Silk Road forums
Discussion => Silk Road discussion => Topic started by: Pharmville on March 12, 2012, 02:07 pm
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Hi Everyone,
Ben and I have talked and we have decided that enough of real life has intruded into both of our lives that we cannot possibly continue to do the work that needs to be done daily and give the excellent service that our buyers both expect and deserve unless we take a break and rework our systems and operational procedures to handle what is obviously going to continue to be a much larger customer base than we had ever anticipated.
For all of the people who have an order that is in the system: we will ship all those today and then for anyone who has a problem that is unresolved or an open pm, I am going to take one day off to handle some real life situations and then be right back working to finish all those pm's and get every one of those problems and situations resolved.
It would defeat the purpose if I was to explain all the things that need to be done because a whole lot of it is concerning security and I'd be splashing it out in public for all of LE to read and reread. So if you want, just think of this as our annual vacation. But actually we're going to be working to get every aspect of our business model in the status and condition that it needs to be to continue to be one of the better vendors on SR. The model we're using was designed for a customer base of 30,000 people, of which maybe 25% or 7,500 were actual buyers and about 2,000 of those were frequent buyers. That's the business we set ourselves up to handle and we both believe we did a very good job of it even up to the point of where it was 5 times that many. But this model isn't suited for the size that SR is now and it's even worse for the size that SR is going to become in the very near future. And we'd just be kidding ourselves to think that we can just keep pushing it further and further and still do a good job, not make mistakes, have good security, and keep all the products in stock and keep bringing you new ones.
We've got to start over, from the ground up, and we've got to get some help. Plus any professional vendor knows that you've got to change up everything from time to time to stay one step ahead of LE. And we've gone longer than we should have without doing enough of that. So now we're going to do it entirely, safely and securely.
The one regret we have is that we didn't have the chance to give our customers notice, but sometimes you're just trying so hard to make things work right that you don't notice until it's way past time that you've got to change things and change them a lot. I was working my way through the pm's on Sunday and suddenly the PGP stopped working and I spent around 6 hours getting it back to working condition and that's what made me call Ben and say "we've got to start over, we can't just be patching this together every time it's not working, or we'll NEVER get on top of this like we used to be".
So we're going to get all the things we need whether it's people or equipment or whatever so that we can properly service every buyer who wants to purchase from us and we can give them service that is equal to the reputation that we've built so far. No more 5 days waiting for an answer to a pm. That's not Pharmville quality service. And if we stayed open, selling at the rate we've been selling, we wouldn't have had anything to sell in a few more days and being out of stock on half our items isn't the Pharmville way either.
This all might take 2 weeks or it might take a month. There are some factors that we can't control as to timing, so we don't know how long they'll take. But you can be assured that when we return we will have an excellent range of items, that the prices will be reasonable, and that the packaging and service will be top notch.
It occurs to me that with the stealth mode and stealth items that this might be just what was needed to bring about a much more orderly and well disciplined market at SR. Older vendors could stay in stealth mode and that way moderate the total number of buyers that they service so that they have maximum control over how many orders they receive every day and need to ship. And it gives newer vendors a chance to work with the absolute flood of new buyers coming on line every week and develop their own regular customer base. As a salesman it hurts to ever have to turn down someones order but this is the reason that football teams build bigger stadiums and retailers build bigger stores: so they can handle more customers and not have a degradation in their service. Well, this business isn't any different and, for us at least, it's time for us to stop and assess exactly what it is that we want to be in the world of SR and then how we can best achieve that.
I will tell you that a BIG part of our future status is that we will continue to be a 24/7/365 availability vendor to all our loyal customers who have supported us up to now and that if we can we'll be that to a lot of new buyers as well, but we're not going to be chasing after the #1 spot or have one bit of concern where we stand in the vendor rankings. Our goals are all based around giving the best service, at the best prices, every day, to the people who depend on us for the products. That is by far and away the main goal. If we are able to find ways to do that AND be the largest vendor, well, then that's just a bonus. But if you've been buying from us for any period of time at all then you're our focus and you're the people we are most wanting to take care of and you'll be the ones that are going to *definitely* be on our buyer list when we reopen. Even if you've only had one order, you're eligible. Whether or not the new model will allow for all new buyers to order from us depends on a *lot* of factors and if the model won't allow for it then we're going to "close the gates" so to speak and only open them on a very intermittent basis when it's clear that we've increased capacity and can handle more volume than we're doing.
We hope everyone is able to manage well buying from our competitors during our absence and we'll be back with you as quickly as we can but only when we're absolutely sure that everything is in place to do the kind of job you've seen us do from the beginning. As far as Ben and I are concerned, it's either do it absolutely correctly and at a fair price or don't do it at all. And that's what you'll get from us when we come back.
Everyone take care and I want to say as a personal note that I hope over the coming weeks that the buyers and vendors start talking to each other on the forums about ways to better work together and ensure that SR stays in place and prospers and not have so many threads and subjects devoted to adversarial situations. If you're one of the people who was here when the "old forum' was in place, you know exactly what I'm talking about: the main topics were not scamming, slamming vendors, complaints, and tons of redundant threads because people weren't willing to even try to find out if their questions had already been asked and answered a dozen times before on the forum. The threads back then were informative, enlightening, instructional and sometimes incredibly entertaining. And the 4,000 or so people that were members then had a VERY strong sense of community about this place and they supported and encouraged each other at every opportunity. That's the way a really great forum works and it's the way that the SR forums *should* work and the way that they would be of the most value to the people who are reading them. So, if we can, let's work together instead of against one another, and find a way to, thread by single thread, bring back that outstanding sense of community that existed when this place was just a small dot in the .onion ocean.
A person would have to be a fool to deny the benefits of getting a small package in the mail containing exactly the products you desire vs calling around to a bunch of dealers to see who's holding and then running around town trying to score and sometimes even eventually ending up in places you'd thought you'd never find yourself, wondering how you got there, and being very concerned about whether you're going to be leaving in the same condition you arrived. Doing business on SR avoids ALL of that. So it is worth something in the way of pricing for all that convenience and safety. But I'd still like to see the fees lowered and I know that this is a very contentious issue and that DPR has made it clear to me, at least, that it's not going to happen. Well folks, this place works like any other place that you shop. IF you think that something should be changed, you write to the management. DPR may have a new name, but he's still user #1 and if you want to talk to him directly about it, then please do because that's the only way you'll get a situation changed that you don't feel is correct. Telling the vendors, as so many buyers have told me, that we've raised our prices and how could we go and do that without telling them, isn't the answer. We DIDN'T raise our prices folks, that's all either bitcoin devaluation or SR fee increases. I am a firm believer that DPR can make a huge amount of money based on the volume of this site and charge much less in fees than he does at this time. I wouldn't even be saying this publicly if I thought I had *any* chance of convincing him of this through private conversation. But I know that's not going to happen and now it's up to you, the buyers and the vendors, to voice yourself and voice yourself loudly if you think the fees are too high.
I will give you the same example I gave DPR: I think that buyers who are buying over $1000 of product should have a fee of 3%. He pointed out to me that the current fee was 3.8% and that did I believe the less than one percent difference really mattered. But it was not the answer to the question I was asking. I was talking about a person buying $1000 of say $3.00 items, a quite common occurrence, and he was talking about a person buying one $1000 item. Something that I don't think happens very often. The person buying $1000 of $3.00 items is currently paying, I THINK, closer to 8% in fees, but I haven't been able to find a commission schedule to check this out and confirm it, one of the many things I plan to do while we reorganize.
As an innovator and for his amazing responsiveness to the needs of the community I have nothing but respect and admiration for DPR. We vendors know that the improvements have come fast and furious ever since Day One and that sometimes they even were instituted within 24 hours of being first mentioned. THAT'S great vendor support and that's worth paying for. But I don't think that using Ebay as your comparative is proper because Ebay rapes it's customers on fees and when you add in the cost of using PayPal on top of it it's plain highway robbery. Amazon, on the other hand, charges no fees, has the lowest prices in the universe, and gives free shipping on all orders over $25. I think that if you're really here to serve the buyer community then you've got to look at the Amazon model and ask "how close can I get to that and still make a reasonable profit for myself". Ok, that's MY opinion and that's what I'm going to leave you all with.
