Pregnancy Tests & School Books

Today in marketing I learned about a pregnancy test manufacturer. In a drug store, one may find baby tests in 2 places - 1) next to the condoms and 2) next to the feminine hygiene/baby stuff. This company made 2 packages for the two sections with two prices, but identical product. Condom section packages were deep red, bold letters, named "Quick View." Women's Hygiene packages were cute pink boxes with a flower, named "Conceive."

I suppose the women who are planning to be mothers will be purchasing from the area #2, while petrified college students and singletons will be rushing for aisle #1. Which do you think cost more? (Answer at the bottom)

Today after class I needed to purchase a text packet that had been out of stock last week. Turns out 3 other students migrated to the same bookshelf in the uni bookstore. As we all looked at the pathetically thin $21.95 packets wrapped in celofane of some sort I said "Do you guys each want to chip in $5 and we can go photocopy one of these packets for the other 3?"

It's like the world stopped, they all looked at as if I'd said "Let's use the materials of this packet as paper mache strips and wrap them about our reproductive areas! While they dry, we can sit on on a hippo and levitate grains of rice!" Then the nervous looks said little "no's" and they walked to the cashier.

How fucked up is that? I just proposed saving considerable cash to 3 people and NONE of them were interested. One is this girl from Mexico who just graduated uni there, so perhaps she didn't understand my English, one kid was from Williams so perhaps he's just a snob, and the other one ... I dunno really. Perhaps I'm just uber cheap for wanting to save some cash on text books, but that doesn't sound too radical to me.

Answer: The women's hygiene cost $9.99, the condom section cost $4.99 . This is because the women wanting to be pregnant are (probably) financially established and think investing in a "good" pregnancy test means getting the best for their future offspring. The Condom sectioners are more likely to take a bargain brand. Please note: this was in 1994, and since then - pregnancy test costs have gone way up.