Giveaways – What’s the catch?

They are so many things that I enjoy getting for free. I love getting free credit for my phone and I love being involved in promotions in which you buy one and get one free.  Often the promotions are very enticing and persons decide that they are getting a great bargain but it is a good idea to examine the facts.

The products in which you get one free often has a flavour of the product that is not as popular.  This means that you often purchase a product in the flavour that might not be your favourite.

It is also important to check expiry dates as some products are nearing their expiry dates so retailers are trying to get rid of them quickly before it ends up costing them profits.

Genuine Freebies

This is not to say there are no genuinely ‘no strings attached’ free gifts for consumers. Retailers are ‘eyeing’ the big sales events in December, so they try to warm up consumers by giving them a ‘taste’ of what is to come in the Christmas season,

The free gifts usually come in the form of additional items paired along with the main purchase. Some retailers offer a sample of their services by selling consumers coupon books that offer reduced prices.

These coupons are usually distributed by marketing companies who target shoppers who have never used the service because of the hefty price tag.  The coupons allow them to test drive services and decide if they want to purchase the full package.

It is also a good idea to team up with family members so that if you can’t complete all the coupons in the book, you can circulate it and ensure that it is put to good use.

The main thing to bear in mind before accepting ‘free’ items is to read the fine print.  There have been countless online free offers for some really expensive items and when consumers try to access the product they are being told that they need to input their credit card number for future payments.

If the product was really free then that information would not be needed.  I enjoy free items that don’t end up costing me in the long run!

What’s your take on the issue? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: free offers