Different Ways of Doing Business - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 05:20:43 pm
content: 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 GoogleCompany 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 tryhttp://www.notebookpartsshop.comNice people to do business with.

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 05:26:48 pm
content: Quote from: German_EE on July 27, 2018, 05:20:43 pmGeo-blocking? I see that too often lately. Why do they do it? It's a bad thing!

author: Ranayna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 05:59:51 pm
content: 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...

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 06:05:15 pm
content: 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.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 06:05:21 pm
content: 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.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 06:06:38 pm
content: 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?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 06:07:35 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on July 27, 2018, 06:05:15 pmWith 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.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 06:19:43 pm
content: 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.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 08:21:25 pm
content: 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.

author: Tony_G
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 08:59:56 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on July 27, 2018, 06:05:15 pm+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

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 09:08:44 pm
content: 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'.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 09:28:04 pm
content: 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.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 09:31:13 pm
content: Quote from: German_EE on July 27, 2018, 05:20:43 pmYou got it backwards. Chinese economy is booming because USA Gave them jobs.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2018, 11:29:24 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on July 27, 2018, 09:31:13 pmIn return, they give USA debt, a humongous one, the question now is, who owe who ?

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 28, 2018, 02:11:06 am
content: Quote from: Tony_G on July 27, 2018, 08:59:56 pmLikewise. I find that practice very annoying.-Pat

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2018, 02:16:09 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on July 27, 2018, 11:29:24 pm(Sorry)Tim