We'll see you soon and when we do, we'll have some new things that people will be really happy to see,
take care,
Alex & Ben
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Good luck fella's
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OK...I just knew I was going to wake up to a story after seeing things delisted in the wee hours of the morning.
On one side of the coin, my worst fear has been realized. I got hooked on the product, packaging, and customer service and now my favorite candy store can be gone for the next two weeks or well into the spring.
On the other side of the coin, my favorite candy store went away to improve the already great service I was receiving and as a businessman I understand totally. However, I am THEIR customer. *tapping fingers on desk*
Well, this is an OBVIOUS opportunity for ANY vendor to come in and to the right thing with this opportunity by offering great pricing and great customer service OR seizing this opportunity to price gouge and offer less than stellar customer service since the major player on the block has retreaded to come back better than ever.
*switches tabs in TOR to Silk Road to research vendors...AGAIN*
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OK...I just knew I was going to wake up to a story after seeing things delisted in the wee hours of the morning.
On one side of the coin, my worst fear has been realized. I got hooked on the product, packaging, and customer service and now my favorite candy store can be gone for the next two weeks or well into the spring.
On the other side of the coin, my favorite candy store went away to improve the already great service I was receiving and as a businessman I understand totally. However, I am THEIR customer. *tapping fingers on desk*
Well, this is an OBVIOUS opportunity for ANY vendor to come in and to the right thing with this opportunity by offering great pricing and great customer service OR seizing this opportunity to price gouge and offer less than stellar customer service since the major player on the block has retreaded to come back better than ever.
*switches tabs in TOR to Silk Road to research vendors...AGAIN*
(Uniwiz, speaking selfishly)
Well there it is.
There's more demand then supply.
Some of which would not be nice to run out of guys. Benzo withdrawal nothing to sneeze at.
So thanks for the warning :-*
Who is picking up the challenge to offer great service, and good product?
Pharmville,
I don't blame you at all.
Can you image a 100 CW's in here bitching, instead of following etiquette?
The wrong thing for me, is the best thing for you.
You guys rocked!
We all have life issues time to time.
Hopefully you guys go yours in order.
Vendor burnout seems to be common these days.
best wishes......
Uniwiz
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Wise and professional to call it before whatever it is became a real serious problem... Im pullln for ya'll.
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Lighten Up, Francis
good call pharmville
ggg
You can say goodbye to a shitload of Silk Roads 'loyal customers' cause when the top vender goes, so does this site. Going on vacation my ass. This is nothing more than a slap to the chin of the owner of this site. When DPR is probably making more money off a transaction than Pharmville is at 3.8 fucking percent, how much meat on the bone and lets be honest do you think there is. Why else would Pharmville be bitching about the Silk Road fees??? Ever think about that? So now all of these people have to find another fucking vendor... AGAIN and put their freedom AT RISK because of this. I for one am not searching for another vendor. This site is already sketchy enough as it is and to have to search for another vendor is weighing risk vs reward and A LOT of people wont be doing this.
I'm personally sick of hearing these excuses one after another coming out of such a trusted vendor that I myself am beginning to lose all faith in this site as a whole. Either stay or leave. Don't go half and half. You're gonna lose faith and MOST CERTAINLY trust from your 'LOYAL' buyers.
Back and ready to work MY ASS.
GET REAL!
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CW2012,
Yes I am referring to you.
After being reminded of the proper etiquette, you haven't missed a beat.
They are answering you, and many others there's a problem, and they are trying to fix it.
It's not odd at all. Try putting your feet in their shoes.
I'm sure it's more than one ;)
You haven't miss a post to bitch, even if it's so softly.
How about waiting for the return PM from them?
I swear I want to send you mine just so you leave one of my favorite vendor's alone.
Screw ups take a few weeks to clear up, not hours.
Good Call, Pharmville.
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Bittersweet news. Bittersweet indeed.
I wish I knew you guys in real life. I'd happily lend a hand to help you guys out in any way you needed.
I'll tell you this though, your absence will leave a big hole in SR. In fact, you're one of the pillars that hold this place up.
While I'm not one of your biggest customers, I'm definitely one of your biggest fans. My very first buy on Silk Road so many months ago was with you. And it was a perfect transaction. Far exceeding my expectations. Sure, I ventured out and bought from others after that and had satisfactory transactions. But none were as gratifying as when buying from you. So I became a regular of yours.
I understand perfectly why you have to do what you're doing. And I'm glad to see that you're talking care of yourself. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Silk Road's two greatest guys, IMO. I sincerely hope that DPR will take into account everything the top sellers are telling him. Without top, honest, personable sellers like yourselves to service the community, SR would just end up being a novel idea that when put into practice results in failure. Failure for both buyer and seller.
And not for nothing, but I'm sure Ben could use a little more time for himself and his loved ones. One can't overcome something like that in a week's time. Returning to a hectic weekend was probably not the easiest or the best thing to do (even though I greatly appreciate it). What, with many customers not really caring about what Ben just experienced but only about their order. Their apathy, impatience and disregard cannot be an easy thing to endure.
And there's no amount of money that can fill an emptiness left by loss. Nor any amount worth unnecessary and avoidable risk.
So you know what? You take your time to get whatever it is that you want to get accomplished before your return. We'll all make do as best we can. And for many who may have taken you for granted, they'll see just how amazing you were.
All the very best to the very best.
I speak for myself as well as many others when I say that I am eagerly awaiting your return.
Because not only are you a part of history, you made history.
BenJesuit
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CW2012,
Yes I am referring to you.
After being reminded of the proper etiquette, you haven't missed a beat.
They are answering you, and many others there's a problem, and they are trying to fix it.
It's not odd at all. Try putting your feet in their shoes.
I'm sure it's more than one ;)
You haven't miss a post to bitch, even if it's so softly.
How about waiting for the return PM from them?
I swear I want to send you mine just so you leave one of my favorite vendor's alone.
Screw ups take a few weeks to clear up, not hours.
Good Call, Pharmville.
+1
very well said
Pharmville > 100 new vendors
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This sure makes me look like more of an ass. Just last night I was praising PV in threads until my fingers hurt from typing. Now I'm stuck trying to endorse a vendor that in their own words may be gone for 2 weeks or a month, that is if they ever come back again. Don't get me wrong, I've been a loyal customer for a while now and will be in the future if there IS a future.
As a vendor, I hope you can at least see the effect scrambling to find another benzo and/or opiate vendor and trying to get the package to your door before the withdrawals set in will cause for your former buyers. Especially with the anxious benzo fiend types, all of that stress will be compounded. That doesn't even touch on when the seizures creep in.
If one has to keep finding a replacement for their "regular guy," why don't they just find a new regular guy? The last unexpected leave of absence left a lot of us in withdrawal and hurting physically and mentally. We also had to find new sources and try to make due for the unknown amount of time.
This time you are proposing a vacation that is less understandable and longer than the last (that occurred under a month ago if memory serves me). What is to say that the vendors we find in this mean time won't end up being our new "regular guys?" How would you respond to one's statement that "Pharmville is no longer a reliable vendor, have a backup or two ready for when they are tanning on the beach?"
I'd like to guarantee that you'll be embraced by myself and your other loyal customers when you return, but who knows whether or not we may find a more reliable vendor that sells the same things in your absence? Personally, I believe the best way to repay a loyal customer is by being a loyal vendor. Something about unexpected de-listings and month long hiatuses with no prior notice other than a forum post after the fact screams disloyalty to me.
I can understand that you two likely realize buyers need you more than you need them (that only remains true above a certain number of buyers), and that is fine too. Just remember that for every buyer you could care less about losing, there is a vendor fighting tooth and nail for that same buyer. I'm off to jump into that benzo vendor shark tank and see who bites the hardest.
Good luck on the restructuring, hopefully you will eventually come back to SR. Something about discontentment with fees and a longing to restructure from the ground up seems to point towards the possible creation of Pharmville's own marketplace site. I really don't know how to think of this. If I were DPR I'd pay close attention because the loss of Pharmville also means the loss of thousands of customers. Every time Pharmville is unavailable and I'm forced to find another vendor I generally give up on SR altogether.
If worst comes to worst, I'd like to dedicate my first withdrawal seizure to Ben and the second to Alex.
