
Cards Against Humanity Has Made Over $54K Selling Nothing on Black Friday - kevindeasis
http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/27/cards-against-humanity-has-made-over-54k-selling-nothing-on-black-friday/
======
bpicolo
Cards against Humanity has great marketing team, but I'm still pretty sure
people are buying in because they think there's a chance they're getting
something still.

There was that time recently that cards against humanity sold a box of literal
bull shit, and then people were disappointed when they got just literal bull
shit.

~~~
chipperyman573
They don't ask for your address, there's no way they'll get anything.

~~~
hexedpackets
That's even in the FAQ:

 _But really, I’ll get something, right?

No, we’re not even taking your shipping address. All we have to offer is
nothing._

------
gokhan
They raised $71,145 and announced they're spending money with a list of items
they're buying:

[http://cardsagainsthumanity.com/blackfriday/](http://cardsagainsthumanity.com/blackfriday/)

~~~
HCIdivision17
And if you missed out on this phenomenal deal, you can experience it retro-
vicariously through the magic of The Archive:

[https://web.archive.org/web/20151127130402/https://store.car...](https://web.archive.org/web/20151127130402/https://store.cardsagainsthumanity.com/)

------
gamesbrainiac
> Because the greatest Black Friday gift of all is buying nothing. We’re
> offering that for the rock-bottom price of $5. How can you afford NOT to
> seize this incredible opportunity?

Great salesmanship.

~~~
personjerry
It would be even better if they had it as $10 crossed out, 50% sale price: $5

~~~
JacobAldridge
Or $0 crossed out? Given that's the recommended retail price of nothing?

~~~
balls187
Given that they raised prices during one black friday, crossing out the $0 and
charging $5 would be apropos.

------
balls187
Several of the commenters here are missing the point.

Cards Against Humanity has had an anti-black friday "gimmick" for at least one
or two years now, and this is keeping with that tradition.

One of their black friday sales was to raise the price of the game. Next year,
they'll have a different gimmick.

~~~
ianstallings
You've explained it completely, yet I still don't see the point from the
customer's perspective. _" Haha I just gave a company $5 for nothing!"_..
What?

~~~
ratsimihah
I find pleasure in mocking consumerism.

~~~
ratsimihah
[https://www.facebook.com/MitchellWiggs/videos/10156258219585...](https://www.facebook.com/MitchellWiggs/videos/10156258219585257/)

------
crpatino
It sounds reminiscent of the "I am rich" app[1], and even more to the
apparently apocryphal copycat "I am not stupid" (which was presumably sold for
US$1.99)

[1] See:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Rich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Rich)

------
joeld42
They are selling an experience and a story to tell. $5 and you have a funny
story to tell when CaH comes in in conversation. It also makes you part of a
group of "ironic" CaH customers. Similar to buying prestige by buying a luxury
good when there is a cheaper equivalent.

Marketing today is all about identity, authenticity and defining oneself.

~~~
will_pseudonym
Today? It's been that way for the better part of a century.

------
lips
Totally baffled at any/all articles and discussion of this by anyone who's
familiar with their modus operandi. It's CaH. Either they're going to donate
it, or do something awwbsurdacomical, and all they need is your name and email
to keep you in the loop as the black frijinx ensue. Yadda yadda.

------
ecesena
Isn't this either very border line or even illegal in the US (genuinely
asking)? - I thought every contract between 2 parties required an exchange of
something, so money can't be traded for nothing, but maybe I'm wrong.

Edit: getting downvoted, not sure why, explanation would be helpful

~~~
Scoundreller
It just means the buyers could easily get a refund. It's not illegal.

Similarly, technically minors can't enter into commercial contracts except for
life necessities. So if an <18 buys a car, they could return it whenever they
want. Whether they'd have to pay something for its use/damage is debatable.

~~~
chipperyman573
>So if an <18 buys a car, they could return it whenever they want. Whether
they'd have to pay something for its use/damage is debatable.

Can you go more into detail on that or tell me what law says that? Does that
mean I (17/US) could walk into Walmart, buy a shirt, wear it for 6 months and
expect a full refund?

~~~
Scoundreller
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacity_(law)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacity_\(law\))
It's a very general legal principle, so how it applies varies jurisdiction to
jurisdiction (and probably case by case since it may not be codified clearly).
Look under infancy, and minors and contractual capacity.

Chances are, a dealership won't sell a car to someone <18 for this reason.
Used car/private sellers are taking a big chance if they do.

------
such_a_casual
"Sometimes buying nothing is better than buying Cards Against Humanity. This
is one of those times."

------
jasonkostempski
I ask for nothing every year and I never get it.

------
glxc
is it possible that no one has paid anything and then they're just posting
these numbers for attention?

~~~
Khao
Given how well Cards Against Humanity did in their last stupid sales like that
(their first Black Friday was Everything Costs 5$ More!, on another occasion
they sold shit, literally shit in a box) I think those numbers are 100% real.

------
scarface74
Cards Against Humanity is always doing something crazy. When they sponsor the
Accidental Tech Podcast and instead of a sponsor read, they have John Siracusa
review toaster ovens.

------
jstoiko
I love the idea and kudos to CaH for nailing the against-the-wind trend.
However one questions came to mind. Is that legal? Can someone actually sell
"nothing" without calling it a donation?

------
kordless
In Buddhism, nothingness or emptiness is actually a "thing".

~~~
mattbettinson
And a "thing" is nothingness

~~~
AdmiralACK
The Nothing was a great enemy to Atreyu.

[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088323/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088323/)

------
username223
Nice. If they're smart, they'll donate it all to Oxfam. That, or post InstaPix
of spending it on hookers and blow.

~~~
collyw
Readin the headline I kind of expected that it would be going to a worthwhile
cause, but no.

Wow some people are stupid.

~~~
mcphage
> I kind of expected that it would be going to a worthwhile cause

They do have posted:

> If I give you $5, what are you going to do with the money?

> That’s for us to know and you to find out. We’ll make the announcement soon.

So it may yet be. And it may not.

------
dizzyviolet
Played it for the first time at a Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. It's
everything I had heard and it is _offensive_. It's also an absolute blast to
play with the right people.

------
ben_utzer
Oh Karlee (blush)

------
spo81rty
Great marketing!

