# This product not sold in stores. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627 "2000-06-26T22:03:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/1 "2000-06-26T22:03:09Z")
There are so many t.v. commercials that announce that. If you want it, you either have to call the number to order it with a credit card, or you have to send away to the address on the screen. I’ve seen this mostly for music. Wouldn’t they sell more if the item was available in stores? What is the reason or purpose for this? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/2 "2000-06-26T22:14:38Z")
You would sell more if you put it in a lot of stores, but you also have to factor in the expense of getting the product distributed to the stores, and keeping them in stock. Much cheaper just to advertise and let people come to you. ---
**Author:** ![jamshid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@jamshid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jamshid)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/3 "2000-06-26T22:14:49Z")
They have to find someone willing to distribute the item. By just selling it on tv, no distribution money is necessary. This happens all the time with movies. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/4 "2000-06-26T22:35:25Z")
Most of those “product not sold in stores” items probably wouldn’t sell in stores. They’re depending on the whole TV ad pitch to sell a product that would be gathering dust on the shelves at a retail shop. That’s why they’re always saying things like “Call in the next 10 minutes and get another one free!” They try to get you to buy without thinking. It must work pretty well, considering how much of this kind of stuff shows up on the tube. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/5 "2000-06-26T22:45:39Z")
Some malls have an “As seen on TV” store. A name presumably chosen because “Crap-O-rama” didn’t have a good ring. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/6 "2000-06-26T23:23:32Z")
Padeye, –laughing heartily– I think \*\*Crap-O-Rama \*\* is a great name for a store! Oh for the world’s businesses to advertise with such honesty! ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/7 "2000-06-27T02:00:33Z")
Lots of products start off that way too. Less overhead, and it can be a competitive market to get Wal-Mart to give you shelf space. If you do _really_ well at direct television sales, and can prove you have repeat customers, major department stores will start giving you shelf space. I’ve seen several products make the transition to stores, and many, many more that fizzled out. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/8 "2000-06-27T08:11:07Z")
I read that for these direct-sales TV ads to be cost-effective, they have to sell something like 2.5 times the cost of the ad. So think about that late nite commercial spot on CNN that must cost something like $3 or $4000 minimum. They wouldn’t run the ad over and over if it wasn’t generating $10 or $15k worth of sales. That’s a hell of a lot of CDs (or whatever they’re selling). Think about that, next time you see an ad hawking “Italian Love Songs” or “Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits”… ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-product-not-sold-in-stores/23627/9 "2000-06-27T16:31:09Z")
> [@](#): > > I think Crap-O-Rama is a great name for a store! Does that mean you want to invest in my new business? We’ll feature such favorites as “The Garden Weasel”, “The Claw”, “The Clapper”, “The Helping Hand”, and “The ‘I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up’ Lady”. And don’t forget music from Roy Orbison, Ronny Milsap, Conway Twitty, Neil Diamond, and Kathie Lee Gifford. We guarantee you’ll be satisfied. If not, we’ll have a 20 ton press in every store where you’ll be able crush the offending piece of crap into tiny bits for a (ahem) nominal fee. Every month or so we’ll introduce new methods you can use: flamethrower, liquid nitrogen, acid bath, dynamite, trampling by angry rhinos… Anybody want to cash in on the IPO?