This one’s for you…

Well, this one’s for you…

FREE…but only if you pay for it! Sounds like I’m contradicting myself, right?

Well, I was trying to keep a flu at bay, so I went searching for some fruit juices at the neighbourhood mini supermarket. They were selling this particular brand of fruit juices, pre-packed two by two, together with a tote bag that was supposed to come as the free gift, at RM11.70 each.

However, I noticed that they were selling the individual packs at only RM5.30, so two of them would be RM10.60 only. That means that I actually paid RM1.10 for that tote bag! This certainly gives a brand new meaning to the word “free”!

There had been occasions also when I bought something and was supposed to get a free gift with it but they kept very quiet about it. By the time I realised it when I got home, I was too lazy to go back to the shop to claim the gift. Eventually, you may find them selling those “free” gifts for a ringgit or two just to make those few extra bucks. These business people really! 

I also hate it at the bigger supermarkets where they make you go to a special counter to join the long queue just to claim one miserable free gift!

Then, there was this one time when I bought quite a lot of things at a stationery store here. The sign said that I would get this free tote bag for purchases RM50 and above…

I spent over RM100 at the shop that day, and they packed them all in plastic bags, including the free gift. When I got into the car, I checked and discovered that they had given me one tote bag only.

I promptly went back to the shop to claim the other bag but they told me that for purchases over RM50.00, I would be entitled to ONE bag only. I argued that I bought over RM100.00 and therefore, should get two but they were adamant in their stand. Then I said I could split the items into two and pay separately – each over RM50.00 and then I could get two bags. They nonchalantly told me that it was too late as I had already paid and the payment had been entered into the cash register. Tsk! Tsk! Now, who says that the customer is always right?

And I am not going to start on that misleading “Buy one, get one free” thingy, otherwise this will be one helluva long post!!! Tsk! Tsk!