Post by: Michael Hardner on June 19, 2017, 10:24:31 am
Quote
A 42-year-old man is facing more than a dozen charges in connection with a fraud scheme involving barbecues sold at Home Depot.
In each incident, police say a suspect visited one of several Home Depot locations, removed a price label from a lower priced Weber barbecue and placed it on one valued much higher – at around $1,599.
The suspect would then purchase the more expensive barbeque for the price of the cheaper one – around $220 – using a fraudulent Home Depot gift card.
Ok - we can admit that this guy went over the line. ( Right ? :D ) But what are your bargain hacks ?
I don't have many but I have a few:
- Loblaws let you have mismarked on-sale goods for free - to a limit. So I would try to buy the maximum if I suspected the produce was mis-marked to get as much free stuff as possible. It worked to a degree, but they since changed the policy.
- I use FLIPP - a mobile app - to watch for certain goods to go on sale. You can, for example, pay $6.99 for a kg of coffee for ever and ever if you use this method.
Post by: wilber on June 19, 2017, 01:46:15 pm
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 19, 2017, 02:59:38 pm
I don't know what this has with bargain hunting, it was fraud, plain and simple.
How far will you go for a deal Wilber ?
Post by: wilber on June 19, 2017, 05:59:35 pm
How far will you go for a deal Wilber ?
Theft is not a "deal", it's a crime. You don't understand the difference?
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 19, 2017, 07:44:47 pm
Theft is not a "deal", it's a crime. You don't understand the difference?
Have you never heard the term 'it was a steal ?' :D
Post by: cybercoma on June 21, 2017, 02:24:46 pm
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 21, 2017, 04:57:17 pm
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 21, 2017, 04:57:48 pm
Post by: kimmy on June 21, 2017, 11:54:09 pm
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 22, 2017, 06:04:48 am
What else ?
Post by: cybercoma on June 23, 2017, 10:23:07 am
Here's a tip. If you need AV cables and speaker wire and the like, buy them at Princess Auto or Dollarama or other dollar stores. Paying ridiculous amounts of money for brand-name cables is for suckers.You've got to be careful with HDMI cables. So long as they're high bandwidth though, you're good to go. They don't need to be brand name.
-k
Post by: kimmy on June 24, 2017, 11:44:07 am
I'm browsing on Amazon and see something that would be handy... a micro flashlight, a novel keychain tool, something like that. I look on Gearbest or AliExpress and wow, the same thing is there at a fraction of the price. The difference is instead of some importer bringing it from China, slapping their own logo on it, and selling it through Amazon at 1000% mark-up, you can just buy it straight from the source. Free shipping!
The only downside is this stuff takes weeks to arrive. I often buy a bunch of stuff, forget I ordered it, and then when they start showing up in my mailbox, it's like receiving unexpected presents from a secret admirer.
-k
Post by: guest4 on June 24, 2017, 12:42:10 pm
I often buy little gizmos and gadgets from China. If you do as well, you can save money by cutting out the middleman.
I'm browsing on Amazon and see something that would be handy... a micro flashlight, a novel keychain tool, something like that. I look on Gearbest or AliExpress and wow, the same thing is there at a fraction of the price. The difference is instead of some importer bringing it from China, slapping their own logo on it, and selling it through Amazon at 1000% mark-up, you can just buy it straight from the source. Free shipping!
The only downside is this stuff takes weeks to arrive. I often buy a bunch of stuff, forget I ordered it, and then when they start showing up in my mailbox, it's like receiving unexpected presents from a secret admirer.
-k
Not a good way to buy clothes though. Apparently they can be not exactly as pictured in color, style or size.
Post by: kimmy on June 24, 2017, 01:11:07 pm
Not a good way to buy clothes though. Apparently they can be not exactly as pictured in color, style or size.
I can't buy clothes online anyway. I can't buy anything unless I try it on first. I have a hard time finding stuff that fits well.
-k
Post by: JMT on June 24, 2017, 05:34:47 pm
Post by: Squidward von Squidderson on June 24, 2017, 11:27:40 pm
Also, EBay sport coats... good scores there too. And ties.
Post by: kimmy on June 25, 2017, 12:23:01 pm
Kimbobbles are too big? I never forgot when you said that.
The kimbobbles are no joke, but my shoulders the bigger problem.
-k
Post by: JMT on June 25, 2017, 02:05:17 pm
The kimbobbles are no joke, but my shoulders the bigger problem.
-k
I don't know why that stuck in my head - never forgot about the kimbobbles.
Post by: Michael Hardner on July 21, 2017, 07:24:21 am
Post by: JMT on July 21, 2017, 08:16:38 am
Vaping is so much cheaper than smoking.
For now
Post by: Goddess on July 21, 2017, 02:12:43 pm
About 20 years ago, I bought a high quality ladies skirt and jacket combo in a classic style, that I paid an outrageous amount for, but I'm still wearing both pieces.
I don't mind paying more for pieces like that, but I also don't like paying $60 for a friggin' white or black t-shirt. Dollar store or thrift store for stuff like that.
I love vintage stuff, too. You need to shop around for those deals - vintage can be over-priced.
Post by: BC_cheque on July 22, 2017, 01:03:22 am
Amazon is another to watch. Prices can change a lot and often.
Some things like electronics and household items I would never pay retail for. The big suppliers have huge margins they're working with.
You just have to be patient.
Post by: Queefer Sutherland on July 24, 2017, 08:03:20 am
Post by: cybercoma on July 24, 2017, 08:13:46 am
Echo to kimmy: buy HDMI cables from dollar stores or on the cheap. There's no "good quality" or "bad quality" cables for digital hdmi. For hdmi the signal either works or it doesn't. You won't get a better signal spending $40 on a gold-plated cable.One caveat is to make sure that they're high bandwidth cables because low bandwidth cables will not transmit 4K or 3D data if you have a 4K or 3D TV.
