3 ms·
Stripe and Square are more expensive than the prior regime. They’re more convenient but more expensive. It’s not clear there’s a benefit to consumers.
by projektfu 6y ago
Stripe and Square are more expensive than the prior regime. They’re more convenient but more expensive. It’s not clear there’s a benefit to consumers.
- contingencies 6y agoThis is a fair line of reasoning. However, Stripe are one YC's darling businesses so there is a lot of pre-formed opinion around here.
- jrvarela56 6y agoConvenience implies a reduction in cost. These businesses are doing well and their customers are happy. What do you think is happening? How are consumers getting screwed?
- xg15 6y ago> Convenience implies a reduction in cost. No, why would it? Convenience and cost are two completely separate things.
- nickff 6y agoCost is not purely monetary (price); transaction costs also factor in convenience, risk, and other factors.
- xg15 6y agoI'm pretty sure GP was talking about monetary cost. This is moving the goalposts.
- AnimalMuppet 6y agoDisagree. Consider the phrase "time is money". That is, if Stripe costs more money, but saves me time, and I can do other things with my time, and some of those things make me money, then... is Stripe actually more expensive? This is especially relevant if "I" am a small business rather than an individual. Then the person whose time is saved can do something else with the time that can make money for the business. Or the business can run with fewer people, which saves money.
- Kliment 6y agoA sufficiently high convenience bar makes the entire project nonviable. I personally know at least a handful of businesses who got fucked over by paypal integration breakage or traditional merchant account and had all those problems go away when switching to stripe. I know of many more who looked at the hassle involved and decided not to bother (and then tried again when stripe became available in their country). If you consider the added ongoing effort to stay on top of that shit as zero-cost, yeah I guess they're more expensive. Convenience is not the right word for the peace of mind you buy by never having to deal with paypal policy or integration hassle again. (not affiliated with stripe, just a happy customer)