Featured Post #1

Finding The Clearance Sales

  Reprinted with permission from Online Shopping Bargains.net. Do you want to know the secrets to online shopping bargains? How about a way to save money buying your favorite clothing brands on the internet? Maybe they’re not really secrets but everybody knows little rules of thumb that help people find great online bargains. We’re all [...]

| April 14th, 2011 | Continued

Featured Post #2

They’re Only Free In One Sense of the Word

Like Beauty, Free is in the Eye of the Beholder Why would these offers really be free—meaning “without cost”? Just because they say so? We refuse to believe that the most discriminating shoppers in the world have become that gullible. And, they haven’t, of course. But, the Free Offer website owner will give you the [...]

| February 15th, 2011 | Continued

Featured Post #3

The Tide May Be Turning!

Hooray! We must be starting to get the point across! We’re not tooting our own horn here, but we think the point is being made about these free offer sites. We appreciate the comments form RH and others, along with the emails, and it’s gratifying to learn that knowledge is seeping through out there. Call [...]

| January 31st, 2011 | Continued

Featured Post #4

Stop Us If You’ve Heard This Before

OK, One More Time for the Record Let’s say you clicked the banner for a free MacBook Air laptop. When you get to that web site, the fine print at the bottom will say that the owner of the web site you’re now on is giving away the laptop. This means that none of the [...]

| November 17th, 2010 | Continued

Featured Post #5

Never Forget: “Caveat Emptor”

Gotta read all the fine print on these Free Offer sites. The “devil is in the details” is our other admonishment to unwary participants.

| October 5th, 2010 | Continued

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Genesis: Free Offer Detective .com


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How many years has it been?

Before there was even a FreeOfferDetective.com there was just a group of internet marketers that thought the best way to approach bargain hunting on the web was to have an educated clientele base. 

Great, where do they get their diplomas? 

No, not that kind of education!  The average bargain hunter needs an education based on relevant information.  So, okay, answer these two questions about ‘relevant information’:

  • what would it look like?
  • how would it be provided to the bargain-hunting internet user?

Wow, you ask a lot of questions for someone from New Jersey.  (Are we dating ourselves with that line from Roseanne Rosanadana?)

But, when the marketers stopped to give those questions some thought, the consensus was that the method of providing the information was likely going to be a lot easier than deciding the form it would take. 

Rule #1

To their credit the group started by putting themselves in the place of internet consumers, and they began their research with that idea foremost.  They found that there was certainly a lot of free stuff (the best kind of bargains!).  But there was one genre of ‘free stuff’ that caught their eye(s) almost immediately.  These were the “free rewards” sites that required certain consumer interactions in order to “qualify” for the free items. 

These sites certainly had free stuff, but it was more than samples, or coupons, or sweepstakes.  It was a laptop, or a $1,000 gift card.  It was always very attractive, in-demand items that could easily have been sold for a “deep discount” and would still have had plenty of interested customers. 

But, free?  No way.

“How can they do that and still stay in business?” the group asked themselves. 

Formulating strategy

And the rest, as they say, is history.  The researchers started looking into the offers from the standpoint of consumers; as if they were potential participants—and, to a certain extent they were.  As they explored deeper into these sites, they began to discover that there was, in fact, a dollar offset from “free” but, while it was often reasonable, it never was actually zero.  But, they also found that with a little strategy (and timing), some good bargains could be found. 

Voila: better informed consumer

This “strategy participation” is the information that would educate the online bargain hunter.  Solid, actionable information could be placed into the hands of the consumer, and that would keep them in control of the decision to participate in a particular site or not. 

The group then found that the process for gathering this information felt as if they were detectives on various cases.  It seemed to be right out of the old movies based on the Hammett and Chandler mysteries.  (There we go dating ourselves again.)  And that sleuthing provided the theme and the name of their new informational web site with review articles on the offers.

Post-hibernation, Focus is Unchanged

We are happy to say that, following our brief hiatus, what you’ve read above is the same goal and steadfast endgame that we’ve always had: an informed consumer!

Head FOD

FreeOfferDetective.com

April 30th, 2010 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Finding The Clearance Sales


 

Reprinted with permission from Online Shopping Bargains.net.

Do you want to know the secrets to online shopping bargains? How about a way to save money buying your favorite clothing brands on the internet? Maybe they’re not really secrets but everybody knows little rules of thumb that help people find great online bargains. We’re all about saving money while still getting as many great styles we might otherwise not be able to afford. These online shopping bargains are there for the taking, if you know where (and how) to look.

