talking about SkyMall magazine:
"Are you tired of your knees touching while you sleep?"
"...well now that you mention it I AM!"
Ironically, the marketing sin I fell for today was the sin of Five: Haagen-Dazs Five [so named because it only has five ingredients] Milk Chocolate Ice Cream. Damn, that stuff's good.
I've often felt cold, but the operation of normal blankets baffle me. If I try to use my arms, it slips down. If I try to cover my feet, it slides off. If I try to walk around with it, it falls to the floor. I'd put my bathrobe on backwards, but then I'd look like a moron who can't dress himself. If only there were a product to fill this specific need!
@MormonChristmas_GitEmSteveDave: What's in the box? NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! STUPID! YOU'RE SO STUPID!
Was in retail for a decent amount of time in my former life. These when working in retail are the "7 ways to get your customers to give you money with out thinking twice". Fortunately they work like a charm.
I think it's hilarious that they were sold Monster cables ;) That's a sin all on its own.
@undefined: I use the internet to buy awesome things off Amazon, and I use my cell phone to order pizza and to receive nude pics via text message. I am not a victim. The internet rules, though I can see why hackers and trolls would like their internet back. There certainly are a bunch of normal, dumb people shitting it up these days.
@Jonbo298: Sure, but my point is that is not an inherent problem with the design or creation of the Internet.
I remember, I was working for an R&D chemical company back in the '80's when they opened up DNS to commercial companies. Before that, you could get a .COM, but you had to be a truly research oriented firm, backed up by a recommendation from someone else who already had a .COM or .EDU.
So something broke, long after the Internet was invented, that made it the cesspool it is today.
@Jonbo298: Without the internet I wouldn't have a job or at least not a job where I am at right now. Cell phones are massively useful and actually improve my productivity. I also only use it when I need to communicate as opposed to one of those who goes everywhere yammering on it to everyone they know.
Any tool can be used for good or bad.
This needs to be taught in elementary school, high school and please find a way to teach adults this. I would save us millions a year in fraud prosecution and consumer protection enforcement.
Always love to see CBC's Marketplace getting a little respect on The Consumerist.
The Sin of Omission is just weirding me out.
1) Who the hell buys life insurance from a car dealer? Did I miss something? Is this just some uniquely Canadian thing?
2) It doesn't sound so much like "omission" as it does "lying." While I get the point (read the fine print), the examples they cite are salespeople flat out lying and saying the exact opposite of what the contract entails. The rep they're talking to at 6:32 is lying like he's never done before. He's practically choking on camera over his own lies.
Also, 18:12 - taking it seriously.
@Rectilinear Propagation: Not entirely random, when I took out a car loan at my bank (back before dealers were all about 0% financing and the bank could beat their offers) one of the items we haggled over was the loan insurance, which is basically life insurance with the bank as the beneficiary. I pointed out that I had a life insurance policy that would last the length of the loan and that they could collect their due from my estate just like everyone else.
They relented, saving me something around $10/mo.
@Jonbo298: The internet has had a huge impact on my work life and my personal life and it's mostly to the good.
The company I work for has completely changed the way they interact with customers, cutting costs by 90% and passing the savings on, all while providing up to the minute, personalize information.
The internet and email have changed how I work. I never print anything out anymore. Everything is email and email attachments. I work from home 1 day per week with full access. I could spend the summer working from a vacation cottage if I had a vacation cottage.
The internet has changed my shopping habits. If I need or want something, the internet is my first stop. I have instant access to prices, availability and testimonials. I learn what to avoid, saving me money and hassle. I'm not a shopper - I don't buy much, but I'm rarely disappointed these days.
I have instant access to up to date information. When I read in an online forum that Verizon had solved an annoying problem with their FIOS TV service, I signed up. When the installer showed up, he didn't know the problem had been solved.
I stopped reading the paper when I realized that most of the stuff I was reading I had read on-line the day before. I don't get magazines anymore either. The info in monthly magazines is about 6 weeks old by the time it gets to your coffee table.
Netflix wouldn't exist without the internet. I use it all the time and never would have been able to rent half the stuff I've seen from a regular video store.
I keep in touch with my family via email.
Everything I learned about energy efficiency I learned on-line. I've made a number of changes to my home and useage patterns that save me about $100/mo in gas, electricity and heating costs. I didn't learn any of it from a book, from school or from TV.
Speaking of books, there's tons of stuff available for free on-line from short stories to novels to textbooks.
There's tons of great stuff out there. It's being added to every day and discovering the next cool, funny, interesting, frightening, inspiring, or ridiculous thing out there is great fun, dammit.
The 7 Sevens? ;P