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Ask HN: How about a plugin to stop from compulsive buying

8 points by vedil ↗ HN
1. a plugin which asks for another (partner) phone number while installation 2. all "buy" or "check out" kind of links will trigger a "duo push" to the partner 3. only when partner agrees the buy button is enabled. this will bring 2 people in the buying workflow which in itself reduces lot of UN-necessary that we buy

6 comments

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orian
Isn't a today's economy based on compulsive buying? Such a plugin could cause a global crisis.
fcanela
I know several people who could benefit of your idea. The implementation seems easy to the user.

Have you tested how much people in your circles needs it?

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japhyr
I wonder if you could build in another method as well, that isn't dependent on a second person agreeing on the purchase. Maybe something that would put in a time delay on any purchase screen. A 24-hour delay on clicking submit for a purchase might cut down impulsive buying.
UnoriginalGuy
If I can install it, I can disable it.

I own multiple devices (smartphones, PCs, and tablets) you could never be on all of them and I could bypass your restrictions.

Plus I have three+ browsers installed and am familiar with safe mode and incognito mode.

phantom_oracle
Too much work, very little return-incentives.

As UnoriginalGuy says: first big issue will be supporting 50+ devices * browsers on said-devices (that alone should tell you to avoid it)

Then you'll need to analyze and build up a collection of thousands of e-commerce stores with their specific check-out implementations.

Then you'll need to create filters for sensitive products (and try to define what is sensitive to who)

Then you'll need to support angry spouses who bomb your limited support email due to revenge-restrictions, partner-trolling, etc.

Lastly, some Google AdSense will become counter-productive to making money from this (if you intend to).

Ads sell products and you stopping product-buying would be, well...