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I keep wanting to call him pdr...LOL. wonder why?
I hope everyone can imagine a triangle and why a triangle works. I think of the fire triangle of air heat and fuel...any one gets removed...then nothing. Urban blight sucks and no one like being near it.
Is this a statement of freedom this here SR thing?
Anyway.....back to the triangle. Vendors buyers and playground.. Maybe playground gets too big?
The beauty of editing: the playground is SR...the onion network...whatever. I'm just a buyer, but do lean toward lower prices while remembering its drugs here we're dealing with. I tend to side with PV and others on volume pricing...yada yada...you'll read later.
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I keep wanting to call him pdr...LOL. wonder why?
I hope everyone can imagine a triangle and why a triangle works. I think of the fire triangle of air heat and fuel...any one gets removed...then nothing. Urban blight sucks and no one like being near it.
Is this a statement of freedom this here SR thing?
Anyway.....back to the triangle. Vendors buyers and playground.. Maybe playground gets too big?
How does it even make any sense whatsoever? A condition for the playground growing is that there be more buyers. More buyers tend to bring in more vendors.
So while you make it seem as if these are 3 competing facets, the growth of each is actually tied closely to one another. If you were some how making a point that vendors can't exist without buyers and that buyers can't make purchases without vendors, that is a sound claim. However, the size of the marketplace and even the existence of the marketplace itself does little more than facilitate the buyer-seller relationship that could just as well occur on some other playground, possibly even a physical playground in the real World.
For all practical purposes from the POV of a vendor/buyer, a larger playground just means more people to interact with. The only people that will need to address the growing strain on the infrastructure of the site itself are those that maintain it. The aspect of increased media transparency as the site grows has already been dealt with in some ways and is continuing to be addressed I'd imagine.
The most perplexing point of debate is how we came to discuss this in this particular thread, where it is only slightly relevant.
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This all might take 2 weeks or it might take a month.
Come back soon, we miss you already!
I will give you the same example I gave DPR: I think that buyers who are buying over $1000 of product should have a fee of 3%. He pointed out to me that the current fee was 3.8% and that did I believe the less than one percent difference really mattered. But it was not the answer to the question I was asking. I was talking about a person buying $1000 of say $3.00 items, a quite common occurrence, and he was talking about a person buying one $1000 item. Something that I don't think happens very often. The person buying $1000 of $3.00 items is currently paying, I THINK, closer to 8% in fees, but I haven't been able to find a commission schedule to check this out and confirm it, one of the many things I plan to do while we reorganize.
Just to be clear, the same commission is charged if you buy 1,000 $1 items or one $1000 item.
As an innovator and for his amazing responsiveness to the needs of the community I have nothing but respect and admiration for DPR. We vendors know that the improvements have come fast and furious ever since Day One and that sometimes they even were instituted within 24 hours of being first mentioned. THAT'S great vendor support and that's worth paying for. But I don't think that using Ebay as your comparative is proper because Ebay rapes it's customers on fees and when you add in the cost of using PayPal on top of it it's plain highway robbery. Amazon, on the other hand, charges no fees, has the lowest prices in the universe, and gives free shipping on all orders over $25. I think that if you're really here to serve the buyer community then you've got to look at the Amazon model and ask "how close can I get to that and still make a reasonable profit for myself". Ok, that's MY opinion and that's what I'm going to leave you all with.
Amazon charges the most commission of anyone! a flat 15% for most item categories (some more some less). But too much emphasis being put on fees I think. You mentioned that you couldn't keep up with the growing demand. If anything that means your prices are too low!
Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed. This has several effects:
1) There is always product available at SOME price, which is better than NO product at any price. If your inventory is shrinking, expand your operation, or increase your prices, but don't keep them low until one day you run out and your customers are left high and dry.
2) You make more money and can expand your operation (hire help, find new suppliers, stock up on more/different inventory). You'll also be more motivated and less stressed.
3) You send a signal to other suppliers: "there is money to be made here" and we get more vendors entering the market, leading to sustainably lower prices, more variety and higher quality.
A free market is always a win for everyone involved (if fraud is present, we can't call that transaction free). My point is that so long as you aren't doing anything shady, maximizing your profit is the best thing you can do for yourself, your customers, your suppliers, and your partners.
A final note: hopefully Pharmville will hurry back, but no matter what they are leaving some big shoes to fill. I hope to see some strapping new vendors take advantage of the hole in the market as soon as possible by providing an honest and professional service. Unfortunately we can also expect fraudsters to pretend to fill this hole and scam desperate Silk Road customers looking for an alternative. So, we'll be keeping a close watch on this and nipping any scam operations in the bud, but remember to be weary of new vendors offering deals that are too good to be true or asking for direct payment or early finalizing. Help us and the rest of the community out by reporting anything suspicious.
Thanks 8)
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DPR: Can you please give us the exact rates that you are charging? That would help a lot in getting rid of most of the confusion..
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This all might take 2 weeks or it might take a month.
Come back soon, we miss you already!
I will give you the same example I gave DPR: I think that buyers who are buying over $1000 of product should have a fee of 3%. He pointed out to me that the current fee was 3.8% and that did I believe the less than one percent difference really mattered. But it was not the answer to the question I was asking. I was talking about a person buying $1000 of say $3.00 items, a quite common occurrence, and he was talking about a person buying one $1000 item. Something that I don't think happens very often. The person buying $1000 of $3.00 items is currently paying, I THINK, closer to 8% in fees, but I haven't been able to find a commission schedule to check this out and confirm it, one of the many things I plan to do while we reorganize.
Just to be clear, the same commission is charged if you buy 1,000 $1 items or one $1000 item.
As an innovator and for his amazing responsiveness to the needs of the community I have nothing but respect and admiration for DPR. We vendors know that the improvements have come fast and furious ever since Day One and that sometimes they even were instituted within 24 hours of being first mentioned. THAT'S great vendor support and that's worth paying for. But I don't think that using Ebay as your comparative is proper because Ebay rapes it's customers on fees and when you add in the cost of using PayPal on top of it it's plain highway robbery. Amazon, on the other hand, charges no fees, has the lowest prices in the universe, and gives free shipping on all orders over $25. I think that if you're really here to serve the buyer community then you've got to look at the Amazon model and ask "how close can I get to that and still make a reasonable profit for myself". Ok, that's MY opinion and that's what I'm going to leave you all with.
Amazon charges the most commission of anyone! a flat 15% for most item categories (some more some less). But too much emphasis being put on fees I think. You mentioned that you couldn't keep up with the growing demand. If anything that means your prices are too low!
Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed. This has several effects:
1) There is always product available at SOME price, which is better than NO product at any price. If your inventory is shrinking, expand your operation, or increase your prices, but don't keep them low until one day you run out and your customers are left high and dry.
2) You make more money and can expand your operation (hire help, find new suppliers, stock up on more/different inventory). You'll also be more motivated and less stressed.
3) You send a signal to other suppliers: "there is money to be made here" and we get more vendors entering the market, leading to sustainably lower prices, more variety and higher quality.
A free market is always a win for everyone involved (if fraud is present, we can't call that transaction free). My point is that so long as you aren't doing anything shady, maximizing your profit is the best thing you can do for yourself, your customers, your suppliers, and your partners.
A final note: hopefully Pharmville will hurry back, but no matter what they are leaving some big shoes to fill. I hope to see some strapping new vendors take advantage of the hole in the market as soon as possible by providing an honest and professional service. Unfortunately we can also expect fraudsters to pretend to fill this hole and scam desperate Silk Road customers looking for an alternative. So, we'll be keeping a close watch on this and nipping any scam operations in the bud, but remember to be weary of new vendors offering deals that are too good to be true or asking for direct payment or early finalizing. Help us and the rest of the community out by reporting anything suspicious.
Thanks 8)
Great post, you have a good understanding of microeconomics.
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DPR: Can you please give us the exact rates that you are charging? That would help a lot in getting rid of most of the confusion..
That's in the "State of the Road" thread. There is a link on the homepage of the main site.
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oi mates! just when i got some coin for an order!! haha im not upset though, it gave me a good chuckle! Just my luck! come back soon fellas!
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But too much emphasis being put on fees I think. You mentioned that you couldn't keep up with the growing demand. If anything that means your prices are too low!
