Smartphone Phobia and Nomophobia in RV Life

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Is it actually legal for a business to refuse legal tender?

Generally Yes, but some states or cities have added their own restrictions on point-of-sale transactions.
This is a legally fuzzy area. The US dollar is the "legal tender" that has to be accepted - not necessarily the paper bill itself. Demanding payment in gold or the French Franc would probably be a violation, but transmitting US dollars via a credit card or a check drawn on a US bank is generally held to be using legal tender. Courts have also held that retail merchants don't have to accept US coins - you may not be able to buy that new car with several tons of pennies!

 

[DonTom]

Temu has never had bidding that I know of

"Yes, Temu has historically used a bidding system, specifically a comparable bidding system launched in March 2023 that allowed manufacturers to compete for sales.

• Supplier Bidding: Temu utilized a reverse auction model where suppliers bid against each other to offer the lowest possible prices for standardized products. Suppliers who lost these bids were restricted from stocking or updating product information on the platform.
• Merchant Policy: The platform could unilaterally reduce prices to what it deemed "reasonable," and suppliers had only 24 hours to object. This aggressive pricing strategy forced merchants to operate on thin margins to maintain traffic.
• Current Status: While the specific internal supplier bidding mechanics have been a core part of its early growth, reports indicate that Temu's current strategy also heavily involves aggressive paid search advertising, where the platform bids on competitors' brand keywords and general search terms to drive user acquisition. "

and I never saw any TV advertisements.

"Yes, Temu has heavily advertised on television, most notably through a massive campaign during the Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024.

• Super Bowl Campaign: Temu aired six ads during the broadcast (three during the game and two in the post-game show), repeating the same 30-second spot featuring an animated shopper and the jingle "Shop like a billionaire."
• Cost: The company spent an estimated $35 million to $42 million on these Super Bowl spots alone, plus an additional $15 million in coupons and giveaways associated with the campaign.
• Strategy: This followed their TV debut at the Super Bowl 57 in 2023, where they aired the same ad twice. Temu’s overall marketing strategy involves a "brute force" approach, spending hundreds of millions annually on TV and digital ads to build brand recognition.
• Reception: The repetitive nature of the TV ads generated significant viral attention and memes, with some viewers expressing annoyance, but it successfully drove millions of app downloads and increased the company’s monthly active users in the U.S. to 70 million. "

 

[DonTom]

. I'm just making the point that at some point we need to accept new technology for the good things it does for us.

Even when the bad things outweigh the good, as with the case of stupid Smartphones (IMAO)?

IYO, have Smartphones been good for society as a whole?

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

Temu has never had bidding

I am glad to hear they stopped that BS. The way it then worked was you lose a percentage of your money on bids even if you lost the bid. And it was complicated. They would advertise on TV $300.00 items for around five bucks, but it was all based on half-truths. It was obvious to me back then Temu was making their money on the bids even if they sold nothing at all. Of course, the TV advertisements never mentioned the bidding at all.

They obviously got millions of people to look at their website (like me) but then most decided to never look at them again after reading about how the bidding worked. It was nothing like E-bay bids.

Obviously, their trick did NOT work. It got millions of people (like in my case) to look at their website and decide they want nothing to do with them.

Now that Temu stopped that BS, I can try them out for the very first time ever.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[TheBar]

I am glad to hear they stopped that BS. The way it then worked was you lose a percentage of your money on bids even if you lost the bid. And it was complicated. They would advertise on TV $300.00 items for around five bucks, but it was all based on half-truths. It was obvious to me back then Temu was making their money on the bids even if they sold nothing at all. Of course, the TV advertisements never mentioned the bidding at all.

They obviously got millions of people to look at their website (like me) but then most decided to never look at them again after reading about how the bidding worked. It was nothing like E-bay bids.

Obviously, their trick did NOT work. It got millions of people (like in my case) to look at their website and decide they want nothing to do with them.

