Shoplocket is shutting down
shoplocket.comAnnounced May 13: https://twitter.com/shoplocket/status/598624569654513664
Another incredible journey: http://ourincrediblejourney.tumblr.com
Is anyone else getting tired of the "build something unsustainable but popular so we can gather enough rep to sell to a megacorp, take a big payday, and shitcan the product and our customers" model for startups?
I am. I want good services to live, to continue through time, to not close, and to fullfill their promises. Although I can't deny the utility of free-unsustainable services, the more time pass, the more I'm inclined toward paid service first and foremost because I can count on them.
Lately I've been searching for great products with sustainable business models. Basecamp, Posthaven, Pinboard, are a few that I've encountered.
I was inspired by this https://signalvnoise.com/posts/3830-ta-da-list-until-the-end... and I though "wow, this should be the way". And I think it is.
Many of the startups selling to megacorps where the product dies would have been dead in short order anyway, and I wouldn't assume everyone is getting a big payday.
It doesn't seem totally unreasonable to me for failing startups to sell to a larger company and (hopefully) extract some of the value left in it for shareholders and employees - I just wish that with that the acquiring companies would do more to support the customers of the startup with reasonable shutdown notices etc. Unfortunately nobody involved has a very strong incentive to do so.
It would be easier to stomach if the announcements read more like what you said and less like "we are so excited to share the wonderful news that we got bought out and don't have to serve you anymore."
I mean... Was this as a byproduct of a cease and desist? Why so fast?
Read other comments - they announced it back on May 13
Still, a month and a half is a very short transition time for a ecommerce product. It's disappointing when companies throw their customers under the bus, it risks making things harder for everyone.
What is a 'shoplocket'?
sorry to hear this, fellow canadians
They gave their customers a whole day to replace their products ... This should be a reminder to everyone to abstract their service interfaces.
https://twitter.com/shoplocket/status/598624569654513664They gave their customers a whole day to replace their productsWe're announcing today that we'll be shutting down the ShopLocket ecommerce plugin as of June 30, 2015. Read more: https://www.shoplocket.com/ 4:03 PM - 13 May 2015It appears that the linked page went up a while back with an automated countdown clock, so at some point "Our team is here to help assist you throughout the next 1 day" presumably said "the next 30 days" or something.
It's extremely unclear from the actual link, so I can't blame you for misunderstanding.