That's textxbook ECO101 elasticity of demand stuff. But what makes Pharmville great is that they threw most of that capitalist text book maximizing gains greed crap out the window and made a point to not charge exorbitant prices. And by doing so, moved more product than all the other opiate dealers combined. Could they have raised prices? Sure. But that they didn't is how they became the number one opiate dealer. You'd think that with all the volume of business they do, YOU'd give them a special volume discount on commission. You should maybe look into having a program that rewards vendors for volume. Say a tiered monthly volume discount. That would in turn benefit everyone. It gives vendors an incentive to sell more and buyer a reason to buy more.
This is drugs after all. The cheaper the price, the more we'll buy. Price also has a psychological effect. Not everyone in here is a rational consumer, considering.
Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
This has several effects:
1) There is always product available at SOME price, which is better than NO product at any price. If your inventory is shrinking, expand your operation, or increase your prices, but don't keep them low until one day you run out and your customers are left high and dry.
Or they can simply warn customers that inventory is running low. Lots of vendors do that already. And when they are out, they often provide an ETA on their seller page and/or in the forum. Pricing things high will hurt sales because, as stated, there are alternatives to SR.
2) You make more money and can expand your operation (hire help, find new suppliers, stock up on more/different inventory). You'll also be more motivated and less stressed.
You make it sound easy. Hiring help increases the risk of your business. After all, this isn't Amazon. This is drug dealing. You can't just bring any ol' player off the street as a helper. Trust is a must and any new "helper" has to be vetted. Fuck that decision up and you could end up doing time. A lot of it.
3) You send a signal to other suppliers: "there is money to be made here" and we get more vendors entering the market, leading to sustainably lower prices, more variety and higher quality.
Suppliers know there is money to be made here. The question is just how much and what's the catch. The catch is how much is getting kicked up to boss(DPR). What's his cut? Everything else they can factor. From postage, to envelops, to couriers, to look outs, to computers and printers. They can figure out their net. But some can't justify the commission being kicked up. A better tier needs to be in place that rewards heavy hitters and big movers. (Think volume discounts in the form of monthly rebates.)
A free market is always a win for everyone involved (if fraud is present, we can't call that transaction free). My point is that so long as you aren't doing anything shady, maximizing your profit is the best thing you can do for yourself, your customers, your suppliers, and your partners.
I disagree with the notion that maximizing profits is best for everyone. That's current American business culture thinking. And it fails on many levels. Remember, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. What's better is maximizing one's value. That is good for everyone. That's the old school thinking that has stood the test of time. And it is why those of us who love Pharmville are so vocal about our love for them. They maximized their value.
A final note: hopefully Pharmville will hurry back, but no matter what they are leaving some big shoes to fill. I hope to see some strapping new vendors take advantage of the hole in the market as soon as possible by providing an honest and professional service. Unfortunately we can also expect fraudsters to pretend to fill this hole and scam desperate Silk Road customers looking for an alternative. So, we'll be keeping a close watch on this and nipping any scam operations in the bud, but remember to be weary of new vendors offering deals that are too good to be true or asking for direct payment or early finalizing. Help us and the rest of the community out by reporting anything suspicious.
Thanks 8)
You're 100% correct here. But it will fall on deaf ears I'm afraid. Many a noob thinks finalizing early is the "cool" thing to do. And that's whether they have to or not. And addicts are going to take a chance because that's the nature of addiction.
Not for nothing, you've got a great thing here and I praise you for it, DPR. You're a legend. Seriously. But you have show vendors some more love. And you have been doing it. Credit where credit is do. So it's not like I'm saying you haven't. Lots of excellent implementations have gone into effect on their behalf. Vendors are taking a big risk but moreover, they make this place what it is. They made your concept, manifest. There will always be buyers of drugs. But without supply at reasonable prices, not simply prices you can get away with(AKA maximizing gains), ain't nothing going to happen here except perhaps it being given footnote credit for having started a revolution.
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You should maybe look into having a program that rewards vendors for volume. Say a tiered monthly volume discount. That would in turn benefit everyone. It gives vendors an incentive to sell more and buyer a reason to buy more.
I've thought about this, but this also gives an advantage to high-volume sellers over newer ones and they already have alot of advantage. Assuming costs are equal, charging smaller vendors more will make them uncompetitive.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
I think we are saying the same thing here. By adjusting your prices to the rate supported by supply and demand (maintaining a minimum inventory), not all potential buyers will make a purchase, some will seek cheaper alternatives such as local face to face vendors. That's a good thing. As you mentioned below, expanding one's operation is not easy. That's what Pharmville is struggling with as we speak. So, until supply can catch up with demand, prices need to rise. Again, that's a good thing. It encourages new vendors to set up shop and current ones to expand their operations.
Or they can simply warn customers that inventory is running low. Lots of vendors do that already. And when they are out, they often provide an ETA on their seller page and/or in the forum. Pricing things high will hurt sales because, as stated, there are alternatives to SR.
You are absolutely right. There is only so much total inventory on Silk Road at any given moment and it has to be rationed in some way. That can either come through shortages and intermittent supply as you suggest, or through price rationing (there are other top-down rationing schemes governments use). The advantage of price rationing, besides there always being adequate inventory, is that it leads to a more mature and developed market with new sellers entering in to provide their wares. Over time, this leads to the low prices we were after in the first place due to competition, but has the benefit of more variety and quality, and the market is more robust. If one vendor leaves, there are others already in business that can pick up the slack (and raise their prices until new supply comes online).
You make it sound easy. Hiring help increases the risk of your business. After all, this isn't Amazon. This is drug dealing. You can't just bring any ol' player off the street as a helper. Trust is a must and any new "helper" has to be vetted. Fuck that decision up and you could end up doing time. A lot of it.
If I did, I did not mean to. See my acknowledging heroes thread. What these guys go through is epic!
Suppliers know there is money to be made here. The question is just how much and what's the catch. The catch is how much is getting kicked up to boss(DPR). What's his cut? Everything else they can factor. From postage, to envelops, to couriers, to look outs, to computers and printers. They can figure out their net. But some can't justify the commission being kicked up. A better tier needs to be in place that rewards heavy hitters and big movers. (Think volume discounts in the form of monthly rebates.)
There's no catch. Vendors can see everything they need to make a decision about getting into the game. The only variable is the price customers are willing to pay for the items they are considering offering. In fact it is much harder to make a decision if you see low prices followed by no inventory rather than consistent higher prices. Is there a complete gap in the market and huge profit opportunity, or am I going to be undercut as soon as the other guy re-ups?
I disagree with the notion that maximizing profits is best for everyone. That's current American business culture thinking. And it fails on many levels. Remember, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. What's better is maximizing one's value. That is good for everyone. That's the old school thinking that has stood the test of time. And it is why those of us who love Pharmville are so vocal about our love for them. They maximized their value.
We might need to do some term-definitions here. What do you mean by value? Value to the customer? I agree they excelled in this regard. I don't want to pick on Pharmville because it may not even be applicable to them, but what is the value to the customer of a vendor who goes out of business because they charged too little? Does a customer value a vendor they can count on to always have product, even if it is a little more expensive, over a vendor they might have to wait a week on, and then hope to get in the queue before they run out? And don't forget my all too important caveat: Maximizing profits is best for everyone "if fraud is not present". Much of the American business culture you mention is: Maximize profits "by any means necessary". Two very different guidelines.
You're 100% correct here. But it will fall on deaf ears I'm afraid. Many a noob thinks finalizing early is the "cool" thing to do. And that's whether they have to or not. And addicts are going to take a chance because that's the nature of addiction.
Not for nothing, you've got a great thing here and I praise you for it, DPR. You're a legend. Seriously. But you have show vendors some more love. And you have been doing it. Credit where credit is do. So it's not like I'm saying you haven't. Lots of excellent implementations have gone into effect on their behalf. Vendors are taking a big risk but moreover, they make this place what it is. They made your concept, manifest. There will always be buyers of drugs. But without supply at reasonable prices, not simply prices you can get away with(AKA maximizing gains), ain't nothing going to happen here except perhaps it being given footnote credit for having started a revolution.
