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: Agoraphilia

Bad Signaling

By Tom W. Bell and Glen Whitman

This morning I saw an ad for Kinoki foot pads, which allegedly suck toxins out through the soles of your feet while you sleep. Right. But if the description alone wasn?t sufficient to set off your B.S.-detector, this should: they will send you a two-week supply for $19.99, and then if you like it you can get a lifetime supply for free! (Plus shipping & handling.)

That?s the exact opposite of the drug dealers who hand out free samples to new customers, thereby signaling their confidence that you?ll come back for more. With Kinoki foot pads, they charge you for the first shipment and give you the rest free, thereby signaling their expectation that they?ll never see you again.

(Am I misunderstanding the offer? Go to 1:17 in the online video, which is the same ad I saw on television.)

Full post as published by Agoraphilia on January 18, 2008 (boomark / email).