Spill the beans... on products that don't live up to the hype

Former_MSE_Penelope · 22 March 2012 at 6:32PM

Spill the beans...on products that don't live up to the hype[IMGRIGHT]http://images.moneysavingexpert.com/images/spillthebeans2.gif[/IMGRIGHT]

"You'll look 10 years younger," it says in the ad — but all your mates say "you look like a freak". Whether it's cleaning stuff, fitness gear or make-up, when have you fallen for spin and been disappointed? Which products made you frown? (Botox?)

[threadbanner] box [/threadbanner]

Skeenfleent · 28 March 2012 at 7:52AM

Anything by Apple has to be number one in the list... followed by Virgin Media's vastly over-hyped, postcode-lottery, oversubscribed, under-honest 'fibre-optic' broadband (ALL broadband is fibre-optic at some point, incidentally).
Microsoft - telling you that your PC will suddenly do stuff that it's been capable of doing for decades - if only you shell out another £150-£300 for their latest version of Windows, which then won't be 'mature' enough to rely on for a good two years after that!

Basically, anything that needs a marketing budget rather than a simple advertising one - and the rest sold by deserved good reviews, word-of-mouth and good design, not hype.
Too much hype these days, very little talent in design and Chinese factory workers don't really have that much pride in whether we get a good product, do they?

midnightraven3 · 28 March 2012 at 8:12AM

the flora spray thing:(
awful stuff (i bought it on offer and wont even "use it up")

and the woman in the advert makes me want to jump out the window:o

ashleywomble · 28 March 2012 at 9:48AM

calgon, all that hype, yet when I got a washine machine engineer in last year to fix something, he said it was a waste of time.

LizzieDripping_2 · 28 March 2012 at 10:34AM

Those 'Goodbye Salt Hello Flavour' Seabrooks crisps (or should that be 'Goodbye Salt Goodbye Flavour'?). Bleurghh.

redglass_2 · 28 March 2012 at 10:38AM

Supermarket versions of french dressing, or 'low-fat' mayo. They look and taste like they came out of a lab...oh. They did.

Primus - widely touted as having 'award-winning' service. I had to take them to Ofcom and eventually the Ombudsman for terrible service leading to a bill I wasn't liable for. I won my case and THEY had to pay ME for the inconvenience caused, but not before I'd been threatened with debt collectors.

delain · 28 March 2012 at 10:39AM

JML Halogen oven. OH saw and fell in love with one a friend had, so he bought one. It got used once, and was fiddly to use and clean. Been sat in the cupboard ever since!

I think most JML stuff fits the category tbh.

immie · 28 March 2012 at 10:43AM

Those Oxi and Clearasil products for teenage acne, they are so harsh and cheap that they aggravate your skin and makes the condition 10 times worse, so you end up needing more product! at £5 for 10ml you're definitely better off using tea tree oil instead, and taking zinc supplements/evening primrose oil

ARNK · 28 March 2012 at 11:31AM

I used to see the ad on my Facebook, yahoo and google about th secret that makes the cosmetic surgeons and botoc doctors furious. I clicked on it and it said it was on a special trial and you only have to pay 6 pounds delivery.
I said I will give it a go. Paid the 6 pounds and within 2 weeks I received both MYSTIQUE products. I tried it and what a dissappointment!!!
It was like you put the egg white on your face. I can just use the fresh eggs in stead of this. I was glad it was just a sample and forgot abot it getting on with my life and movining houses.
Once in a new house and finally having an internet connection again I checked my bank balance. And I found that 324 pounds were taken from my account for Mystique. I was furious. I did not even get the creams and was charged this much. If I could afford to pay for a facial cream this much I would just go to the New Bond street and get myself spoilt in Chanel store or alike!
I wrote them quoting all my legal rights and they said if I return the sent product unopened they will refund. The 2 products costed 150 plus 12 pounds postage. And they have taken the payment for the next lot of creams that they would send in a month time! Luckily, the people who were in ourprevious house were kind enough to give the package to me, I sent it to Mystique. And it took nearly 2 months to get my money back!!!
All in all, if you see any adverts about this be aware and stay clear!
So much nerves for a product that basically is an egg white!

[carray] · 28 March 2012 at 11:52AM

Groupons goods.
Purchasing two microfibre quilts from Zen Bedrooms on a groupon deal. on receipt of the order i found that only the cover was microfibre and the innards hollowfibre, certainly not what the advertisement was purporting to be What a CON.
Was just off on holiday so i did not have time to send them back.
This was the second time i have been conned so groupon is now deleted from my computer:eek:

VfM4meplse · 28 March 2012 at 12:02PM

[carray] wrote: »

Groupons goods.

Couldn't agree more.

Spill the beans... on products that don't live up to the hype

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free