random quotes of this article from The Wall Street Journal
Take CyberRebate.com, which thought it could make money by giving stuff away for free. The online retailer, founded in 1998, sold an assortment of goods at heavily marked up prices (some items going for up to 10 times their retail values), but promised customers a hefty rebate that often amounted to 100% of the purchase price.
Hahahah who the fuck fell for this?Both Mr. Granik and his business partner, Joseph Lichter, settled with the Federal Trade Commission for $40,000 in August 2004 and were barred from running a rebate-based business. Some rebate claimants eventually received partial reimbursement of about nine cents for every dollar, according to a statement on CyberRebate's Web site.
I still remember the i-Fridge. So housewives could surf the net while cooking in the kitchen.Then there was the "Audrey." 3Com Corp.'s Audrey was one of several so-called "Internet appliances," or stripped-down PCs intended for email, Web access and calendars.
I'm not making that up.