A local bedroom furniture store is running a radio ad which opens by boldly and proudly shouting "We've solved the Year 2000 problem!!" As you can imagine, my interest level peaked. At last! I knew those bedroom folks had THE answer!! What's the solution?? "No payments and no interest on all waterbeds until the Year 2000"!!!

Anyone else heard of similar ads? Who's the marketing GENIUS behind this ploy? I think I'm suddenly in the market for a new waterbed!

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 03, 1998

Answers

Go buy that water bed!! It will be a good place to store water!!!

-- Bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 03, 1998.

A store in the Wash., DC area that sells big-screen TVs has a TV ad with a "blackout" scenario. The family is watching the ball drop in Times Square on the big-screen TV when, all of a sudden the power goes out. The father gets up, walks over to the generator, flips the switch, and the broadcast reappears with Times Square all lit up and people celebrating as usual. I thought it was hilarious! But, of course, I just don't get it.

-- Buddy Y. (buddy@bellatlantic.net), September 03, 1998.

No problem really. Any exposure helps. But the merchant is making an implicit assumption that "his" billing and accounts receiveable program will be working in 2000+. Maybe, maybe not, maybe, maybe not....I wonder if he realizes that.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 03, 1998.

Rooms to Go, a large furniture retail chain states in its ad "Buy now and make no payments till January 2000. My wife and I looked at each other with big grins, "WOW, free furniture" but did not bite. We are waiting for the same type of offer from Arms Depot;)

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 03, 1998.

Same promos here from appliace stores. Not necessarily a bad deal either - an 18 month interest free loan as long you pay it off before interest starts. If you were planning or need to get something anyway I wouldn't no payments and interest until 2000. Besides could turn into a gift horse - if the comapany's computer system does a crash and burn....(But I'd the promo info and all paperwork just in case it becomes a trojan horse and they try major overcharge...)

If the same creativity is applied to the problem, there may be hope...

-- john hebert (jhebert@co.waukesha.wi.us), September 04, 1998.

These promotions offering months of time with "no" interest have been around for years. The only difference now is that the end of the no-payments period is leaking over into 2000, and the two-bit ad firms are trying to play it up.

I heard a similar ad on the radio this morning where they were advertising "no payments until the NEXT CENTURY!" It reminded me of that one smart-alek in every company who leaves work on New Year's Eve, waves and shouts out "See everybody next year! Har, har, har."

-- Paul Neuhardt (neuhardt@ultranet.com), September 04, 1998.