[solved] ARCA OS5 is hard to get hands on..

[Mathias]

I've waited for the release, and when the product was finally available, I was ultra happy and wanted to try it out asap, BUT.... unfortunately the payment methods (credit card and bitcoin) are nothing that I have.

Okay.. so I contacted my software distributor guy, who always was able to offer me any product, I asked for. He agreed to ask ArcaNoae for an offer. After a week of nothing, I asked my distributor again, and he replied ArcaNoae hasn't answered yet. So I went to ArcaNoae and hit the contact button, asking what's the problem. There even was a reply to my question.. "We had so much to do.. we have now answered your distributor's e-mail" - Fine, I thought.. then another week went by.. and NOW my software distributor mailled me:

"We did get the reseller agreement from ArcaNoae, which is necessary in order to be able to sell ArcaNoae products and get an offer.
Unfortunately this agreement includes an unacceptable catch. Namely the need to advertise and promote products of ArcaNoae. Unfortunately we cannot do this .. just for one requesting customer, and so we cannot make you an offer." :/

I can see the reason why ArcaNoae has such a catch phrase in their contract, but on the other hand in the end everybody is unhappy: ArcaNoae cannot sell me a copy, the distribtor cannot get it for me and I cannot buy it.

Quite hard to get hands on that product. Looks like I need to find another distributor in Germany that has signed contract with the devil already, or wait until somebody gets rid of ArcaOS5 on ebay. :/


Edit: marked as solved

[Mo]

Hi Mathias,

you can check Bitwiseworks (https://www.bitwiseworks.com/shop/index.php?id_product=50&controller=product&id_lang=1). They offer Paypal or maybe they can figure something out as they are located in Austria.

[Mathias]

Oho! Big thanks Moritz!

I've asked Bitwiseworks via e-mail, and the reply came within minutes: A simple Bank transfer is also possible. Cewl! *__*

Case can be closed. : )

[xynixme]

the payment methods (credit card and bitcoin) are nothing that I have.

If bitcoins are a payment method, then I'd rate AN's Paypal option as a payment method for European customers too...

[Mathias]

Andre, I do not have paypal as an option. Please see the attached pic.

[Andreas Schnellbacher]

I do not have paypal as an option. Please see the attached pic.

'My Account' -> 'Payment Methods' -> 'Add Payment Method' is the wrong page. PayPal is a default payment method and doesn't need to be added manually.

Your screenshot shows that you're logged in.

Go to 'STORE' -> 'Shop' -> 'Arca Noae products'. Press the 'Add to cart' button below the item 'ArcaOS 5.0 - personal edition'.

After that, you'll find the default payment methods at the bottom of the 'Checkout' page:



You can reach it via the 'CHECKOUT' menu item or the 'View Cart' button, followed by pressing the 'Proceed to Checkout' button on the 'Cart' page.

[Greg Pringle]

It would seem to me that a direct payment method should be available like a check, bank info or for the daring, cash should be available. After all, OS/2 predates the commercial internet.

[xynixme]

It would seem to me that a direct payment method should be available like a check

A check ("Check Payment") is one of the three available main payment options of AN (Stripe Services, Paypal, check)...

[xynixme]

I do not have paypal as an option.

Legal or comprehensive reading skills are required to process the attachment...

First of all, the word "Paypal" occurs in the text of your picture. So apparently Paypal is an option, if you don't want to use the "Stripe Services" (credit card or bitcoin, hence the combined payment methods of one service provider).

Next, you have to select one option with a radio button. This suggests that the maximum number of options at that level should exceed one, supported by the fact that your single option is not a final choice with one payment method.

The website may or may not be perfect, but as Andreas has pointed managing your account data isn't the right entry. The Check Out of the shop is. I guess customers,  I'm not, can manage an own default payment method if they've used more than one main payment method option in the past.

In general bitcoin is probably the most expensive option, for one because the matching Stripe Service will involve buying and selling real money. Useless, avaidable transactions (EUR -> BTC -> USD), regardless of the price of additional risks (I'll refer to the Bundesbank and other central banks) of bitcoins.

[Neil Waldhauer]

For customers in the USA, Blonde Guy is now accepting orders, both for ArcaOS digital-only and for DVD. My payment system is Paypal invoice, but I also accept personal checks.

http://www.blondeguy.com/computer/BlueLion.html

[xynixme]

For customers in the USA, Blonde Guy is now accepting orders, both for ArcaOS digital-only. My payment system is Paypal invoice, but I also accept personal checks.

A general remark: in the "industry" having Paypal is not that unusual, so any digital-only USD 99 offer (~EUR 88.35, excluding Paypal's currency exchange fees) is competitive globally, without restriction to the United States. Having more time than AN to answer mails of customers may play a role too. Of course a shop doesn't have to accept all orders.

[Mathias]

*** Working for me! ***

Thanks Andreas!!

I thought first I need to tell AN how I am going to pay, but since Paypal is already the default method, this option was not available to add again.

Weird system at ArcaNoae:
I wonder why I should "add" a method, rather than simply choosing ONE method between the available options. - Usually the one method selected remains the same over all the years at one account.
In my opinion, this adds an extra layer of unnecessary weirdness to the whole thing.. xD

In many other shops it's solved way easier, like the way Amazon does:
Before you can buy anything, you need to choose ONE payment method from a list of ALL options, where your choice then is being attached to a post address. In the case you need more than one payment method or post address, you are free to add some more, still showing the same list of options to choose again. - Without removing already chosen options. This is ... atleast to me... very clear and hassle free.

Very well then! : ) Thank you guys!

[xynixme]

I wonder why I should "add" a method, rather than simply choosing ONE method between the available options.

I'm not a customer with or without AN cookies, but it does look like having to choose "ONE method" during an initial check out, as usual, without having to manage nor add anything.

Disclaimer: the Stripe Services are one option, but more than one method. So the number of available options is N - 1. I'd move Paypal to the top of the list, but perhaps it's a condition of the rather useless Stripe Services that their API has to be option #1.

[Andi B.]

A general remark: in the "industry" having Paypal is not that unusual

No clue which 'industry' you are talking about. But the 'industry' I'm working prefers real banks which has to follow the bank laws instead paypal.