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A tragic catch-22. You design and build the app-enabled internet rocker crib, but cannot justify supporting the app or the internet support without a subscripti

A tragic catch-22. You design and build the app-enabled internet rocker crib, but cannot justify supporting the app or the internet support without a subscription fee. Reminds me of the "Someone Who Is Good At The Economy Please Help Me" memes.

upon_drumhead 2y ago
No, I think this is greedier than that. > The company's founder, Harvey Karp, said the pricing change was necessary to "bring in revenue," noting that the company was not underwritten by a university or the government, and must survive on its sales alone. He said his ultimate goal would be to see the Snoo paid for by the government or by insurance companies, but it's unclear if there has been any substantive movement toward achieving that end. They want the government/insurance to buy them in bulk and then rent seek for everyone using them. There's zero reason why for the price this couldn't be done completely local and not cost Snoo a cent to run. They just don't want to because the long term strategy is to collect revenue forever.
- idatum 2y ago
  I wonder too if the data collected via that subscription is useful to monetize somehow? Maybe like health data from your watch?
  - rolph 2y ago
    a rocking basinet is a pendulum, thus mass of the child may be determined on a day to day average, thus inference may be made, such as when larger clothes are a good ad to push.
  - clintonb 2y ago
    We had a Snoo for our kid. I cannot see how anyone knowing our kid was a poor sleeper when he was born, and improved over six months, would be worth anything to anyone. “Parents are sleep-deprived” is a pretty well-known fact at this point.
    - atoav 2y ago
      "Your kid is a worse sleeper than most other kids, for only 999,99 USD you can learn more a out the possible causes"
    - s1artibartfast 2y ago
      I think that would be pretty good data for advertising to desperate parents. Hell, the fact alone that they have a $1700 bassinet probably makes them a valuable target
- nickff 2y ago
  Your quote doesn't contradict the parent comment. Snoo may need to "bring in revenue" because they're losing money. They may, simultaneously, want to have their product purchased in large quantities, as that would be another way to "bring in revenue".
- johnnyanmac 2y ago
  The government can't even subdize child care. What interest would they have in buying a bunch of high tech baby rockers?
uoaei 2y ago
Tragic? You really think the company is the poor victim?? Company made choices, they were bad choices. Bad business deserves zero sympathy.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  I don't have any problem empathizing with business mistakes. I have made bad choices both as an individual and as a company. Doesn't mean I am willing to subsidize them, but I get it.
  - talldayo 2y ago
    I was actually using irony to highlight how "helpless" companies act when they deliberately engineer a flaw that "forces" them to charge a recurring support fee. The scenario where they didn't consider this outcome is impossible; they knew they could charge a recurring fee by removing all physical controls. They did 90% of the work and charged you monthly for the remaining 10%, not because the last 10% is hard, but because you have no other choice. This is not a bad decision, but an intentionally insidious design pattern intended to separate owners from the functionality they paid for and own. The people that greenlit this design deserve to be held criminally liable. The business in this instance deserves no empathy.
    - s1artibartfast 2y ago
      meh, I dont have a lot of sympathy for users who buy devices with subscription functionality unless there is false advertising involved. IMO people need to grow a pair and stop buying crappy products. business policy would turn around over night if they did.
      - talldayo 2y ago
        The fact that collectively we refuse to grow a pair ensures that bad business policy dominates us until we outlaw it.

upon_drumhead 2y ago

No, I think this is greedier than that. > The company's founder, Harvey Karp, said the pricing change was necessary to "bring in revenue," noting that the company was not underwritten by a university or the government, and must survive on its sales alone. He said his ultimate goal would be to see the Snoo paid for by the government or by insurance companies, but it's unclear if there has been any substantive movement toward achieving that end. They want the government/insurance to buy them in bulk and then rent seek for everyone using them. There's zero reason why for the price this couldn't be done completely local and not cost Snoo a cent to run. They just don't want to because the long term strategy is to collect revenue forever.

idatum 2y ago
I wonder too if the data collected via that subscription is useful to monetize somehow? Maybe like health data from your watch?
- rolph 2y ago
  a rocking basinet is a pendulum, thus mass of the child may be determined on a day to day average, thus inference may be made, such as when larger clothes are a good ad to push.
- clintonb 2y ago
  We had a Snoo for our kid. I cannot see how anyone knowing our kid was a poor sleeper when he was born, and improved over six months, would be worth anything to anyone. “Parents are sleep-deprived” is a pretty well-known fact at this point.
  - atoav 2y ago
    "Your kid is a worse sleeper than most other kids, for only 999,99 USD you can learn more a out the possible causes"
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    I think that would be pretty good data for advertising to desperate parents. Hell, the fact alone that they have a $1700 bassinet probably makes them a valuable target
nickff 2y ago
Your quote doesn't contradict the parent comment. Snoo may need to "bring in revenue" because they're losing money. They may, simultaneously, want to have their product purchased in large quantities, as that would be another way to "bring in revenue".
johnnyanmac 2y ago
The government can't even subdize child care. What interest would they have in buying a bunch of high tech baby rockers?

uoaei 2y ago

Tragic? You really think the company is the poor victim?? Company made choices, they were bad choices. Bad business deserves zero sympathy.

s1artibartfast 2y ago
I don't have any problem empathizing with business mistakes. I have made bad choices both as an individual and as a company. Doesn't mean I am willing to subsidize them, but I get it.
- talldayo 2y ago
  I was actually using irony to highlight how "helpless" companies act when they deliberately engineer a flaw that "forces" them to charge a recurring support fee. The scenario where they didn't consider this outcome is impossible; they knew they could charge a recurring fee by removing all physical controls. They did 90% of the work and charged you monthly for the remaining 10%, not because the last 10% is hard, but because you have no other choice. This is not a bad decision, but an intentionally insidious design pattern intended to separate owners from the functionality they paid for and own. The people that greenlit this design deserve to be held criminally liable. The business in this instance deserves no empathy.
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    meh, I dont have a lot of sympathy for users who buy devices with subscription functionality unless there is false advertising involved. IMO people need to grow a pair and stop buying crappy products. business policy would turn around over night if they did.
    - talldayo 2y ago
      The fact that collectively we refuse to grow a pair ensures that bad business policy dominates us until we outlaw it.