Ethical Freebies

[CanadaSweetheart]

Maybe this is a question for the moderators - but shouldn't there be some rules about what type of freebie is posted in the Freebie Forum? Hopefully most people have some kind of moral code that prevents them from scamming companies who offer gifts or compensation in good faith - but I'm shocked by the number of people who post things like "threaten to cancel your credit card and they'll give you points.." "say you're upset about X and they'll give you this..."

That's not a freebie - that's a dishonest and manipulative scam and people should have the decency to avoid such things.

Just my .02 cents...

[UrbanPoet]

hmm.. thats true. sometimes it isnt so bad... for example when my cell phone contract ended i really was up in the air to choosing another provider for better service/coverage.

Rogers threw in some free stuff and i signed up for a 3 yr contract. lol

[CanadaSweetheart]

hmm.. thats true. sometimes it isnt so bad... for example when my cell phone contract ended i really was up in the air to choosing another provider for better service/coverage.

Rogers threw in some free stuff and i signed up for a 3 yr contract. lol

Hey, I'm all for companies offering me bribes to keep my business! :lol:

I am just disgusted by people who suggest that we should falsely complain or misrepresent ourselves in order to get something for free. In fact, I would call it STEALING...

[UrbanPoet]

Hey, I'm all for companies offering me bribes to keep my business! :lol:

I am just disgusted by people who suggest that we should falsely complain or misrepresent ourselves in order to get something for free. In fact, I would call it STEALING...

it is ethically wrong.. but it technically isnt stealing =\

so i guess its up to the people whether or not they want to do it.

[TheUnlikelyHero]

IMO, theres a difference between true "freebies" and the "negotiated" freebies that you have mentioned.
----------------------------------------------------------------
True Freebies

If an item is offered truly as a freebie, one (whether company or person) can not be scammed out of it. Often, freebies are given in exchange for customer data so they can be targeted to in marketing capaigns more efficently.

If a company isn't looking and screening out people signing up for freebies but offering no value for their firm (i.e.: a freebie designed for business to business leads (B2B) being signed up for by regular Joes and Janes) - this is their own internal problem, and is the cost of running an inefficent marketing campaign. I wouldn't call it unethical, but perhaps some poor management decision being made by the said company.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Negotiated Freebies (Also called goodwill)

The examples you mentioned, I would categorize as items offered as goodwill....and folks who work in the Customer Relations field are trained to determine whether or not you are worthy of being kept as a customer (also known as Customer Value). This will determine whether you offer enough value to their company in order to receive the goodwill. It all depends on your spending history, how much PR damage you may cause because of a grievance, and so forth...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't get me wrong, I'm not heartless - I cringe whenever people try pricematching different items, and from grey market dealers (some smaller stores do sell grey market goods through questionable distribution channels, as we see with the recent flood of fake Sandisk SD cards/Cruzers), etc - and are being difficult with the salespeople about it. You know, one of those "impossible" hot deals....

These people are just trying to make a living, like you and me.

Sorry for being long winded. :)

[B40]

It's always pissed me off how people take advantage of the freebies that are meant for things like small businesses and they make up some business name to get the freebie. I never go for those freebies...don't care how good it is, I'm not going to abuse a good offer from a company.

Even with the real freebies/samples, I'll only go for it if it's something I'm interested in and most of the time I end up buying the product too..especially if the freebie comes with some coupons.

[ainsane]

It's always pissed me off how people take advantage of the freebies that are meant for things like small businesses and they make up some business name to get the freebie. I never go for those freebies...don't care how good it is, I'm not going to abuse a good offer from a company.

Even with the real freebies/samples, I'll only go for it if it's something I'm interested in and most of the time I end up buying the product too..especially if the freebie comes with some coupons.

Agree.

[B40]

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2917866

[Matthew.M]

whocares, ITS FREE.. U DONT LIKE FREE STUFF!?!? screw morals!

[KAN]

I don't know, for sure not screw morals. That is what keeps us from killing each other and live in society.

As for the unethical freebies, well...What are freebies ?

Aren't they bribes basically ?
Companies are bribing us into buying their products. Also, they are sending god knows how many ad messages and maybe even subliminal messages.

So, they are really screwing with us...

See, that's the problem with capitalism. Money is the new GOD. Everything is based on money. Money is the incentives for us to be inventive, creative, working, enjoying stuffs...In the end maybe money will screw us all.

Don't get me wrong, I have no alternative for now. (certainly not communism). :twisted:

[waterlooeseller]

Maybe this is a question for the moderators - but shouldn't there be some rules about what type of freebie is posted in the Freebie Forum? Hopefully most people have some kind of moral code that prevents them from scamming companies who offer gifts or compensation in good faith - but I'm shocked by the number of people who post things like "threaten to cancel your credit card and they'll give you points.." "say you're upset about X and they'll give you this..."

