Wait! There’s more!: ‘As Seen On TV’ focuses on quirky products and operators are standing by

Kirk Baird

Monday, Jan. 27, 2003 | 8:21 a.m.

Where would we be without As Seen On TV (ASOT) merchandise?

They slice. They dice. They make life... well, nice.

And through it all the cheesy commercials with the bad acting, the "act now" pleas, the operators who seem to be perpetually standing by (why don't they get a chair?) these revolutionary products have become a part of the American TV-viewing experience.

Ever since ASOT guru Ron Popeil unveiled the Ronco Spray Gun on the boob tube in the early 1960s, hundreds of "time-saving" and even "life-changing" gadgets, gizmos and devices have been sold through TV-only pitches: everything from a wireless microphone with an AM radio transmitter (Mr. Microphone) to a vacuum that sucks and shears hair (Flowbee).

Their appeal is simple, said Lou Harry, co-author of "As Seen On TV" ($16.95, Quirk Books), a comical and informative look at some of the best-known ASOT products.

"They promise miracles. It's like showing fire to cavemen," Harry said. "The rank and file can't imagine that people on TV could get that excited about a product if it didn't actually work. Plus, we yearn to make our lives more hassle-free. Most of these products promise that."

These commercials were so effective in their guarantees, often ASOT products enjoyed a higher brand recognition than their more expensive store-brand counterparts. (Example: Try naming another set of steak knives other than the ASOT classic Ginsu Knives.)

While their success is unquestioned, the products' reliability and advertising claims may be in doubt, proving the old adage "buyer beware."

After all, if these products are so wonderful, why aren't they available in a nearby store?

Actually, they are.

Many As Seen On TV items can be found at many retail chains Walgreens, Kmart, Target or in specific stores that specialize in the most of what's available in the ASOT product line.

The As Seen On TV stores carry approximately 800 ASOT gadgets, from the Jr. Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ oven and the Super Sushi Maker to the E-Z Steamer, and the Gopher.

There are even classics such as Flowbee, Egg Wave, Chia Pet and ThighMaster.

Selling the ASOT products in person instead of over the phone has proven a very successful venture. What began with one store in Seattle, has since grown into an ASOT empire, with 65 stores nationwide, including two in Las Vegas: at Boulevard and Meadows malls.

"The idea to start these stores came from being able to do business and not compete with discount stores like Kmart and Wal-Mart," said Ziad Naime, part-owner of the ASOT Store franchise, from his home in Carson, Calif.

Summer Souki, manager of the ASOT store at Meadows mall, said overall the shop is doing well.

"We're doing good business. Now it's really slow... during the year, we've done good business," Souki said. "Christmas and Father's Day and Mother's Day are usually the more busy times of the year.

"Customers appreciate (the store) more because they can see the products. Some of them don't like ordering something over the phone and not knowing anything about it. They like to come to the store and check them out."

Purchasing an ASOT product at a store has other advantages over ordering from TV as well: instant gratification, rather than the customary six to eight weeks for delivery of the goods.

"When you come to the store you avoid shipping. You don't have to wait that long," said Kim Schwiggs, a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident, as she browsed through the ASOT store at Meadows mall.

"That's what I prefer to do."

Plus, for those worried that The Clapper isn't all it's cracked up to be, all ASOT merchandise in the stores comes with an owner's guarantee.

"I don't sell anything I don't check myself," Souki said. "We first test every product before we carry it. Our reputation is on the line. It's not a TV thing. If it doesn't work, people will come back and say, 'Hey, take your junk.' "

For the sake of the book, both Harry and co-author Sam Stall also tried out many of the ASOT products in their homes.

"We have most of the products, which we purchased and then put through a rigorous testing process that consisted of playing around with them for a couple of hours until we lost interest," Stall said. "I'd say the most useful product is OxiClean stain remover. That stuff is so strong, it could take tattoos off sailors."

Other products of which the authors approved: The George Foreman Grill, Blopens, Juicemaster and the Pocket Fisherman, "because it so weird," Stall said.

Though the authors found some of the ASOT merchandise to be less effective than advertised, that doesn't mean those products were without fans.

The Flowbee, for instance.

Harry said he and Stall were on a radio station promoting their book when both authors began to bag on the hair-cutting device.

Within minutes they began receiving calls from Flowbee fanatics taking up the cause of the vacuum-turned-barber.

"People swear by the powers of the Flowbee," Harry said.

And as everyone knows, if it was on TV, it must be true.