How to tell my friend that he spent $4,500 poorly? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alaezae
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 01:11:25 am
content: Hello,I was speaking with a friend at work today, and I feel bad for him. He seems to have been duped into buying one of these “alkaline water” machines. He’s a nice guy, so I feel bad about him wasting 4500 bucks on the thing. I don’t want to offend him, but how do I tell him he made a poor purchase? Let me expand on this machine:He described the machine as an “electric water purifier”, and that it has a whole of 12 filter stages which use 800 watts to purify the water (or something like that, I don’t remember the exact numbers). He says it makes the water alkaline, not only making it taste better but adding antioxidants and neutralizing harmful acids in his stomach (if his stomach can’t handle acid I wonder how he made it this long...)I know this is all bullshit, but I feel bad! I looked up the website for the thing and it’s crazy expensive! We don’t make that much money to be blowing on shit like this! I just want to tell him so he doesn’t fall for this in the future, but I don’t want to offend him!Here’s the site, looks pretty legitimate:https://www.lifeionizers.com/I don’t know which one specifically he got, but he said it cost him thousands.

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 01:57:01 am
content: Don't offend him, don't tell him. At most tell him what you do for health (exercise and eat less whatever).

author: Johnny10
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 03:29:39 am
content: There are so many of this type story anymore.My advice would be to keep this guy away from your family.You certainly don't want him infecting your wife and children with this type of non-critical thinking!LOL

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 05:29:55 am
content: As they offer a free water analysis, suggest that he sends in a sample of his water *after* being purified.They will certainly reply with "OMFG That water is soooooo bad, you need a purifier immediatly or you will die!". This might give him to think.(Aka "Beat them with their own weapons.")But then he has to self-justify the money spent, so it might not help at all.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 05:44:43 am
content: I have fiddled around under too many kitchen sinks to know what a forgotten water filtration device looks like when opened after years of sitting there, um, filtering.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 06:18:27 pm
content: Reminds me of that EEVblog #29 - Audiophile Audiophoolery videoyoutube.com/watch?v=m7ERMu825m4QuoteMaybe in this case "it is only him who canheartastethe difference"But did you try a cup of water from it and noticed a difference?

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2020, 12:34:52 pm
content: Quote from: Haenk on September 17, 2020, 05:29:55 amA good one, but it might backfire: OMG, my water is SO bad that it's still bad after one round of treatment; I need to buy a second machine!

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 28, 2020, 02:16:21 am
content: Try and educate him and if he doesn't listen, move on and forget about it. Some people will never learn.

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2020, 03:28:38 am
content: Some of the testimonial’s names and credentials that appear on their website, reminds me of the fake names and credentials that appear on The Onion.For instance: Lois Alonso, Navel lint remover.But to your question: If by the slightest chance you talk to him and manage to convince him of his error, you will have embarrassed him. His response will be anything but gratitude.Say nothing. Allow him to find the hard truth.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2020, 08:56:21 am
content: Quote from: schmitt trigger on September 28, 2020, 03:28:38 amOh, but it usually doesn't work that way. If they are fallible enough to fall on that trap to begin with, why would they question it later? The biggest leap in faith, paying $4500, has been already done. You see, the water was likely originally just fine; after the filter, it's still just fine. So even with a small placebo effect, they are clearly seeing an improvement. And most people, even those who never fall in such scams, are prone to placebo. Besides, such $4500 filter may have some actual filtering (which a $50 unit would similarly provide) making the wateractuallylook or taste better!Seeing their water is OK everyday only strengthens their feeling of having found a good deal.This could be different if the scam product turned perfectly good water into gooey brown mess, then they could question it.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2020, 09:33:28 am
content: Sometimes, having a different paradigm or perspective does help, both sides, such as see/treat them as milking cow, ended you got milk, the cow feels relief, both parties are happy.