Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#51

Post by mhluongo » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:34 PM UTC

hrayr wrote: post #48

mhluongo wrote: post #7

Hey guys! You might remember our last app, Card for Coin, where we were buying Starbucks for bitcoin. Well, here's the other side- we're looking forward to your feedback. The websocket stuff is a little touch and go, so please let me know if you have issues. Let me know if anyone has an issue loading a card or getting a refund, and I'll work it out.

Did you, and if so, how did you address the legal issues brought up in your previous post? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7157180

I've got a firm working on the issue right now. We're seeking clarification from FinCen and keeping that side closed until we know their stance.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#52

Post by mmanfrin » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:35 PM UTC

PhrosTT wrote: post #32

There's a Starbucks Gold Card (earned from 30 drinks in 12 months). https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards This gives you every 13th drink free (1 per 12 = 8.3% discount). I think this just crowdsources 1 mega gold card. I guess if you average out the drink prices... I could use the free drink on the $6 soy latte and use the $2 tall coffee as 1 of 12 drinks to earn that. So I could squeeze out some extra % points tha…

If they are using the same card, they are opening themselves up to a giant world of hurt from cheaters.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#53

Post by joosters » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:36 PM UTC

What exchange rate do you get for your bitcoin? Does a user even see the potential exchange rate before the transfer? What margin (if any) are you taking on the currency exchange? Why is the site so lacking in details?

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#54

Post by mhluongo » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:36 PM UTC

avelis wrote: post #29

smallegan wrote: post #8

Does Starbucks have an API for creating gift cards and transferring balances?

They do have an API but it isn't in any way public. It is all in a closed system.

Citation? I'm very interested in that.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#55

Post by mhluongo » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:37 PM UTC

joosters wrote: post #53

What exchange rate do you get for your bitcoin? Does a user even see the potential exchange rate before the transfer? What margin (if any) are you taking on the currency exchange? Why is the site so lacking in details?

We use the current Coinbase exchange rate. No margin on the exchange. We're trying to keep it simple / focused on newer bitcoin users, but I can definitely flesh out the FAQ.

The refund math is also in the user's favor- more about that in other comments.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#56

Post by mhluongo » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:39 PM UTC

elwell wrote: post #35

6MB bg image is too big Edit: was too big (they fixed it)

Haha, thanks! @chris-martin was like "I don't know images!" but then immediately took care of it.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#57

Post by Joeboy » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:40 PM UTC

robbiet480 wrote: post #28

How does this work? Where/how are you generating the barcode? Is there some hidden Starbucks API?

I don't know anything about this app or Starbucks, but barcodes are basically just graphical encodings of numbers, and there is free barcode generation code out there (eg. in python's Reportlab package). The numbers are purchased in bulk from the retailer.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#58

Post by mhluongo » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:40 PM UTC

mmanfrin wrote: post #52

PhrosTT wrote: post #32

There's a Starbucks Gold Card (earned from 30 drinks in 12 months). https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards This gives you every 13th drink free (1 per 12 = 8.3% discount). I think this just crowdsources 1 mega gold card. I guess if you average out the drink prices... I could use the free drink on the $6 soy latte and use the $2 tall coffee as 1 of 12 drinks to earn that. So I could squeeze out some extra % points tha…

If they are using the same card, they are opening themselves up to a giant world of hurt from cheaters.

We aren't.

EDIT: details

Every users gets their own card to prevent tampering and crazy double-spend stuff.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#59

Post by mhluongo » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:41 PM UTC

PhrosTT wrote: post #32

There's a Starbucks Gold Card (earned from 30 drinks in 12 months). https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards This gives you every 13th drink free (1 per 12 = 8.3% discount). I think this just crowdsources 1 mega gold card. I guess if you average out the drink prices... I could use the free drink on the $6 soy latte and use the $2 tall coffee as 1 of 12 drinks to earn that. So I could squeeze out some extra % points tha…

Interesting idea! We've got some clever stuff going on, but we definitely aren't taking advantage of geographic differences or the rewards program.

Re: Show HN: 10% off at Starbucks when you buy with Bitcoin

#60

Post by joosters » Thu, Apr 10, 2014, 8:44 PM UTC

mhluongo wrote: post #55

joosters wrote: post #53

What exchange rate do you get for your bitcoin? Does a user even see the potential exchange rate before the transfer? What margin (if any) are you taking on the currency exchange? Why is the site so lacking in details?

We use the current Coinbase exchange rate. No margin on the exchange. We're trying to keep it simple / focused on newer bitcoin users, but I can definitely flesh out the FAQ. The refund math is also in the user's favor- more about that in other comments.

Hey, thanks for the quick answers! Good luck with the site.