A Web Shopping Odyssey
A Web Shopping Odyssey
A personal experience with David Fox ([email protected]) as posted to the ([email protected]) First Virtual News Groups, and cited here. Relates to the fact that you may not be the only one with problems, or negotiating with some of the merchant systems currently available!
FIRST VIRTUAL
CYBERCASH
C/C CHECKFREE WALLET
DIGICASH/Mark Twain
SECURE CREDIT CARD
In preparation for a series of presentations in Jakarta mid-January,
I have spent the past couple of days working through the four
major net transaction systems . I've approached the exercise
as a new consumer and thought you might be interested in the outcome.
1) FIRST
VIRTUAL . found at... Set up a
new account (got to build the mileage on that United card). Yes, it isn't a 2 second process, but then again, it's
not that tough either. It will be better when we don't have to wait 2 hours (actually took 10, but it was New Year's
day) to establish an account. Something about instant gratification.
Looking through the merchant lists, I was found it hard to spend my money. There's some weird stuff out there.
At least the FV system worked without a hitch, which can't be said for the rest...
2a) CYBERCASH . found at... Down loaded the most recent Mac Client and it installed OK. Appears to
have been cleaned up since the Windows client I set up earlier this year and all-in-all functions just fine.I was
surprised to see less than two dozen places to shop with my new wallet .
Oh well, time to line the Virtual Vineyards coffers again. Like FedEx, it's a site that shows the technology can
work. Well, at least sometimes.. .Trouble was , my first card bounced (a second one did clear). I called their 800 number and
left a message. VV's Robert Olsen called me back today (better than Netscape - see below) and explained in detail how the problem
was at the acquiring bank end. I think we all know about the issues back in the rooms run by men in white coats...
Seems this time their system was down for maintenance, and they just reject the card. Now, this doesn't happen to the big guys like
Lands End. They have special arrangements to keep 'em up all the time. Oh well...
2b) Compuserve Wallet found at... As with CheckFree
(see below), the Compuserve Wallet is licensed version of CyberCash wallet system. Well, at least it is supposed
to be. It was advertised a few months ago - I have a flyer in hand and there is a link to CompuServe's page from
the Cybercash home page. Only trouble was, I Couldn't find anything
what-so-ever about the Compuserve Wallet. Maybe ! was looking
in the wrong places? I've sent off a couple of emails, but no response yet. Using Digitals new search engine . I did
locate a home page at another site !
2c) CheckFree Wallet CheckFree
put together a Christmas special under the banner
of GiftLink. Attractive home page. Narrow product offering but at least a few "name brands".
3) DIGICASH/Mark Twain Ecash found at... I established a real account in October ( "monopoly money" trial started a year ago ) and paper work has been sitting in the in-tray since then. Yes.The paper work. You need to set up an account by down loading many pages , mailing it off and awaiting their snail mail reply. I down loaded the client software successfully and began the installation process. I thought my Mach had hung mid-way through, restarted and went through the same process.Third time round, memory of the beta sprang forth - it takes time to crunch the numbers . 3 minutes plus on an 040 machine. Would have been nice to have received a warning message...Then I went to spend some new digital dollars using the Digicash merchant page, only to be rejected by three shops in a row. Ahh, brain wave, these guys probably aren't set up to take the real Ecash, they're all still in beta land. ( No wonder, MT charges $250 just to establish an account and takes a couple of $% from consumers to convert $-Ecash then the same backout to merchants.).So I went to Mark Twain's page to look for merchants. Too bad. Their server was unreachable and remains so 36 hours later. I like the idea of Ecash. I really do. But man alive it's hard work. And I thought computers were meant to make life easier. This definitely isn't ready for my father or my sister.
4a) SECURE
CREDIT CARD : Netscape General Store found at... Thought I
might take advantage of Netscape's offer of all '96 updates
for a $17.00 fee . This has been on offer for a couple of
months, and today was the last day. Made my selection and landed in the " General Store ". I was greeted by the
following:
The Netscape General Store is temporarily closed for inventory.
Please check back later.
We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
If you wish, you can return to Netscape's home page.
Are these guys for real??? Sheeez@ ! Can you imagine a major retail store or mail order catalog advertising a special
offer, then closing the store on the final day of the "sale". The day after maybe...but on the last day!
Even worse, there was no one I could email, no one I could call and not even a form in which I could leave a message
like: "I want to buy, please let me know when I can..."
. I did leave a voice mail which will probably be answered
on Tuesday, I guess.
4b) NETSCAPE GALLERIA found at... Free listing
service offered by Netscape to licensees of their server products. It's interesting to review relatively small
number of "commerce enabled" sites. Take a look.
So there you have it. All round I'd give my day an E for Effort. Flame me if you will, tell me to get off the soap
box if you must. But I have to say that collectively , we have to do better if we want the internet to be used as a preferred
place/method of purchase. The net works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 366 days a year (at least this year). We need to establish systems and a mind set that supports our work in this environment. So, just in case any of you are worried all this online
shopping stuff moved so fast in 95, and now you've maybe missed the boat - I'd say the ship is still in the dock,
and they're still rounding up the crew!
Happy sailing / Regards, David Fox!
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