Post by: kimmy on July 25, 2017, 11:42:54 pm
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on July 26, 2017, 06:53:47 am
Post by: cybercoma on July 26, 2017, 12:35:47 pm
Bargain tip: keep your eyes on Sears. If you're not afraid of being hit by rotting ceiling tiles and so on, there's probably going to be some good inventory reduction going on.**** Sears. They robbed their employees of severance. They can take their clearance deals and shove them up their ass.
-k
Post by: BC_cheque on July 26, 2017, 12:48:17 pm
Post by: kimmy on November 26, 2017, 10:38:45 pm
Did anybody attempt to "Black Friday" this year? Does anybody plan to "Cyber Week" this year?
I did find a few online deals. 50% off some performance athletic wear that will keep the kim-bobbles in place when I'm jogging, a few accessories, and a new keyboard. But for the most part I think the "Black Friday" shopping was more hype than hit this year.
-k
Post by: Peter F on November 26, 2017, 11:11:16 pm
Coffee $5.49/kg at Loblaws this week, apparently.
Just so happens I bought beans, kuerigs and ground coffee at that price at Shoppers today. Seems Loblaws runs the Shoppers food section and is dumping stuff in order to facilitate cut-backs. And, the stuff I bough was all Presidents Choice stuff, which in turn is actually Melita coffee , which I like. Everyone wins!....except those about to be laid off at Loblaws.
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 27, 2017, 05:41:47 am
Post by: Queefer Sutherland on November 27, 2017, 07:38:46 am
Post by: kimmy on November 27, 2017, 08:52:08 am
The best bargains usually mean buying used stuff in great condition.
Agreed. Lately I have been updating my wardrobe by donating stuff I don't wear anymore to Value Village, then going inside and buying other stuff to replace it. Also my Pathfinder. Was probably a $40,000 vehicle when new.... still looks and drives like a $40,000 vehicle.
Even though i can be annoying & more work.
But we still love you!
-k
Post by: SirJohn on November 27, 2017, 09:49:45 am
I often buy little gizmos and gadgets from China. If you do as well, you can save money by cutting out the middleman.
The only downside is this stuff takes weeks to arrive.
No the only downside is it might explode and kill you, or set your house on fire or poison you...
Post by: SirJohn on November 27, 2017, 09:54:49 am
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/man-facing-19-charges-after-price-labels-switched-on-bbq-s-at-home-depot-1.3465916
Ok - we can admit that this guy went over the line. ( Right ? :D ) But what are your bargain hacks ?
This is a strange topic for me. I went from being too poor to buy stuff, bargain or not, to having enough money to not care what **** costs unless it's something like a car.
Psychologically, I think I don't bother caring about bargains or sales because it puts me back into that time when I had to worry constantly about money, and not doing so is still a luxury I am enjoying.
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 27, 2017, 11:58:15 am
Post by: Queefer Sutherland on November 27, 2017, 02:44:09 pm
This is a strange topic for me. I went from being too poor to buy stuff, bargain or not, to having enough money to not care what **** costs unless it's something like a car.
Psychologically, I think I don't bother caring about bargains or sales because it puts me back into that time when I had to worry constantly about money, and not doing so is still a luxury I am enjoying.
Can I be in your will?
Post by: guest4 on November 27, 2017, 03:18:01 pm
Agreed. Lately I have been updating my wardrobe by donating stuff I don't wear anymore to Value Village, then going inside and buying other stuff to replace it. Also my Pathfinder. Was probably a $40,000 vehicle when new.... still looks and drives like a $40,000 vehicle.
You got a Pathfinder at Value Village??
Not at Value Village, but we found a 2010 Mercedes B200, 12,000 kms, pristine condition, basically a new car for less than half price. Former owners bought two near identical vehicles, rarely drove them for seven years and then dumped them before returning to their country of origin.
Post by: cybercoma on November 27, 2017, 08:52:28 pm
Black Friday came and went, but I still feel as white as ever. ???I bought a sous vide cooker but that was really the only worthwhile deal that I came across.
Did anybody attempt to "Black Friday" this year? Does anybody plan to "Cyber Week" this year?
I did find a few online deals. 50% off some performance athletic wear that will keep the kim-bobbles in place when I'm jogging, a few accessories, and a new keyboard. But for the most part I think the "Black Friday" shopping was more hype than hit this year.
-k
Post by: Queefer Sutherland on November 27, 2017, 09:50:10 pm
Oh sometimes i buy ****. Sassy middle-aged ****.
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 28, 2017, 06:03:32 am
Oh sometimes i buy ****. Sassy middle-aged ****.
New thread !
Post by: Goddess on November 28, 2017, 10:36:50 am
I bought a sous vide cooker but that was really the only worthwhile deal that I came across.
Oooooo!! I have a freind who swears by sous vide cooking. Let me know what you think of it. I've thought about getting one, too.
Post by: gh0sthacked on November 28, 2017, 12:03:41 pm
Post by: Goddess on November 28, 2017, 02:07:10 pm
Buying cheap goods made by foreign slave labour with money most of you most likely don't have.
God bless those Chinese children and their tiny fingers.
Post by: cybercoma on November 28, 2017, 03:53:01 pm
Buying cheap goods made by foreign slave labour with money most of you most likely don't have.We’re lifting them out of poverty /s
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 28, 2017, 04:17:57 pm
We’re lifting them out of poverty /s
Their unelected undemocratic government is. And our government counts on them to provide our poor with cheap goods.
Post by: kimmy on November 30, 2017, 01:31:23 am
No the only downside is it might explode and kill you, or set your house on fire or poison you...
Most of the consumer gadgets we buy are Chinese-made anyway. You think somebody slapping a US brand-name on a product transforms it from a potential bomb into a safe and reliable product? Somebody slapping a US brand-name on a product transforms it from a $2 gadget to a $20 gadget. That's the real difference.
