Have you ever been taken by a bait and switch scam? Maybe the ad sounds a little too good to be true, but you figure it might just be worth a shot. You arrive at your destination only to learn that the product in question is not really available or there is some other "catch" to getting it for the low price that was offered. Well, now that you are already there, will you buy the item anyway if it costs more if you don't meet the secret requirements? Will you ask for a rain check if it's conveniently "out of stock?" Will you say no to that item but go ahead and buy something else? These tactics frequently bring in customers, and some of them will stay and buy something.
Companies do use this tactic and have limited stock of the promotional items, or hope people don't ask. I do think it's underhand and I do pluck up courage and ask in a nice way. One chemist (Boots, which is like Walgreens) was offering a free cleansing water with all beauty purchases over £20, but there were none left to take. I asked when I paid for my goods if they could reserve one for when new stock arrived, and lo and behold the woman had a stash behind her. She wasn't going to give it to me unless I asked, and if she had said there was no stock, I would have then gone to head office to request the free gift.
I worked in retail and I always found the bait and switch scam prevalent with electronics and appliances. Electronics though is always the worse, especially on Black Friday. The store will have 'limited' supply which could be code for twenty or just one but it's supposed to be some big sale. We once didn't even get a couple major items until after the sale and no one could rain check the sales price. The store advertised them to get them into the store but it's not honest. Personally, after working retail, I'm always skeptical of to good to be true deals. Each deal is weighed out by how much money I have at that time, if I actually want the extra item, the need (if it's rare or time for an event), and if it's instant discount. Sometimes you get the discount by having to mail in a coupon to be paid back later, I won't do those.
