I recently ordered a “6 piece set” of storage containers, but when the package arrived, I was disappointed to find out that it only included 3 containers. The lids, it turns out, are considered 3 items on their own. I told the merchant about the problem and they made it right, but I still find this merchandising approach to be rather sneaky.

For example, any sensible person would feel cheated if they received the following:

– A “2 pack” of toothpaste with one tube and one cap
– A “3 piece” frame set consisting of one frame, one matte, and one glass front
– A “16 ounce” bag of tortilla chips containing 13 ounches of chips in a bag that weighs 3 ounces by itself

So, if you find yourself marketing a product with potentially confusing quantities or weights, do yourself and your customers a favor: make the contents of the package abundantly clear. Otherwise, you’ll have a bunch of customers complaining about how you ripped them off, and a lot of returns showing up on your doorstep.