Some products just don’t live up to the hype, but that doesn’t stop people from buying them again and again. Whether it’s a “miracle” gadget, a useless beauty treatment, or a trendy scam, we’ve all seen things that somehow keep selling despite doing absolutely nothing.
So, what do you consider totally useless, but people still fall for it? We asked our community, and here are some of the best answers we received. Let us know if you agree with them – or maybe you have your own examples no one mentioned yet. Share them in the comments below!
#2
Homeopathic products.
It is documented (by the producers themselves) that the expensive sugar pills have no active substance and no effect on health, other than occasional placebo. Yet, people keep buying them, and some doctors keep prescribing them. Attempts to reduce the use of homeopathy led nowhere because, as a local politician once explained, producers such as Boiron make a profit and pay millions in taxes. On patients' health expenses, but who cares?
It is documented (by the producers themselves) that the expensive sugar pills have no active substance and no effect on health, other than occasional placebo. Yet, people keep buying them, and some doctors keep prescribing them. Attempts to reduce the use of homeopathy led nowhere because, as a local politician once explained, producers such as Boiron make a profit and pay millions in taxes. On patients' health expenses, but who cares?
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43points
#3
Political propaganda. You can fool some of the people all of the time ...
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42points
#9
Those fancy skin creams that are supposed to lighten your skin and make it glow or something.
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21points
#10
CPR, in order to restart someone's heart. Movies and TV make people think CPR will do that. Absolutely not. CPR keeps blood and oxygen going to the brain while you wait for an Ambulance or portable defribrillator. A defribrillator also cannot re-start a flatlined heart. It can only help a heart get back into a healthier rhythm. CPR is important, but call that ambulance.
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19points
#11
Shapewear. The wobbly bits on your body don't magically disappear with some fabric. It won't mold your body to a different shape than you have as is. No, it doesn't stay put when you move around.
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18points
#12
Some of those over-the-counter cures for baldness include creams, gummies, and vibration tools to stimulate hair growth.
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12points
#13
Static magnet therapy. There is a large ecosystem of products with embedded magnets that purport to provide all manner of health benefits. There are magnetic water treatment devices, magnetic pillows and blankets, magnetic shoe insoles, and the list goes on and on (see Nikken International). These products have a cult following of true believers, in spite of numerous scientific studies showing zero benefit over a placebo.
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9points
#14
Anything for a cold. You can't cure a cold; you just need to wait for your body to fight it off. The time taken varies.
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8points
#16
Solar-powered snake repellents are a waste of money, in my experience. Get guinea fowl instead.
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3points
