# Have you ever purchased anything advertised in spam, pop-ups, or from telemarketers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432 "2005-11-23T16:15:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/1 "2005-11-23T16:15:24Z")
I recall hearing once (how’s that for a cite) that telemarketers only plan on selling to less than 5% of the people that they contact. I’m not certain if spam and pop-up ads work on a similar business plan or not. Apparently, that 5% makes it all worthwhile. I’ve never purchased anything from spam or a pop-up. I did once purchase some credit card plan from a telemarketer, though I did cancel it soon afterwards. I was only 19 and had no idea what I was getting involved in. You? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/2 "2005-11-23T16:40:39Z")
I’m sure it’s a lot less than 5%. At least I hope it is. I never bought from spam and I never will. I despise spam with every fiber of my existence, and will never ever do anything to support that type of commerce. Unless I were poisoned, and I could only get the antidote via spam, then maybe. But only maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/3 "2005-11-23T17:41:56Z")
Never. Not even from QVC. I believe I am completely immune to advertising, nd the more direct it is, the less I’m likely to purchase it. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/4 "2005-11-23T17:44:34Z")
Not one single thing. Neither have I donated over the phone. And I never will. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/5 "2005-11-23T18:32:23Z")
In my college days when I was more naive and less worldly, I worked a few months for a local telemarketing company. I would say that the 5% figure is high. It is more realistically around 1% of calls actually yielded a sale. Only those that were really REALLY good at it could possibly make 5% of their calls. To answer the OP, I have never bought from a telemarketer, and I have never bought anything from a spam e-mail. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/6 "2005-11-23T18:57:44Z")
I have a friend who responded to one of those “FREEE!!! TV!!1!” spame emails. He jumped through a bunch of hoops - he had to open two credit card accounts (he used each to purchase one item and destroyed the cards), sign up for a month of Blockbuster by mail (cancelled after the first month), and pay shipping charges on free samples of a couple of different things (some kind of cleaning product, some lotion, something else I don’t remember). Once he did all those, though, he did indeed get a new 40 inch HDTV. It cost him a grand total of about $30, lots of patience, and meticulous record keeping to be sure that he actually cancelled everything that he signed up for. He’s working on a $1500 Visa Gift Card now. Somehow I don’t think he’s really the kind of target they’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![VegaBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ee7513/32.png) [@VegaBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VegaBean)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/7 "2005-11-23T19:19:06Z")
I think telemarketers might get into the 1-5% range, but spammers send millions of emails, and thus can live on .00…% return rates. A 1cent email tax would put them out of business. I’ve gone along with a few telephone surveys, especially during voting season, even though I know that some surveys are just looking for people to hit up for donations. But I like those I’m supporting and those against just where I stand. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/8 "2005-11-23T19:22:00Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > I have a friend who responded to one of those “FREEE!!! TV!!1!” spame emails. He jumped through a bunch of hoops - he had to open two credit card accounts (he used each to purchase one item and destroyed the cards), sign up for a month of Blockbuster by mail (cancelled after the first month), and pay shipping charges on free samples of a couple of different things (some kind of cleaning product, some lotion, something else I don’t remember). Once he did all those, though, he did indeed get a new 40 inch HDTV. It cost him a grand total of about $30, lots of patience, and meticulous record keeping to be sure that he actually cancelled everything that he signed up for. > > He’s working on a $1500 Visa Gift Card now. Somehow I don’t think he’s really the kind of target they’re looking for. Wow. I might start actually reading these things now … 😉 One time, I bought magazine subscriptions through a police organization telephone fundraiser. I got a five-year subscription to Better Homes & Gardens for $50. It was worth it! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/9 "2005-11-23T20:21:59Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > One time, I bought magazine subscriptions through a police organization telephone fundraiser. I got a five-year subscription to Better Homes & Gardens for $50. It was worth it! Oh yeah? So you have a better home now? And garden? ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/10 "2005-11-23T20:32:53Z")
Never, never, never. It just encourages the rat bastids. ---
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/11 "2005-11-23T21:45:54Z")
Maybe I should modify my question somewhat. Have you \*or anyone you know \* ever purchased anything from Telemarketers, spam, or pop-ups? ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/12 "2005-11-23T21:51:30Z")
Technically, yes, once. I got an unsolicited email advertising a book about Human Resources in the United Nations. Well, it must have been a pretty d\*mn targeted email, because those are 2 professional interests of mine. Still, I’d had no idea the book existed. I don’t know if they sent the ad to a lot of HR people, or a lot of people interested in the U.N., but I figured that they’d hit their mark so well with me that I’d go ahead and buy the book. It was as good as expected. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-purchased-anything-advertised-in-spam-pop-ups-or-from-telemarketers/332432/13 "2005-11-23T22:36:53Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Oh yeah? So you have a better home now? And garden? Yes, actually I DO! We have since purchased a larger, newer home that actually HAS a garden, thankyouverymuch! 😃