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Melanie Allen
15 Products that Fly off the Shelves Despite Not Working as Advertised
18 days ago
happy woman holding shopping bagsPhoto byDean Drobot via Shutterstock
People love hype. They’ll continuously buy stuff that doesn’t work, hoping it will one day. Here are the top products we still buy even though we all know they don’t work.
Cleanses
Super juices, pills, and anything else that promises to cleanse or detox the body typically don’t work, yet they’re still super popular.
Copper Bracelets
Buy a copper bracelet because you like how it looks, not because you think it connects you to Earth’s poles. It doesn’t.
Printers
Printers present a Catch-22. We need them, but they never work the way we want. Everyone’s had the Office Space moment where they wish they could take the printer out to a secluded field.
Flushable Wipes
Wipes serve a fantastic purpose but don’t buy them thinking they’re really flushable. Many will mess up your plumbing, and those that don’t are awful for the environment.
Cheap Can Openers
People on a budget constantly buy cheap kitchen gear like can openers, hoping that this time, it will work. No one wants to pay $20 for a deluxe can opener, but sometimes we have to because the cheap one doesn’t cut it.
Axe Body Spray
Axe Body Spray markets itself as irresistible to women. That may have been true on college campuses when it first came out, but now, many women associate the smell with players.
Pumpkin Carving Kits
Pumpkin carving kits must walk a fine line between safety and utility. Most fail. Sorry, kids, you can’t carve through a pumpkin's tough husk with a plastic knife.
Disposable Razors
Disposable razors trim the hair but leave an irritating mess of razer burn in their wake. People still buy them because it’s far cheaper and easier than investing in a good razer.
Natural Deodorant
We get that people want to reduce chemicals on their bodies and save the environment, but we’re sorry to say natural deodorants don’t work. Please use something more potent.
Q-Tips
Legally, no one who makes Q-Tips can say what they’re really used for, so we all pretend they’re for applying makeup or whatever.
Insurance
Insurance is such a scam. We need it to drive, protect our homes, and pay for healthcare, but they’ll find any reason possible not to pay when you need it.
Extended Warranties
Retailers push extended warranties because they’re 100% profit. They’d stop pushing them if people stopped falling for the scam.
Dating Apps
When dating apps first burst on the scene, they offered innovative ways to meet new people. Now, women stopped using them, so they trick men into thinking there are real women out there who like them, so they’ll pay for premium access.
Robot Vacuums
Robot vacuums work great for light cleaning, but if you have a dog or cat, forget about it.
Essential Oils
Essential oils smell nice, but if you’re buying them for the advertised health effects, you’re probably wasting your money.
Legal Scams
Society is ripe with folks legally scamming you out of your hard earned cash.
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