Products you've bought from infomercials

[golden eagle]

I bought a Hip Hop Abs DVD and it works. Problem is, I didn't use it much. I did buy a couple of items from stores that were sold on infomercials at first. One was the Ab Rocker, where you sit in a mesh chair and bend your body as far back as you can. It also works, but only if used. The other was the Windshield Wiper (I think that was the name), which one would use a wide pad as a means to clean the inside of your car's windshield without the use of newspaper and glass cleaner. That didn't work for me.

[Scott5114]

I never have. When I had live television access, infomercials weren't something I made a habit of watching, and now my TV is essentially a Netflix device, so I have no idea what they're even advertising anymore.

[1995hoo]

I wouldn't say I bought it because of an infomercial, but back in the 1990s when I lived in an apartment where city fire code prevented me from having an outdoor grill, I bought one of those now-ubiquitous George Foreman grills in part based on the TV ads suggesting it'd be a decent substitute under the circumstances.

[SteveG1988]

For some reason my grandfather (the one who died in 2005) always bought the crap from infomericals, rarely worked well, the one that didn't work at all was the rotato. Let Mike Jeavons explain in his series, infomercialism.

[Molandfreak]

None; the TV stations should go back to signing off with the national anthem and "and this concludes our broadcast day" IMO.

[1995hoo]

I just remembered the other product I saw on TV that looked interesting but that apparently never went on sale in any volume. Either Carson or Leno had a guest who'd invented a device called the "Tilt-a-Roll." It was a hinged toilet paper holder and if the toilet paper was hung the opposite of the way you prefer, you simply turn the device 180 degrees and the TP then hangs the opposite way. Nice idea if you prefer it one way and your spouse prefers it the other. (What I really do not understand is people who change it at someone else's house. If you don't like the way your host has it, you can change it while you're in there, but you should change it back when you're done.)

I have a package of Mighty Putty in the HVAC closet at home, but I didn't order from a TV commercial. I found it at the "As Seen on TV" store at the mall. I'd wandered in there while waiting for my wife and the Mighty Putty was reasonably priced compared to comparable products at Home Depot. Since I needed something of that sort anyway, I bought some. Worked fine for what I needed it for.

[SteveG1988]

I just remembered the other product I saw on TV that looked interesting but that apparently never went on sale in any volume. Either Carson or Leno had a guest who'd invented a device called the "Tilt-a-Roll." It was a hinged toilet paper holder and if the toilet paper was hung the opposite of the way you prefer, you simply turn the device 180 degrees and the TP then hangs the opposite way. Nice idea if you prefer it one way and your spouse prefers it the other. (What I really do not understand is people who change it at someone else's house. If you don't like the way your host has it, you can change it while you're in there, but you should change it back when you're done.)

I have a package of Mighty Putty in the HVAC closet at home, but I didn't order from a TV commercial. I found it at the "As Seen on TV" store at the mall. I'd wandered in there while waiting for my wife and the Mighty Putty was reasonably priced compared to comparable products at Home Depot. Since I needed something of that sort anyway, I bought some. Worked fine for what I needed it for.

[OCGuy81]

I'm guilty of purchasing a Sham Wow, but mostly because I was going as the Sham Wow guy for Halloween a few years back and needed it as a prop.

[SteveG1988]

I'm guilty of purchasing a Sham Wow, but mostly because I was going as the Sham Wow guy for Halloween a few years back and needed it as a prop.

There is a good use for them, wash your car with it.

[Big John]

None; the TV stations should go back to signing off with the national anthem and "and this concludes our broadcast day" IMO.

Except the TV stations around here run them during the day too.  I immediately reach for the remote anytime I see one on.

[freebrickproductions]

My family got a "Bacon Wave", but not because we saw it on an infomercial, but because a person at a local news station reviewed it and said it worked quite well (which it does).

[OCGuy81]

Guess I'm guilty of another, by proxy anyway.  My wife purchased something called the ShoesUnder, basically just a way to store and organize shoes under the bed.  Man, that thing was actually a good purchase, and freed up a LOT of closet space, as she bought two of them. :-)

[Brian556]

Quote from OCGuy81:

Guess I'm guilty of another, by proxy anyway.  My wife purchased something called the ShoesUnder, basically just a way to store and organize shoes under the bed.  Man, that thing was actually a good purchase, and freed up a LOT of closet space, as she bought two of them. :-)

Especially since women typically have more shoes than roadgeeks have maps.

[OCGuy81]

Quote from OCGuy81:

Guess I'm guilty of another, by proxy anyway.  My wife purchased something called the ShoesUnder, basically just a way to store and organize shoes under the bed.  Man, that thing was actually a good purchase, and freed up a LOT of closet space, as she bought two of them. :-)

Indeed! That's an understatement.
Especially since women typically have more shoes than roadgeeks have maps.

[algorerhythms]

I just remembered the other product I saw on TV that looked interesting but that apparently never went on sale in any volume. Either Carson or Leno had a guest who'd invented a device called the "Tilt-a-Roll." It was a hinged toilet paper holder and if the toilet paper was hung the opposite of the way you prefer, you simply turn the device 180 degrees and the TP then hangs the opposite way. Nice idea if you prefer it one way and your spouse prefers it the other. (What I really do not understand is people who change it at someone else's house. If you don't like the way your host has it, you can change it while you're in there, but you should change it back when you're done.)

