Topic: [ANN] BitcoinStore.com (Beta) - Electronics super store with over 500K items! - page 15. (Read 75367 times)

We're currently fixing the shipping module. We'll be offering as many shipping options that make feasible sense for the dimensions of products you are purchasing.

Cheers,
-Jon

It seems to only offer Flat Rate now. Is that right?

Thanks! I added both suggestions to our list of requested features.

Keep the suggestions coming!

-Jon

Here's the best information I can find on the product: http://www.dell.com/downloads/emea/products/printer/datasheets/2350d_dn%204pg%20emea%20broch_a4%20final%20hr.pdf

Cheers,
-Jon

I came to the same conclusion as well. One of my reasons for my posts was to explain to the guy asking for Windows-free laptops why he is not likely to get them from an online superstore. I am also hinting that if this store is successfull, it may leave room for more specialzed boutique stores. My arguments apply to non-electronic goods like fair-trade coffee as well.

I was also cautioning Bitcoinstore staff that this new business venture is not the same as Memorydealers (in case they did not know that already). My posts are all over the map, so perhaps I did not make myself clear.

For specifics, discussion should be moved to PM. I was talking about the Printer featured in the Original post of this tread. The Dell website really does not have any additional information. For more information, I would probably have to contact Dell directly. Tangent: even that does not work sometimes; I asked HP about what protocol one of their wireless keyboards uses. They did not know. The rep told me "Verbatim." Verbatim could not answer the same question about their similar keyboard likely made by the same nameless manufacturer. The misleading copy was a $10 product I purchased from another online store. The vague copy was a simlar product, but that is all I know (I did not want to spend another $10 shipping a $10 product back).

I agree. Although the idea of the menu is kinda cool, I think it's better if it somehow flipped out to the right. Sometimes the menu doesn't fit on my screen, and then I have to scroll..
Another tiny issue I have is that the default quantity is set to 0, which is misleading because when I press add to cart it does add that item once.

I reached the same conclusion! The end goal of this store is to provide a service to the Bitcoin community and, at the same time, a challenge to Amazon and NewEgg to beat our pricing. That is the priority. But if we don't fulfill our customer need, that goal will not be reached. We need to hit quarterly sales numbers. So while low pricing is high priority, retaining customers will be necessary to do so.

I was going to review the item this fellow mentioned and see how misleading the copy we provide is. I think that in general we don't provide too much copy so perhaps an informational page with links to assist customers in researching products could help.

Thank you both for continuing to help polish the store!

-Jon

Jon, I appreciate you reaching out to this guy, but it sounds like as I suspected, this is not a bitcoin issue.  Perhaps the value you are providing this guy will keep him as a customer, but I'm guessing every Best Buy/Amazon deals this this same issue and doesn't offer that service to their clients of reviewing copy, etc. 

Feel free to knock out this one situation/customer, but I'd prefer if you get back to focusing on selling the same electronic goods as Amazon, etc. for cheaper for bitcoin.  Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but that's your business model and should be your priority number 1.  There's nothing wrong with you focusing on that. 

If for some reason I run into a second person in this world looking for that boutique level of service (even tho this guy said those units are setup, but not for sale), then, perhaps this can be added to your company's mission statement. 

At this time, I'd recommend a separate website/service that is a natural extension of another boutique store that offers this service so you can get back to being the cheapest provider of the exact same electronic goods as what everyone else is selling.

Just my two satoshis!

Happy bitcoin halving day! (depending on your country)

I would love to go through and fact check the copy we get sent. But that'd be 500,000 products to check, with an estimated researching time of 10 minutes per product; we're talking about 3472.22 days of researching/updating. Obviously impractical. Can you paste the link to the specific printer you have your eye on?

We're still a small operation, but I can assure you that we'll do our best to do right by our customers.

I'm not a FSF member either, but I have friends who believe strongly in their ideals. I think they, like Bitcoin, still have a long way to go both internally and externally. Both groups see a future which is more efficient and even idealistic. Change is always a struggle though.

Thanks,
-Jon

I have always wondered where to get those: I see them in use, but they are not sold at local retailers. They are used on the floor at local retailers, but not available for sale

I guess what promped my mini-rant is that as I said, I am tempted by the Dell printer, but don't know if it tries to impose conditions on the user after sale. Does Dell try to claim ownership of the print cartridges? Are the print cartridges region-coded? Does the printer explicitly support PCL5? I have to ask these questions because I failed to during previous printer purchases: which resulted in returns. From a bad experience with a Canadian online retailer I otherwise like, I learned that they are not able to correct misleading or vague copy from the manufacturer. I assume this is also the case with your store.

I don't think I am formally a FSF member, but I do share their ideals. I have a "Free" laptop (Lemote YeeLoong). I have not gotten around to implementing 2D video accelaration yet. The drivers bundled with X.org assume a VESA BIOS
I managed to break the keyboard connector trying to take the thing appart, but I doubt the SMT component can be purchased in lots of less than 10,000.

Hi!