Bargain Site Model

You can use some of these secrets to find great bargains at any site with a “Sale Page,” but I’m going to use jcp.com as my example. J.C. Penney’s website is very typical of most store sites, and I like their clothes because of the way they fit and how well they wear. Plus, I can also go to their nearby brick-and-mortar store if I need to, so I can try on the clothes I’ve just seen online to determine the best size I need. Knowing the correct size beforehand means there will be one less reason I might have to return any of the items purchased online.

Now, the best online bargains at jcp.com are found by using the button on the upper menu bar labeled “Outlet.” Rolling your cursor over this “Outlet” button produces a list of the sale categories. Penney’s Outlet Store usually has all of the great brand names–sometimes in limited quantities and/or color selection–but always at a lower price. The real “secret” is finding the best online bargains at the “Outlet.”

Where To Look

And, I start looking for these deals by selecting “New Markdowns” near the bottom of the “Outlet” drop-down list. The items in “New Markdowns” change every Monday and are selected for viewing from a menu in the left column. You can look at “New Markdowns” by category or one at a time by selecting “View All.” There are always lots of neat items at fairly smart deals. JCP also runs special free-shipping deals on a pretty regular basis (and, usually anytime you make purchases of $69 or more). And, if you sign up for their e-mails, they will alert you whenever they have a special shipping deal or other great bargain offers.

Online Shopping Bargains By Category

Other options under the “New Markdowns” are the various categories such as “$9.99 or less,” “Best Sellers” or, by the weekly one-day-only specials every Wednesday (my personal favorite). There are not many items offered in the one-day specials, but the discounts are really great! I recently found the cutest denim jacket for only $10.99! I got lots of compliments on it and no one would ever guess how little I paid for it.

Reduce Trips and Chaos

So, if you like great clothing that doesn’t look like you got it on sale, and you don’t have the time or the desire to fight mall traffic, check out the JCP online shopping bargains and save time, gas and frustration.

Hoping Your Bargains Are Bountiful

 

 

April 14th, 2011 | | 0 comments | Continued
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They’re Only Free In One Sense of the Word



Like Beauty, Free is in the Eye of the Beholder
Why would these offers really be free—meaning “without cost”? Just because they say so? We refuse to believe that the most discriminating shoppers in the world have become that gullible. And, they haven’t, of course. But, the Free Offer website owner will give you the main item for no charge if you do something to qualify for such a giveaway. And, that would be to make a specified number of purchases from the ads on the three main pages.

“Well, if you’ve got to make purchases,” some would say, “they (FO site owners) should be prevented from using the term ‘free.’ ”

Really? And who will enforce that rule, the government? Oh yeah, that’s a good idea!


The Other “Free”
The free marketplace doesn’t need any more government meddl . . . er . . . uh . . . monitoring than it already has. And that’s another reason why this web site has come into existence . . . to help keep the free marketplace just that way. Free. Not Utopian, certainly, just Unfettered—which is yet another definition of the word. Laissez-faire as our libertarian friends would say. (Those are the real kinds of ‘free’ to believe in.)

What would be infinitely more useful than more government oversight is to have a well-informed consumer base that is kept aware of the nuances of online advertising and marketing. Which, amazingly enough, brings us back to the original reason for FreeOfferDetective.com. We want people to know more about these free offer sites so they can be better informed in order to base their decisions to participate (or not) on their freedom of choice rather than on what somebody says.

Here’s wishing you the Best of Bargains,

Head FOD
FreeOfferDetective.com

February 15th, 2011 | | 0 comments | Continued
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The Tide May Be Turning!


Hooray! We must be starting to get the point across!

We’re not tooting our own horn here, but we think the point is being made about these free offer sites. We appreciate the comments form RH and others, along with the emails, and it’s gratifying to learn that knowledge is seeping through out there.

Call them scams if you want, but that’s not entirely fair. A little close observation and careful use of these sites can be beneficial. Not saying they’re all perfect — far from it. But, as we’ve always said, “like beauty, free is in the eye of the beholder.” If you keep that in mind and avail yourselves of the information we’ve found in our research, you should be OK.

Thanks everyone. We’re trying to help by explaining.

Head FOD

FreeOfferDetective.com

January 31st, 2011 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Stop Us If You’ve Heard This Before



OK, One More Time for the Record

Let’s say you clicked the banner for a free MacBook Air laptop. When you get to that web site, the fine print at the bottom will say that the owner of the web site you’re now on is giving away the laptop. This means that none of the merchants and vendors who show their ads on the next several pages have any knowledge about the laptop. (All they know is that the website owners have told them that X number of visitors will be seeing their ad/banners. Period.)

