Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1exp 10/6/83; site ihuxi.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!microsoft!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxi!snafu
From: snafu@ihuxi.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Congratulations! you have just won one of the following . . .
Message-ID: <607@ihuxi.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Oct-83 11:08:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxi.607
Posted: Mon Oct 24 11:08:14 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Oct-83 07:57:25 EDT
References: <1760@ihnss.UUCP> <601@ihuxi.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Western Electric, Naperville Il.
Lines: 31

Not all the companies that offer prizes for setting through a sales
pitch are entirely disreputable. For instance, a friend of mine in
college actually won a black and white portable tv set from a buying
service trying to sell memberships. One characteristic I have noticed
in *all* of these types of offers is that you must buy the product or
service before you leave. Often, you hear the phrases "charter
membership," and "you will never have this opportunity again" in an
effort to coerce you believing that they are offering a deal too good
to pass up. Not all of the merchandise is junk, and some of the
services are genuinely valuable, but only if you really need them.
The ability of these salesmen to make you feel guilty for wasting
their time (after they asked for the opportunity to talk to you!) is
incredible! One salesman actually tried to make me believe I was
mistreating my parents and children by not buying a vacation condo so
they would have a place to vacation! And I don't even have any kids!

After several experiences like this, I have decided to never give a
salesman a chance to sell me something I haven't gone looking for, and
I don't plan to attend any more "free giveaway" presentations. I
suspect (without concrete proof) that you have a much less than even
chance of winning anything valuable anyway ( the tv winner is the only
case I've ever heard about.)

To paraphrase on old saying: "you takes your chances, and you pays
your dollar"
-- 


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