Comments on: Free Day For All! http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/2010/01/free-day-for-all/ Programming, Cars, and Life Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:37:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tracy http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/2010/01/free-day-for-all/comment-page-1/#comment-128 Tracy Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:37:50 +0000 http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/?p=34#comment-128 This is really interesting, You're a very professional blogger. I have joined your rss feed and stay up for in search of extra of your great post. Additionally, I've shared your web site in my social networks! This is really interesting, You’re a very professional blogger. I have joined your rss feed and stay up for in search of extra of your great post. Additionally, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!

]]> By: Bret Kuhns http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/2010/01/free-day-for-all/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Bret Kuhns Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:42:01 +0000 http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/?p=34#comment-6 Dave, I agree it was a waste of time for a lot of people, though I was one of the crazy people who just enjoyed watching everything unfold, free stuff or not. I think they should really consider doing things differently next year though. I know Amazon has used a ticket-based system before (similar to how real Black Friday lines work at stores) that might help prevent their site from coming to a halt. They could also do something like 50 tickets per hour so the load is spread out through the whole day instead of everyone swarming at once. I'm sure there are plenty other options they could try out. Personally, I think they knew about these options and opted for this instead. The general chaos of the event likely fueled the online buzz they got and overall brought more attention to their site than if they had a more organized and sensible giveaway. I can see the tactic, but it does suck that the customers get screwed this way. I can almost guarantee they'll do this again next year, but I hope it'll be done differently. Dave, I agree it was a waste of time for a lot of people, though I was one of the crazy people who just enjoyed watching everything unfold, free stuff or not. I think they should really consider doing things differently next year though. I know Amazon has used a ticket-based system before (similar to how real Black Friday lines work at stores) that might help prevent their site from coming to a halt. They could also do something like 50 tickets per hour so the load is spread out through the whole day instead of everyone swarming at once. I’m sure there are plenty other options they could try out.

Personally, I think they knew about these options and opted for this instead. The general chaos of the event likely fueled the online buzz they got and overall brought more attention to their site than if they had a more organized and sensible giveaway. I can see the tactic, but it does suck that the customers get screwed this way. I can almost guarantee they’ll do this again next year, but I hope it’ll be done differently.

]]> By: Dave the Freezing Mexican http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/2010/01/free-day-for-all/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Dave the Freezing Mexican Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:30:14 +0000 http://www.bretkuhns.com/blog/?p=34#comment-5 I'm still a bit saddened by this: If you factor in non-monetary cost, the price for participating in Spark Fun's "Free Day" was far greater for most. Think of the time spent by most and factor in some degree of frustration. In your case you still ended up making a purchase but now paid the additional costs of these as well. Granted, there may have been some "fun" factor (for some sick and twisted individuals) but personally, subtracting this from cost still leaves me paying more. Maybe if there was some level of competition or a game involved: then perhaps "fun" would compensate for the additional non-monetary costs.... Oh well... glad you enjoyed it :) Don't get me wrong either- good on them for the attempt... maybe it will be a bit more "fun" for me next year (if they do it again that is) I’m still a bit saddened by this:
If you factor in non-monetary cost, the price for participating in Spark Fun’s “Free Day” was far greater for most. Think of the time spent by most and factor in some degree of frustration. In your case you still ended up making a purchase but now paid the additional costs of these as well. Granted, there may have been some “fun” factor (for some sick and twisted individuals) but personally, subtracting this from cost still leaves me paying more. Maybe if there was some level of competition or a game involved: then perhaps “fun” would compensate for the additional non-monetary costs….
Oh well… glad you enjoyed it :) Don’t get me wrong either- good on them for the attempt… maybe it will be a bit more “fun” for me next year (if they do it again that is)

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