Shoplocket is shutting down • Hacker News Board

Re: Shoplocket is shutting down

#11

Post by jordanthoms » Mon, Jun 29, 2015, 6:03 AM UTC

bdcravens wrote: post #8

technofiend wrote: post #4

I mean... Was this as a byproduct of a cease and desist? Why so fast?

Read other comments - they announced it back on May 13

Still, a month and a half is a very short transition time for a ecommerce product. It's disappointing when companies throw their customers under the bus, it risks making things harder for everyone.

Re: Shoplocket is shutting down

#12

Post by jordanthoms » Mon, Jun 29, 2015, 6:07 AM UTC

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #10

Is anyone else getting tired of the "build something unsustainable but popular so we can gather enough rep to sell to a megacorp, take a big payday, and shitcan the product and our customers" model for startups?

Many of the startups selling to megacorps where the product dies would have been dead in short order anyway, and I wouldn't assume everyone is getting a big payday.

It doesn't seem totally unreasonable to me for failing startups to sell to a larger company and (hopefully) extract some of the value left in it for shareholders and employees - I just wish that with that the acquiring companies would do more to support the customers of the startup with reasonable shutdown notices etc. Unfortunately nobody involved has a very strong incentive to do so.

Re: Shoplocket is shutting down

#13

Post by andrea_sdl » Mon, Jun 29, 2015, 6:34 AM UTC

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #10

Is anyone else getting tired of the "build something unsustainable but popular so we can gather enough rep to sell to a megacorp, take a big payday, and shitcan the product and our customers" model for startups?

I am. I want good services to live, to continue through time, to not close, and to fullfill their promises. Although I can't deny the utility of free-unsustainable services, the more time pass, the more I'm inclined toward paid service first and foremost because I can count on them.

Lately I've been searching for great products with sustainable business models. Basecamp, Posthaven, Pinboard, are a few that I've encountered.

I was inspired by this https://signalvnoise.com/posts/3830-ta-da-list-until-the-end... and I though "wow, this should be the way". And I think it is.

Re: Shoplocket is shutting down

#14

Post by confiscate » Mon, Jun 29, 2015, 6:57 AM UTC

sorry to hear this, fellow canadians

Re: Shoplocket is shutting down

#15

Post by PhasmaFelis » Tue, Jun 30, 2015, 12:33 AM UTC

jordanthoms wrote: post #12

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #10

Is anyone else getting tired of the "build something unsustainable but popular so we can gather enough rep to sell to a megacorp, take a big payday, and shitcan the product and our customers" model for startups?

Many of the startups selling to megacorps where the product dies would have been dead in short order anyway, and I wouldn't assume everyone is getting a big payday. It doesn't seem totally unreasonable to me for failing startups to sell to a larger company and (hopefully) extract some of the value left in it for shareholders and employees - I just wish that with that the acquiring companies would do more to support t…

It would be easier to stomach if the announcements read more like what you said and less like "we are so excited to share the wonderful news that we got bought out and don't have to serve you anymore."