Seen The "FREE" Video Professor Informercials??
 

You guys seen the "free" video professor informercials rite (pic below)? They claim that this product is free and all you have to do is pay the shipping ($6.99). Any idea how they make the $? I can think of 3 things here..

1. Comes bundled with spyware. (like kazaa did)
2. Over price on shipping. (eg. the shipping would be $2.50 but they charge $6.99)
3. Coustomers will buy paid stuff from them, because this one was free. (unlikely)

(pic, see how it says "free" :1orglaugh )
http://freevptraining.com/main.jpg

Most likely the "free" lesson will tell you how to plug in your computer and click a mouse button. Then it will say "to learn how to surf the net safely, share your pictures, and even make money off the web, BUY THE ENTIRE LESSON COLLECTION FOR $100000"

And I'm guessing if it's "free" then he doesn't have to give a refund to dissatisfied customers.

Shipping is done via media mail (ask the USPS its super cheap) ever been curious about the AOL cd's?

Couple cents for a CD. Toss in some upsales. A electronic product that is free to duplicate. Mail it for under .30 each and well you clear a considerable amount.

Oh and you collect a very valuable mailing list to boot.

Maybe their free lesson is how to obtain their next freeish lesson.

the shipping is 4.99 i think and if you dont " cancle " your membership they send yo new cds each month for like 49.99 that they auto bill you at

This is most likely an overprice on shipping. I mean to ship a stupid CD dont cost $6.99. When people hear free, they dont really look at the shipping cost. And this guy has been really successful too with this. Infomercials daily, ads all over the internet, billboards, paper ads. Not a bad idea on his part. Suck for people who buy into it though.

#2 is your answer. They can send out a cd for a buck, the rest is all gravy. The costs were all up front in developing the relatively simple software and producing the cds. Once they hit their breakeven point, the margins skyrocket because of the difference in what they charge for shipping and what it actually costs them. This model is all over the web, you give the surfer what seems to be an incredible deal, then backload it with excessive shipping. This gets a lot more surfers all the way to the checkout, some don't see the shipping, some don't know shipping rates, and others are just excited about the good deal up front to worry about it.

I don't believe this is the situation here, the shipping is $6.99 and they don't send any more. I've seen the software, its your basic windows instructional cds, mostly geared towards noobies. For seven bucks its not that bad of a deal to someone who needs to learn how to use the pc.

lol it is the case because I signed up for it when doing a gratis offer..... the product arrives and it gives you a shit load of papers to read thru and in like thie middle of all of it it tells you about the pre accuring charge

If you're going to sign up, do it through freeplaystations.com :)

At least you get something!

Well this is a win-win for that guy because even if people deside to cancel the membership he still get the $ from the overpriced shipping. If they dont then he makes more $. Smart move.

On top of all if he wanted to that he can just spyware bundle his CDs and make a shit load more.

Ah ok, there is another software offer that comes with the recurring charges if you don't send it back and I thought you were confusing it with that one.

Don't think they would risk ruining their rep by bundling spyware, maybe some adware in the program, but definitely not spyware.

Video Professor pays quite well for referrals, so there is more than just a shipping cost for them (at times).

DONT fucking get me started on this guy.

Watch his commercials and count how many times he says 'product'.

This fuck needs a thesaurus.

I recently placed an order for this (I'm going to be using them for a mainstream porject and wanted to see what the process was)

they charge you $6.95, then if you don't return it, they charge $69.95 for the lesson. Most people will either forget to return it or enjoy it and keep it and pay the $69.95 (from what I understand the course is pretty intensive and cheaper than the average community college course)

they will also sell you their other lessons I'm sure...