I bought a couple of folding knives through GearBest... they're not just knock-offs of Kershaw knives, they literally are Kershaw knives. They're made from the exact same parts. There is no doubt in my mind they came out of the same factory, they probably went out the back door while the Kershaw factory rep was on lunch break. These retail for about $40 each but I got them for $7 apiece. So... why pay more?
Am I supposed to feel bad for putting US factory workers out of work by buying Chinese? Well, actually Kershaw is the ones who put the US factory workers out of work when they decided to offshore their production. Am I supposed to feel bad that Kershaw didn't get to collect a $33 mark up on a $7 product? Truthfully I don't feel that bad. Maybe Kershaw's shareholders, or shareholders of whatever global conglomerate owns Kershaw will feel worse than I do.
FREE TRADE, y'all! It works for Kershaw, because they get to slap a $33 markup on a $7 product. Why not make free trade work for me, Kimmy, law-abiding citizen?
If a manufacturer like Kershaw can benefit from trade by shopping around the world for cheaper labor, why shouldn't someone like me likewise benefit by shopping for cheaper products? It seems only fair. The premise that big corporations should be able to axe jobs in North America to take advantage of lower production costs elsewhere while North American consumers should continue paying the full Made In North America price sucks.
What also sucks is the Canada "de minimus" import threshold. If our government really believed free trade was good for Canada, they'd let Canadian consumers participate.
-k
Post by: kimmy on November 30, 2017, 01:45:42 am
Buying cheap goods made by foreign slave labour with money most of you most likely don't have.
I know that some of you Ron Paul types think that unless you're holding gold bars in your own two hands you don't actually have any money. But my finances are just fine.
We’re lifting them out of poverty /s
Look, man, just about everything is being made in China anyway. The question is merely whether some Canadian or American corporation gets to charge a gigantic mark-up on behalf of its shareholders or whether I can buy direct. That little Chinese orphan will earn the same wage either way.
I bought an allegedly hand-made Pakistani Bowie knife last month. Apparently I buy a lot of knives. Generic wheat squares, sensible shoes, Subarus, and knifes. I digress. I don't know the circumstances of the guy who made that knife. Maybe he's in a factory earning subsistence wages. Maybe he's a craftsman who will be able to buy lentils for his family for a whole month because I bought his product. I don't know which. Maybe it's somewhere in between. But personally, I don't imagine that I made that guy's life worse by buying his work.
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 30, 2017, 05:22:10 am
One New World Order... here it comes...
Post by: SirJohn on November 30, 2017, 11:30:19 am
Most of the consumer gadgets we buy are Chinese-made anyway. You think somebody slapping a US brand-name on a product transforms it from a potential bomb into a safe and reliable product? Somebody slapping a US brand-name on a product transforms it from a $2 gadget to a $20 gadget. That's the real difference.
Yes, it does make a difference. Western manufacturers need to worry about both their reputations and lawsuits. That means they have to check out where their products are made and keep a wary eye on what's going into them lest their Chinese partners decide to make substitutes. Likewise stuff that comes over through the normal means and winds up in regular retail outlets has to be checked out by those retail outlets. At least the bigger ones. The Bay does NOT want to find out through news stories that its pajamas burst into flames if they go anywhere near a flame, Loblaws doesn't want to discover that the toothpaste they're selling has ground up body parts or whatever in it. They're not going to sell **** that comes from some unknown Chinese company. Or any company they don't have some degree of confidence in. The corruption over there is almost beyond belief. Any company that can get away with something WILL. It's not like, in the normal course of business they have to worry about the law. Especially with stuff they export. They're all paying off their local bureaucrats anyway.
Post by: kimmy on November 30, 2017, 10:22:36 pm
Yes, it does make a difference. Western manufacturers need to worry about both their reputations and lawsuits. That means they have to check out where their products are made and keep a wary eye on what's going into them lest their Chinese partners decide to make substitutes.
Fairly confident that my pocket knives and little electronics gadgets aren't going to burn the house down. If we were talking about stuff that runs off 120V AC power, I'd take the risk seriously. Or something with a big lithium battery pack, for that matter, I would be skeptical about buying a mystery-brand product.
And, some of these Chinese brands do have a reputation to uphold. Xiaomi, for example, is the 5th largest cell-phone maker in the world. You can get a hi-spec Xiaomi phone for a lot less than a comparable Samsung, and it won't explode. I haven't tried one of their phones yet, but I have their power bank, and it's top notch. I won't be surprised when some US brand starts buying them and selling them domestically for a 400% mark-up.
I do know a few people who have bought extremely cheap smartphones through GearBest, and bought pay-as-you-go minutes from Telus. $50 for a phone and $100 for a whole year of talk and test. If you're on a tight budget, that's a heck of a lot better than getting a "free phone" on a plan that costs $40+ every month.
Last year I bought a GoPro imitator made by another Chinese cell-phone company, Elephone. It works great. It cost me $65. This year Newegg is selling the same camera in Canada for $160. Comparable GoPro? $300+ I believe.
Likewise stuff that comes over through the normal means and winds up in regular retail outlets has to be checked out by those retail outlets. At least the bigger ones. The Bay does NOT want to find out through news stories that its pajamas burst into flames if they go anywhere near a flame, Loblaws doesn't want to discover that the toothpaste they're selling has ground up body parts or whatever in it. They're not going to sell **** that comes from some unknown Chinese company. Or any company they don't have some degree of confidence in.
Didn't Loblaws get caught for almost exactly that not long ago? Slapping their "Joe Fresh" label on stuff that turns out to have been made by slave laborers in Bangladesh? And we only found out about it because the factory burned down, killing hundreds of workers? All those charred corpses holding partially finished Joe Fresh sweaters and jeans? It sounds like Loblaw's didn't actually know much about the circumstances under which their "Joe Fresh" brand gets made after all.