I hope you are wrong, both about the noobs and the long-term prospects of the site. So far, my convictions have been proven right. Thankfully, the profit / loss mechanism applies to Silk Road too, so as long as we continue to grow and are able to expand our infrastructure to keep pace, I'll assume the market is correct and we are on the right track. Thanks for the debate!
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I'm still going to remain calm for a few more days, but if pharmville goes MIA and doesn't fix the fuckup on my order I'm going to laugh at all the fanboys who told me to just chill and everything will be okay.
what do you mean "remain" calm? you've been reminding us of your situation every chance you get. Calm is not a word i would use to describe your posts. And i don't think any of the "fanboys" will care if you laugh at them, if anything, they're all laughing at you. I'm not trying to sound like a jerk myself, but you've been kind of making an ass of yourself the last day or so....
remain calm by refraining from posting about this, and watch for messages from Pharm on SR. You don't need to update everyone on the forum. If you don't hear anything from them within a week, then go crazy slandering them, but they've got hundreds of PM's to go through. TRY and relax
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I'm still going to remain calm for a few more days, but if pharmville goes MIA and doesn't fix the fuckup on my order I'm going to laugh at all the fanboys who told me to just chill and everything will be okay.
That would be an odd reaction. Think about it. Considering the way you went about trying to get satisfaction, they may opt to not fix the situation because they may deem you to not be a customer worth serving. And a number of posters would agree with that assessment.
I've had what I guess you could call an "issue" with Pharmville once. They told me that they would be short a few pills in my order and would make it up to me next go 'round. I was like, "Yeah whatever bros, that's cool. Don't sweat it." And guess what? They more than made up for it.
So, I don't know. But I think some people might laugh at you and say you got what was coming to you if they(PV) don't bother to correct their error. I'm not one of them though. I feel for you. But I think you know you went about things the wrong way.
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@ Dread Pirate Roberts
I see your point of view and respect it. It's arguably an excellent one. And I'm mindful that it's a challenge to balance the many facets of this noble operation you've created. You're obviously aware of many more aspects of this operation than I or any one of us are. My perspective is merely that of a buyer and also as one aspiring to one day become a vendor here.
It was a pleasure to have had an exchange with you. While I don't fully agree with everything you say or have implemented, I certainly respect and admire all your efforts. I also have faith that you'll do what is best for Silk Road. Whether it be protecting it or growing it. I'm convinced that you are up for the challenge.
It is my most sincere hope that your creation, the Silk Road, grows and prospers as it takes its rightful place in history.
I salute you, sir!
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I've been really anxious lately. I wish I could take all this back. I'm sorry to everyone I bothered and for making an ass of myself. I love all you on SR. :'(
EDIT: I am apologizing to PV first for not giving them time to make things right.
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I knew I heard a big thump in our house. Ill have plenty to read tomorrow. Assumed we were in this together...I'm dumb like that...assuming and such.
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I've been really anxious lately. I wish I could take all this back. I'm sorry to everyone I bothered and for making an ass of myself. I love all you on SR. :'(
anxious you say? Can't you take something for that?
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I've been really anxious lately. I wish I could take all this back. I'm sorry to everyone I bothered and for making an ass of myself. I love all you on SR. :'(
anxious you say? Can't you take something for that?
There are reasons I ordered what I did, because it always helped me when I had panic attacks. I'm fine not talking about this because I can't tell if you're sincere or just trying to get under my skin. I will assume you say that with pure intentions.
cw2012
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Hi Alex and Ben,
I'm behind you. I understand that sometimes things need to be reworked so that they can handle orders and customer service better. I might take the time that you're away to kind of detox for a bit as well.
Good luck to you guys, and know that you'll still have me as a buyer when you return!
-SNT
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Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
With all due respect, there is no real alternative to SR. If it were feasible to get the desired product without jumping through each of the hoops you yourself had mentioned above, they would. There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice.
If Jane could find a source for her "Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake" in the flesh, she'd likely pester Johnny to go make the deal with the shady bastard selling it. Since she can't find it in her locale, she's forced to come to SR and pay whoever the least shady looking vendor carrying the product whatever kind of insane price they feel like.
People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options.
The fact that there is no alternative to SR is actually the reason I suspect it is booming still today. There will always be Johhny and Jane living out in the middle of nowhere with a hankering for every drug their rural dealer can't acquire.
SR works on the same principle as the Coke machines in the lines for the best roller coasters at theme parks: sure we all know a bottle of Coke should be less than $1.50 or so, and we could easily buy it for cheaper elsewhere. But you aren't elsewhere, you are in the middle of a damn roller coaster line and your thirst can't wait for you to get to Wal-Mart. You are going to insert that $5 bill into the Coke machine, and watch as a single coke and no change come out of the machine.
Now imagine the above example where there are still places that sell Coke for under $5, just places you aren't near or aren't aware of. In your World you are perpetually in the roller coaster line forced to buy $5 sodas because you only have access to that one machine, or no soda at all.
If my real World associates had been able to meet my demand with the right supply, this message wouldn't exist.
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Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
With all due respect, there is no real alternative to SR. If it were feasible to get the desired product without jumping through each of the hoops you yourself had mentioned above, they would. There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice.
If Jane could find a source for her "Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake" in the flesh, she'd likely pester Johnny to go make the deal with the shady bastard selling it. Since she can't find it in her locale, she's forced to come to SR and pay whoever the least shady looking vendor carrying the product whatever kind of insane price they feel like.
People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options.
The fact that there is no alternative to SR is actually the reason I suspect it is booming still today. There will always be Johhny and Jane living out in the middle of nowhere with a hankering for every drug their rural dealer can't acquire.
SR works on the same principle as the Coke machines in the lines for the best roller coasters at theme parks: sure we all know a bottle of Coke should be less than $1.50 or so, and we could easily buy it for cheaper elsewhere. But you aren't elsewhere, you are in the middle of a damn roller coaster line and your thirst can't wait for you to get to Wal-Mart. You are going to insert that $5 bill into the Coke machine, and watch as a single coke and no change come out of the machine.
Now imagine the above example where there are still places that sell Coke for under $5, just places you aren't near or aren't aware of. In your World you are perpetually in the roller coaster line forced to buy $5 sodas because you only have access to that one machine, or no soda at all.
If my real World associates had been able to meet my demand with the right supply, this message wouldn't exist.
Great analogy here sir.
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Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
With all due respect, there is no real alternative to SR. If it were feasible to get the desired product without jumping through each of the hoops you yourself had mentioned above, they would. There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice.
If Jane could find a source for her "Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake" in the flesh, she'd likely pester Johnny to go make the deal with the shady bastard selling it. Since she can't find it in her locale, she's forced to come to SR and pay whoever the least shady looking vendor carrying the product whatever kind of insane price they feel like.
People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options.
The fact that there is no alternative to SR is actually the reason I suspect it is booming still today. There will always be Johhny and Jane living out in the middle of nowhere with a hankering for every drug their rural dealer can't acquire.
SR works on the same principle as the Coke machines in the lines for the best roller coasters at theme parks: sure we all know a bottle of Coke should be less than $1.50 or so, and we could easily buy it for cheaper elsewhere. But you aren't elsewhere, you are in the middle of a damn roller coaster line and your thirst can't wait for you to get to Wal-Mart. You are going to insert that $5 bill into the Coke machine, and watch as a single coke and no change come out of the machine.
Now imagine the above example where there are still places that sell Coke for under $5, just places you aren't near or aren't aware of. In your World you are perpetually in the roller coaster line forced to buy $5 sodas because you only have access to that one machine, or no soda at all.
If my real World associates had been able to meet my demand with the right supply, this message wouldn't exist.
Very good analogy. I like the imagery of it also.
I agree with what you are saying for the most part. For some, yes, of course, there really is no alternative to SR. Especially for certain classes of drugs whose quality on the street is usually suspect and highly inconsistent. Or whose quantity desired ups the stakes in the deal. But for some drugs, there are alternatives.
For instance, certain opiates can be found on the street with better pricing. Quality is rarely a concern since they are manufactured commercially. Age of the pills doesn't present all that much of a variance in potency. I could go out and get those opiates at 25%-40% less. But I got tired of risking my dome and sometimes getting robbed while on the quest. I've also did a few successful transactions over on Topix forum at really good prices. (Though got burnt one time by a scammer).
