Why'd you change the way VMP works?
1I loved being able to cancel it in advance so I wouldn't forget but still be cheap. Now it's just another stupid thing to remember.
I'm conflicted because I'm cheap and like the chance for free shipping, but don't like the likely chance that I'll forget to cancel.
Probably won't be getting it again just so it simplifies the process of being cheap, and I'll be less likely to order junk I don't need.
This new way is bad for meh because otherwise I'd be more likely to order stupid things I don't need (after all, I already paid the shipping on it!), and bad for me because I'll kick myself every time I want something cheap I don't need but can't justify paying the shipping.
- 8 comments, 24 replies
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It's not that hard to set a reminder for yourself to cancel it before your month ends. Meh is smart to have changed it, business-wise.
@PurplePawprints Meh. I don't need another thing to do. I personally don't have the cash to buy too much on impulse, but I'm sure there are plenty of other people who do who also won't want the bother.
@Pantheist it is Vmp. You may just be an mp.
there is only blunt agreement from my perspective - the program is not right for everyone, at least with current benefits. But it is pulling us to improve and offer our most attuned audience what they want or else.
@snapster fair enough
Here's my take on the whole sitch...
What you seemingly liked about the old way: When you ordered, you were able to pay $5, cancel immediately, and continue to get free shipping for the rest of the month with zero effort on your part.
What Meh seemingly wants: To be able to offer that but also other perks and side benefits for VMP members, with the idea that you will remain a VMP member, providing a small steady revenue stream as well as a way to encourage customers to make more snap (snapster?) decisions to purchase things.
I know it is hard when things change, and seemingly for the slightly worse, but really, the way it started was in probably in the category of way too good to be true indefinitely. And the way it is now is still pretty incredible.
Finally, if we all take a moment to think back to the olden days of Woot, we all used to pay $5 shipping, per order, no matter what! And then there was the magical time where it was $5 per day's worth of shipping... But only until the Shopping Cart appeared, and since then it's $5 per Cart, which doesn't help at all during a Woot-off.
My suggestion: Just sign up for VMP when you order, and see how much you use it in the month. Don't worry about cancelling it as the month ends anymore, since Meh has been kind enough to now allow you to cancel at any time in the next month for a FULL refund minus the price of any services rendered (so, if you haven't bought anything in the month, and you feel you need that $5 back, they are totally giving it to you, which in my mind falls solidly back into the category of way too good to be true indefinitely, so take advantage while you can! :) ).
(I realise I am not currently VMP, myself, but I did try enrolling last night as part of the Fuku. Alas, I wasn't able to get my order processed before sell-out.)
And that's all the unsolicited opinion I'll provide about the situation for now.
@curtise I seee- I missed the part about refunding the previous month- that does make it less of a hassle
"Things change, people change, hairstyles change, interest rates fluctuate."
Really, they let us get away with pre-cancelling for a long time. Considering the program is about building in loyalty and having an incentive to check the site daily, I'd say the new change is pretty fair.
We're paying Meh to be our friend. It buys us a drink once in a while. We hope it balances out. If you don't drink and you don't want to be seen in public with Meh, metaphorically speaking, it won't.
I think I am still going to pay for VMP, immediately cancel, and then pay for VMP again the next time something comes up I want. Sure, I may pay for VMP several times a month, but at least I am getting free shipping every time.
@phatmass why not just skip VMP and pay for shipping?
@Thumperchick Why would I pay for shipping when I can get free shipping with a VMP. Don't be so obtuse!
@Thumperchick That's right. Be like @unixrab and do the crazy thing and pay for shipping every time.
@phatmass something something ACUTE!
@cengland0 I thought @unixrab was boycotting buying anything in general
@chellemonkey Me too but @unixrab "claims" to have purchased a FUKU. He's been known to stretch the "truth" before so don't trust anything he says.
@cengland0 @phatmass @thumperchick OK: 1.) I said I wouldn't buy anything UNLESS it was a crazy good enough deal to make me get up and get my wallet (again @cengland0 only remembers "selective" facts that reinforce his asinine concept of "truth" ) 2.) I am WAY ahead financially by AVOIDING VMP: Consider: meh.com has existed for 5 months. I've purchased ONE thing and paid shipping (a fuku) for which I paid $5 in shipping vs. $25 in VMP monthly costs. 3.) By avoiding VMP, I am not caught in the "sunk-costs" fallacy and I also am immune to the temptation of "buying something this month to get my money's worth from VMP." If a product is a good deal, then $5 is worth the shipping. THAT'S avoiding sunk-costs ( http://goo.gl/1kZAv7 ). 4.) removing VMP from the equation, there have been (IMHO) 2 moderately decent deals: that's a ratio of 1:64 (2 deals over 128 days) Now when that ratio drops to less than 1:30, THEN (and only then) will VMP make (only very modertately) "sense" - avoiding VMP is essential - meh.com does not want you to know this. Now: go forth and stop being goats herded around by smarter shepherds
tl;dr if you don't sign up for VMP you hate America and the terrorists win.
@DaveInSoCal tl;dr meh needs people like you
@unixrab meh needs all kinds of people!
@DaveInSoCal especially non math types...
@unixrab TL:DR keep @marklog away from your dog.
@unixrab I actually agree with your logic for not buying into VMP. VMP works for me because I impulse shop, for gifts, for resale, etc. I'm going to be spending money here anyway, buying into VMP is a no brainer for me. For you, it makes zero sense to buy into a loyalty program when the benefits of the program are all based on the assumption that you would be making multiple purchases in a month.
@Thumperchick understands me 😜:)
@unixrab She's the only one that understands you. What about people who buy from Amazon and pay for their prime at $99/year on FAITH that they will save money -- you have faith, don't you? That is a full year contract. At least with VMP, it's a one month "contract" that you can cancel and get a full refund if you didn't use it. Even if you don't cancel, it is still only $60 which is much cheaper than Amazon prime and I suspect I will be buying many more impulse items here than there.
@cengland0 That's not faith. We use Amazon for everything. We also use the streaming service. That's a calculated thing for us.
@Thumperchick I think only @unixrab will get the faith reference.
@cengland0 I don't use amazon prime, but I think most people order more from amazon than meh, and 2 day shipping is much costlier per shipment than $5 smartpost
@cengland0 ... wow @thumperchick was WAY to easy on you... ...Let me get this straight: you are comparing A dry-goods-video-on-demand-music-streaming-unlimited-photo-storage-ebook-lending-library-free-TWO-DAY-SHIPPING-general-goods-electronics-automotive-furniture-grocery-pet-supply-global-mega-store-membership (that costs a mere $3.25 more per month than VMP!) to a membership at a single deal-a-day site???! That's just dopey! No faith involved! lol Checkmate!
@Pantheist I brought this up when the newsletter announced it and @snapster had a reasonable response to my concerns. You can find it here: https://meh.com/forum/topics/the-newsletter#5460fb21a057d4ec0b2cd906
You may notice that I am VMP again (hover over my K badge) and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
@TaRDy Good info, thanks :) Maybe I'll let it run afterall. Maybe not, but I'll definitely consider it.