Call it plausible deniability or whatever, but this is why you’ll still have to pay for the offered items on the Silver/Gold/Platinum pages, and the web site owner can still say you’re getting the laptop for FREE. The owner won’t charge you for getting the laptop if you can show the required proof that you participated in a specified number of the vendor offers.

We can’t stress enough how important it is that, prior to going onto one of these websites, you read our article entitled “Anatomy of a Free Offer Site” which can be found by clicking here.

Regards,

Head FOD

http://www.freeofferdetective.com

November 17th, 2010 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Never Forget: “Caveat Emptor”


Back Up Everything!

Not only is that a good rule when you are working with computers, but also may be the best advice for anyone participating in the programs on Free Offer (FO) sites.

Your “Proofs of Puchase” are Vital
Once again we must warn participants that they should thoroughly read through the Terms and Conditions about what it takes to claim your free items. Most often, you will be provided with some way of checking the “prize progress” as the completed offers are being verified. This may be by email or you may be given an account number and a web page with which to check your gift status. Then, you will be shown a method for linking to a final piece of paperwork–a redemption form that must be submitted.

Also, it may be a good idea to try to contact the marketing company that owns the site beforehand, just to see how responsive they might be in case there is a need to do that later. If there is a problem, complaints to the vending company whose offers are being shown on the site pages may be of some value, but they could easily shrug their shoulders after your initial transactions have been complete.

Then, There’s Always the Government
Be careful of time limits, too. Many sites have 180-day maximum limits in their Terms and Conditions and that could be a sign that they might choose to just “wait you out.”
And then, remember that, if the value of your free gift exceeds $600, at year’s end you will be receiving an IRS form which you will have to claim on your annual filing. If you haven’t filed a long form before, you might want to consult a professional.

It’s a sign of the times that free offers are getting more difficult and complicated.

We Still Wish You the Best of Bargains,

Head FOD

October 5th, 2010 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Are They Really, Totally Free?



Why Would Valuable Items Be Offered Totally Free?

The most casual of observers, if they’re honest with themselves, just have to know that the incentive items used by free offer sites (laptop, $1,000 gift card, airline tickets, etc.) couldn’t actually be free since they all have relatively substantial (i.e., not cheap) dollar values.  Surely we haven’t become that much of a something-for-nothing society.  At least, not yet in the marketplace.  

But the owners of the website can insist that they will hand over to you–completely without monetary charge (i.e., FREE)–the main incentive item that attracted you to their site in the first place.  All they want you to do in return is patronize (that is, do business with) a certain number (usually about 8-13) of their clients whose banner ads are being displayed on the web site.  And that, my fellow discriminating shoppers, is where you will be using your credit cards.

That’s how the free offer sites can say that the item is free, even though you will have a higher credit card balance when you leave the site than when you entered it.  You do have the freedom, however, of not participating in the offers.  But, whatever you do, please read our review on how these sites should be approached and what you should be aware of BEFORE you attempt them.  If you haven’t done so already, please see our article entitled “Anatomy of a Free Offer Site” by clicking here.

Here’s Wishing You the Best of Bargains,

Head FOD
http://www.freeofferdetective.com

September 7th, 2010 | | 0 comments | Continued
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What a scary word that is: “free”


 

The Distinction Is Pretty Subtle

We’re sorry.  It’s probably our fault.

Maybe we haven’t drawn the distinction clearly enough, but there is still some confusion about that term “free” when it comes to the Free Offer (FO) giveaway sites. 

And, that’s because sometimes you can’t tell the players without a program.

“The Secretary Will Disavow any Knowledge…”

Right up front, the FO web site owners tell you that the offering vendors on the three selection pages have nothing to do with the main incentive item, its purchase, or its disposition. That’s strictly handled by the marketers who own the web site. They also tell you that the national brand name company whose logo is on the incentive item being offered likewise has no knowledge that their item is being used as an FO attraction.

Yes, You Will Leave Money at the Website…But That Doesn’t Count

All the web site owners are telling you is, in order to get the main incentive item that “headlines” their front page, you will need to participate in a number of offers made by their clients on the silver/gold/platinum selection pages. And yes, participating in those offers will cost you some cash. But, that’s different. Your credit card will be lighter than when you first came onto their web site, but since they only control the incentive item and not the individual ad/offers, whatever you spend on those doesn’t make the main item less free.  Are we together, so far, Bargain Seekers?

So, How Cheaply Can You Still Arrive at the Prize?

What you should really take a look at is how much of a monetary trade-off will you have to make in order to achieve the incentive item. In other words, how cheaply can you get away with qualifying for said item? And guess what? That’s what the review articles at FreeOfferDetective.com will show you on the selected sites that they research.

August 25th, 2009 | | 0 comments | Continued