"Empowering Advanced Learners of English in Business and Academia - TOEFL / ESL / EFL"

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bait and switch

Definition

In sales and marketing, to lure a customer with one product but offer them a substitute instead.

Context : Business
Category: Idiom
Semantic: trick

This idiom can be used in any setting to refer to tricking someone with one thing but providing them with another.

Video example (click "CC" to view the text as it is spoken)

The department store pulled a bait and switch. They got me to the store with their advertisement, but they "ran out" of the product once I got there.
There should be laws against the "bait and switch."

crazyboutdogs:
@keder yeah I think the Dems should be accused of bait and switch with Obama
starfishncoffee:
@slb79 yeah, they pulled the bait and switch on us. He did have one before.
Gluonsrule:
@StopBeck it makes your head spin, doesn't it? bait and switch. sadly, there are thousands of ppl in agreement and they don't even know why
CivicForumPAC:
Sen KBH on Senate floor -- "#hcr small-business credit is bait and switch, only lasts 2 years" -- and she's right #tcot #gop #teaparty
nickdumitru:
PC Financial online auto insurance quote is total bait and switch. It should probably be illegal.
taste_arbitrage:
Classic bait and switch nobody read @clusterstock until @carney gave it credibility and brought traffic from @dealbreaker...
marycanady:
@bmljenny I got TOTALLY bait and switched last time i mattress shopped...