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Life experience
Mar. 6th, 2005 01:53 amSomeone Very Wise once told me that it's a valuable experience to order something off of television at least once.
So I'm sitting here in my room, right, just chilling until I'm tired enough to attempt sleep (but not so tired that I just collapse, y'know?), and I see this ad for Winsor Pilates. Either they're getting desperate for income or they're so freakin' rich it doesn't matter how low they price the DVDs, because they were peddling the newest one for only 10 bucks. My feeling is it's the latter. But anyway.
Now, I've caught a few minutes of various workout infomercials over the years, and Pilates was the only one I was ever able to emulate within the framework of my college schedule and the limited space of my dorm room. Physiologically, it makes sense: use your muscles, they get toned. But more importantly, it makes sense spatially. You don't have to buy a machine. You don't have to find space for a machine. And I thought, "Heck, most DVDs cost twice that, anyway."
Long story short, I decided to buy the sucker.
"It's a 1-800 number, right? Shouldn't cost me anything to at least see how this whole "order offa tee-vee" thing works."
Now. It's very important to note at this time that the television was telling me, in no uncertain terms, that I had to call within the next 12 minutes in order to qualify for the "low, introductory offer." We can discuss my feelings about this marketing ploy another time. Just know that time was ticking.
So my question to the company is this: why post a telephone number, tell people to call now, tell people to call now or else, and then not pay someone to actually answer the phone?
I was all hyped up to give them money, even, and they couldn't be bothered to answer? That's bad business, right there.
My next step (after laughing at the absurdity of the entire scenario, that is) was to check out the corresponding website. Apparently, there is no time limit on the special price if you order it over the web. I'll be taking that into account should I ever find myself in this kind of situation again. Admittedly, that isn't very likely, but whatever.
I feel I've gained some life experience points here. Anyone know where I can cash 'em in? I'd like to exchange them for something a little more interesting.* At the very least, I'd like the twenty minutes I spent on this back.
That's all, folks. Happy Sunday. Or whatever.
* I've had my eye on that whole "long-term relationship" package deal. That would be a good trade, in my book.
So I'm sitting here in my room, right, just chilling until I'm tired enough to attempt sleep (but not so tired that I just collapse, y'know?), and I see this ad for Winsor Pilates. Either they're getting desperate for income or they're so freakin' rich it doesn't matter how low they price the DVDs, because they were peddling the newest one for only 10 bucks. My feeling is it's the latter. But anyway.
Now, I've caught a few minutes of various workout infomercials over the years, and Pilates was the only one I was ever able to emulate within the framework of my college schedule and the limited space of my dorm room. Physiologically, it makes sense: use your muscles, they get toned. But more importantly, it makes sense spatially. You don't have to buy a machine. You don't have to find space for a machine. And I thought, "Heck, most DVDs cost twice that, anyway."
Long story short, I decided to buy the sucker.
"It's a 1-800 number, right? Shouldn't cost me anything to at least see how this whole "order offa tee-vee" thing works."
Now. It's very important to note at this time that the television was telling me, in no uncertain terms, that I had to call within the next 12 minutes in order to qualify for the "low, introductory offer." We can discuss my feelings about this marketing ploy another time. Just know that time was ticking.
So my question to the company is this: why post a telephone number, tell people to call now, tell people to call now or else, and then not pay someone to actually answer the phone?
I was all hyped up to give them money, even, and they couldn't be bothered to answer? That's bad business, right there.
My next step (after laughing at the absurdity of the entire scenario, that is) was to check out the corresponding website. Apparently, there is no time limit on the special price if you order it over the web. I'll be taking that into account should I ever find myself in this kind of situation again. Admittedly, that isn't very likely, but whatever.
I feel I've gained some life experience points here. Anyone know where I can cash 'em in? I'd like to exchange them for something a little more interesting.* At the very least, I'd like the twenty minutes I spent on this back.
That's all, folks. Happy Sunday. Or whatever.
* I've had my eye on that whole "long-term relationship" package deal. That would be a good trade, in my book.
