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There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

latimes.com

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Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#171

Post by MBCook »

34679 wrote: post #111
MBCook wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What happens in two or three years when they decide to stop updating the app and it no longer works on your phone? They couldn’t bother since there was no recurring revenue stream so you just have to buy a new dishwasher?

I believe the other person was talking about having the devices serve up webpage UIs, so you wouldn't need their specific app, just a browser. A lot of makers do this with their 3D printers and CNC machines, as it avoids the cost and hassle of installing a display on the machine. Two of the more popular ones, for those interested: octoprint.org cnc.js.org

You’re right. They were. My mistake.

Personally I don’t like those either. I’ve experienced it with printers (which can only be configured initially via USB and some app), 3D printers (configured by putting an SD card in your computer), and other gizmos. They’re all a pain to deal with, especially if your WiFi details change or their IP does.

Some others expect you to connect to THEIR Wi-Fi network instead. Which is also a complete pain.

I don’t mind having an app to make the device more useful, but it needs to have enough controls on the front to use the thing and preferably reconfigure the Wi-Fi if necessary.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#173

Post by ac29 »

throwaway55421 wrote: post #147
jdavis703 wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cost of “free” parking is added to the prices the store charges. It’s better to unbundle these costs — an urban parking space can cost over $50,000 to build. That’s not cheap, and will materially impact rents and the price consumers have to pay.

The cost of the rent is also added to prices the store charges. The rent close to a metro station is far higher and often "local" stores are much more expensive as a result. You could attempt to unbundle that by charging people an entry fee too. Why not itemise the electricity bill whilst you're at it, etc. It's penny pinching and adds friction. I've been to Trader Joe's, if you're going there you're not at all price…

> It's penny pinching and adds friction. I've been to Trader Joe's, if you're going there you're not at all price sensitive.

At least where I live, Trader Joe's is probably the cheapest grocer that isn't explicitly a discount retailer like Grocery Outlet. Something like 80% of TJ products are house brands.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#174

Post by dang »

rPlayer6554 wrote: post #11

> But let’s clear up something right away: Trader Joe’s says it has nothing to do with this. > “This isn’t a TJ’s thing,” said Tara Miller, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson. “It’s being implemented by the landlord I feel like the headline is misleading and shouldn't mention Trader Joe's if it isn't Trader Joe's direct fault.

Ok, we've de-Joed the title above.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#175

Post by ipaddr »

rzz3 wrote: post #90
pengaru wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I fully expect more cities to prohibit retail establishments from refusing cash within their jurisdictions. There's precedent for it already, on grounds of discriminating against the poor.

They’ll just call it a private club. I have no problem with it. Don’t like it, don’t shop at Amazon.

Don't like cities shutting this practice down? Time to move to another city.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#176

Post by Ma8ee »

throwaway55421 wrote: post #147
jdavis703 wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cost of “free” parking is added to the prices the store charges. It’s better to unbundle these costs — an urban parking space can cost over $50,000 to build. That’s not cheap, and will materially impact rents and the price consumers have to pay.

The cost of the rent is also added to prices the store charges. The rent close to a metro station is far higher and often "local" stores are much more expensive as a result. You could attempt to unbundle that by charging people an entry fee too. Why not itemise the electricity bill whilst you're at it, etc. It's penny pinching and adds friction. I've been to Trader Joe's, if you're going there you're not at all price…

The cost of the rent is unavoidable. You can't buy anything in the store without walking in the store and buy goods that has been stored in the store

The cost of parking is avoidable. You don't have to drive and park to buy goods in the store. Why should I that walk or bicycle to the store sponsor you driving and parking by paying higher prices so you can park for free?

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#177

Post by throwaway55421 »

Eelongate wrote: post #159
CircleSpokes wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it better to unbundle them? I don't see why a business or person would want the extra hassle of paying for parking separately. Like paying for event parking is one thing but paying to shop at a store is beyond silly. What is next paying to use the drive through?

> Why is it better to unbundle them? Better... for who? I don't know if it's better for either business or society, but it's better for me because I walk to the grocery store and never take my car. If the price of parking is unbundled from the price of food, then I don't have to pay for something I'm not using.

If it's walkable then the car drivers are paying more than they should because rent is bundled in to the prices.

There's no free lunch either way here.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#178

Post by throwaway55421 »

Ma8ee wrote: post #176
throwaway55421 wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cost of the rent is also added to prices the store charges. The rent close to a metro station is far higher and often "local" stores are much more expensive as a result. You could attempt to unbundle that by charging people an entry fee too. Why not itemise the electricity bill whilst you're at it, etc. It's penny pinching and adds friction. I've been to Trader Joe's, if you're going there you're not at all price…

The cost of the rent is unavoidable. You can't buy anything in the store without walking in the store and buy goods that has been stored in the store The cost of parking is avoidable. You don't have to drive and park to buy goods in the store. Why should I that walk or bicycle to the store sponsor you driving and parking by paying higher prices so you can park for free?

I already address this in my earlier comment, there is an obvious distinction between urban and rural locations.

If you're not paying more for your shopping in an urban location then this is almost always going to be because the costs are amortized over all the stores in a chain.

There is no free lunch, someone ends up paying more than they should somewhere.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#179

Post by ipaddr »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #105
protomyth wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of my buddy's actually had them refuse to sell him some parts. He had given them his address and all (not a confrontational person) and they denied the sale. I bought the stuff for him. I used cash and did not identify myself. I get the feeling Radio Shack had some other stuff going on.

For stores with return policies, there is value in knowing who may be abusing them and/or causing them to lose money.

When I worked at radio shack we would send catalogues, later fliers.

We would ask during a return and require it. When buying anything with cash it was optional. The sales staff had to maintain an 80% ratio per day.

Re: There may be a steep privacy cost if you park here

#180

Post by _fool »

chillwaves wrote: post #71
hyperman1 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For companies doing this, I tend to give them the phone number of their own service desk.

On a related? note, local area code + 867-5309 seems to work for most store discount cards.

Safeway no longer accepts that number at least in the 503 area code, I found out upon trying as was my custom, a few years ago. The cashier recognized it and laughed with me as she scanned her own card which they keep on hand precisely for these reasons, as I understand it.
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