Different Ways of Doing Business

[German_EE]

A small tale of different ways to do business. I have an old Dell notebook on my repair bench that has an intermittent fault on the screen, the video cable has gone bad. So, I try to get a replacement cable:

Dell can't help, the model is too old and they don't carry spares for it anymore, would I like to buy a new laptop?

Putting the part number into Ebay came up with offers to sell me underwear, for ladies, so off to Google

Company one in the USA has the item in stock but wants 47 USD for the cable and 30 USD shipping. As this is a fifteen year old laptop that ain't going to happen.

Company two in the USA came up in a Google search but when I went to their web page I was told that I did not have permission to access the site. If I can't see your site I can't order your goods.

Company three in China has the cable in stock and it's 29 USD with free shipping. Within two minutes they had my payment via Paypal and the cable will be with me in nine (9) business days.

Is it any wonder that jobs are being lost in the USA but the Chinese economy is booming? Anyway, if you need laptop spares try http://www.notebookpartsshop.com Nice people to do business with.

[GeorgeOfTheJungle]

Company two in the USA came up in a Google search but when I went to their web page I was told that I did not have permission to access the site. If I can't see your site I can't order your goods.

Geo-blocking? I see that too often lately. Why do they do it? It's a bad thing!

[Ranayna]

A lot of smaller websites to not want to adhere to the new european privacy laws.
The easiest way to do that is just to block access from europe...

[Red Squirrel]

On similar note I hate sites that don't show prices or a way to buy their product.  This seems to be a big trend especially with more niche stuff.  The site talks about their product and tells you what they offer without actually offering it.   Been trying to find a way to buy telecom rectifiers/inverters (gave up on that - will just design my own eventually)  as well as solar panels, and pickings are quite slim.  The few sites that do sell solar panels want ridiculous money for shipping.

[james_s]

It's hard to blame them, I doubt it's anything against those countries, it's just a simple business decision. If they look at where their profits come from and the cost of complying with whatever regulations may exist and find that the cost of complying exceeds the projected profits from that country then it makes sense to just block that country. It doesn't help that international shipping from the US is a lot more hassle than it ought to be and the cost has reached absurd levels.

It's annoying yes, but I can see why it's done.

[Red Squirrel]

Also, what is with this new European law, I sometimes hear about it but not much detail.  As a website owner (hosted in Canada) do I need to be concerned?  Anything special I need to do?

[james_s]

On similar note I hate sites that don't show prices or a way to buy their product.  This seems to be a big trend especially with more niche stuff.  The site talks about their product and tells you what they offer without actually offering it.   Been trying to find a way to buy telecom rectifiers/inverters (gave up on that - will just design my own eventually)  as well as solar panels, and pickings are quite slim.  The few sites that do sell solar panels want ridiculous money for shipping.

With solar panels it may be like it was with DRAM back in the day where the prices were so volatile that it didn't make sense to print them in a catalog. Of course with online stuff there is much less excuse for that. Maybe they only want to sell to installers? Maybe the price is negotiable depending on what and where you buy?

I stumbled across some telecom rectifiers on ebay recently, I don't recall how much they were because I wasn't looking for one but that's somewhere you could look.

[ataradov]

I would postpone the review until you actually receive and test the item.  Unfortunate downside for this openness to doing business is that companies lie. And being in China they know that you have a very limited reach for remediation.

[German_EE]

If it doesn't work then I just get a refund from Paypal, a payment option that is also safer then giving my Visa card number. I don't think it will be fake, they have better things to do than make fake parts for fifteen year old laptops.

[Tony_G]

On similar note I hate sites that don't show prices or a way to buy their product.  This seems to be a big trend especially with more niche stuff.  The site talks about their product and tells you what they offer without actually offering it.   Been trying to find a way to buy telecom rectifiers/inverters (gave up on that - will just design my own eventually)  as well as solar panels, and pickings are quite slim.  The few sites that do sell solar panels want ridiculous money for shipping.

+1 - I play around with a bunch of older RF gear and when I go looking for bits and pieces, if I see a "Call for quote" I just move on by...


TonyG

[VK5RC]

Along a similar line, a couple of years ago I wanted some (about 6 in number) white plain business shirts, I am not an odd size. I went to the local major clothes seller, no stock - 'sorry we can't help'. Needless to say, they aren't doing well financially.
At home, on the internet I ordered them easily, if the shop had a few to try on to get the size absolutely right, and had a back order system, they would have had my money then and in the future.
It' ain't rocket science'.

[Bud]

It is a gamble to buy clothes or shoes online without trying. You can get something 2 sizes smaller or bigger, all carrying the same size label.

[Bud]

Is it any wonder that jobs are being lost in the USA but the Chinese economy is booming?

You got it backwards. Chinese economy is booming because USA Gave them jobs.

[BravoV]

Is it any wonder that jobs are being lost in the USA but the Chinese economy is booming?

You got it backwards. Chinese economy is booming because USA Gave them jobs.

In return, they give USA debt, a humongous one, the question now is, who owe who ? 

[Cubdriver]

On similar note I hate sites that don't show prices or a way to buy their product.  This seems to be a big trend especially with more niche stuff.  The site talks about their product and tells you what they offer without actually offering it.   Been trying to find a way to buy telecom rectifiers/inverters (gave up on that - will just design my own eventually)  as well as solar panels, and pickings are quite slim.  The few sites that do sell solar panels want ridiculous money for shipping.

+1 - I play around with a bunch of older RF gear and when I go looking for bits and pieces, if I see a "Call for quote" I just move on by...


TonyG

Likewise.  I find that practice very annoying.

-Pat

[T3sl4co1l]

the question now is, who owe who ? 

(Sorry)

Tim