Now that Temu stopped that BS, I can try them out for the very first time ever.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Edit: I want to warn others to bypass and stay away from the "games" on Temu. Don't spin any wheels or get any coupons, etc. They are designed to confuse and hook you to spend more. One other warning, on some items there is a $25 minimum order.

I fast forwarded the Super Bowl ads so you got me on the TV advertising.

But there never has been any customer bidding. Only their suppliers/advertising. This from Google AI:

If you have seen terms related to bidding associated with Temu, it is likely referring to one of the following:

Vendor/Merchant Bidding:
Advertising Bidding:
Promotional Games: Temu features gamified promotions, spins, and giveaways in its app that users can participate in, but these are not traditional "customer auctions" where users bid on items.

 

[NY_Dutch]

...
IYO, have Smartphones been good for society as a whole?

-Don- Auburn, CA

Absolutely! They have saved lives, kept people from getting lost, allowed people to manage their financial affairs and pay bills wherever they are, kept people in touch with each other, let people know when bad weather is approaching, take photos without needing a separate device, read books anywhere, track package shipments, easily convert units of measurement from one format to another, tell time and measure timed events, and lesser functions like streaming video programming and listening to music. There are many more useful functions of course, too many to list here, like checking on the condition of your new batteries.

 

[DonTom]

Absolutely! They have saved lives, kept people from getting lost, allowed people to manage their financial affairs and pay bills wherever they are, kept people in touch with each other, let people know when bad weather is approaching, take photos without needing a separate device, read books anywhere, track package shipments, easily convert units of measurement from one format to another, tell time and measure timed events, and lesser functions like streaming video programming and listening to music. There are many more useful functions of course, too many to list here, like checking on the condition of your new batteries.

All of that stuff I have other ways to do. I prefer REAL GPS units, REAL computers (like this one) and I usually prefer separate units.

I have no issue with the real computers that can do all that stuff, My phobia is only with the stupid Smartphones I wish were never invented. In many cases, stupid Smartphones is what prevents all of the other methods being possible.

Today, it is expected that everybody has a Smartphone. Well, I do too, but that doesn't mean I like the way they are changing the world.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

They are designed to confuse

That was what I thought about their old bidding system. The TV adds did make me check it out and after seeing how people were being ripped off in their bidding for things NOT won is what made me lose all interest and I never checked back, so I didn't know about their recent changes.

IOW, it was true that you could buy a $300.00 item for ten bucks, after losing $500.00 in lost bidding. It was clearly a scam when I checked out on how it worked several years ago.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[RayIN]

Don is complaining about laundromats using newer technology that requires using a smartphone to pay to use the machines. He's wishing smart phones had never been invented. I'm just making the point that at some point we need to accept new technology for the good things it does for us. I do understand where he's coming from, I just don't agree with him.

How would you react if you didn't own/use a smart phone in this situation?

 

[NY_Dutch]

All of that stuff I have other ways to do. I prefer REAL GPS units, REAL computers (like this one) and I usually prefer separate units.

I have no issue with the real computers that can do all that stuff, My phobia is only with the stupid Smartphones I wish were never invented. In many cases, stupid Smartphones is what prevents all of the other methods being possible.

Today, it is expected that everybody has a Smartphone. Well, I do too, but that doesn't mean I like the way they are changing the world.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Try sticking all your other devices in your pocket and going on a hike for a few days. I won't label you a Luddite, but there were people that thought the automobile was going to be the downfall of civilization. You either learn to use the new technologies to your advantage or get left behind as the world advances.

 

[dave541]

All of that stuff I have other ways to do. I prefer REAL GPS units, REAL computers (like this one) and I usually prefer separate units....

-Don- Auburn, CA

I still prefer paper maps and a real compass for hiking.
Never had a battery die on a paper map...

