Infomercials are commercials that last around 30 minutes and sell products of various kinds. They look like talk shows but highlight the sponsor’s point of view. The first modern infomercial was made and aired in 1984; sold Ginsu knives.
The infomercial industry is booming at around $95 million. Covered products are household items and cleaning products, beauty aids, health products, and exercise products.
1. Infomercials are like direct sales programs. Their intention is to interest viewers in a product and convince them to buy it. Infomercials are a form of direct response marketing.
2. Infomercials have a fixed audience as they are broadcast on TV outside of peak hours and have a captive audience.
3. Selling infomercial products that can be purchased over the phone from the comfort of your home.
4. Most of the products that are sold through infomercials are promoted by experts like doctors, health specialists, beauty queens, etc. They endorse the products in such a way that viewers enthusiastically buy them.
5. Most infomercials are hosted by popular talk show hosts who have a large following.
6. Infomercials are compelling as they have people giving testimonials about how product x, yo zee has worked wonders.
With infomercials everyone makes money, the product promoters, the creators of infomercials and the channel that transmits the infomercial. The numbers are staggering, more than $11 million is made through channels that run, say, four infomercials.
Most of the paid programs you find on TV shows are infomercials. Very often, a talk show that captures your attention and keeps you spellbound for a full thirty minutes is an infomercial; These programs are broadcast on cable television in low-cost hours. And customers can call toll-free numbers and buy products with their credit cards.
Infomercials have self-regulatory bodies, such as the National Infomercial Marketing Association, or NIMA, that ensure the accuracy and reliability of an infomercial bearing their logo. This is a step to protect consumers from products that cannot be promised. Infomercials under the NIMA guidelines market valuable products that make responsible claims and follow fair business practices.
As a consumer, you should use common sense and basic precautions when purchasing products that are sold on television or radio. Never give in on the sales pitch. Make sure you need the product, that it is sold at a fair price, has the NIMA logo and offers guarantees, clearly displays costs and refund policies.
