I was completely out of ideas for Christmas presents for Melissa this year, so I started browsing Amazon in the hopes that something would give me an idea. It turns out that Amazon has created all sorts of gift guides for different personalities and relationships. Everything from "The Dude" which, not surprisingly, suggests a copy of The Big Lebowski to "Grandpa" who based on these suggestions spends all his time shaving, checking his tire pressure and wondering what time it is.
While I knew that it was highly unlikely that I would find something appropriate in the "Girlfriend/Wife" section, I decided to go ahead while hoping that something would at least point me in a new direction. While I was amused by some of the suggestions that would have made for an awfully awkward gift opening on Christmas morning if a man gave them to his wife in front of her entire family, the one that really caught my eye was this entire section. Yes, that's right, Amazon suggests that if you need help finding a gift for your girlfriend/wife, you should try giving her an elliptical trainer. I'm not sure if this was supposed to be a suggestion for what to give your wife if you already happen to have a girlfriend, but I can't come up with a way that it would be a good idea to give a woman a gift that says "You could really use to lose a few pounds. Let's see if using this thing will help out the size of your butt. It's really looking big recently." While I was trying to figure out how this could have ended up as a suggestion, it finally hit me. If any man actually followed that suggestion, he would not only have purchased a fairly expensive elliptical trainer, but after the gift had been given, he would also be scrambling for a new gift that was not only suitable, but also was nice (read: expensive) enough to express just how sorry he really is about that whole misunderstanding. All in all, I think it's a very clever plan by Amazon, but I have to wonder how many people would actually fall into that trap.
Fortunately for me, Melissa came along to put me out of my misery and just told me what to get her.
December 10, 2007
Well Played, Amazon.com
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3 comments:
Bwah! I just looked at the "girlfriend/wife" list and nothing could be more offensive! Cinderella stories on DVD? Fragrance sets? Romance books? YUCK! The only thing that remotely interested me on that list involved "satellite radio." Way to be sexist, Amazon.
I'd rather have the elliptical.
Believe it or not, this wife ACTUALLY wants the elliptical trainer =P. They must have been reading my letter to Santa. Hope Amazon also includes the section with extra space in the house to store it.
Fortunately, we already have an elliptical trainer - it's been efficiently holding laundry for about 8 years.
To shop for me you'd be better off looking in the man/husband section - tools & electronics. :)
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