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A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. A retractable USB-C to C cable for my backpack. Replacement keys for my butterfly keyboard MacBook. I

by nicbou 4y ago

A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. A retractable USB-C to C cable for my backpack. Replacement keys for my butterfly keyboard MacBook. It’s a drop in replacement that delays a new laptop purchase. Warm wool socks and sweaters Paperlike screen protector and metal nib for my iPad mini and Apple Pencil A 3 meter long USB-C to C cable

mrweasel 4y ago
> A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. That's a concern of mine. Once we go all cashless, how will we unlock the shopping carts? Here it's currently being debated if stores should be allowed to reject cash, I think someone forgot about the carts.
- moffkalast 4y ago
  That'll be a while, and by that point we'll also have carts that beep loudly when removed from the shop area and try to drive themselves back autonomously heh.
  - dole 4y ago
    Most large supermarkets in my city already have automatically locking wheels if they’re taken out of the stores proximity.
- smokel 4y ago
  In the Netherlands, the largest supermarket chain simply stopped using this system. [1] https://www.nu.nl/economie/6219200/albert-heijn-neemt-afscheid-van-muntjessysteem-voor-winkelwagentjes.html https://www.nu.nl/economie/6219200/albert-heijn-neemt-afsche...
- nicbou 4y ago
  Tap your phone to unlock the cart, or get charged directly. Or just abandon the system altogether.
  - dzhiurgis 4y ago
    Yes please - also put smartphone holder so I can go thru my checklist hands-free (encouraging checklists would probably loose money to shops as now they incentivise mindless browsing and buying useless crap)
- bryankaplan 4y ago
  It's a system that was never introduced in the US, and in fact I've never even heard of it until now. So surely one option is to remove the system altogether. That written, I'm also surprised there's any serious talk of going cashless there. We have plenty of cash-only businesses here that preclude any serious consideration of the notion.
  - taylodl 4y ago
    You apparently have never shopped at Aldi. You need a quarter to get a cart. When you take the cart back and lock it into the carts then you get your quarter back.
    - jrm2k6 4y ago
      That's probably why in the US nobody put their cart back. They would do it if they had to get their coin back. Again, to fight laziness, go for the wallet!
      - theshrike79 4y ago
        And if people won't, there would be droves of people taking the carts and keeping the quarters.
      - philwelch 4y ago
        I've been to grocery stores in the US where there's a perimeter sensor that automatically locks up at least one of the wheels of the shopping cart.
- yourusername 4y ago
  There are stores here that hand out coin shaped pieces of plastic that unlock the cart that they give out for free. But if i'm not losing my whole 50 euro cent coin that removes the incentive for returning the cart because i've got a unlimited supply of plastic coins so why are we bothering with a lock?
- dzhiurgis 4y ago
  Pisses me off shops that make trillions can’t hire a teenager to push them back.
  - nicbou 4y ago
    Pisses me off more that grown ups can't put their carts back.
  - inkcapmushroom 4y ago
    No shops are making trillions.
- occz 4y ago
  You can just hand out a token to people when they become customers/have them buy one for an insignificant amount of money and you'll get more or less exactly the same effect.
mft_ 4y ago
> A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. Likewise :) If you've got access to a 3D printer, this works well: https://www.printables.com/model/167637-removable-trolley-euro-coin-keys https://www.printables.com/model/167637-removable-trolley-eu... > Replacement keys for my butterfly keyboard MacBook. It’s a drop in replacement that delays a new laptop purchase. Can I ask for more details of this? Was it the Apple replacement, or 3rd-party/DIY?
- nicbou 4y ago
  Third party from AliExpress. I just replace keys as they fall off. The laptop is fine otherwise.
rxyz 4y ago
My employer actually gives out a keychain like that in their welcome packs. I was impressed that they care enough to think of it.

by nicbou 4y ago

mrweasel 4y ago

> A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. That's a concern of mine. Once we go all cashless, how will we unlock the shopping carts? Here it's currently being debated if stores should be allowed to reject cash, I think someone forgot about the carts.

moffkalast 4y ago
That'll be a while, and by that point we'll also have carts that beep loudly when removed from the shop area and try to drive themselves back autonomously heh.
- dole 4y ago
  Most large supermarkets in my city already have automatically locking wheels if they’re taken out of the stores proximity.
smokel 4y ago
In the Netherlands, the largest supermarket chain simply stopped using this system. [1] https://www.nu.nl/economie/6219200/albert-heijn-neemt-afscheid-van-muntjessysteem-voor-winkelwagentjes.html https://www.nu.nl/economie/6219200/albert-heijn-neemt-afsche...
nicbou 4y ago
Tap your phone to unlock the cart, or get charged directly. Or just abandon the system altogether.
- dzhiurgis 4y ago
  Yes please - also put smartphone holder so I can go thru my checklist hands-free (encouraging checklists would probably loose money to shops as now they incentivise mindless browsing and buying useless crap)
bryankaplan 4y ago
It's a system that was never introduced in the US, and in fact I've never even heard of it until now. So surely one option is to remove the system altogether. That written, I'm also surprised there's any serious talk of going cashless there. We have plenty of cash-only businesses here that preclude any serious consideration of the notion.
- taylodl 4y ago
  You apparently have never shopped at Aldi. You need a quarter to get a cart. When you take the cart back and lock it into the carts then you get your quarter back.
  - jrm2k6 4y ago
    That's probably why in the US nobody put their cart back. They would do it if they had to get their coin back. Again, to fight laziness, go for the wallet!
    - theshrike79 4y ago
      And if people won't, there would be droves of people taking the carts and keeping the quarters.
    - philwelch 4y ago
      I've been to grocery stores in the US where there's a perimeter sensor that automatically locks up at least one of the wheels of the shopping cart.
yourusername 4y ago
There are stores here that hand out coin shaped pieces of plastic that unlock the cart that they give out for free. But if i'm not losing my whole 50 euro cent coin that removes the incentive for returning the cart because i've got a unlimited supply of plastic coins so why are we bothering with a lock?
dzhiurgis 4y ago
Pisses me off shops that make trillions can’t hire a teenager to push them back.
- nicbou 4y ago
  Pisses me off more that grown ups can't put their carts back.
- inkcapmushroom 4y ago
  No shops are making trillions.
occz 4y ago
You can just hand out a token to people when they become customers/have them buy one for an insignificant amount of money and you'll get more or less exactly the same effect.

mft_ 4y ago

> A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. Likewise :) If you've got access to a 3D printer, this works well: https://www.printables.com/model/167637-removable-trolley-euro-coin-keys https://www.printables.com/model/167637-removable-trolley-eu... > Replacement keys for my butterfly keyboard MacBook. It’s a drop in replacement that delays a new laptop purchase. Can I ask for more details of this? Was it the Apple replacement, or 3rd-party/DIY?

nicbou 4y ago
Third party from AliExpress. I just replace keys as they fall off. The laptop is fine otherwise.

rxyz 4y ago

My employer actually gives out a keychain like that in their welcome packs. I was impressed that they care enough to think of it.