I get the point that this is trying to make but what a terrible analogy. Vending machines suck! There are few things in life more frustrating than a printer that is jammed or a vending machine that is stuck. I don't want a vending machine on the internet. I don't want to buy junk food from Costco marked up by 5x on the internet. I want the finest goods available to humanity at rock bottom prices.
A vending machine, on the internet
31–40 of 92 posts
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#32I'm trying to make an analogous product (native app) for learning vocabulary after Memrise shut it simple, flashcard app down.
One thing about the vending machine model is that the transaction is done. You don't require any continued interaction from the vendor to enjoy what you bought.
For that reason I made it:
- a native app so it didn't require a server once downloaded
- offline first, using WatermelonDb to sync with a server if available
- all data bundled, so my server doesn't need to exist when downloading
The hardest elements have actually been complying with the various app store requirements. Google Play now requires developers to have 20 users test your app for 14 days. I've been stuck with 4x 14 day cycles for the Catalan version with no specific feedback as to how to satisfy their desire that it has been sufficiently tested.
Interestingly with Google Play, if you want to make an up-front paid app, your testers must pay for the app too. If you make the app free, such that your testers can download it, you can't make it paid again afterwards. You can add in app purchases later, though.
If anyone wants to check it out, it's available for Spanish and Catalan for now: https://learnthewords.app/
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#33I'm trying to make an analogous product (native app) for learning vocabulary after Memrise shut it simple, flashcard app down. One thing about the vending machine model is that the transaction is done. You don't require any continued interaction from the vendor to enjoy what you bought. For that reason I made it: - a native app so it didn't require a server once downloaded - offline first, using WatermelonDb to sync…
Seems the App Store link isn’t working for me (in Spain). Would love to give it a try!
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#34> The machine was jammed. It wasn’t a big deal. I shrugged and moved on to buy my groceries. I resonate with the sentiment, but this is very far from my experience selling cheap software products. I had multiple people reach out to me because a software upgrade they paid $2 for 8 years ago stopped working. And they were, like, pissed about it.
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Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#35I'm trying to make an analogous product (native app) for learning vocabulary after Memrise shut it simple, flashcard app down. One thing about the vending machine model is that the transaction is done. You don't require any continued interaction from the vendor to enjoy what you bought. For that reason I made it: - a native app so it didn't require a server once downloaded - offline first, using WatermelonDb to sync…
Seems the App Store link isn’t working for me (in Spain). Would love to give it a try!
Mm, please see previous comments on dealing with the respective app stores.
In this case Apple have de-listed me from the various EU app stores while they verify my 'trader information' - the requirement to publish my name and home address on the app store, next to my app.
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#36In New York, vending and videogame machines tend to be … ”connected,” … but maybe not the way you think.
I know someone that has made quite a bit of money, from vending machines, and he’s … um … “connected.” I generally don’t really deal with him too much. We run in different social circles.
Wiseguys like cash-heavy businesses. Maybe if they become cashless systems, that could change. I encounter vending machines that accept Apple Pay, fairly frequently, in more upscale venues.
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#37> The machine was jammed. It wasn’t a big deal. I shrugged and moved on to buy my groceries. I resonate with the sentiment, but this is very far from my experience selling cheap software products. I had multiple people reach out to me because a software upgrade they paid $2 for 8 years ago stopped working. And they were, like, pissed about it.
if someone relies on an upgrade for 8 years, $2 is not enough!
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#38> The machine was jammed. It wasn’t a big deal. I shrugged and moved on to buy my groceries. I resonate with the sentiment, but this is very far from my experience selling cheap software products. I had multiple people reach out to me because a software upgrade they paid $2 for 8 years ago stopped working. And they were, like, pissed about it.
if someone relies on an upgrade for 8 years, $2 is not enough!
You should be able to pay for upgrades and not hve to ply russin roulette where there's any chance that updating removes features and puts them back behind an eternal subscriber paywall.
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#39> The machine was jammed. It wasn’t a big deal. I shrugged and moved on to buy my groceries. I resonate with the sentiment, but this is very far from my experience selling cheap software products. I had multiple people reach out to me because a software upgrade they paid $2 for 8 years ago stopped working. And they were, like, pissed about it.
I guess the idea is to not provide contacts and to explicitly claim this position in the user agreement. How much pissed they are may really depend on how much of it is allowed. Some can kick the machine, but in this case it will be their pc.
Re: A vending machine, on the internet
#40The problem is with our payments infrastructure there isn't a practical way to make a "machine" on the internet that accepts two quarters. OP's machine charges $5. The Stripe minimum charge is $0.50, and their fees on that charge would be almost $0.21.
How does that $0.21 compare to the cost of maintaining the coin machine on a vending machine and sending someone to collect the cash?
The difference between fixed and marginal costs applies here.
The costs you mention are essentially fixed costs. The marginal cost of a sale is then zero (ignoring the cost of the item itself).
With Stripe the marginal cost is 21c or 42%. You can increase sales ad infinitum and Stripe will still take 42%...