I mean, if I'm going to be sold stuff made by slaves who are going to perish in burning buildings anyway, I might as well not pay an 800% mark-up, right?
The corruption over there is almost beyond belief. Any company that can get away with something WILL. It's not like, in the normal course of business they have to worry about the law. Especially with stuff they export. They're all paying off their local bureaucrats anyway.
I wouldn't trust their food. I wouldn't trust off-brand dollar store light bulbs or anything else that runs off AC power. But stuff like small electronics and pocket knives and other little gadgets, I have no worries.
-k
Post by: kimmy on December 01, 2017, 12:02:29 am
Even better... you are now engaging with someone from the other side of the world, albeit through many proxies. That means that you are connected, and now that bond will be harder to break. While it's not true that trade prevents war, it does make it harder. The US could never attack Canada because they would have to bomb all their own factories and oil facilities.
Picturing how this might go.
somewhere in Lahore...
knock-knock. knock-knock-knock.
"Allo! Who is there?"
"This is Walid! Is this Al-Pakka world headquarters?"
"Yes it is, friend! How may we help?"
"I come to ask that you not blow up Kimmy."
"hmmm..... no can-do. It says here that Kimmy is haram. We have to blow up Kimmy for five different reasons. Sorry, Walid."
"But Kimmy is good customer! She buy the Bowie knife, she pay the money, next month I hoping to sell Kimmy the Viking axe!"
"Sorry, my friend, but the rules are the rules."
"My children need to eat! I can't have you blowing up my customers!"
"I tell you what, Walid, since you are good friend, I will put in the good word with the boss. Maybe we can move Kimmy to back of list. Maybe she will buy the axe before we blow her up."
"If that is the best you can do, then that is all I can ask. Blessings be upon you, friend."
"And you, Walid!"
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on December 01, 2017, 05:47:25 am
Actually, it's more like... over time the people who own and run factories start dealing more with international trade and they get more power than the factions that want to pull back from interacting with the world.
Post by: SirJohn on December 01, 2017, 11:38:05 am
Yes, that's how it goes.
Actually, it's more like... over time the people who own and run factories start dealing more with international trade and they get more power than the factions that want to pull back from interacting with the world.
How's that working out for China?
Post by: Michael Hardner on December 02, 2017, 08:49:19 am
Post by: SirJohn on December 02, 2017, 11:48:35 am
Pretty well.
In fact, it's not working at all. Nobody has any more power. If anything, the Communist Party has been getting more autocratic and cracking down on the slightest complaints or disagreement with government policy. Information control is tighter than anywhere outside North Korea.
Post by: Michael Hardner on December 02, 2017, 11:55:28 am
Post by: SirJohn on December 03, 2017, 11:30:20 am
China has a middle class, they are joining Global climate and trade agreements, they are allowing foreign businesses to invade them.
Oh give me a break. I read a thing yesterday that said if the money in China was actually equalized among its people they'd be about as rich as Guyana. What you have are some incredibly rich people - all of whom have close ties to the Communist party, and some skilled elites who are enjoying a semi-western style lifestyle. The mass of Chinese however, are dirt poor. And their 'middle class' has no power and no ability to influence anything. Even their rich can be cut off at the knees the moment the party doesn't like what they're doing.
China has violated every trade agreement they've ever made. They cheat in a way western nations wouldn't imagine doing. We signed an agreement with China not to spy on each other. Do you think for a single second that caused the Chinese to do anything but laugh hysterically? Their spies are all over Canada and they continue to try to hack into every governmental, military and corporate system around according to the previous head of CSIS. Not to mention pouring money into the pockets of the Liberal party through every means possible to buy influence.
They also do not have an open market of any sort. Allow foreign businesses to invade them? You really are a comedian. Those foreign businesses are tightly restricted in what moneys they can withdraw, in how they act, and what they say. And Chinese spies are embedded in every one of them. China will be selling replicas of Boeing's aircraft in a few years, with every part down to the finest detail exactly the same as what Boeing is building there.
Post by: Michael Hardner on December 03, 2017, 03:58:38 pm
Oh give me a break. I read a thing yesterday that said if the money in China was actually equalized among its people they'd be about as rich as Guyana. What you have are some incredibly rich people - all of whom have close ties to the Communist party, and some skilled elites who are enjoying a semi-western style lifestyle.
That sounds exactly like the western world.
Post by: SirJohn on December 04, 2017, 11:52:44 am
That sounds exactly like the western world.
No, it actually doesn't. Almost half the population of China lives on less than $4 a day.
Post by: kimmy on December 08, 2017, 03:23:08 am
Quote
Wyze’s low prices are instead born of two ideas, both connected to Amazon. The company’s three founders all worked at the retail giant, and they said they had been inspired by Amazon’s high-volume, low-margin approach to sales.
To hit the $20 price, Wyze licensed the camera’s hardware from a Chinese company, then created its own software. It also cut out just about every middleman, including most retailers. And it’s banking on long-run success. While Wyze is just breaking even on its first camera, its founders believe internet-connected home devices will be a growth category. They plan to establish a trusted brand with the first camera, then release a succession of products that they hope to sell in large numbers, at low prices.
But how do you establish a brand online? That’s the second place Amazon comes in.
Though they snubbed every other retailer, Wyze’s founders recognized that they needed an Amazon storefront to help them establish an instant presence next to the big guys. Customer rankings and reviews on Amazon have become just about the most important factor in how consumers buy electronics products; because Amazon pages come up high on search results like Google’s, a positive rating on Amazon can effectively make a brand — and a negative rating can break one.
“That’s why we had to sell on Amazon,” said Yun Zhang, Wyze’s chief executive. “You just can’t ignore them.”
