Gee-willikers, I feel good! I am a valued customer, so 'valued' that I was sent a special discount notice for a private "on-line only" sale for two days this week. Now I'm feeling really special. Like most of us, I daydream of purchasing some bigger ticket items, and here was an opportunity to see if the price is 'right'. Handed to me on a silver cyberplatter, no less.
When I clicked 'SHOP NOW' on my special invitation, it made me enter my email address all over again to make sure it's really me getting this deal and not a mass of uninvited humanity. I'm smelling "limousine" at this point...and on the typical disclaimer page there was another button to click for "START SHOPPING", which I immediately clicked....
Then, there was that mystical, ethereal voice of Knowledge within me that calmly said, "Whoa, there FluteBoy...back up the bus...hit that 'back' button and go back to the disclaimer page...", which I did (I don't disrespect that voice if I know what's good for me...)
Though hungry to hunt the electronic aisles with my shopping cart and see the oodles of savings coming my way, I began to sift through the miniscule verbage detailing this oh so special sale for special customers like special me.
"Special" my (***southbound end of a northbound mule***). The list of items not eligible for the sale almost exceeded those that were eligible...I began to deflate rapidly...one category after the other, wherein my treasured 'hopes' were waiting to come to fruition, were dashed upon the rocks of corporate trickery and fat-cat snickering. My "limo" turned back into my Ford Escort.
Things aren't always what they seem, are they...it always pays to be inquisitive and seek your own answers to what might not be obvious questions. To paraphrase the late Ann Landers:
"If someone takes advantage of you once, shame on them; if they take advantage of you twice, shame on you!"
Amen. 10% off for a sale sucks, anyway. Live long and prosper, y'all.
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