I'm just throwing that out there to make the case that there are alternatives to SR. But are there overall better alternatives to SR? No fucking way. SR is the shit. The escrow system inspires a massive amount of confidence. It's brilliant. But increased pricing may make one revisit the pros and cons of utilizing the alternatives to SR. The choice would be both an economic one as well as a personal one.
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wow great comments all as PV's vacation discussion also brings to light a varying amount of other issues that possibly were a cause or effect of the vacation?
Ironic for me as this for me, is my last official dealing with SR. Not because it didn't meet and often exceed expectations, just leaves you in the end feeling like a rat in a cage. I think the first AA member who proclaimed they were sick and tired of being sick and tired must have been looking at a schematic for the SR/bitcoin supply chain.
I got scammed once (I do believe SR is essentially structured to allow it to be more prevalent than it suggests, but that's a different debate). I was a fan of PV but eventually they became too big where you could no longer rely on them to be in any way timely. That is not to knock them one bit, they are the walmart of SR and alex/ben appeared to be passionate about their work and if they had it in their power would work to exceed expectations.
But, in the end, for me at least, it's become all too much. bitcoins are just a nightmare to deal with, having to worry about 1. will SR be "up" today 2. will my vendor be "up" today 3. usps delays 4. constant anxieties about LE at each stage 5. having to time out the bc process as it takes nearly a week unless you're ok getting raped by moneypak vendors 7. the calculus of determining on the fly what your $xxx will be worth once it winds it way through various merchant fees/bc valuations/fluctuating prices and an SR fee structure that NOBODY can figure out.
But most of all the waiting...waiting for dollars to deposit, waiting to buy bc, waiting for them to transfer, waiting for your shipment to get finalized, waiting for it to be delivered....it's just gotten all to be too much. Too much time invested, too much money invested.....I'm done and somehow Pharmville's vacation was definitely one of the major reasons I decided to do so from the last time they took time away I realized how awful it would be to need something with nowhere to turn.
I feel bad for anyone who is in need. I hope you find a good vendor. And I don't in any way mean to disparage SR, DPR, or PV for that matter. Just one person's vent, sounds like I'm not alone in this however.
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Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
With all due respect, there is no real alternative to SR. If it were feasible to get the desired product without jumping through each of the hoops you yourself had mentioned above, they would. There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice.
If Jane could find a source for her "Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake" in the flesh, she'd likely pester Johnny to go make the deal with the shady bastard selling it. Since she can't find it in her locale, she's forced to come to SR and pay whoever the least shady looking vendor carrying the product whatever kind of insane price they feel like.
People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options.
The fact that there is no alternative to SR is actually the reason I suspect it is booming still today. There will always be Johhny and Jane living out in the middle of nowhere with a hankering for every drug their rural dealer can't acquire.
SR works on the same principle as the Coke machines in the lines for the best roller coasters at theme parks: sure we all know a bottle of Coke should be less than $1.50 or so, and we could easily buy it for cheaper elsewhere. But you aren't elsewhere, you are in the middle of a damn roller coaster line and your thirst can't wait for you to get to Wal-Mart. You are going to insert that $5 bill into the Coke machine, and watch as a single coke and no change come out of the machine.
Now imagine the above example where there are still places that sell Coke for under $5, just places you aren't near or aren't aware of. In your World you are perpetually in the roller coaster line forced to buy $5 sodas because you only have access to that one machine, or no soda at all.
If my real World associates had been able to meet my demand with the right supply, this message wouldn't exist.
" There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice. "
"People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options. "
that is not true, at all. maybe it applies to you and a few other people freaking out, but not everyone. not by a long shot. you know what they say about people who assume. trust me, i'm not anywhere close to as desperate as you appear to be. and there are other options (on silk road, on other websites, and other people i know.. plenty of options everywhere. also i'm not an addict anymore so i'm not desperate for anything)
i just used pharmville for the first time because it seemed like a good option for a good price for my current situation. i choose PV based on all the positive reviews, i'm very happy with my purchase, and they seem like awesome guys. but i'm not going to freak out about them taking a couple weeks off. i could care less. i'll make another order whenever they come back, but i'm not sweating it.
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Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
With all due respect, there is no real alternative to SR. If it were feasible to get the desired product without jumping through each of the hoops you yourself had mentioned above, they would. There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice.
If Jane could find a source for her "Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake" in the flesh, she'd likely pester Johnny to go make the deal with the shady bastard selling it. Since she can't find it in her locale, she's forced to come to SR and pay whoever the least shady looking vendor carrying the product whatever kind of insane price they feel like.
People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options.
The fact that there is no alternative to SR is actually the reason I suspect it is booming still today. There will always be Johhny and Jane living out in the middle of nowhere with a hankering for every drug their rural dealer can't acquire.
SR works on the same principle as the Coke machines in the lines for the best roller coasters at theme parks: sure we all know a bottle of Coke should be less than $1.50 or so, and we could easily buy it for cheaper elsewhere. But you aren't elsewhere, you are in the middle of a damn roller coaster line and your thirst can't wait for you to get to Wal-Mart. You are going to insert that $5 bill into the Coke machine, and watch as a single coke and no change come out of the machine.
Now imagine the above example where there are still places that sell Coke for under $5, just places you aren't near or aren't aware of. In your World you are perpetually in the roller coaster line forced to buy $5 sodas because you only have access to that one machine, or no soda at all.
If my real World associates had been able to meet my demand with the right supply, this message wouldn't exist.
" There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice. "
"People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options. "
that is not true, at all. maybe it applies to you and a few other people freaking out, but not everyone. not by a long shot. you know what they say about people who assume. trust me, i'm not anywhere close to as desperate as you appear to be. and there are other options (on silk road, on other websites, and other people i know.. plenty of options everywhere. also i'm not an addict anymore so i'm not desperate for anything)
i just used pharmville for the first time because it seemed like a good option for a good price for my current situation. i choose PV based on all the positive reviews, i'm very happy with my purchase, and they seem like awesome guys. but i'm not going to freak out about them taking a couple weeks off. i could care less. i'll make another order whenever they come back, but i'm not sweating it.
Did you write that post for masturbation or just to brag? What I'm getting at is did you write that post for yourself or for others? I ask because you offer no useful advice to anyone, you simply brag about your own situation and how it is better than people you consider yourself better than.
You claim there are other viable options but proceed to name none that aren't common sense "SR...other sites...people I know." You failed at every level to refute that if people were able to access the majority of what they buy here, you would not see a single listing for ridiculous "bulk" prices of $2.50 a Valium or reggie weed labeled "Super OG Stank Master Kush Purple Obama ft. Biden Kush Lemon Haze Kush" for $400 an ounce. If someone is here and not on the street getting their drug, there is no street option for them.
Stay classy calling people desperate and addict, though. Those words fall kinda flat when uttered by some random nobody on an anonymous forum for drug buyers and sellers, though. You could throw a rock in here and hit nothing but desperate addicts, does that make this a bad place? Save your condescension for your real life interactions (if you have any), that will sate your appetite for attention much better.
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All this talk about benzo addiction is making me kind of glad there going on a break! I don't think I'm quite there yet......although i did have a weird pass out the other day, come out of know where? i don't even use every day? anyway I have nothing but praise for Ben and Alex and I hope all works out well for them? Everyone is responsible for there own actions and addictions.......peace!
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Hi everyone,
Quite a lively discussion going on, some interesting points being brought out and even a few that I hadn't thought of when making this decision to shut down and regoup.
