Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership

[Queasy]

On my drive home, I heard a commercial from Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership where they were offering an Xbox 360 Arcade unit along with Guitar Hero (I assume not World Tour) for...here's the punchline...$99 a month for 6 months.

<facepalm>

 

[DaveSimmons]

Those get-a-computer ads are as bad or worse -- $20 a week for a year (= $1,040) for a $400 Dell or HP desktop.

 

[dainthomas]

I'd love to run one of those places but would be afraid of the karma. Don't really want to be reincarnated as a sea worm or something.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Those get-a-computer ads are as bad or worse -- $20 a week for a year (= $1,040) for a $400 Dell or HP desktop.

They break it into weeks because then it sounds cheaper than 80 a month

 

[kranky]

My mentally-ill friend who just got off welfare bought a computer from there, and just today called me to say he also got a TV this week. I can practically guarantee he'll miss the payments before three months pass and will get the stuff repo'd and have nothing to show for his payments.

That would be $60/month for a laptop and $82/month for the TV. But don't worry, he'll own them both in 18 months! :roll:

He was so thrilled to get the TV, because he didn't have to do anything but call them up and they brought it out in less than 2 hours. I can see why they are equipped to deliver on a moment's notice, because if someone stopped to think about what they were paying, they'd be shopping somewhere else.

But this is what happens when people have become so comfortable with things costing "$X a month" they no longer can comprehend what something actually costs.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Those get-a-computer ads are as bad or worse -- $20 a week for a year (= $1,040) for a $400 Dell or HP desktop.

They break it into weeks because then it sounds cheaper than 80 a month

also, some months are 100 bucks...

Originally posted by: dainthomas
I'd love to run one of those places but would be afraid of the karma. Don't really want to be reincarnated as a sea worm or something.

if people that have credit issues want to go that route to get stuff they otherwise couldnt afford, let them! they know they have no other choice to get those things, and go into it knowing what they are doing. when i first met my exwife, we had a console 19" tv. it had a green color screen due to a couple lightning strikes, but it wass all we had. when it finally died, we didnt have any way to really get a tv. i got a tv/ vcr set from one of those places, paid 3 times its worth and got to watch tv months before i could have saved up enough to buy something cheap. it was a decent model zenith 25" too, pretty nice. this was back in 91.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist
if people that have credit issues want to go that route to get stuff they otherwise couldnt afford, let them! they know they have no other choice to get those things, and go into it knowing what they are doing. when i first met my exwife, we had a console 19" tv. it had a green color screen due to a couple lightning strikes, but it wass all we had. when it finally died, we didnt have any way to really get a tv. i got a tv/ vcr set from one of those places, paid 3 times its worth and got to watch tv months before i could have saved up enough to buy something cheap. it was a decent model zenith 25" too, pretty nice. this was back in 91.

There's always the option, you know, of like, not having a TV. Though traumatic, people have survived such experiences, and gone on to lead normal, productive lives.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I always loled at those "buck a day" deals and stuff. Computer value degrades so fast, you may as well pay cash and be done with it. Sucks to make payments on something and by the time it's paid you can buy the exact same model for the price of one payment.

 

[alkemyst]

people don't understand the plight of the poor yet will rush in and rescue the few that retained lawyers.

in the end the lawyers profit and little poor dude has no gamestation.

 

[Descartes]

I'm not sure how exactly that's preying on people. The company assumes risk for giving the equipment, so for that risk and the opportunity to get it with little credit and no cash you pay a heavy premium. How is this any different than any other company that attempts to make money.

I certainly wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't sell anything to a pawn shop either. I wouldn't take my check to a check cashing place and I wouldn't use those services that offer to give you all your tax return now in exchange for a fee.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: Descartes
I'm not sure how exactly that's preying on people. The company assumes risk for giving the equipment, so for that risk and the opportunity to get it with little credit and no cash you pay a heavy premium. How is this any different than any other company that attempts to make money.

I certainly wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't sell anything to a pawn shop either. I wouldn't take my check to a check cashing place and I wouldn't use those services that offer to give you all your tax return now in exchange for a fee.

Well said.

 

[ballmode]

They rarely get all the money anyways extort while they can.

 

[boomhower]

Many of these end up in fraud cases. Starts out it is stolen. No signs of forced entry(they cant fake some damage here or risk being thrown out of their rent free apt), no other items missing. Of course they are behind on payments. Customer is under the impression that they have insurance that covers theft. They forget about the clause that does cover if you are behind on payments. At this point the TV turns up or someone is charged with felony fraud.

 

[Wheezer]

Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership
Topic Summary: preying on the stupid?

edit: I had this long explanation as to why this is not "preying" on anyone, and it is perfectly acceptable for this business model to function.

However the bottom line is this: if you are that goddamned dumb to pay 99/month for an xbox 360...fuck 'ya, you deserve to get taken.