Group buying deal for sale: suit people looking for magic beanstalks
Nice to see that group buying site Groupon is taking a high quality approach, selling punters those magic Harmony Balance Wristbands:
“Harmony Balance bands draw upon four naturally occurring key elements – tourmaline, negative ions, far infared rays and alpha waves – to work together to naturally boost the mood, energy and wellbeing of wearers. The wristbands contain black tourmaline, a semi-precious gemstone. When worn on the body, the tourmaline works to produce negative ions, which help to counteract damaging positive ions. Tourmaline has also been known to produce positive far infrared rays and a frequency that mimics alpha ways. Research has shown that these elements all offer positive holistic benefits.”
Or as the ACCC said of the Power Balance Wristbands:
Misleading advertising claims about the alleged benefits of Power Balance wristbands and pendants have been withdrawn by the manufacturer after Australian Competition and Consumer Commission intervention.
As a result consumers will be offered a refund if they feel they have been misled and Power Balance has agreed not to supply any more products that are misleadingly labelled.
Power Balance Australia Pty Ltd claimed the wristbands improve balance, strength and flexibility and worked positively with the body’s natural energy field. It also marketed its products with the slogan “Performance Technology”. The ACCC raised concerns that these claims were likely to mislead consumers into believing that Power Balance products have benefits that they do not have.
“Suppliers of these types of products must ensure that they are not claiming supposed benefits when there is no supportive scientific evidence,” ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said today.
But clearly Power Balance and Harmony Balance are two entirely different things.
Enough about the bands, I already have those – where are the beans that the article title promised?
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It’s amazing how many normally sane people are taken in by this fraudulent nonsense. You see people from all walks of life wearing these useless things.
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Apparently they’re free of magnets, so they’re safe for pregnant women, swimmers and metal paperclips. Who knew?!
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Thanks for this post. Amazing that more than 660 people have so far bought this Groupon offer. Like you I am amazed that Groupon would associate with such a dubious company that is making baseless claims. I’ve given a heads-up to the ACCC and the investigations team at Fairfax.
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Next week, Eternal Salvation, brought to you by [insert religious organisation here]
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So this is what happens when they’ve gone through every mediocre restaurant, hairdresser, massage or beauty place in town?
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What about the other deal they are also promoting?
http://www.groupon.com.au/deal...../715857348
Are’n those cigarettes selling a similar promise like the wrist-bands??
If people buy, why not selling them through group-buying sites?
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The irony is, if people are stupid enough to believe the bands work, they probably will. Its ye olde placebo effect, and is incredibly strong.
I just wish I believed they worked, I have a sore back.
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