DO YOU WANT TO DEAL? THE EXCITEMENT COULD RUN AWAY WITH YOU...

I was caught by an eye-catching advertisement on a website,  which advertised fun deals. (Its business name is actually a reversal of the two words). However, the fun before the deal gives you a clue to its magnetic form of operation. 

It is a curious dealing forum which is supposed to be selling overstocks of items or liquidated company goods. The dealers even offer international shipping. The first hook is the introductory page where you see iPads, iPhones, Kindles, etc.  marked 'sold' and at low prices, while counting down continues on attractive deal prices with other items.   It looks fun and appears exciting; it is meant to entice you in to to buy what seems to be a real snip of a bargain. Before you can join in the bidding/dealing, you have to register to participate. I didn't go that far.  Instead, I did some research. Things that look too good to be true, usually are just that, too good to be true.

The punter has to pay for every bid s/he makes. The bids are priced at 60 cents, (presumably, there would be additional exchange rate costs for every bid if you are in the U.K).   Every time your bid is topped, the countdown, whichever stage it is at, has time added to it, (about 15 seconds) to allow for further bidding. The 'winning' bid is that of the last bidder where no-one has come along in time to top the bid.  This system leaves open many ways of manipulation,  inside and out.

You would have to be a pretty clever clairvoyant to work out when to bid and get what you want without spending a lot of money on trumped bids, or, you will need to have devious software that can read the bids and dive in on the last second to obliterate the gazumping hordes, trusting that there would be no manipulation of the system elsewhere.  

The company sweats the assets in bids to take good profits from the sales - as that's what they are, as far as the company is concerned - while you, the bidder, have the fun of next to impossible odds of paying for lots of unsuccessful bids. The aim of the process, is to sell 'desirable' goods based on many bids to obtain the profit the company wants. 

Those people who do obtain what they bid for in the forum, may visibly have a good deal, say $250 for an ipad,  the cost of their [numerous] bids, plus exchange rates, if you live abroad, and possibly import taxes.  In the final reckoning, there may have been no real purchase advantage. One thing you can be sure of, there will be a lot of disappointed bidders having to pay for their empty bids.

This is an interesting retail business model.  The excitement of the game could run away with people, and an awful lot of 60 cents bids would yield nothing. This is, in reality, a commodified gambling forum where the odds of getting anything are likely to be a lot less than winning the sweepstake or the lottery.

DECEMBER DOINGS

The very best way to post about my December, thus far,is in Pictures.

The snow fell and fell in quantity. The garden remained pristine and the Leyandii were adorned in a thick white coat.




This bird became a regular visitor, with others, to the feeding post we provided.



Our other neighbour, the farmer took feed to his livestock as the snow prevented the sheep from being able to feed on grass. The feed was grown on the farm, then baled by the farmer just a couple of months ago. (It has been a difficult growing year because of low temperatures).



Last Friday the 3rd December 2010, There was a buzz around the town.



we were 'invaded' by marauding Vikings who appeared out of the misty swirl of lights.


The fire torches suddenly lit up the dark night.


The fire torch light procession stopped at the Viking Boat which was to be 'sacrificed' to the flames.



The next day, the 4th December was the town's annual fun day, when many local shops put on a bit of a show and/or offer a small discount on purchases for the day. 

A local pharmacy was 'boarded' and led by a pirate in full dress who did throw me a dastardly glare while I collected my photographic evidence of his take-over.


However, out at the front of house, a more genteel customer service was being offered by Minnie Mouse and Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz).



Meantime, in the menswear shop could it have been Drusilla I espied?



In the Gift wares/Do-It-Yourself store, Robin Hood and his merry men were busy. I was served by a buxom Friar Tuck, in the gift department, who was keeping the rest of Robin's band under surveillance. In the DIY department, I discovered Maid Marian, Robin's amour, all on her own. 


She was very obliging.


The story of Robin Hood and his 'merrinesses' will never be the same again!

WHAT PANTOMIMES....WHAT FUN!

The ingredients were all there, the surprises, the magic, the traditional pantomime dame, (British style, of course) comic local references, good giggly humour, lots of audience participation and some wonderful kids from the audience, who made great little impromptu comedians.

There was a talented cast of adult who who were encouraging the newer amateur dramatists to develop for future roles.  There were lots of dancers from the local population, real looking people, not audited 'beautiful people'.  Their enthusiasm, the obvious fun they had while dancing, was infectious.

This is the Pantomime season here, in the run up to Christmas.  There is one more local pantomime to enjoy this week. Quite honestly, I have no desire to go to a professional performance, not when I can support great local talent, and have such a happy,lovely, fun time, shared with lots of other people and their children, all within reach of home.