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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!ihnp4!ihuxi!snafu
From: snafu@ihuxi.UUCP (Dave Wallis)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Congratulations! you have just won one of the following . . .
Message-ID: <600@ihuxi.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Oct-83 13:56:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxi.600
Posted: Fri Oct 21 13:56:54 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Oct-83 12:37:02 EDT
References: <1760@ihnss.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Western Electric, Naperville Il.
Lines: 40

Warren,

I can make no claims for all firms that offer similar promotions, but I
have had at least two experiences. The first was with a company
planning to offer a new line of cookware. A salesman came to our
apartment and demonstrated the pots and pans by cooking a porkchop
and some veggies, and then gave us the pitch. Our "prize" was a glass
bud vase (the cheapest prize). He also offered to give
a free set of cookware if we gave him the names of some people,
and sold a set to one of them. The cookware was priced at ~ $1000.

The second experience was with a company near Chicago that sells "time
share" vacation condos. The prizes ranged from a "walkman radio"
(their phrase, not mine) up to a one week paid vacation in Hawaii. We
attended out of curiosity, and sat through a half hour slide
presentation full of sunshine and smiling faces. After that, we were
sat down in a room with about 30 other couples with a salesman (one
salesman per couple) who all but threatened to break my arm if I
didn't buy a condo. He mostly used phrases like "too good to pass up,"
"it'll pay for itself," "everybody buys one before they leave." I
think you get the idea. The "walkman radio" (cheapest prize again!)
we received was worth about $5 (it didn't even have warranty info!),
and was made in Taiwan.

To be fare, we also received the second higest prize, 3 days and 2
nights at one of their resorts (didn't include transportation or
anything but lodging) in a separate drawing that was not part of the
normal pitch. Our salesman was rather upset that we won after I gave
him such a hard time about buying a condo (which we didn't).

Both salesmen upset my wife with their manners etc. and ruined the
rest of the evening. It seems safe to assume that you will get a "free"
prize, but expect a hard sell job that makes a car salesman look like
a Brownie with a box of cookies!
-- 


                  D. Wallis  (insert snappy signature here)
                   ATT&T Western Electric, Naperville Il.
                             (312) 979-5894