However, I am still crawling into the 21st century. We haven't had a landline phone in twenty years. I sort of like just waving my phone at the gas pump or at the electronic gizmo at the cash register to pay, and answering phone call and texts from my wristwatch.
Now that my phone has satellite connectivity, I may stop carrying my PLB when solo off-trail hiking (I only carry a PLB because DW insists).

 

[Larry N.]

It might be interesting to know how people without the "smart" phone manage in this world- there still are some people in that situation, though they are a small minority now. Seems to me that they are unable to do some things, such as charging an electric car, making any kind of phone call when away from their landline (assuming they have one), and probably a lot of other things.

Of course those folks probably have no desire to mess with most things that the "smart" phone enables,

Certainly these devices have their pluses and minuses, and there's a lot to dislike (IMO), but there are things to like, as well. But I hate the almost ever-present assumption that EVERYONE has such a device, and for me it's not something to indiscriminately hand over the phone number to everyone that asks for it, as some seem to expect.

It's interesting to see the various reactions in this thread, both pro and con as well as mixed.

 

[DonTom]

I still prefer paper maps and a real compass for hiking.
Never had a battery die on a paper map...

However, I am still crawling into the 21st century. We haven't had a landline phone in twenty years. I sort of like just waving my phone at the gas pump or at the electronic gizmo at the cash register to pay, and answering phone call and texts from my wristwatch.
Now that my phone has satellite connectivity, I may stop carrying my PLB when solo off-trail hiking (I only carry a PLB because DW insists).

While, hiking I carry two GPS units, sometimes 3 (two Garmins and a Delorme PN-40) along with spare batteries. I no longer deal with paper maps and compass like I used to. I also carry a Spot Messenger and an in-Reach, all with extra batteries.

I cannot stand the way cell phones work since they went digital, so I have a LL (really cable telephone) at each house. No missing syllables and dropouts that way, even if still digital.

However, when I used my "cell" phone via wireless with Starlink several times, I sure could tell the difference. When cells phones are replaced with satellite phones, it will at least get rid of my cellphone phobia and perhaps my home landlines as well. It is almost always off.

Just as with anything else on the stupid Smartphone, I only use the cellphone function for emergencies and for when there is no other choice.


-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

Try sticking all your other devices in your pocket and going on a hike for a few days.

No problem at all. I do all my hikes, even my motorcycle rides, with a backpack.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

It's interesting to see the various reactions in this thread, both pro and con as well as mixed.

Yep, I wsan't expecting to be at five pages so soon by just mention "Nomophobia" in the subject line.

I assume most people here never even heard the word before. Or do we call that an acronym? Seems half & half 2 me.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[NY_Dutch]

No problem at all. I do all my hikes, even my motorcycle rides, with a backpack.

-Don- Auburn, CA

That backpack would be a bit lighter without those separate devices to pack and keep charged. But to each their own...

 

[DonTom]

That backpack would be a bit lighter without those separate devices to pack and keep charged. But to each their own...

I do NOT have HeaveyBackPackPhobia, but many others do. I do not care if it is light or not as long as I can hack it.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[NY_Dutch]

I do NOT have HeaveyBackPackPhobia, but many others do. I do not care if it is light or not as long as I can hack it.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Ahh, you youngsters have all the answers...

 

[TheBar]

I can't see living without a smart phone. With age comes failing memory. It's a rare day I don't set a reminder to do this or that, or set a location reminder to pick up the RX while I'm driving in the general area of the pharmacy. I also use them like alarms. I set a reminder to wake me up from my noon nap and call the bank.

 

[bigbAZ]

Another nice thing I just remembered is the translators now available on your phone, just by Googling, no app needed. When we travel to Mexico our Spanish is OK for the basics but we get lost real quick when more detailed conversation is needed and it's the same way with most of the natives. Now all we do is speak English into the phone and show the Spanish person the phone screen, then they speak Spanish into their phone and show us their phone screen.

Of course it's true that with every advancement we lose something, and I still would like to keep working on my Spanish so I can communicate the old fashioned way.