KAT: It's called "group buying." It is a very popular marketing gimmick now. A lot of my friends back in the US are just as obsessed with group buying as you are!
WQ: 呵呵,我的确是个“团购控”! 不过你刚才说 Group buying is a marketing gimmick, 什么是gimmick?
KAT: Gimmick, g-i-m-m-i-c-k, gimmick, 是花招,噱头。I call group buying a gimmick because it's used by retailers to attract more people to buy products of mediocre quality and popularity.
WQ: 你说得有道理。团购是个促销的花招,一般推出团购的都是小店、新店,团购的东西也不是什么名牌抢手货。I don't think I can ever get a discount on LV purses through group buying.
KAT: That's right. In that sense, group buying is just another form of price war.
WQ: Price war? 价格战?
KAT: 对。People use group buying because they want the discount. They want to buy things at a lower price.