Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for

Question

Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for products to be purchased from home, so the perception that it is bad for the environment is misguided. Because of direct-mail advertising, millions of people buy products by phone or online - products whose purchase would otherwise require the use of a car, thus adding pollutants to the air.

Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?

(A) Although the primary intent of most direct-mail advertisers is to convince people to buy products from their homes, direct mail can also lead to increased sales in stores by customers who prefer to see a product prior to purchasing it.
(B) Most of the products purchased in response to direct-mail advertisements would be purchased even without the direct-mail advertisements.
(C) A person who receives and reads a direct-mail advertisement is more likely to purchase the product advertised than is a person who reads an advertisement for a product in a magazine that they subscribe to.
(D) Usually, a company that sends out direct-mail advertisements has good reason to think that the person to whom the advertisement is sent would be more interested in the product than would the average person.
(E) Products purchased as the result of direct-mail advertising comprise an increasingly large portion of the consumer products purchased each year.

progressgmat · Accepted Answer

Summary: direct-mail advertising leads to phone/online purchases (rather than in store purchases), and thus it is not bad for the environment.

A) If direct mail CAN lead to in-store purchases, this means that direct-mail advertising MAY indeed be bad for the environment. A slight weakener. Incorrect
 B) This choice implies that it CANNOT be claimed that direct-mail advertisements are bad for the environment. Person X (whether he/she purchases the product online/over the phone or in person) will still purchase the product in the absence of the direct-mail advertisement. IMO, Correct. 
C) This implies that direct-mail advertisements lead to purchases (more so than magazine advertisements). Does this guarantee mostly online/phone purchases? No. Incorrect
D) This implies that the advertising is targeted, but it does not imply that purchases would necessarily be made online/over the phone. Incorrect
E) This implies direct-mail advertising leads to increased sales, but it does not mention whether these were from in person sales. Incorrect.

surendrasaini1 · Answer

Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for products to be purchased from home, so the perception that it is bad for the environment is misguided. Because of direct-mail advertising, millions of people buy products by phone or online - products whose purchase would otherwise require the use of a car, thus adding pollutants to the air.

Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?

(A) Although the primary intent of most direct-mail advertisers is to convince people to buy products from their homes, direct mail can also lead to increased sales in stores by customers who prefer to see a product prior to purchasing it.( doesn't support)
(B) Most of the products purchased in response to direct-mail advertisements would be purchased even without the direct-mail advertisements.( Keep)
(C) A person who receives and reads a direct-mail advertisement is more likely to purchase the product advertised than is a person who reads an advertisement for a product in a magazine that they subscribe to.( Doesn't support)
(D) Usually, a company that sends out direct-mail advertisements has good reason to think that the person to whom the advertisement is sent would be more interested in the product than would the average person.(doesn't support)
(E) Products purchased as the result of direct-mail advertising comprise an increasingly large portion of the consumer products purchased each year.( Doesn't support)

Will go with option B.

ipaintandy · Answer

I'm confused how B can the correct answer. When B mentioned that products can be purchased without direct-mail advertisements, I could not help but wonder that this leaves the possibility that people could still be driving to the nearest shopping center to make the purchase, thereby weakening the argument.

disenapati · Answer

i also feel B, try reversing B and u will know

hongg7 · Answer

Can experts tell what Ans. B does to the argument? I cannot relate the answer to the question.. Thanks

Posted from my mobile device

sups3906 · Answer

I think B points out that customers purchase only those products that are necessary, something they would have bought from store had there been no direct-mail advertising. This affirms that direct-mail does not provoke customers to purchase extra products, which could lead to increased pollution due to transport.

Prasanna22 · Answer

Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for products to be purchased from home, so the perception that it is bad for the environment is misguided. Because of direct-mail advertising, millions of people buy products by phone or online - products whose purchase would otherwise require the use of a car, thus adding pollutants to the air.

Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?