Wyze is now one of dozens of companies relying heavily on Amazon to create online brands. There’s Anker, which makes low-priced, well-regarded accessories for electronics. There’s Yi, which makes, among other things, action cameras that rival GoPro.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/technology/cheap-consumer-devices-amazon.html
-k
Post by: TimG on December 08, 2017, 05:29:05 am
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/technology/cheap-consumer-devices-amazon.htmlLots of companies give away products in return for the personal data you provide and/or the the sale of additional services. I can't see how any company can build a business model today by only selling cheap low margin hardware. There has to be an angle that the article is not discussing.
Post by: kimmy on December 08, 2017, 10:39:42 pm
Lots of companies give away products in return for the personal data you provide and/or the the sale of additional services. I can't see how any company can build a business model today by only selling cheap low margin hardware. There has to be an angle that the article is not discussing.
Why? Are you clinging to some outdated notion that a "company" has to be a big brick-and-mortar building with a factory and a whole bunch of employees?
Argus earlier talked about his reasons for not buying Chinese-made products that don't have a reputable brand behind them. They might be junk. They might burn your house down.
Fair enough. Understood. So one of the companies, Anker, mentioned in the article, understanding that issue, sees an opportunity for value-add. They search through Chinese hardware, find some that they really like, and say "ok, we'll sell this in North America, and we'll stand behind it and provide warranty replacements." So while they're not making money on hardware, they're making money in 2 ways. First off, they're adding assurance to the customer that if the product fails they can get their money back. And the second way they're making money is by building a brand. People go on Amazon, they search for a product, and they find that these Anker products have good customer ratings and good prices.
And the guys at Wyze... they found Chinese hardware they liked, but realized that the software sucked, so decided they could value-add by creating better software. So the
I have been looking into 3d printers lately. One of the companies that sells 3d printers is called "Monoprice". They retail lots of products-- HDMI cables, computer parts, and not coincidentally 3d printer filament. In all likelihood, all this stuff comes from China. Monoprice also sells 3d printers-- they take a Chinese-made 3d printer, wrote lucid English instructions for it, assemble it, calibrate it, provide a disk with software, even do a demo print with your assembled unit before they ship it. All of this is value-add. They figured out that the biggest headaches people have with 3d printers is getting the damned thing to work in the first place. They deal with that for you and ship a product that works right out of the box.
You can't compete with China on manufacturing. That much is obvious. If you're starting a new business today and your plan is to manufacture stuff at a better margin than China does, you're toast. You can't do it. These companies-- Wyze, Anker, and Monoprice-- understand that much. Their business model is to not even try to beat China at its own game. Their business model is to add value in areas that China sucks at-- trust, functionality, usability-- while leveraging the cost-efficiency of Chinese manufacturing.
I wrote earlier about the Kershaw knives and my knock-off Kershaw knives that are actually Kershaw knives without Kershaw badging. Kershaw sells these $7 knives for $40+ in North America... what value are they adding to justify a 500% mark-up? Nothing, basically. Anker, Wyze, and Monoprice are all adding value to the Chinese raw materials to make their business model work. Kershaw just adds a big mark-up and works on the assumption that people trust their brand-name enough to justify the cost. That will continue to work as long as there are enough rubes around, but it might not work forever.
-k
Post by: TimG on December 09, 2017, 05:26:56 am
Why? Are you clinging to some outdated notion that a "company" has to be a big brick-and-mortar building with a factory and a whole bunch of employees?The need to generate recurring revenue from existing customers is a imperative for any business today no matter what their distribution model. These guys have one product that they sell cheap and provide no added value other than price.
If they establish that there is a market for cheap cameras then the market will be flooded with me-too competition and they will find that building a brand based on being cheap means your customers are very quick to switch to the guy you sells the same thing for dollar less. A 20 dollar camera does not provide a lot of revenue to justify premium service.
Kershaw sells these $7 knives for $40+ in North America... what value are they adding to justify a 500% mark-up? Nothing, basically. Anker, Wyze, and Monoprice are all adding value to the Chinese raw materials to make their business model work.This is a completely different business model because they are charging premium prices to cover the cost of warranties and other things that build brand loyalty. The Wyze business model is based on selling cameras cheaper than everyone else.
It is worth noting that Vizio televisions use the Wyze model. They have carved a niche for themselves branding Chinese made televisions and selling them cheaper than everyone else. And guess what: they got caught selling data collected from their SmartTVs:
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/1622269/why-vizio-has-to-pay-out-millions-and-millions-of-dollars
I guess they realized there are limits to how profitable a company can be selling cheap hardware and Vizio has the advantage over Wyze in that they selling products with a price point in the hundreds of dollars.
Post by: kimmy on December 09, 2017, 11:48:39 am
The need to generate recurring revenue from existing customers is a imperative for any business today no matter what their distribution model. These guys have one product that they sell cheap and provide no added value other than price.
The recurring revenue will come from cloud services associated with their device, as with other network-enabled security cameras. The low price will help build a customer base of which at least some portion will want to subscribe to the optional cloud services. This is similar to the model of video game companies who make "massively multiplayer online" games. They give the software away for free, but you pay a monthly subscription fee to play or buy in-game extras. That's basically what Wyze is doing. Nest and Blink are getting people to pay for the subscription and the in-game extras, but they're also charging a large up-front fee for the game itself. Wyze is clearly thinking that Nest and Blink are turning off a lot of potential customers with the large up-front fee, and gambling that they can get more subscribers by selling the camera itself very cheaply. You're convinced there has to be some kind of secret angle here... I think the angle is pretty apparent.
And once Wyze has established a customer base for their security camera and cloud-based services, that would be a good starting point to expand into other smart-home services. "Know what would work great with your Wyze security cameras? Wyze smoke and CO2 detectors! Works with your existing Wyze account! Get alerts on your smart-phone if something is wrong in your home."
If they establish that there is a market for cheap cameras then the market will be flooded with me-too competition and they will find that building a brand based on being cheap means your customers are very quick to switch to the guy you sells the same thing for dollar less. A 20 dollar camera does not provide a lot of revenue to justify premium service.
