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[> [> Subject: Re: MasterGuard
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Author:
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Date Posted: 10/19/07 10:40am
This is one of the most insidious marketing schemes I have ever experienced. These alarms could EASILY be sold for much less, but they will never be marketed that way because, just like encyclopedias, avon, amway, kirby (and other high powered vacuums), while they may be marketed as superior products, and I will not argue their value, but the scheme is always the same:
-- NEVER tell the target customer the price until you have given the presentation and stressed the EXTREME value for their family or home, so they feel compelled to fork out the money.
-- ALWAYS try and get them to buy at the maximum retail price first, and then tell them the quantity or promotion price they qualify for only if they won't take that price.
-- ALWAYS make them feel extremely guilty that they are sacrificing the safety/well-being/child's education opportunities, or whatever if they do NOT purchase the product.
-- OFTEN they will then make a 'special call' to their 'manager' to qualify the customer for an even deeper RIGHT NOW discount - the manager may even, unbeknownst to the customer, be waiting outside in the car.
-- ALWAYS ask for several referrals, but PLEASE make sure to tell them not to tell their friends about the presentation, especially if they end up not buying. They don't want the referrals spoiled by hearing the outRAGEOUS prices before they can even make a presentation, and then have the referrals cancel their appointments!
-- ALWAYS withhold the gift they were promised until the absolutely extreme end of all negotiations, good or bad - AND, in the event that the customer is so frustrated after saying no 20 times that they forget about the gift, then the salesman might also forget about the gift.
Masterguard does all of these things (and did them with US) with the added insidious application of extreme guilt that one does not think their family is important enough for them to spend thousands of dollars, mostly to line the pockets of the presenting salesman with lucrative commissions. We were PROMISED that there would be NO PRESSURE to buy, but this guy would not LEAVE our house until we told him NO 10 different ways, refused to give referrals, but agreed NOT to call my brother who had an appointment the next evening for the same thing (my brother called me anyway and asked about it!! so i told him - he went through with it, and had the SAME experience but was not as nice as me)
DO YOUR HOMEWORK: There are several very good smoke alarm/fire detectors in local retail outlets that are much improved over what the Masterguard salesman will tell you is out there for less, and the better ones are still more expensive than the $19 models that the Masterguard salesman will tell you is out there. ALSO, there have been posted news articles online that, in some cases, side by side, the retail purchased alarm activated BEFORE the masterguard alarm went off.
I think I would trust an experience fireman over a masterguard salesman, no matter how much guilt is thrown around - one post here says don't trust the fireman's negative comments, trust the MASTERGUARD EXPERTS!!!! The irony of this is that Masterguard uses firemen testimonies in their promo films. This should be enough for me to be able to get valid corroborating testimony, one way or the other, from a local experienced fireman. A good masterguard salesman will not want you to call your local fireman first, because "they may not know enough about the product" to give you "valid" advice.
LAST THING: They are now, in our area, no longer giving free dinners, but are standing around in Wal-Mart, giving away prizes for Wii's, Barbecue Grills, and other things. Go for it, if you want that stuff, but be willing to pay the uttermost farthing in either agony of the pressure to buy, or out of your bank account for the product.
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