(A) Although the primary intent of most direct-mail advertisers is to convince people to buy products from their homes, direct mail can also lead to increased sales in stores by customers who prefer to see a product prior to purchasing it.
(B) Most of the products purchased in response to direct-mail advertisements would be purchased even without the direct-mail advertisements.
(C) A person who receives and reads a direct-mail advertisement is more likely to purchase the product advertised than is a person who reads an advertisement for a product in a magazine that they subscribe to.
(D) Usually, a company that sends out direct-mail advertisements has good reason to think that the person to whom the advertisement is sent would be more interested in the product than would the average person.
(E) Products purchased as the result of direct-mail advertising comprise an increasingly large portion of the consumer products purchased each year.

TheNightKing · Answer

I would take argument B if it would have said
"(B) Most of the products purchased in response to direct-mail advertisements would be purchased even without the direct-mail advertisements by phone or by online"

If the argument doesn't mention that then it could be open to conclusion that the product can be bought even by going to the store which will not help the conclusion.

Thoughts?

GMATNinja  can you take a look? or may be  gmat1393

Akshay2402 · Answer

not able to understand how b is correct

Hea234ven · Answer

I am trying to resolve the conflict between B and E. Look carefully at the last sentence of the argument. There is a link--we can only strengthen the argument if we can prove that the products that were bought using car before will be bought in the new method by ordering from home, and in this way we can tell that there will be less pollution because these products are not being bought using cars which cause smoke and thus pollution. Now think in this way----if we can only order particular types of goods in the new method, and these types of goods have no relation with pollution (for example, they can be ordered by using credit card), then how could we prove that we will be able to remove pollution in the new method of ordering??
In. E, it is said that large proportion of the goods is consumer products. This option doesn't directly resolve the issue---can we reduce pollution?

KaranB1 · Answer

Akshay2402

TheNightKing

Let me explain as to why B is a correct choice.

Conclusion says - Since people would buy product by the means of phone or online there will be less pollution as less transportation will be used.

Lets take some numbers to understand - for 1000 unit product purchased by the means of transport(With the use of car) on an average 20 cubic gram pollution is produced. And for 1000 units product purchased without transportation i.e. through phone or online 10 cubic gram pollution is produced.

Now, the  flaw in the argument  is that author assumes people will not buy products because of the direct advertising on top of what they usually buy. If that is the case then more pollution will be produced.

Answer choice B bridges the gap in the argument and hence is correct answer choice.

CEdward · Answer

It seems like you've built in a contradiction. Direct-mail advertisements in the context of this passage leads to phone or online purchases (i.e. they are intertwined).

Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for products to be purchased from home, so the perception that it is bad for the environment is misguided. Because of direct-mail advertising, millions of people buy products by phone or online - products whose purchase would otherwise require the use of a car, thus adding pollutants to the air.

Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?

(A) Although the primary intent of most direct-mail advertisers is to convince people to buy products from their homes, direct mail can also lead to increased sales in stores by customers who prefer to see a product prior to purchasing it.
-wrong direction, this potentially weakens

(B) Most of the products purchased in response to direct-mail advertisements would be purchased even without the direct-mail advertisements. CORRECT
-this choice indicates that the direct mail advertising caused a reduction in in-store purchases (that would require a car/other means of transportation)

(C) A person who receives and reads a direct-mail advertisement is more likely to purchase the product advertised than is a person who reads an advertisement for a product in a magazine that they subscribe to.
-irrelevant comparison

(D) Usually, a company that sends out direct-mail advertisements  has good reason  to think that the person to whom the advertisement is sent would be more interested in the product than would the average person.
-we don't need this kind of descriptive, tangential explanation

(E) Products purchased as the result of direct-mail advertising comprise an increasingly  large portion  of the consumer products purchased each year.
-trap choice, this could simply be because the NUMBER of other products that are not purchased as a result of the direct-mail advertising decreased

YashYashkratos · Answer

Pre-thinking - people will purchase the products through phone and get it delivered with other packages instead of using their cars and go shopping - but wait what if these products are just additional useless products these people never buy that would mean there will be extra pollutants for no reason.

B) says that these products will be purchased anyway so a better more environment friendly solution in direct mail marketing.
GMAT has tested this logic quite often - a simple statement that adds to the pre-thinking but seems irrelevant or at least less strong at first read.

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Direct-mail advertising usually consists of advertisements for

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards