Numbers game

It never fails to amaze me how businesses manage to catch consumers unaware and get them to part with their money.

I visited a Red Earth outlet in a local shopping center recently. I had intended to buy one product, but the salesgirl told me a purchase over a certain amount would entitle me to participate in a prize drawing.

There displayed prominently on the counter were three big packages, and tucked behind them was a much smaller one. I decided to buy another product to bring me up to the required amount for the draw.

I picked out a number, and aforesaid salesgirl quickly brandished the tiny package and told me this was my prize.

No problem, but I wondered aloud why there was no identifying mark or number on the package.

"Oh, we know the numbers off by heart," she said, cheerfully demonstrating her skills by verbally listing off the unseen numbers on the other packages.

Who knows, maybe it was really the case. But the fishy dimensions of the draw, and the fact that I was shortchanged by Rp 10,000 (lots of hand-wringing apologies ensued when I returned), made me decide I would not patronize Red Earth in the future.

Snake oil, anyone?

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