Okay, everyone by now knows that the package deals are crazy around here. But, why stress the FREE part of this new one if it's still not free?
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Okay, everyone by now knows that the package deals are crazy around here. But, why stress the FREE part of this new one if it's still not free?
The bonus package you get IS free. Free as an extra gift if you buy coins.
Do you send letters of protest to your local businesses for their buy-one-get-one-free deals?
No, because they're advertised that way. When a store does that, first thing you see is "buy one get one free" whereas here first thing you see is "free package". It's just that they need to rethink the titles of these messages before they send them.
We'll take your suggestion under advisement. I'd like to point out though that the grocery store near me advertises "FREE Thanksgiving Turkey!" and then proceeds, in fine print, to tell you that you have to spend $300 on groceries there within a set time period to get your turkey. Standard marketing: Use the words that get people's attention to get them to read the offer. Only if they read the offer will they perhaps choose to participate, so we have to interest them enough to get them to read. Since the offer clearly states what you have to do to get the free items, it isn't false advertising.
I'm not saying it's false advertisement, I just think that it can be a little misleading. What about those people that see the subject and don't bother with reading the mail. Granted, yes, they would've known had they read it, but a lot of people feel that the system sends too many messages and they just don't read it.
Then that is their own problem if they don't take the time to read the message. As for too many messages, I get more messages from friends and alliance members than I do from Evony. Sounds like another reason to just complain.
Whenever I am tempted to pull out my credit card, I take a very close look at what I intend to buy and I read all accompanying material. I would heartily recommend everyone else do the same.
My solution to this issue:
Never read any of Evony's messages that have FREE in the title. Evony never gives anything away for free.
Please don't say it's free. It isn't. You know that.
It's a form of advertising. Where the company advertises a product, say "a turkey dinner," as you have said and sell it as free.
Well, for one, it's not free. When a company buys a product from anyone they're given a base price of sorts, well that "turkey dinner" was originally $30.
Now the grocery store sells it at $45 (Profit margin of 50%).
When a company advertises a buy 1 get 1 free they're actually not incurring any cost, nor are they recieving a profit from the ptoduct.
The whole purpose of the method is to draw you into the store to make you want to buy something else.
Here's another example, milk, eggs, butter. Always at the back of the store.
Why?
Because marketing knows that people like to eat. If someo sees something they want to eat, they'll buy it.
So, what it all comes down to is a bit of trickary of sorts.
Oh, and if I'm not mistaken I think there's some legislation on advertising something as free, by which case it's illegal.
You're not advertising a "buy 1 get 1 free" deal. You're advertising a 100% free product, which isn't true until you take. Closer look.
For example, look at ceral advertisements on T.V. They can't say it's healthy for you, but they can say it's part of a nutrional breakfest.
Not the same as this "Free" offer that you have.
Welcome back from suspension.
would consider it misleading. It is also a FREE forever game, that is unless you want to really play to be king of the hill. Then you must pay to get ahead. Nothing in life is free, and although the tag line is FREE, one of the very first lines is with a purchase of $30 or more. If you have been playing the game for a while, then you should know by now that the packages come with a price.
But the packages are free, no where in the title of that email does it say free coins. Creative marketing.
It violates no rules. If you feel otherwise, don't post it here and get suspended/banned for your trouble. Report it to the FTC and see what they have to say. When they are done laughing, we'll take you back and you can calm down a beat. Deal?
FTC GUIDE CONCERNING USE OF THE WORD ``FREE''
AND SIMILAR REPRESENTATIONS
?251.1 The guide.
(a) General. (1) The offer of ``Free'' merchandise or service is a promotional device frequently used to attract customers. Providing such merchandise or service with the purchase of some other article or service has often been found to be a useful and valuable marketing tool.
(2) Because the purchasing public continually searches for the best buy, and regards the offer of ``Free'' merchandise or service to be a special bargain, all such offers must be made with extreme care so as to avoid any possibility that consumers will be misled or deceived. Representative of the language frequently used in such offers are ``Free'', ``Buy 1-Get 1 Free'', ``2-for-1 Sale'', ``50% off with purchase of Two'', ``1 Sale'', etc. (Related representations that raise many of the same questions include ``XX Cents-Off'', ``Half-Price Sale'', ``\1/2\ Off'', etc. See the Commission's ``Fair Packaging and Labeling Regulation Regarding `Cents-Off' and Guides Against Deceptive Pricing.'')
(b) Meaning of ``Free''. (1) The public understands that, except in the case of introductory offers in connection with the sale of a product or service (See paragraph (f) of this section), an offer of ``Free'' merchandise or service is based upon a regular price for the merchandise or service which must be purchased by consumers in order to avail themselves of that which is represented to be ``Free''. In other words, when the purchaser is told that an article is ``Free'' to him if another article is purchased, the word ``Free'' indicates that he is paying nothing for that article and no more than the regular price for the other. Thus, a purchaser has a right to believe that the merchant will not directly and immediately recover, in whole or in part, the cost of the free merchandise or service by marking up the price of the article which must be purchased, by the substitution of inferior merchandise or service, or otherwise.
I never told anyone that you had sent me any pm's. I only mentioned the FTC because if you do feel someone is engaging in deceptive advertising practices in the United States, that would be who would receive your complaints and investigate the issue.
Bannings and suspensions can/will be issued for instigation. You just got back and your first post is instigation.... I think I'm being pretty patient with you at the moment.
In reference to the (most recently) removed post on this thread.
http://bbs.evony.com/showthread.php?p=703623#post703623
How can you say we don't give you anything for free?
We give you MY sparkling personality as your personal cruise guide.
We give you the charming wit of koolaid and dirtmonitor to entertain you.
We give you the LOLcatz thread in the s1 forum.
I tell ya...it's like a FREEtravaganza around here!
I agree with the line of thought that Koolaid mentioned.
It can be argued that this type of advertising is a form of "bait and switch",
which is considered fraud and illegal.
The bait is "the product is free", and the switch is "no it is not. part of it is free."
"Bait and switch advertising" in a Google search (without the quotes) includes these results:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bait_and_switch
http://news.cnet.com/Dell-sued-over-...3-5587443.html
Even if somehow this advertisement fits clauses of existing/current law (which is usually not conclusive until a lawsuit is filed and it is tried in a court of law; at least in the US), then it could still be argued that the law clauses may not be sufficient to cover this situation.
If you ask me, regardless of what the clauses of laws are,
in a universal sense, it is wrong because it is "misleading".
Hello.
The packages which are given free to customers who purchase a set amount of cents are in fact free. Otherwise, you would in normal activity actually be required to purchase the items that are in those packages.
There is no misleading or deceptive practices. The free packages are in fact free if you qualify which the advertisement and terms and conditions are placed together in that mail.
Thanks.