Aaron Bae (Seongyun Bae)

This is a response to Claudia Troncoso’s 3^rd post which was a response to the following URL.

What everybody ought to know about free offers

Claudia agreed that companies should make a distinction between giving a real free good or service and giving a promotion, expecting something in return. I also agree with her as many companies try to draw people’s attention to their products. This happens everywhere around us. In UBC, I received a free 10-day gym use coupon by providing a promoter with my name and my phone number. I went to the gym and realized I needed to pay money for something. So it wasn’t exactly free.

This deception affects consumer behaviour afterwards. Those who have experienced this will learn that gym free use coupons are not free. Therefore, they will be irresponsive to promotions by fitness clubs. In the long run as many companies do not differentiate the promotion and free service, it leads consumers to build attitude that most promotions are not exactly free. So promotion events will take less effect, wasting companies marketing costs and changing society’s perception on promotions. Free is not “Do something for me.” Free is free. If companies don’t intend to spread goodwill, they should call it an offer.