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smh Getting a lot of "Christmas Gifts" that I have to pay for...

by Rashell
18 replies
I don't remember this so much in the past. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention... but this year I've received several emails from IM'ers gleefully wishing me a "Merry Christmas (gift inside)".

So I read the email to be offered a discount for their product. That's the gift. LOL

Can we say tackkkky?

There was maybe one or two that were actually useable gifts. But most were discounts. Started opening all of them just to see who would win the "tackiest gift" award.

So far the winner is the "discount" that will actually cost me more than what I paid for the item a few weeks ago. (Guess they were expecting I'd be so wasted on eggnog I wouldn't notice)

I dunno I think the whole gifting discounts is a "marketing fail".

Anyway...

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Rashell
#christmas gifts #lot #pay #smh
  • Profile picture of the author Power and Wealth
    I think it's a win, they got you to open the emails.

    Edit: Merry Christmas to you too. Hope you got a few "gifts" you didn't have to pay for yourself.
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  • Profile picture of the author Justin Tyme
    I guess I'm just weird, but I have been looking forward to some Christmas
    Discount "gifts" since Black Friday

    When it's a genuinely good product, that rarely ever gets discounted, then
    I look forward to the couple times of year I can take advantage of the discounts.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rashell
      Originally Posted by Power and Wealth View Post

      I think it's a win, they got you to open the emails.
      But they didn't get the sale. Which is the point

      Originally Posted by Power and Wealth View Post

      Edit: Merry Christmas to you too. Hope you got a few "gifts" you didn't have to pay for yourself.
      You too!!!



      Originally Posted by Justin Tyme View Post

      I guess I'm just weird, but I have been looking forward to some Christmas
      Discount "gifts" since Black Friday

      When it's a genuinely good product, that rarely ever gets discounted, then
      I look forward to the couple times of year I can take advantage of the discounts.
      Oh me too. Took advantage of a lot of them as "black friday' deals. Just found it super odd to get them as "Christmas Gifts".

      Rashell
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  • Profile picture of the author ronyoung
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Around Black Friday and Cyber Monday I look at those offers - I noticed at Christmas I don't even open the emails. It's family time - not IM time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Geeked Labs
    It's only a marketing fail if it didn't work. I don't mean to attack you in anyway. I swear. However, perhaps you should change your thinking a bit if you've associated "marketing failure" with "what you find personally annoying".
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    • Profile picture of the author joseph7384
      Originally Posted by Geeked Labs View Post

      It's only a marketing fail if it didn't work. I don't mean to attack you in anyway. I swear. However, perhaps you should change your thinking a bit if you've associated "marketing failure" with "what you find personally annoying".

      I don't think that it annoyed her but she found it rather laughable and I agree with Rashel a discounted product is not a gift, it's a deal or a savings.

      If they are considered real gifts, we would see 30% off coupons under the tree instead of presents.
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  • Profile picture of the author eac113
    Well at least they didn't email you a fruitcake
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Brownsword
    Win because you used a lie to get somebody to open your emails? Not when I click that "unsubscribe" link...

    There are much better ways to get people to open your emails than to resort to lying in the subject line.

    And you never have to pay for a gift.
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    • Profile picture of the author Geeked Labs
      Originally Posted by Tom Brownsword View Post

      Win because you used a lie to get somebody to open your emails? Not when I click that "unsubscribe" link...

      There are much better ways to get people to open your emails than to resort to lying in the subject line.

      And you never have to pay for a gift.
      That isn't completely true. For example i'm in the market to buy a particular item that costs about $1,000 for 1 years access, or $500 for 3 months access. If someone decided to give me the gift of cutting that price in half I would certainly, absolutely, think of it as a gift.

      But regardless of what I think, by the definition it would also technically be a gift. Sure the definition does include a version where the gift must be given without asking for anything in return, but it also includes a version of simply the act of giving something.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rashell
        Originally Posted by writeaway View Post

        Well, it works! They got you to notice and worked up enough to post a thread about it
        But it didn't work. I'm sure the purpose of their email was to get me to open and buy something. Instead, I found their efforts silly and did not buy.

        If we buy from people we Know, Like & Trust they just shifted to a "I now know that I don't like their offers as much and I am less likely to trust that they'll give me a good deal in the future".

        Originally Posted by Geeked Labs View Post

        That isn't completely true. For example i'm in the market to buy a particular item that costs about $1,000 for 1 years access, or $500 for 3 months access. If someone decided to give me the gift of cutting that price in half I would certainly, absolutely, think of it as a gift.

        But regardless of what I think, by the definition it would also technically be a gift. Sure the definition does include a version where the gift must be given without asking for anything in return, but it also includes a version of simply the act of giving something.
        Yes, the discount is "technically" a gift. But most people won't define a "gift" in that manner.

        The average person won't think to themselves "Thank you for the Christmas gift, how much do I have to pay for it".

        A "Christmas Deal...", "Christmas Discount...", "Christmas Special..." sure. But a gift that requires payment... most people won't value that as a "gift".

        Rashell
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        • Profile picture of the author Myles Sinclair
          Originally Posted by Rashell View Post

          ".............The average person won't think to themselves "Thank you for the Christmas gift, how much do I have to pay for it".

          A "Christmas Deal...", "Christmas Discount...", "Christmas Special..." sure. But a gift that requires payment... most people won't value that as a "gift".

          Rashell
          You're absolutely right. It would seem that some folks are confused as to the meaning of the word "gift". If you're making a reduction on the regular price, it's a discount or a special offer. It's certainly not a gift! To claim that the discounted part of the offer is a gift is a misuse of the word.
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          • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
            Maybe it's holiday fatigue setting in, but it seems to me that in reading the replies, one might get a fair idea of who uses this tired old trick and who doesn't...

            BTW, I'm on Rashell's side. In fact, about eight years ago I wrote an article called "When Is a Gift Not a Gift" on the topic that's still getting views (sorry, no link - rules against self-promotional posts, right?).
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            • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
              There's lots of ways to do this without using the word gift.

              Holiday Savings Spectacular

              Holiday Savings Event

              Best Holiday Savings Ever

              Just What You've Been Waiting For

              You could make a huge list of ideas that could be used instead. And might lead to opening and buying.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Hess
    Instead of a "discount", think of it as them giving you a gift card to use towards the purchase price...
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Kontango
    Blah, I didn't receive any such gifts from emails, not discounts or anything.. )
    I guess it depends on which lists you're subscribed on
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    hmm

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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Well, it works! They got you to notice and worked up enough to post a thread about it
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author busybee
      it's a "sign of the times"
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  • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
    Old, old, old marketing ploy.

    How many times have you seen,"get X FREE!" *With purchase*

    I'm willing to speculate that it works more then not...peoples emotions (in general) are easily manipulated.
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