First. EVERY ORDER IN HOUSE WENT OUT MONDAY!. There were three that had address problems and didn't and won't because this was our last day shipping, but everyone else's is on it's way and will arrive in a timely fashion.
to sonic: I have gone through opiate withdrawals myself several times and it's been horrible each time although suboxone is a life saver, and takes away 90% of the ill feeling. I don't know what they do for benzos but I do know because I checked tonight that there are a TON of vendors offering benzos so I hope you can get what you need and that it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg while we're goine.
to cw2012-I'm going to say the same thing that I was going to say before you apologized: we got the orders out, the next thing is to clean up any messes that remain and we'll get your shortage out to you very soon. I'm sorry it's taken this long.
to Seventh Dude-I don't know the right way to say this to you man, but this is *exactly* why we HAD to close down now. We have to restructure so that you can find us 24/7365 like you always could until Ben's tragedy and now this break. I urge you not to give up because you may well be giving up right when you're less than a month away from having things being *exactly* the way you want them and then staying that way for a very long time. Sometimes things just can't be helped and I'm sorry it's put you in a frame of mind to give up but if you contact me during this break I can direct you to a place to get bitcoins probably a lot cheaper than you're paying now and I can assure you that when we reopen our doors we won't be taking another break until at least 6 months later, but then just for a few days rest. We're going to be stocking up to have enough inventory to handle the massive increase in orders that continued after the Customer Appreciation sale, which caught us off guard and we would have been out of almost everything in a couple more days anyway. The whole point o shutting down to rework the operation so that doesn't happen anymore! I think that when you see our new listings you'll be surprised and happy and realize that no matter what has gone on up to now, at least in Pharmville's case, you're only a short way away from having things be exactly as you want them so that seems a very odd time to leave and never come back. But it's your decision and I'll respect whatever you decide. But don't forget, there's 300 other vendors out there and a whole bunch of them sell benzos so surely if you take the time to look you'll find someone to take care of you while you're gone that has good feedback.
For everyone else: today we got a good start on several aspects of starting over from the ground up as well as getting all the orders out. IF...and it's a big IF, but IF every day goes as well as this on progress we could be back up in as little as 13-14 days instead of a month.
There was a lot of discussion of pricing, and having inventory and running out and it's just too late to get into any of that tonight but I'll be sure and include that in a later post both as a philosophy and as a tangible matter of doing business.
And to anyone who said that this was some kind of fakeout while we build our own retail site or that we were never coming back or that we did this as some sort of power play with DPR over the commission schedule: you could not be more dead wrong and your assumptions and wild speculation add nothing to the discussion at hand.
Our reasons are simple, straightforward and easy to comprehend if you just are willing to accept them at face value: we arrive to a drug forum with 4,000 members, started a store to serve those members, did a pretty great job all the way until the number hit about 150,000 and then things started to slide a little ( some orders started going out one day later, mistakes started happening, correspondence wasn't getting replied to in a timely fashion) and we found out rather abruptly that we had to change our business model or our service was going to keep slipping and finally the reputation that we worked so hard to achieve would be ruined. We think this break and then coming back stronger then ever is a much better idea and that's why we're doing it.
At the same time, I would join with DPR in saying that this month is a great time for ANYONE who is considering becoming a vendor in the opiate & benzo category to open a store and you'll have a flock of customers right off and some portion of them will stay with you even after we open back up and you'll be well on your way to having your own large, regular customer base. So, if so, DON'T DELAY, do it NOW! There's never going to be a better time and there are certainly plenty of buyers to go around for everyone. :)
We're working hard and I just added Soma 350mg and Ritalin 10mg to the listings for when we open back up, so there's two VERY frequently requested items that will be in stock when we open back up.
I've also almost finalized a kind of an "affiliation" with another of the Top 10% vendors where he will be handling all our 10 pack orders and even filling 5 packs on many, if not all of our items, for those of you for whom 10 is too many. This will dramatically reduce Pharmville's daily order count, the product is exactly the same, and the prices *are* higher but when you get to that few pills you have to realize that the $2.80 postage for first class comes out to either $0.28 or $0.56 PER PILL so the vendor is entitled to at least get back that much and some additional profit for being wiling to accept such small orders.
The tangential effect of this is that Ben will have fewer orders to work with on a daily basis and that means that he'll have a much better opportunity to get through all of the orders every day without making any mistakes. I think this is a win-win situation for all of us: Pharmville, our buyers, and the other vendor.
All in all, I think a LOT got accomplished for our first day down and we'll work just as hard every day to get thee situations worked out and everything in tip top shape for our reopening.
First on the list tomorrow is to handle anyone who has an issue with a past order and to get those resolved. So everyone can look forward to hearing from me about those (and that includes you, cw2012 ;) .
everyone have a day,
thanks,
Alex
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Thanks Alex! Its obvious you care about your customers and your own safety. What else can one expect:) Have yourself a good day..........:L
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I was wondering, with all this changin goin on and such....when ya come back could ya be ...like...say...Ben an Jerry?
Just so I can remember all the names better....
Now, I have...Ben. and the Guy who does all the talkin.
LOL
subdude
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to Seventh Dude-I don't know the right way to say this to you man, but this is *exactly* why we HAD to close down now. We have to restructure so that you can find us 24/7365 like you always could until Ben's tragedy and now this break. I urge you not to give up because you may well be giving up right when you're less than a month away from having things being *exactly* the way you want them and then staying that way for a very long time. Sometimes things just can't be helped and I'm sorry it's put you in a frame of mind to give up but if you contact me during this break I can direct you to a place to get bitcoins probably a lot cheaper than you're paying now and I can assure you that when we reopen our doors we won't be taking another break until at least 6 months later, but then just for a few days rest. We're going to be stocking up to have enough inventory to handle the massive increase in orders that continued after the Customer Appreciation sale, which caught us off guard and we would have been out of almost everything in a couple more days anyway. The whole point o shutting down to rework the operation so that doesn't happen anymore! I think that when you see our new listings you'll be surprised and happy and realize that no matter what has gone on up to now, at least in Pharmville's case, you're only a short way away from having things be exactly as you want them so that seems a very odd time to leave and never come back. But it's your decision and I'll respect whatever you decide. But don't forget, there's 300 other vendors out there and a whole bunch of them sell benzos so surely if you take the time to look you'll find someone to take care of you while you're gone that has good feedback.
Hey Alex,
Just wanted to close the loop and say your current vacation was more validation on a decision I made a couple of weeks back. You guys are FANTASTIC at what you do. Reasonable pricing/professional packaging/variety of choices and timely delivery.
Silk Road is the shit. I hope it stays thriving forever as it's an important service headed by someone with the balls and ingenuity and patience to see it through to where it is today.
Just giving my own account as someone who's been through it and now out the other side. I have no doubt you guys will be better next time around. My complaints are petty ones; you guys aren't amazon, but most buyers can't help but hold vendors to that same standard. We somehow have the ability to look past all the security measures we never will see or know that makes processing a single shipment much more involved than selling and shipping widgets off of ebay, and foolishly hold vendors to this unrealistic standard
But if you do find yourself with ONLY SR as a provider on something that you're pretty much physically dependent on....just makes it a rough road to travel.
There ARE other vendors who will fill the void (I think a buyer is foolish to rely on just one vendor as things like this happen all the time). In my line of work we always said competition was good so this may be a godsend for everyone to have two giants going head to head in the not to distant future <with the buyer being the ultimate beneficiary>.
Best of luck alex (and ben), i always wondered how you guys manage doing what you do. Hope you especially take it easy my friend, for the good of SR and your own state of mind. Sounds/seems like you've been nonstop <up to including working during day one of vacation and on here today during day two!>....
Lastly, just wanted to apologize about my last post. I said some shit from AA about 'sick and tired of being sick and tired'. Totally lame to bring that shit here, I'm not an aa member, never have been (nor do i have any ill will towards the organization), but I should have used a different analogy here.
Best of luck to all.
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But, in the end, for me at least, it's become all too much. bitcoins are just a nightmare to deal with, having to worry about 1. will SR be "up" today 2. will my vendor be "up" today 3. usps delays 4. constant anxieties about LE at each stage 5. having to time out the bc process as it takes nearly a week unless you're ok getting raped by moneypak vendors 7. the calculus of determining on the fly what your $xxx will be worth once it winds it way through various merchant fees/bc valuations/fluctuating prices and an SR fee structure that NOBODY can figure out.