That's not a freebie - that's a dishonest and manipulative scam and people should have the decency to avoid such things.

Just my .02 cents...

I understand what you are saying...it could be considered deceptive, but it is a common practice throughout history. The threat to a company is that a customer will always walk away from an opportunity. It is up to that company to decide if that customer is valuable enough to allow to walk or retain.

The ability to walk away from a deal is a powerful tool for consumers. I personally don't believe there is anything wrong with trying to get the most out of companies as long as there is no blatant misrepresentation. For example, ordering a product and stating that you did not receive it in order to get another one free...

That is my 2 full cents.

[masterhapposai]

Hey, I'm all for companies offering me bribes to keep my business! :lol:

I am just disgusted by people who suggest that we should falsely complain or misrepresent ourselves in order to get something for free. In fact, I would call it STEALING...

do it for me, do it for masterhapposai

the next time someone posts one of these freebies there are hereby entitled to complain on behalf

I have Rogers & Bell lying to me with multiple CSRs lying at a time, every month for the last 4 months. So my honour must be avenged and therefore everyone is allowed on RFD to say they are upset at the treatment I'm getting.

It's like if your friend gets punched by a store clerk, won't you give that clerk a dirty look next time?

[B40]

Look at this: :mad:

This deal still works fine - you just need to change your postal code everytime - nothing else. I have been using the same name, address, everything but the postal code which i change by one digit or letter everytime...

I've received about 15 of these, i'm stocked up for a year! You can even do them all in the same day from the same computer...

A.B.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3417621&postcount=239

[drucillica]

Look at this: :mad:



http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3417621&postcount=239


Wow, that's pretty terrible! No wonder RFDers get a bad rep.

I used to go to the freebies section (I don't anymore) and it's amazing the crap people will sign up for just because it's free. If you don't need it or you don't even know what it is - why are you signing up for it???

[RonyPal]

I agree with the op, it is ethical to defraud companies, there is a thread in regards to calling rogers retention and threatning to cancel. this is wrong. no if and or buts about it, if you want to be a scammer go ahead and be a scammer, it just shows cxs level of morals.

[MrDisco]

ethics? sorry but i've given up on being ethical here. i've raised concerns about some issues and they go unanswered without a response so .. meh.

[masterballer]

meh

[north77]

Maybe this is a question for the moderators - but shouldn't there be some rules about what type of freebie is posted in the Freebie Forum? Hopefully most people have some kind of moral code that prevents them from scamming companies who offer gifts or compensation in good faith - but I'm shocked by the number of people who post things like "threaten to cancel your credit card and they'll give you points.." "say you're upset about X and they'll give you this..."

That's not a freebie - that's a dishonest and manipulative scam and people should have the decency to avoid such things.

Just my .02 cents...

It's one thing to get a freebie, it's another to negotiate a better 'deal' than what your getting. If you don't have the guts to complain or know how to 'better' your position effectively, well then you're the one missing out Sweetheart.

[RonyPal]

ethics? sorry but i've given up on being ethical here. i've raised concerns about some issues and they go unanswered without a response so .. meh.

this is true

[Coolme]

Don't blame the player, blame the game. :idea:

[RonyPal]

Don't blame the player, blame the game. :idea:

That is an easy way to ignore the blame, and feel better about yourself at the end of the day. this means you have no identity? no personal willpower? do as others do is your philosophy i take it...

[LNahid2000]

It's always pissed me off how people take advantage of the freebies that are meant for things like small businesses and they make up some business name to get the freebie. I never go for those freebies...don't care how good it is, I'm not going to abuse a good offer from a company.
I never feel bad about those because I just put in my mom's name and she's got a registered small business. Yeah, the income is like a couple thousand dollars these days but it's still a small business!

[convoluted]

I don't think it's ethically wrong if they are willing to offer more to retain your business. Is it ethically wrong for say, Rogers to offer plan X to someone but are completely unwilling to offer it to another? Should it not be the same across the board?

Yes it may sound unfair for you to say you'll switch to another provider to get a better deal on the offer, but it still stands that someone else is getting that deal. That's like going to the grocery store and getting charged extra for the same item, just because the grocery store can.

Some of the freebies however, I can understand about signing up for random junk.

[RonyPal]

I don't think it's ethically wrong if they are willing to offer more to retain your business. Is it ethically wrong for say, Rogers to offer plan X to someone but are completely unwilling to offer it to another? Should it not be the same across the board?

