Save Money on Infomercial Products

Does the infomercial product you want to buy really work?

That is a good first question to ask yourself when the as seen on TV pitch dazzles you with the claims.  A better question might be do I really need it?  What problem does this infomercial item really solve for me that I cannot solve in another more common way for less money.

The As Seen on TV Pitch Is Intoxicating

Why else would we be buying a sponge specifically designed to wash a dog for $10 plus shipping and handling?  But wait there is more.  Call now and you will get two sponges AND two chamois.  Sounds really good in the moment but is it really?

Save Money By Pricing

Seems like we are saving all this money by getting extra stuff, getting free shipping and extra accessories, but are we really?  The answer is generally not.  If the company selling the infomercial product can afford to give away free products and shipping, all real costs to them, then the markup over their cost to produce AND advertise is significant.  Luckily, the internet is a great place to get a deal.  Just a wait a little while, and even the very newest as seen on TV product pitched will be available on eBay and other online stores, not to mentioned your local retail store. 

But Wait There's More...

Shipping, Handling, & Automatic Order Refills Oh My!

The thing is, the infomercial companies are often making the real money on the up sell, cross sell, and the subscription.  That's right, subscription.  You are not often just buying the thing that will make you life easier or make you happy.  You are buying a monthly or lifetime commitment to the real infomercial payday.

I recently became mesmerized by a beauty product that looked perfect for my wife.  I justified the purchase by thinking of all the free stuff I would receive and the overwhelming discount overall.  I picked up the phone and made the call.  A very pleasant operator answered and immediately extracted my credit card info from me before asking what I even wanted to order. 

Nearing the home stretch on my product purchase I was stopped cold by something confusing the sales agent said.  When I asked her for clarification, she simply started at the top of her script. The order taker began to explain the "club" offer, also known as the free stuff.  Honestly, I did not really care about the free stuff, but rather the 50% savings for calling right now was a big factor in my buying decision.

to it.

 I had to agree to have my order auto refilled in 30 days for a full 90 day supply.  Then the order would be auto refilled again in 90 days.

The only way to try the product out was to place my order with the onerous terms and then after receiving the product, I had to call back and cancel my order to avoid automatically owning more (paying more).  Wow!

Other types of products offer refills, replacement parts, and other additional accessories to milk more cash from your wallet, so beware!  Pay close attention to what you are agreeing to and what you will actually get.  Often times the real cost of a product is the long term use of it, not the initial purchase.

Online Infomercial Deals

Most seen on TV products are now readily available online.  You can often get a great deal even below the cost at retail stores or TV prices by simply checking eBay for it.  Even if the price is the same, sometime they sell multiple packs or extra accessories to sweeten the deal as well.

The key to saving money and avoiding the infomercial scam is to take your time, think about the purchase, so some research, and shop online for deals.