Have you ever felt like you’re not getting the full story from your favorite brands? Former employees are now sharing industry secrets online, and what they reveal might just change the way you buy, travel, and even complain. These insiders pull back the curtain on everything from product quality to marketing tricks. As it turns out, a little insider knowledge can save you a lot of money and frustration.
Secrets Companies Keep From You
Firstly, the world of marketing is often not what it seems. Companies spend huge sums on advertising, but the value is not always clear. For example, some influencers with fewer than 200k followers can get paid thousands for a single video, even if it performs poorly. This cost is ultimately passed on to you, the consumer. Furthermore, many business awards are simply for sale. Companies pay a fee to be named a “top SME,” using the award to build credibility they did not actually earn through merit.
Recently my client paid 18k for the same 1 video to be posted on two platforms. Did the views match expectations? no.
95% of the SME awards are some fake ass award set up by some shady company that call your company up and say “you’re nominated for one of the top 100 SME companies and you just need to pay XXXXX amount to get it.”
Navigating Consumer Traps
However, these secrets go beyond marketing and directly affect the products you buy. You might be excited to get the latest gadget, but insiders warn against it. The first batch of any new electronic device is often the worst in terms of quality. As companies refine their manufacturing process over several months, the quality improves significantly. In addition, many online deals are too good to be true. For instance, top-selling 20000mAh power banks sold cheaply online often contain only 7000 to 9000mAh of actual capacity.
The first batch of any new device are almost always the worst quality wise. As process and yields improve, the quality also improves over time so buy after a few months.
Most top-selling 20000mAh powerbanks selling for ~$10 or less on Shopee are only about 7000 to 9000+ mAh.
Your Smart Consumer Guide
As a result, you can use this insider knowledge to your advantage. Simple changes in your habits can lead to better outcomes and significant savings. For example, when booking travel for your family, try to make separate flight bookings for each person. Airlines often group bookings into a higher price bracket, so booking individually can be much cheaper. This small step requires a little extra effort but can save you a surprising amount of money on your next trip.
It can be quite a bit cheaper for a family to make separate flight bookings for each person rather than trying to put everyone on the same booking.
Additionally, when you face an issue with a company, persistence often pays off. Customer service representatives are measured on efficiency. A lengthy argument with one customer prevents them from resolving several simpler cases. Therefore, if you are polite but firm and persistent, you have a roughly 70% chance of getting your way. While it may feel uncomfortable, advocating for yourself can get your issue resolved much faster.
if youre a karen for long enough on the phone… you actually get your way like 70% cos we dont want to waste time and emotional resource arguing with you. just want to close case.
