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rhn_mk1 | 2 years ago

The problem is that it's not an either-or.

Adding app operation alongside coin operation would have been an improvement in useability. Replacing coins with apps is just making it suck in a different way.

discuss

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ghaff|2 years ago

From the consumer perspective, probably. But from a laundromat's perspective, even if only a fraction of users use coins, they still need to deal with coins.

Once you're below some use threshold, a lot of places would prefer to ditch cash entirely.

rhn_mk1|2 years ago

It reminds me of the cycle of enshittification: once you have a captive audience, you start bumping the profits at the cost of the user experience.

It looks like something similar is in effect here: instead of meeting the different customers where the customers alrady are, it's the company's preferred way or the highway.

JohnMakin|2 years ago

It is an either or for some businesses. Coins in the USA are in a massive shortage the last few years. Change machines aren’t cheap and repairs can be costly. It makes financial sense to switch to these apps or people wouldn’t do it.

heavenlyblue|2 years ago

But then you have two problems: keeping the app going AND dealing with cash