The Pros of Gimmick-ing

The power of marketing is truly beyond words. It has the power to manipulate our credulous minds with just that few, but strong words to purchase the marketed product.

Exceptions for those "aunties" or "uncles" who are so easily cheated with minimal benefits lar. A bit of 10% sales is like 100% sales for them. Lol.

It's no wonder Ms Alice, my Marketing lecturer last year was so eager to encourage us to take up marketing. But somehow, after this day, I felt that somehow, experience is more important then text-book teachings, and certainly, your ability to be "flowery" in your words.

It was few days back when my family went to pay a visit to my dad's friend in Kelana Jaya. Did I tell you it was such a comfort just sitting in the living room of his condominium. I feel like a King =P. This uncle of mine is very, I do mean VERY generous to us, as well, he is kind of rich. As a souvenir, he gave us one BIG box of FERRERO ROCHE chocolates (I don't even dare to spend money on such chocolates) and two big packets of Old Town coffee. Too stunned to say thank you lol. Well, the beneficiaries are us, so what we do we care right? =P

Ferrero Roche chocolates for free. Am I dreaming?

If I were to drink all these, I can be iron-cum-coffee man.

More of his generiosity was to come.

Lunch followed after that, and then we passed by an open-air stall selling bonsais. The seller, a woman from China with her obvious hard-to-catch Chinese slang, soon came along after seeing the interest shown by my uncle, his wife and my parents.

The bad thing about following elderly ones out. Who would want to see bonsai in the middle of the afternoon? =S

So the woman offered a RM120 price tag for a plant of bonsai in which my uncle was interested. We as consumers of course bargain for a lower price even though I'm sure that RM120 for a bonsai like this wouldn't be found anywhere. Initially the woman refused our bargain of RM100, so we all left, but after that, under desperation to sell off the bonsai, she called us back.

Consumer 1 - Seller 0

So we agreed on the price though my uncle was still a bit hesitant to buy, UNTIL this rather elderly man came along. He came to share his knowledge about bonsai after telling the whole wide world that his house had a bonsai slanting downwards towards his mini-waterfall at his home.

"Zhan hai mou dak deng a"

Sounds grand isn't it? Gimmick number One.

Gimmick number Two.

This was when the flowery phrases came out from the old man's big mouth.

"Wah, RM100 for this awesome plant, you can't find anywhere else one lahhh"

"Imagine if you put this beside your house window, it's like a big dollar tree at your home. You see also happy lah"

"This is good plant you know! We need more oxygen mah, so we give the plant what we want. Then the plant also gives us what we want! Helping each other ma"

By now I was almost fainting. It doens't sound good here, but trust me, if you are on the scene, any smart asses will fall for his words man.

Then of course the finishing line.

"Nei dai zhan hai mou gan chor. Mai zhor hoi, lei fat datt a!"

Gosh. I would think any Choi San Yeh would want to give this fella a big punch. Lol.

Consumer 1 - Seller 2

My poor dad carrying the "fatt datt" tree in the car as there wasn't any space in the boot of my uncle's car.

And as you can see, that's me. =P

There you go. Flowery phrases are more than enough to earn the Chinese woman money.

Really pro. Uncle (that old man), I respect you lar.

As if it wasn't enough, my dad said he wanted to buy when he's free. XD

Oh before I forget, there is a picture taken on the same day that I MUST show you.

See the amount of not only shoes, but ALL branded shoes?

These are ALL bought by my uncle's son, ALONE. It's unfortunate for that uncle of mine that his son is a money-swinger. I lived for 19 years and I don't think I even have a Nike shoe yet, and he already had 50. =S

Why doesn't he donate me one pair? I DON'T MIND AT ALL YOU KNOW!

I think he is even crazier than a good friend of mine who is obsessed with shoes. XD XD