The "me too" competitors might be able to offer a security camera with an SD card for less than Wyze is selling their product for. But if a "me too" competitor wants to compete with Wyze or Nest or Blink then they'll be starting at the same place Wyze did, which is to take the cheap hardware and find a way to value-add to put it in the same league as its more expensive competitors. Maybe it can be done, but whichever competitors want to try will be playing catch-up.
This is a completely different business model because they are charging premium prices to cover the cost of warranties and other things that build brand loyalty. The Wyze business model is based on selling cameras cheaper than everyone else.
It is worth noting that Vizio televisions use the Wyze model. They have carved a niche for themselves branding Chinese made televisions and selling them cheaper than everyone else. And guess what: they got caught selling data collected from their SmartTVs:
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/1622269/why-vizio-has-to-pay-out-millions-and-millions-of-dollars
I guess they realized there are limits to how profitable a company can be selling cheap hardware and Vizio has the advantage over Wyze in that they selling products with a price point in the hundreds of dollars.
With Wyze, the subscription services make that a bad comparison. Anker would be a better comparison, because like a TV you just buy a USB hub once and there's no recurring fees.
Can Anker continue to make money doing what they're going? ... I dunno, can Kershaw? Anker and Kershaw are essentially doing the same thing here. Kershaw takes a higher margin, but Kershaw needs a higher margin to stay in business. Anker, for all I know, might be one college kid who checks his email a few times a day while he's studying for his classes.
-k
Post by: TimG on December 10, 2017, 01:06:12 am
The recurring revenue will come from cloud services associated with their device, as with other network-enabled security cameras. The low price will help build a customer base of which at least some portion will want to subscribe to the optional cloud services.I did not get that impression from the article. It seemed like they were giving away all of the important features and it is not clear what was left for people to buy. In theory, this would address my point. The question is are the services that people would pay for?
And once Wyze has established a customer base for their security camera and cloud-based services, that would be a good starting point to expand into other smart-home services. "Know what would work great with your Wyze security cameras? Wyze smoke and CO2 detectors! Works with your existing Wyze account! Get alerts on your smart-phone if something is wrong in your home."Lots of companies doing this already. Who is in a better position to take advantage: ADT which already offers all of the above features and adds Wyze cameras to its line up or Wyze developing completely new services which do not appear to be part of their sale pitch today.
Can Anker continue to make money doing what they're going? ... I dunno, can Kershaw? Anker and Kershaw are essentially doing the same thing here. Kershaw takes a higher margin, but Kershaw needs a higher margin to stay in business. Anker, for all I know, might be one college kid who checks his email a few times a day while he's studying for his classes.Anker appears to have fairly wide product line. That gives them bigger potential volumes and avenues for repeat customers. Kershaw has high margin which is the typical business model for service/support driven sales. If Wyze succeeds selling a lot of cameras (they should) and then expand rapidly into wide range of remote monitoring products then it would be a compelling business model.
That said, i did look more carefully into the s/w that they offer and it is underwhelming compared to what comes for free with more expensive cameras. For example, you have to have a mobile phone - there is no option to control via a PC or Laptop. This alone would mean I would not touch them.
Post by: kimmy on December 10, 2017, 01:18:02 pm
I did not get that impression from the article. It seemed like they were giving away all of the important features and it is not clear what was left for people to buy. In theory, this would address my point. The question is are the services that people would pay for?
It appears I misread the Wyze website. At first glance I thought they were giving a 14 day trial on cloud storage, which subscribers would then have the option of paying for. It appears that they are actually giving away 14 days of rolling cloud storage for free. (ie, the last 14 days of footage from your camera are stored on the web, for free.) That's pretty astounding, as Nest charges $10 a month for that.
Apparently their plan is simply to own this market by killing the competition on price, and to make money on low-margin, high-volume sales.
I can't imagine somebody who's sitting on the fence about trying a home security camera looking at a system that's $250 plus $10/month vs one that's $20 period, and deciding to go with the $250 system. A $20 price would probably lure people who hadn't even considered buying a security camera to give one a try. I sometimes have panic attacks that I might have left the stove on... why not spend $20 and point one of these right at my stove so that whenever I have a panic attack, I can whip out my smart-phone and look at my stove to assure myself that it's off.
Personally, with a 700 sq ft apartment, I would probably want one for the main entrance, and possibly a 2nd facing my balcony entrance. For somebody with a bigger home or a yard, they might not stop there. If they really liked the product, they might buy one as a baby monitor, and another one to cover the front yard to catch the neighbor in the act of letting their dog poop on your lawn, and another one out back to record the antics of the neighborhood raccoons. There's some potential for recurring sales just from people thinking "another one of these would be handy in the rec-room." At $20 a pop, it becomes something people might add on a whim rather than a substantial investment and recurring financial commitment.
And it does have an obvious potential to expand into related products (smoke and CO2 sensors and door sensors obviously come to mind).
Lots of companies doing this already. Who is in a better position to take advantage: ADT which already offers all of the above features and adds Wyze cameras to its line up or Wyze developing completely new services which do not appear to be part of their sale pitch today.
ADT has been around for a long time, and hasn't exactly set the home market on fire. The existence of companies like ADT hasn't deterred companies from attempting to sell their own security systems directly to consumers. When I was a Costco member I used to always see Swann or Lorex products for sale in Costco. So apparently Swann and Lorex felt that ADT and their peers aren't delivering what the home consumer is hoping for. And the existence of consumer products like Swann and Lorex hasn't deterred people like Nest and Blink from jumping into the same market. So apparently Nest and Blink feel like the Swann and Lorex didn't get it right either. And the existence of ADT, Swann and Lorex, Nest and Blink, has not deterred Wyze either.
They obviously think the hassle and expense of existing devices in the market is a big barrier for consumers, and are gambling that their low-cost, high-functionality devices can make a big impact on what's a potentially large market that's not being well served.
