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BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

simple.com

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Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#71

Post by axiak »

vaporstun wrote: post #37
pyrhho wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No more redundant than Bank of America or Citibank...

I disagree. Even Citibank doesn't use the "bank" part on their main website, instead going by just Citi: http://citi.com There are also many other large banks that omit "Bank" from their name such as Wells Fargo. Keep in mind this is not a traditional bank, so following the rules of traditional banks would be inappropriate. They are better off following the rules of progressive startups which have been using simplici…

Actually, http://citi.com redirects to citibank.com for me.

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#72

Post by al3x »

basseq wrote: post #58

My checking account is fundamentally a revolving cash account between a portion of my paycheck and my monthly bills (cc, mortgage, utilities, etc.). Other than autopay bills, all my purchases go through my credit card (which is then another autopay against my checking acct.). I manage all this at a macro level through Mint. I never visit my bank website, partly because it sorta sucks, but partly because I have no rea…

We're planning on doing smartphone check deposit. We have a huge fee-free ATM network, but you're right, we don't reimburse all ATM fees. Thing is, most banks that do reimburse all ATM fees are either making that money back by charging account maintenance fees or subsidizing it through brokerage account fees. There's no free lunch.

So, we may not be a perfect fit for you, but I hope you'll give us a second look with that in mind.

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#73

Post by rapind »

schraeds wrote: post #10
cynicalkane wrote: post #3

I thought BankSimple was a great brand, because it tells you what it is and fits well with the current zeitgeist. What is "BankSimple?" A way to bank that's simple. Sounds interesting! Everyone hates how complicated banking is, right? Let's go to the website to find out more. What is "Simple?" Who knows. A website that has something to do with banking--or so I'm told--with yet another web 2.0 one-word "brand", a real…

Mint, Square, Ally. I think the naming convention fits other examples of successful startups in this space.

Color...

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#74

Post by adamio »

I already have a checking account. The website interface works. Its not trendy glossy HTML5, but that's ok because my money isn't handed over to a third party who gets to profit off its interest on my behalf. What problem are you solving? The user interface for bank's sites are not good? So you are a different user interface and all I have to do is put my money in a black box? Who is funding these startups, wow. I have no confusion over the terms of my checking account, its already simple.

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#75

Post by ganeumann »

warmfuzzykitten wrote: post #35

Do you really want to let Simple take care of your money?

Yes. Yes I do.

I put my money into a bank and take it out when I want to spend it. I look at my statement to see where I spent it. It's simple. There is absolutely nothing else I want a bank to do for me. I do want a clean and useful mobile-optimized interface, a friendly and helpful customer service staff, and to not be charged a penalty (sorry, 'fee') every time I make a mistake. That's the Simple proposition. Why would you want it to be complicated?

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#76

Post by qxb »

evan_ wrote: post #13
vaporstun wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I think this may be true at first, if they gain any critical mass, the "Bank" in BankSimple would become redundant and wasteful. I think it is good and forward looking to rebrand it Simple before launch so that becomes synonymous with banking. Imagine if Google was instead called GoogleSearch? Google became synonymous for Search and therefore the Search portion of their name is superfluous. I for one applaud th…

Like how the "bank" in "Bank of America" is redundant and wasteful? To clarify, I don't really care either way- I'm sure they had other reasons for dropping the "Bank" from their name, especially since they're not really a bank.

Many banks in the UK are referred to, and understood, in everyday language without the "bank": Barclays, Halifax, Natwest, Santander, Lloyds to name a few.

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#77

Post by al3x »

burnstek wrote: post #29

This move strikes me as being a little too quaint for a financial service. I can't tell what I'd be signing up for. While their language is very friendly, it's also obtuse, and that doesn't foster trust.

What questions would you like us to answer, or where do you think we can be more specific? We're always trying to improve the way we explain what we do, so we're open to suggestions :)

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#78

Post by lforrest »

al3x wrote: post #44
hemancuso wrote: post #24

Burning money on outrageously priced domain names instead of executive bonuses. I love it!

Hi, cofounder of Simple here. It wasn't a cheap domain, but our investors felt it was worth the expense. It's memorable, flexible, and to-the-point. We're generally not a profligate company, but we felt strongly about this.

I love it too. Good job, guys. Can't wait for my invite.

Re: BankSimple invites first customers; rebrands itself as Simple

#80

Post by stefs »

benatkin wrote: post #23
cynicalkane wrote: post #3

I thought BankSimple was a great brand, because it tells you what it is and fits well with the current zeitgeist. What is "BankSimple?" A way to bank that's simple. Sounds interesting! Everyone hates how complicated banking is, right? Let's go to the website to find out more. What is "Simple?" Who knows. A website that has something to do with banking--or so I'm told--with yet another web 2.0 one-word "brand", a real…

> What is "Simple?" Shoes.

but only shoes with velcro straps, binding bootlaces is complicated.
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