= 27d567bc2d48d9f40e9ccc20ea370b15)
Louie comments on Applied Optimal Philanthropy: How to Donate $100 to SIAI for Free - Less Wrong
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
= 783df68a0f980790206b9ea87794c5b6)
Loading…= b715d02e85f7b3b4ae65ca3d3e450868)
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Powered by Reddit
= f037147d6e6c911a85753b9abdedda8d)
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
Comments (86)
Isn't it obvious that should send up a red flag?
If this really is a free $50 -- really no catch -- why is ING Direct doing it? And if they expect to profit from it, on average, why should I extend them $50 of credit for 50 days, which is what I'm doing when I donate $50 in anticipation of ING "paying me back"?
This sounds like the kind of thing where they will put up enough inconveniences to people who merely want the $50 so that enough of them will give up in trying to get it.
Reminds me of their commercials:
"Who's that?"
Oh, ING Direct is an online bank that works to minimize your costs...
"I know what ING Direct is. I mean, who's that sucker who expects free money from a bank?"
(sorry, can't find a link atm)
I agree that in general these kinds of things don't work. That's why I wrote the extended footnote explaining that I've used this company for 10 years and had 20 friends sign up for it, that none of us have ever been charged any fees, etc. I wouldn't just recommend any random online deal without knowing it worked.
Also, if you know how competitive online ad pricing for banking are, it's easy to understand how the cost to acquire a new customer for ING via advertising is easily > $50. But they're a smart, progressive, company so they're fine paying you directly if you sign up without having to be advertised heavily to.