Anker appears to have fairly wide product line. That gives them bigger potential volumes and avenues for repeat customers. Kershaw has high margin which is the typical business model for service/support driven sales. If Wyze succeeds selling a lot of cameras (they should) and then expand rapidly into wide range of remote monitoring products then it would be a compelling business model.
Wyze is already back-ordered, so they're apparently selling these faster than they can supply them right now. How long the demand will remain high remains to be seen. Maybe you're right, maybe it will fade off quickly, or maybe these guys will be around for a while.
That said, i did look more carefully into the s/w that they offer and it is underwhelming compared to what comes for free with more expensive cameras. For example, you have to have a mobile phone - there is no option to control via a PC or Laptop. This alone would mean I would not touch them.
You don't have a mobile phone? Are you from the '90s? You'll be able to access the Wyze cloud services through your web browser. If they don't have it already, they soon will. That's the easy part of the project.
My reason for linking the article wasn't to make the case that Wyze specifically is going to be a success. It was because I thought the role of Amazon in changing how people shop is interesting.
Once upon a time if you wanted to sell a consumer product, you needed to convince a whole bunch of brick-and-mortar retailers to make room for your stuff on their shelf. That's probably a full time job in itself. You go to London Drugs, and Best Buy, and Canadian Tire, and Home Depot and at each place try and convince the management that your stuff should be on the shelves in their stores. How do you even start to go about doing that? "Sorry, we've never heard of your company, and we already sell another product that's a lot like yours, so we're not interested. Better luck next time." You have to advertise so that people even know you exist. You have to physically get your product to consumers. All of this sounds like a tremendous barrier for anybody who is just starting out. And that's without even considering the primary barrier, which is making a product to sell in the first place.
Amazon doesn't solve the last item, but it does help with the rest.
Distribution? Amazon is probably the best in the world at distribution. Space on the shelf? They have acres and acres of shelves. If you want space on their shelves, you just give them a cut of your sales, and the space is yours. Give them a bigger cut and you can be a "Prime" partner. Space on the shelf at one of the world's biggest retailers is yours.
Marketing? I don't know how you guys shop. But for me the first step isn't to walk around brick-and-mortar retailers. My first step is to get on Google and do a web search for the kind of product I'm interested in.
So I'm looking for a USB hub. I go on Google, I type in a search, and the results that come up are... ok, some sponsored results from Newegg. Right below that, an ad from Amazon. I click on that, because I get free shipping from Amazon. Their results come up with... ok, a couple more sponsored results from a company called "Cable Creations", and the "Bestseller" result is ... Anker. A grand total of 3 clicks and I've arrived at some company that for all I know could be a college student who answers a few emails while he studies for his classes. (this is pretty much exactly how I bought an Anker USB hub a couple of years ago, without putting any thought into how it landed on my desk.) Wyze, same type of thing. Wyze isn't sold in Canada yet, but if I go on US Amazon, same sort of deal... some sponsored results, some gift-guide results, and Wyze listed as one of the bestsellers.
I have a hunch that I'm not the only one who shops this way when looking for consumer products. If I'm looking for clothes and shoes, I have to go shopping in person. If I need something large I still go to a brick and mortar store. If I need something in a hurry, or if I'm buying food, I go to the store. But most kinds of consumer products, online shopping is now my preference. And the way Anker has done things-- leverage Chinese manufacturing plus the distribution and customer reach and marketing potential of Amazon to build a brand-- has the potential to bring Bargain Culture to consumers in a way that traditional retailers don't.
-k
Post by: kimmy on December 19, 2017, 12:54:21 am
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/17/business/instant-pot.html
Quote
In 2010, after several months of sluggish sales in and around Ontario, Mr. Wang listed the Instant Pot on Amazon, where a community of food writers eventually took notice. Vegetarians and paleo dieters, in particular, were drawn to the device’s pressure-cooking function, which shaved hours off the time needed to cook pots of beans or large cuts of meat.
Sensing viral potential, Instant Pot sent test units to about 200 influential chefs, cooking instructors and food bloggers. Reviews and recipes appeared online, and sales began to climb.
(...)
Amazon has played a particularly large role in Instant Pot’s rise. Early on, Instant Pot joined the “Fulfillment by Amazon” program, in which Amazon handles the packing and shipping of a seller’s products in exchange for a cut of each item sold. Eventually, Instant Pot sent Amazon wholesale shipments directly from factories in China, and Amazon began promoting the machines in its major annual sales. At one point, more than 90 percent of Instant Pot’s sales came through Amazon.
“Without Amazon, we wouldn’t be here,” Mr. Wang said.
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on December 19, 2017, 05:35:32 am
Post by: kimmy on June 05, 2018, 12:46:40 am
"Luppo Dream Bar". 2 for $1 at Dollarama.
BUY NOW
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 05, 2018, 07:53:51 am
Post by: ?Impact on June 05, 2018, 08:46:35 am
I remember:
Chocolate bars 10 cents
Pop 10 cents, and 2 cent deposit on the bottle
Large pop (32 oz?) 25 cents, and 5 cent deposit on bottle
Popsicle 5 cents
Fudgesicle, creamsicle and chocolate covered ice cream 10 cents
Bubble gum trading cards (NHL, MLB, etc.) 10 cents, with 3 cards in pack
Bazooka bubble gum 1 cent
Small bag chips 5 cents
Large bag chips 10 cents
Family bag chips 25 cents
Quart milk around 35 cents , and 10 cent deposit on bottle
Loaf bread 32 cents
50lb bag potatoes 99 cents
Post by: Michael Hardner on June 05, 2018, 08:50:49 am
What flavours/snacks do you remember being implemented ?
I remember telling Joan we didn't have Kiwis growing up. I also remember corn chips coming out in the 1970s. Yum.