Yes it may sound unfair for you to say you'll switch to another provider to get a better deal on the offer, but it still stands that someone else is getting that deal. That's like going to the grocery store and getting charged extra for the same item, just because the grocery store can.

Some of the freebies however, I can understand about signing up for random junk.

So then theoretically, everyone with the same skills should get paid the same for a job? so person X cant make $100,000/year while person y only makes $55,000/year and they have the same skillset????

[Sajjad]

I could care less actually, sometimes I wish I had a 2nd house so I could get double the freebies.

[wilkens]

Free market capitalism!

Look around its everywhere --> e.g. Wal-Mart

[Ghetto_Child]

At first I thought you were going to complain about making multiple freebie claims to the same address when it's intended to be one freebie per household or some other glitch that enables you to gain more prizes than intended. These I consider just a blessing because the company that gives away the promotions are usually not losing much, it's a loss leader and if they could not afford it there would not be enough to fill the demand anyway.

However your point of view about fake threats to gain benefits from a company I agree with. It's immoral to lie, cheat, steal, among other things. Still most people who subscribe for services are not trully happy with the service either. There's always something to complain about, and people just generally are never satisfied. The amplification of this is 90% of the RFD users :lol: . This community is one of the most unsatisfiable I've ever come across. The people here will price match over $1 :lol: . So don't be surprised at RFDer abusing the system, they're just a bunch of vindictive people trying to get back for being abused by the system.

I personally do not abuse the system but I'll never complain about unintended benefits in my favour. In some cases I'll even return them.

[MkmBandit]

Wow talking ethics on RFD almost seems like a double negative. Albeit there are some stand up businessmen in this online community. Everone brings up valid points, but the facts still remain that as long as there are exploits, there will be someone here to shout it out. Companies have lawyers for a reason. If some n0Ob can spot an exploit, so can the company. Sometimes companies give out freebies and take a loss being dependant on return clients, thats a risk they take. The freebies given out most of the time dont cost the company much, and at times the cost of the goods are factored into advertising costs. Things like free minutes or 6 months free if you threaten to switch to Fido are not unethical exploits. Like I stated before, they'll give you 6 months free on the basis that youre locked in for 3 years. This is just an example though, there are some immoral exploits on the smaller businesses which are just wrong. For the most part companies wont offer anything that could hit them financially, and whether you choose to take advantage or not is up to your morals. This is RFD.

As for the Mod's, I think their jobs are hard enough. (a neverending plague of fake lacoste dealers comes to mind) Anyways, I personally dont exploit. I did however complain to Rogers telling them that Telus offered me better. I got 6 months free, but I just concider that payback for the $6.95 SAF they've exploited from me for the past 5 years.

Thats my $0.05.. keep the change

EDIT: RONY give me something to quote :lol:

[RonyPal]

I did however complain to Rogers telling them that Telus offered me better. I got 6 months free, but I just concider that payback for the $6.95 SAF they've exploited from me for the past 5 years.

Thats my $0.05.. keep the change

EDIT: RONY give me something to quote :lol:

lol that saf, man everyoen hates it. i dunno hwo many peopel call in to be like WTF IS THIS ON MY BILL lol, but it's there, it's a valid charge, however next time try asking WHAT the saf actually IS and why its charges, you'll be in for a niec hour long cock and bull story ;)

also i agree, rfd is full of scam artists, cheapos, and those who want to get the most value for their buck, now the intial 2, are clearly unfavourable characters, there is about getting the most for your money which is valid, however in this community it seems to be a very fine line between scaming and getting the most for your money...

[Sash[DSL]]

meh
agreed. Free market is free market, I suggest you watch this documentary:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379225/
before you make a claim that asking the company for better rate/15 coupons/whatever
is immoral. Life isn't your high school ethics class, the sort of money companies make defrauding the entire WORLD for is above and beyond any losses they may take from us. Which is precisely why none of us who requested multiple herbal essences coupons got sued - THEY SIMPLY DONT CARE The point of sending out herbal essences coupons is to get you to use their shampoo, is their goal achieved? Hell yes. Do they specifically limit number of coupons sent to one per customer per household per planet? Hell no. Now where's the issue here again?


Are you really naive enough to think that guys at save.ca wouldn't catch people ordering tons of those coupons to the same address the same day? Of course they did, if they are still sending them out, Clairol has decided it's worth their while to push sales that way.

Serious companies hire whole teams of people to research marketing strategies, costs and outcomes ahead of time. They expect a certain number of people using the promo in a way it's not intended.

Bottom line is - do as you will, if you don't feel right about doing something, don't. But remember that companies have much bigger worries than you not being a "nice little customer"