Best & Worst in Money 2008: As-seen-on-TV product

Posted Dec 7th 2008 10:40AM by Gary Sattler
Filed under: Products and Services, Consumer Experience, Television, Internet, Marketing and Advertising

This post is part of AOL Money & Finance's Best & Worst in Money 2008 feature.

Does it say something about American society when we consider the broad acceptance of the infomercial? At the very least, it says quick-hit, impulse item merchandising is alive and doing well. It also tells us that potential snake oil salesmen will always find their marks. What was once a marketing style reserved for county fairs and roadside stands is now considered to be mainstream business as usual.

Which of the following infomercial offerings made you sit up and take notice this past year? Did PedEggs get you up on your feet? Did you give in to a ShamWow craving and find yourself all wet, or did you buy some Aqua Globes and find yourself a bit dried out? Did Green Bags make you green behind the gills, wishing you had kept your greenbacks to your self? In the video marketing temple of Billy Mays On High, we must be careful whence our consumerist tithes may flow.

There are a few things about these product offerings that I want to know. Such as, why does that ShamWow barker have a head set on anyway? Who are we supposed to believe that he's talking to? Why would I need a PedEgg to accomplish what a little sandpaper can do? Wouldn't letting the ethylene gas from a banana escape into the atmosphere preserve the fruit just as long as sucking that gas into the interior of a Green Bag? How does an Aqua Globe measure the percentage of water in the soil that surrounds it?

Call it skepticism if you will, but with infomercials, the best rule is may the buyer beware. If you purchase these products through a website, you're probably in for spam galore. Additionally, these items tend to have difficult return policies and offer little in the way of customer service.

What experiences have you had with these infomercial products? Have any of them worked for you? Would you recommend any of them to our fellow internet citizens? Inquiring minds want to know.

Which as-seen-on-TV product is the best of the year?
ShamWow	35 (53.0%)
Aqua Globes	8 (12.1%)
PedEggs	8 (12.1%)
Green Bags	8 (12.1%)
Something else (specify in the comments)	1 (1.5%)
None of the above	6 (9.1%)

Share the reasons for your As-Seen-on-TV pick in the comments, or let us know about any contenders we overlooked. Also be sure to see the rest of the Best & Worst in Money 2008.

Tags: Aqua Globe, Best and Worst 2008, ethylene gas, Green Bags, infomercial, Ped Egg, Pedegg, Sham Wow, Shamwow

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-07-2008 @ 8:04PM

Britt said...

I am missing a review here about the steam buddy! Not only does the product have a misleading advertisement but also does the company charge 5.95 for shipping and an additional shipping and handling of 10.00 for the free creaser. That money will not be replaced. So you get a bill of 38.25 for a product that does not at all eliminates ironing.