The Self Improvement Blog | Self Esteem | Self Confidence

Wait there’s more is a saying that has become a joke at my house. Ron Popeil used to say it in his infomercials for Ronco and we thought it was funny back then. But now it makes me sit up and take notice. You see, I have searched online for products, and now I get a continuous series of Emails asking me to watch a video about a product that will “help me.” At first, I was interested and I responded to several. I think I learned my lesson.  Now if it says, “Watch this short video…” I know it’s probably going to last at least 45 minutes and end by asking for $49.95 (marked waaaaaay down, of course from the original price), followed by the directive but wait there’s more.

Wait there’s more

The “short” video generally consists of a Voice and slides telling me about their original problem which was very much like mine. The voice tells how they searched for a solution. After finding a solution, they spent X amount of time developing something that that will help me, too. And now, as a favor to me, I can get this wonderful product for $49.95. Sometimes you can even get the initial product for free if you pay the cost of shipping.

Often, if you click to buy their product, you get an up-sell of something else that will enhance the first product and this may continue through several more product presentations. The price continues to spiral up. This is “up-sell” at its finest.

Great deal, right? Sometimes it is. Sometimes it is not.

Read the Fine Print

If you read the Fine Print you may be signing up for a monthly shipment at a higher price than originally stated. Sometimes I have received an additional product that was presented that I did not order and the cost was included on my credit card.

I sent it back. To the sellers’ credit, I have been given refunds when I didn’t like the product or I received something I did not order.

I’m not saying that the products don’t work. I have, indeed, ordered some products that were outstanding. (Admittedly, some were not) I’m just saying that I don’t want to watch a 45-minute video followed by a pitch that keeps on pitching and pitching and pitching.

Once you have given them your email address, the emails just keep coming. I have received emails several times a day from some vendors. Others send an email every day while some send something only once or twice a week. When I see the too-frequent-sender, I delete the message without opening it. I get several hundred emails each day and I just don’t have time for these. Sometimes I unsubscribe several times before I get off the list.

There must be a better way

Most of us are smart enough to recognize a need, find a product that satisfies that need, and buy it. A five-minute video should be able to tell me all I need to know about almost anything. I will pay a fair price for a good product.  If it works for me, I’ll buy some more. I don’t want to buy a subscription for two or three bottles shipped automatically every month before I have had a chance to try the product and know that it produces the desired result.

This sales model must work because it seems like I run into it around every cyber-corner. However, I, for one, don’t like the tactic.  And I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. I have heard others voice the same annoyance and admit that they, like me, delete the email as soon as it asks them to “watch this short video.”

I must confess that I don’t have an idea for a better way to do it. If YOU know of one, I’d love to know about it.

There are wonderful new products coming out and I’d like to know about them. Videos, emails, and articles can be used to acquaint me with them and you won’t even have to say . . .

… but wait there’s more.