"Free" When We Are The Product

*AKA Why We Give Up Things For Something Free*

"It's no secret that getting something free feels very good. Zero is an emotional hot button—a source of irrational excitement." Dan Areily^[1]

"Indeed, a preference for “free” seems to be another feature hardwired into our brains."^[2]-Neuromarketing^[3]

     When we put in our personal information into websites to set up accounts like Facebook, we use this product without any monetary burdens but, our personal information like where you live, what type of activities you do, where you work, and everything about your life is stored in databases and sold to companies wanting that information.^[4]

Google Chrome and other browsers store cookies that  keep track of your movements within the site, help you resume where you left off, remember your registered login, theme selection, preferences, and other customization functions.^[5]

Grocery retailers have loyalty programs or cards that customer's put their personal information to receive discounts. These come at a price, they can use this information to build an aggregate "profile" of individual consumers, supermarket chains use their stored data to target buyers with "special" offers and "preferred" advertisements from their marketing partners.^[6]

The Power of Free Tattoos- 

Dan Ariely Author of Predicatbly Irrational stumbled on people getting free tattoos

76 people signed up for free tattoos and 68% of them said that they wouldn't of gotten the Tattoo if it wasn't free^[7]Attention^[8]

"When we face a decision about a tattoo, one would hope that the long term permanency of the decision, coupled with the risks of getting different types of infections would cause people to pay little attention to price, and certainly not to be swayed one way or another by the power of free.  But sadly, the reality (at list in the nightclub scene in New York) suggests that the power of free can get us to make many foolish decisions."^[9]-Classical Conditioning^[10]

For more information see Power of Free

The Penny Gap^[11]

Free But at What Price?

http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/04/free-but-at-what-price.php

Buy One Get one Free