But most of all the waiting...waiting for dollars to deposit, waiting to buy bc, waiting for them to transfer, waiting for your shipment to get finalized, waiting for it to be delivered....it's just gotten all to be too much. Too much time invested, too much money invested.....I'm done and somehow Pharmville's vacation was definitely one of the major reasons I decided to do so from the last time they took time away I realized how awful it would be to need something with nowhere to turn.
days for bitcoins? wow I'd freak out too
fwiw
mtgox -> bitinstant -> trustcash costs 5% and you can have your SR wallet filled within 6 hours or so
I've never had to wait more than 90min for bitinstant to credit my mtgox account and then its just waiting for the transactions to get verified through bitcoin and youre all good
on $500 5% is only $25 way worth the effort as far as I'm concerned
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Vendors, you should price your items such that you don't sell out, always have a minimum stock available, and don't get burnt-out or overwhelmed.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt because there are after all, alternatives to the Silk Road. The Silk Road provides theoretical anonymity, convenience and often times quality. But if vendors keep raising prices, the street becomes more and more attractive. Buyers are paying a premium in the form of fees for Bitcoins, Bitcoin fluctuations, and SR overhead that vendors pass on to buyers. The street is starting to look better every day. Only thing standing in the gap is having a good relationship with a vendor and their quality of service and product. Price that too high and many will be willing to forego that luxury.
With all due respect, there is no real alternative to SR. If it were feasible to get the desired product without jumping through each of the hoops you yourself had mentioned above, they would. There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice.
If Jane could find a source for her "Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake" in the flesh, she'd likely pester Johnny to go make the deal with the shady bastard selling it. Since she can't find it in her locale, she's forced to come to SR and pay whoever the least shady looking vendor carrying the product whatever kind of insane price they feel like.
People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options.
The fact that there is no alternative to SR is actually the reason I suspect it is booming still today. There will always be Johhny and Jane living out in the middle of nowhere with a hankering for every drug their rural dealer can't acquire.
SR works on the same principle as the Coke machines in the lines for the best roller coasters at theme parks: sure we all know a bottle of Coke should be less than $1.50 or so, and we could easily buy it for cheaper elsewhere. But you aren't elsewhere, you are in the middle of a damn roller coaster line and your thirst can't wait for you to get to Wal-Mart. You are going to insert that $5 bill into the Coke machine, and watch as a single coke and no change come out of the machine.
Now imagine the above example where there are still places that sell Coke for under $5, just places you aren't near or aren't aware of. In your World you are perpetually in the roller coaster line forced to buy $5 sodas because you only have access to that one machine, or no soda at all.
If my real World associates had been able to meet my demand with the right supply, this message wouldn't exist.
" There is a reason Johnny and Jane Doe are willing to pay more, go through currency conversions, wait a few days to a few weeks for their package to MAYBE arrive, etc.: They have no other choice. "
"People don't go out of their way to utilize an obscure form of encryption and networking to make leap of faith purchases from absolute strangers, all the while somehow acquiring a specific currency with which to purchase the goods, unless they are pretty fucking desperate for a drug and out of options. "
that is not true, at all. maybe it applies to you and a few other people freaking out, but not everyone. not by a long shot. you know what they say about people who assume. trust me, i'm not anywhere close to as desperate as you appear to be. and there are other options (on silk road, on other websites, and other people i know.. plenty of options everywhere. also i'm not an addict anymore so i'm not desperate for anything)
i just used pharmville for the first time because it seemed like a good option for a good price for my current situation. i choose PV based on all the positive reviews, i'm very happy with my purchase, and they seem like awesome guys. but i'm not going to freak out about them taking a couple weeks off. i could care less. i'll make another order whenever they come back, but i'm not sweating it.
Did you write that post for masturbation or just to brag? What I'm getting at is did you write that post for yourself or for others? I ask because you offer no useful advice to anyone, you simply brag about your own situation and how it is better than people you consider yourself better than.
You claim there are other viable options but proceed to name none that aren't common sense "SR...other sites...people I know." You failed at every level to refute that if people were able to access the majority of what they buy here, you would not see a single listing for ridiculous "bulk" prices of $2.50 a Valium or reggie weed labeled "Super OG Stank Master Kush Purple Obama ft. Biden Kush Lemon Haze Kush" for $400 an ounce. If someone is here and not on the street getting their drug, there is no street option for them.
Stay classy calling people desperate and addict, though. Those words fall kinda flat when uttered by some random nobody on an anonymous forum for drug buyers and sellers, though. You could throw a rock in here and hit nothing but desperate addicts, does that make this a bad place? Save your condescension for your real life interactions (if you have any), that will sate your appetite for attention much better.
no, i didn't mean it that way at all, i'm sorry i didn't mean any offense. i'm just saying it sounded like you were trying to justify higher prices as discussed earlier in the thread and your $50 coke example by saying everyone needs SR because they are desperate. i offered a counterpoint. i'd rather not pay $5 dollars for a coke and i don't see it to be necessary.
that being said, i am quite happy with pharmville's prices and shipping time and customer service just the way it is. but since they they seem to want to keep prices low, it looks like you are disagreeing and saying we shouldn't care if they go higher.
it has nothing to do with addicts or post masturbation or whatever the hell else you got your panties in a bunch about. also i never said i wasn't an addict, i'm just not desperate. you sound like a lunatic.
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I was JUST searching for you guys too!! :/ Best of Luck to you hopefully everything turns out well!!!
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dont get to comfortable on them beaches :)
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I love pharmville. you guys rock, taking care of business. the right way. much respect and admiration for the way you guys do the things you do!
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True professionals and a model of what can be accomplished on Silk Road.
Stay sharp and keep making that money!
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to cw2012-I'm going to say the same thing that I was going to say before you apologized: we got the orders out, the next thing is to clean up any messes that remain and we'll get your shortage out to you very soon. I'm sorry it's taken this long.
Thank you for understanding my frustrations and keeping me and everyone else up to date with your current situation. I'm not sure what definition of the word shortage you are using; We may be on the same page, but I would refer to it as an accidental misship of the wrong product. I now fully believe it was accidental seeing that others on your feedback have actually received the product I ordered since my wrong product arrived (explained in detail in PM when you read it.)
I still feel bad for the way I originally handled the situation, I didn't react correctly or realize that a large operation such as yours will have the rare mix up.
Although I still very much hope that my problem is resolved, I more so hope that you return to SR and have continued success.
cw2012
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Hi pharmville, sorry you guys are going through a tough time (going through all these changes) I hope you're back and up on the silk road as soon as possible, but, even if you decide not to come back as sellers, I must tell you that you have been great! I've loved dealing with you, I got every package quickly (except that one the post office screwed up) but it still came, just a week late.
Wish you the best in whatever decision you make, but would def. miss you greatly if you left.
Thanks for everthing
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miss you guys :(
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Hey Pharmville,
I just wanted to say, that you were my first SR order ~7 months ago and I COULD NOT BELIEVE such a transaction was so easy, discreet, and professional. The product was immaculate, prices reasonable, and communication top-notch. Since that first transaction, I've been a loyal customer -- perpetually convinced that you were Kings among other mere vendors. I still feel this way. And Though it saddens me for both self-centered, and genuinely empathetic ones for the vacation, I just wanted to let you know that you have my FULL SUPPORT and I believe, should you choose, that you, Alex and Ben, can sustain an empire. I wish you the best of luck and whatever else you may need on your journey back to a safe, secure SR. I shall definitely keep an eye out for Pharmville ;D .
Best and Kind Regards,
thequake
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hey alex & ben. my first encounter with any vendor on SR was with you guys. you handled my order and first time buyer skepticism with true professionalism and made my first attempt at ordering on SR pleasant - you even let me order in escrow despite being over the border in Canada and being brand new with SR and having no prior purchases. unfortunately it was right at the time you cut off selling to Canadian customers and at the last minute u have to cancel my order due to Ben being overworked. I truly hope that in your complete reworking of your business that you include a way to resume shipping to Canada. Ive ordered from other vendors in the US and while they are great I'd love to order from you as well. Your product selection is great and also different then my current other US vendors.
I appreciate how much extra effort you put in to shipping over the border but having seen many different shipping methods - some of which were very simple - I must say I'd rather you pack the order like you would domestically, finalize early and take the risk going over the border then not have your service at all. With that being said I also hope you can find a way to bring back the international shipping with the increased secure packaging you once used to offer and still work within escrow.
Alex, we've had a few chats over PM and you know I'm rooting for you guys; i'll understand if you cant but as I've already said I'd LOVE for you guys to ship to Canada again. Maybe you could implement a $100 minimum at first if your packing man power is limited. All food for thought. You guys rock and please return to SR soon (and ship to Canada!!) . Take care guys. Rasspects