Three’s a Crowd: Off-Topic Tuesday

This doesn’t relate to real estate except in the loosest sense, but I have this overwhelming need to publicly expose a travesty. Well, maybe, a small attack on all that is right and decent would be a more fitting description.

Today, Zillow is the target of my ire! Not Zillow, as in Zillow of the Zestimate or Zillow of the Make Me Move. I am talking about “cheap-skate, short-sighted Zillow“.

Tonight I got the news that my two Zillow commemorative beer glasses would be shipping soon. By way of history, these collectibles were handed out at last week’s Inman Conference during the Zillow-sponsored Beer With Bloggers event. I snagged one, of course, and neatly cushioned it in my Zillow t-shirt, and brought it back to San Diego. Needless to say, the entire family was delighted! We have spent more than a few special moments gathered around the Zillow beer glass reminiscing old times.

At the San Francisco airport while attempting check-in, Zillows’ Drew Meyers made the tactical error of making a bet with me. The bet, unfortunately for Drew, involved Alaska Airlines check-in procedures of which, as we now know, I am the resident expert. Let me go on record as saying, there was absolutely no coercion. The conversation went something like this. Me: “You wanna bet?” Drew: “Five dollars?”

So, now Drew owed me five dollars. Being the good sport I am, I generously offered to take future shipment of two Zillow beer glasses in lieu of, what might have been, the last loose change in Drew’s pocket. He generously agreed. And, tonight, I received his email that the two beverage delivery devices will be shipped as planned.

Two? Drew, you are in the marketing business. Let’s sit back and think about this for a moment. Consider the following:

• I have one already. It is lonely, yet two more will make a set of three, which is not a set at all.
• If you were to throw in, say, one more, I would have a set of four, which is fine for a spontaneous happy hour with the couple down the street, yet an embarrassment at the casual sit-down dinner for eight.
• I have used the word “Zillow“ twelve times in this post, all with links back to your site, not to mention Zillow (make that thirteen) has been resident on my sidebar for a year. This is the mother of all marketing opportunities!
• You are in possession (Amanda admitted as much) of numerous left-over Zillow (I am now tired of linking) glasses. I’ll be generous and give you face value (approximately $1/each when ordered in bulk), although the orphan party remnants now cost you nothing but warehousing fees. Sure the bubble wrap and peanuts required during the shipping process must be factored in, but we all know that shipping costs for a dozen would not be measurably more than the costs for two. Plus, I believe you must know that you can write this off as a business expense.
• Hypothetically speaking, if I were to receive a shipment of, say, two dozen Zillow liquid containers, I just might have to pass them around my real estate office or, even, to my clients. Yikes! More exposure for you!

In summary, don’t get me wrong. I appreciate a man who pays his debts and, like a child on Christmas morning, I am giddy with anticipation of the arrival of my package. I’m just sayin’…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Kris Berg is Co-Owner and Designated Broker of San Diego Castles Realty. If not-so static web sites are your thing, go here at once where you will find loads of real estate information including homes for sale, market trends, floor plans and more. Kris's hobbies include fencing and spot welding. She likes kittens.