Show HN: Collect tips from people that don't carry cash | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Collect tips from people that don't carry cash

tipsypage.com

2 pointsattendos4 comments

At least in Europe, I think this service is more useful for small/medium sized shops than for restaurants, as we are not very used to tipping.

Apart from QR, it would also be nice to pay by scanning an NFC tag, which is sometimes much faster than scanning a QR code, but of course, the question now is how to get the tag to the user. It would be complex to set up a logistics system just for this.

In any case, I think it's a very good idea. I could see myself using it every time I go to the barber.

I also like the fee system and I think it can be useful for open source projects where they collect donations, as an alternative to Buy Me a Coffee, for example.

Cool idea. I like the fees. Pretty much the only question I really had was unanswered: How simple is it for a consumer to use?

Ideally this is outdated technology already. Ideally, in Canada, where everyone has tap, there is just a tappable tip thing.

One of the big takeaways from high pressure sales is that if the customer doesn't buy right away, they aren't buying in the future.

I would hate to give my potential tippers a way out by letting them leave after scanning a QR code and then not using it because they are lazy, which they almost certainly are.

> I would hate to give my potential tippers a way out by letting them leave after scanning a QR code and then not using it because they are lazy, which they almost certainly are.

It's got nothing to do with laziness. Tips shouldn't be expected, and the difference between a QR code and a tip jar isn't going to change whether people think the service was deserving of a tip.

A better answer to cashless tips is just to allow customers to add it on to their total and collect it with the card payment. It's done that way in increasingly many restaurants in the UK and EU, especially with the decline of cash and a growing preference for contactless payments during the pandemic. No need for yet another service when the existing stuff handles it.

You didn't attempt to answer the question about how long it takes to actually tip and what the process is. So I'm going to assume it's a cumbersome as it sounds.

"difference between a QR code and a tip jar isn't going to change whether people think the service was deserving of a tip."

Yes, technically true. But seen from the wrong perspective. You won't be successful selling a product that doesn't care about it's customer.

If I live off tips, I need to convert those tips. People are almost ALWAYS going to be in agreement on what does and doesn't deserve a tip.

But that will have little bearing on whether I get tipped or not!

The goal is to make it easy. Look at the new mobile food delivery machines. You agree to the food amount and then they ask you if you want to tip 15%, 20%, 25%, or other!!!

Then it's up to you to fight through the menus to leave just a $5 tip! Lmao! It's brilliant.

And to be honest, if I QR scanned the thing, and then had to make an account, provide an email, I'm already out.

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