We don't have Linux, or no-os, laptops yet. We do have some Linux thin clients though. I personally get a sort of vindictive pleasure when erasing Windows from computers... But I do understand your hesitation at purchasing laptops with Windows. I'll see what we can do to increase our selection!

Thanks,
-Jon

We respect you by giving you as many choices as we can. That's one form of freedom right there. I think the point you make about selecting boutique quality products is a good one as well. Perhaps we can incorporate a heavily curated "featured" selection. If you have any suggestions about which products should go in that selection, please let us know!

... In other news, Linux thin client here: http://www.bitcoinstore.com/wyse-desktop-slimline-thin-client-amd-t52r-1-50-ghz.html - I couldn't find a Linux laptop unfortunately. We are currently restricted in selection by our suppliers. I'm sure in a couple months time we will include more suppliers and more varied products.

I apologize about the lack of "free" laptops. I'm assuming you're a FSF member?

Thanks,
-Jon

Essentially. I think I was pointing out in a round-about way that no electronic super store can reasonably vet all of the products they sell against the whims of eccentrics like me. If you want Freedom, you will have trouble growing past the boutique level. Unfortunately, you lose economies of scale that way, since the free market assumes omnicient consumers in order to work. Put a different way, the marketplace rarely explains why good A has a lower price than good B.

Very interesting info, but does any of this have to do with Bitcoinstore.com?  I'm assuming you could say the same thing about ANY computer store, yes?

I have similar problems. I think less of any store that sells products that impose conditions on the user after sale. That includes proprietary software that you are not allowed to return (after finally being allowed to read the EULA), as well as computers bundled with Microsoft Windows or MacOS. However, it is not limited to that.

The world is moving from Copyright-based EULAs to Patent-based EULAs. These are stronger than copyright based EULAs because independent development is no longer a defence when selling a competing product. In fact, when you buy an Android phone, you are actually paying for a Windows Phone license. With Windows 7, the Pre-amble in the ELUA was changed from "By clicking 'Agree', you agreee..." to "By using the computer you agree...". Windows is further tied to the compter by a separate manufacturer EULA that claims  that Windows is an Integral component; and that you must return the entire computer if you do not agree to the Windows EULA.

I was tempted by the printer in the OP, because I have been trying unsuccessfully to buy a Laser printer for nearly two years. However, my experience with Lexmark and HP tell me it is no longer possible to buy a new printer with no strings attached. PCL 5 fonts and Cartridge recylcing program slip sounds to me like they may be using the Lexmark (Printing is a patented proccess) method.

I am not sure it is possible to sell half a million consumer electronic items while still respecting your customers. I fear things will get worse before they get better.

I think I don't understand how to select shipping. I put a laptop in my cart, and it gives me all of the below options. I'm pretty sure a laptop won't fit in a "Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope", but how am I to know on the other ones. And what's the deal with "Flat Rate"? IMO, this part needs to be more clear for a non-beta site.


United States Postal Service

        Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope $xx.xx
        Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box $xx.xx
        Library Mail $xx.xx
        Media Mail $xx.xx
        Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box $xx.xx
        Parcel Post $xx.xx
        Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box $xx.xx
        Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope Hold For Pickup $xx.xx
        Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope $xx.xx
        Priority Mail $xx.xx
        Express Mail $xx.xx
        Express Mail Hold For Pickup $xx.xx

Federal Express

        Express Saver $xx.xx
        2 Day $xx.xx
        2 Day AM $xx.xx
        Standard Overnight $xx.xx
        Priority Overnight $xx.xx
        First Overnight $xx.xx

Flat Rate

        Fixed $xx.xx

The key question in my mind here is who was the shipping company? If it was UPS I would not be surprised if the $200 in "taxes" consisted of $20 in actual taxes and $180 in "brokerage" charged by the shipping company the merchant selected. So while the store should not be held responsible for the $20 they must certainly be held responsible for the $180 because the merchant selected the shipping company.

In Canada avoiding this problem is very simple.  Avoid shipments by private couriers UPS, FedEx etc and only use USPS for US based shippers. This limits the "brokerage" and "bond" charges to CAD 8.50. I would check with the postal authorities in your country first to find out what the charge is; however I suspect it will be very reasonable since it is set by international postal regulations.

I visited the Zareason site and they no longer ship internationally since they were having many "fraudulent" orders. I suspect more often than not the customers where refusing the shipment and a making a chargeback on their credit cards when UPS or some other private courier pulled their "brokerage" scam.

For Canada I can say one thing Bitcoin + USPS is a killer combination.

No. No international store is responsible for the taxes due when packages arrive at your country. You're the one responsible for paying them. The only way they have to help you is if they lie on the value of the order(yeah, not happening).

I once bought a laptop from Zareason. Turned out to be a bad idea; got charged like $200 extra taxes when the laptop arrived. I think BitcoinStore would be in a perfect position to get the paperwork behind the international shipping properly sorted out so stuff like that wouldn't happen, and if they start selling Linux (or no-OS) laptops I would gladly buy my next one from them.

http://system76.com