What I don't understand is why some people are so anal-retentive that they give a crap which way the toilet paper is oriented.

[Molandfreak]

I just remembered the other product I saw on TV that looked interesting but that apparently never went on sale in any volume. Either Carson or Leno had a guest who'd invented a device called the "Tilt-a-Roll." It was a hinged toilet paper holder and if the toilet paper was hung the opposite of the way you prefer, you simply turn the device 180 degrees and the TP then hangs the opposite way. Nice idea if you prefer it one way and your spouse prefers it the other. (What I really do not understand is people who change it at someone else's house. If you don't like the way your host has it, you can change it while you're in there, but you should change it back when you're done.)

What I don't understand is why some people are so anal-retentive that they give a crap which way the toilet paper is oriented.

Pooing is cool

[cpzilliacus]

I bought a Hip Hop Abs DVD and it works. Problem is, I didn't use it much. I did buy a couple of items from stores that were sold on infomercials at first. One was the Ab Rocker, where you sit in a mesh chair and bend your body as far back as you can. It also works, but only if used. The other was the Windshield Wiper (I think that was the name), which one would use a wide pad as a means to clean the inside of your car's windshield without the use of newspaper and glass cleaner. That didn't work for me.

Nothing.  Ever.

[J N Winkler]

I hardly ever see infomercials, let alone feel tempted to buy anything they advertise.  While the Wikipedia article on infomercials notes that some of the big brands (e.g. Apple) have used them successfully in the past, I feel they tend to impair product credibility by causing skeptical customers to wonder why a good product should be forced to rely on a dubious marketing approach.

The same problem exists with products sold through multi-level marketing schemes.  Tupperware is a good product, and by all accounts so are Amsoil lubricants, but the use of a marketing method that is widely considered tantamount to a pyramid scheme and is regarded as a prime candidate for FTC review casts a shadow on them.

[briantroutman]

While the Wikipedia article on infomercials notes that some of the big brands (e.g. Apple) have used them successfully in the past...

To my knowledge, the only Apple infomercial was this from about 1995. Sort of a half-hour soap opera about how a family convinces the curmudgeonly father to buy the family a computer. Hardly a traditional informercial, but I have doubts that it was successful. It was a rather dark period for Apple.

[Thing 342]

I've never personally bought any of these products, however, my Grandmother sent me a whole bunch for Christmas this year for some ill-defined reason, including:

• The Bacon Bowl, which didn't work at all, and left three strips of partially burned and partially raw bacon that in no way, shape, or form resembled a bowl.
• The Yoshi Grill Mat, which doesn't allow rendered fat to drip through, meaning that anything you cook on it turns into a greasy mess.
• A Tupperware thing that prevents things from splattering all over the microwave. It worked as shown in the infomercial, however, simply placing a paper towel over the plate I was cooking produced similar results.

[Jardine]

I bought the Kreg jig after watching the 1/2 infomercial show.

Love it.

[golden eagle]

I have no intentions on buying this, but I wonder how many people have been suckered into buying Clear TV. It's just a regular DTV converter box that you can purchase at your local electronics. However, the way it's marketed confuses people into thinking they can get cable channels without paying for cable or satellite. Also, many newer TVs may not even need an antenna to receive local channels in HD.

[formulanone]

I've never bought an infomercial item.

The only item I've ever bought with "As Seen on TV" emblazoned on it was a interior windshield wiping stick with a swiveling microfiber cloth on the flat end. It also included a tiny spray bottle for adding a little water to the mix. The spray bottle comes in handy for ironing clothing when traveling (many hotel irons piss out water undesirably, instead of steaming them), so it was five bucks decently spent to catch that last two inches of my windshield.

[SignGeek101]

I've never bought an infomercial item.

The only item I've ever bought with "As Seen on TV" emblazoned on it was a interior windshield wiping stick with a swiveling microfiber cloth on the flat end. It also included a tiny spray bottle for adding a little water to the mix. The spray bottle comes in handy for ironing clothing when traveling (many hotel irons piss out water undesirably, instead of steaming them), so it was five bucks decently spent to catch that last two inches of my windshield.

Never bought anything from an infomercial. Many of the products look gimmicky and seem liks they dont work or are simply not needed (Im thinking of the Q Ray bracelet), if any of you know I'm talking about. A few infomercials seem to a little creative with their products.

I liked the Billy Mays commercials until he passed away. He seemed good at his job, but it could have been just me because I was a kid then.

[DaBigE]

I've never bought an infomercial item.

The only item I've ever bought with "As Seen on TV" emblazoned on it was a interior windshield wiping stick with a swiveling microfiber cloth on the flat end. It also included a tiny spray bottle for adding a little water to the mix. The spray bottle comes in handy for ironing clothing when traveling (many hotel irons piss out water undesirably, instead of steaming them), so it was five bucks decently spent to catch that last two inches of my windshield.

I just got another one of those the other day...Menards had 'em on sale for $0.99 (just the stick/microfiber portion). Works great for that last several inches of glass, especially in newer cars where the windshield and/or rear window angles are so small.

I've never bought anything directly from an infomercial. If it's something I think might actually work, I just wait for it to show up in the "as seen on tv" section that so many stores now have.