Post by: kimmy on October 25, 2018, 02:45:00 am
"Luppo Dream Bar". 2 for $1 at Dollarama.
BUY NOW
These are still delicious. BUY AT DOLLARAMA.
(https://i.imgur.com/T0lobFa.png)
-k
Post by: kimmy on October 25, 2018, 03:06:16 am
I always picture some guy thinking to himself "I only need to sell one of them!" but in reality it's probably somebody's currency conversion script has a bug in it, or some application posted the listing and screwed up, or something of that nature. Probably no human really expects to sell a pair of off-brand slippers for $387.46.
I stumbled across the opposite today. A brand name product listed by some Chinese seller at what has to be a mistake. It's a Timbuk2 bag that usually retails for $80 or more, and it one seller had it listed at $6.80 (+$5 shipping). I ordered it, just to see what happens. Best case, I actually get what I ordered at the price I ordered it at. Worst case I'm out $12. In between case is I complain about it to Amazon and I get my $12 back. I don't even really need the bag very much, I'm just stoked at the idea of getting it for $12.
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on October 25, 2018, 05:58:33 am
These are still delicious. BUY AT DOLLARAMA.
(https://i.imgur.com/T0lobFa.png)
-k
NOTED.
I bought my ear buds at Dollarama for $4. Great.
Post by: Squidward von Squidderson on October 25, 2018, 10:05:47 am
Ever browse Amazon and find something hilariously overpriced? Some product where 5 sellers have it listed for $20-30 and a sixth seller has it listed for $387.46?
Here’s a sweet Amazon deal... make sure you read the comments....
https://www.amazon.com/Wenger-16999-Swiss-Knife-Giant/dp/B001DZTJRQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
3.0 out of 5 starsOoops
ByOwenlongon May 27, 2014
I forgot the knife in the front pocket of my Swiss Army shorts and when my wife washed them it completely disassembled our washing machine
———————————————————————————————————
I had to return a faulty tripod to Amazon recently... they emailed me a mailing label with postage already paid. Returning stuff is easier than I thought it would be and at no expense!
———————————————————————————————————
Buying food (even junk food) from a dollar store is just wrong.... I like the fair trade, organic chocolate where a portion of profits go to help wildlife (no, I am not joking). Way better chocolate than dollar store crap.
Post by: cybercoma on October 25, 2018, 11:41:12 am
Ever browse Amazon and find something hilariously overpriced?I came across one marketplace seller a couple years ago who was trying to peddle Persil Pro Clean 2-in-1 laundry detergent for $6000 a jug.
-k
Post by: ?Impact on October 25, 2018, 02:48:11 pm
Post by: kimmy on November 02, 2018, 09:32:36 pm
I came across one marketplace seller a couple years ago who was trying to peddle Persil Pro Clean 2-in-1 laundry detergent for $6000 a jug.
That's exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of. It has to be some kind of software screw-up, right? Like the seller has a script to generate the listings, and the script pulls the wrong price out of the database, or the currency conversion is set to the wrong currency, or something like that?
Anyway, it's been over a week and so far my $7 messenger bag has not budged. I have a hunch that I'll be getting a refund rather than an absurd bargain.
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 03, 2018, 06:14:56 am
Post by: Goddess on November 05, 2018, 10:54:34 am
Here’s a sweet Amazon deal... make sure you read the comments....
https://www.amazon.com/Wenger-16999-Swiss-Knife-Giant/dp/B001DZTJRQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
3.0 out of 5 starsOoops
ByOwenlongon May 27, 2014
I forgot the knife in the front pocket of my Swiss Army shorts and when my wife washed them it completely disassembled our washing machine
———————————————————————————————————
I had to return a faulty tripod to Amazon recently... they emailed me a mailing label with postage already paid. Returning stuff is easier than I thought it would be and at no expense!
———————————————————————————————————
Buying food (even junk food) from a dollar store is just wrong.... I like the fair trade, organic chocolate where a portion of profits go to help wildlife (no, I am not joking). Way better chocolate than dollar store crap.
Amazon removed this review, but it's still the funniest thing I've ever read. You can google Ari Brouillette's reviews on Amazon, they are all funny.
https://www.inquisitr.com/14999/best-amazon-review-ever-the-secret-of-the-secret-is-a-shiv/
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 07, 2018, 07:08:52 am
Kind of tasted like cake, in chocolate bar form.
Post by: kimmy on November 07, 2018, 09:39:57 am
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 07, 2018, 12:12:35 pm
Exactly! It's like a tiny chocolate cake that you can carry in your purse! It's brilliant!
-k
PURSE ???
No.
Post by: Goddess on November 07, 2018, 12:22:47 pm
PURSE ???
No.
Women's clothing is famously scarce for not having enough snack holes.
Post by: Omni on November 07, 2018, 12:42:44 pm
Women's clothing is famously scarce for not having enough snack holes.
I have a flight suit (2 actually) that were issued to me, totally gender neutral, and snack holes galore. Come to think of, it I'm heading to the closet right now, I think there may be a Snickers bar hiding somewhere.
Post by: kimmy on November 08, 2018, 02:57:55 am
PURSE ???
No.
You could get a European carry-all...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU4kot-fMTA
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on November 08, 2018, 09:57:17 am
You could get a European carry-all...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU4kot-fMTA
-k
At burning man I carry a rough canvas ... not a purse, but a 'satchel'. It carries, typically, the basics: 1 litre of water, pack of smokes, an empty tin for candy mints for butts, flashlight, expired passport.
Post by: kimmy on March 17, 2022, 12:42:30 am
Generic wheat squares,
So I grabbed for my box of generic wheat squares this morning, and the long edge of the box was not adequately glued and came apart, and I got a paper-cut on my thumb from the unglued edge on the box.
I feel as though there is a life lesson here somewhere. Or maybe a metaphor.
-k
Post by: Michael Hardner on March 17, 2022, 08:42:01 am