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CNY: Why so many ‘free gifts’ ?!
20 January 2012 Friday | 19:41 | -

Entering a supermarket this afternoon, I was appalled to see a group of housewives shamelessly ruining the Mandarin oranges on sale. The essential CNY fruits had been pre-packed into boxes for convenience, and there they were, opening the cartons, selecting the better ones and chucking less favorable ones. And it seemed that almost every box had been opened with an uneven number of oranges in each container. I shook my head and decided to buy my oranges elsewhere.

The queues weren’t as long as I expected. A lady approached me as I was waiting to pay, and informed me in a most joyful manner that I was entitled to receive eight bowls for buying eight cans of abalone. I was stumped momentarily, “Huh? What do I do with eight bowls? I don’t need so many bowls!” I politely declined and immediately heard gasps all around. Ah, it must have meant, “Got free gift why don’t want?! Stupid ah?!”.

As I approached the counter, the cashier displayed a look of panic and called for her colleague. Apparently I could receive a bag for every two cans purchased- which meant I could walk away with four bags. Uh huh. Well, I don’t need those bags too.

Come on, I just want my abalone. Hurry already.

As she packed my stuff and glanced at the figures, she further announced that she was going to give me four $25 vouchers based on the total amount spent.

What?! More freebies?! I was slightly horrified.

“But I only have three vouchers here. You wait a while ok?”

Right. I didn’t turn that down. Hahaha.

P/S: A gift is defined as ‘a thing given willingly to someone without payment’. Hence the word ‘free’ is redundant. Say ‘gift’, not ‘free gift’.

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3 Comments

  1. Zix
    January 20, 2012 21:08

    You made buying abalone sound like buying a loaf of bread. Heh

    http://-
  2. 某人
    January 24, 2012 21:16

    i heard of the “free gift” paradox before! but i figured (after watching the big bang theory lol) that although grammatically incorrect, when people say ‘gift’ it usually comes with the expectation that you are supposed to give something back e.g. during Christmas/birthdays.
    whereas when we say ‘free gift’ the obligation is usually before it, like buy a can of abalone and you’ll get a bowl free. XD

    HAPPY NEW YEAR anyway!

    http://ycroxmyworld.blogspot.com
  3. Cymbeline
    January 25, 2012 18:39

    Ha. Seems like not everyone has same interpretation of “free gift”. I was approached once in a mall and given a free gift…. and tada a form to fill in. Upon reading the T & C, it says I need to arrange for them to come to my house for a free trial of their cleaning service. If i don’t use the free trial with X weeks, i must arrange to return the “free” gift. What did I do? I return in on the spot.
    These sale & mkting people really think that everyone is hungry for “free gifts” or services?? Tsk…

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