Free Coffee Shop WiFi Backlash
from the too-succssful dept
When coffee shops and restaurants first start offering free WiFi, there were all sorts of predictions that it would be terrible, as people would camp out and just use the WiFi without buying anything. Early reports showed the reverse happened. People often came in to use the WiFi during traditionally "slow" times, and avoided using WiFi during busy times (tough to work then anyway). This meant that places offering free WiFi often saw a tremendous return on investment -- bringing in new customers at times that were traditionally down times. However, as more people get laptops with WiFi and learn about free WiFi, is there a backlash? Apparently, one coffee shop in Seattle has felt overwhelmed by people using WiFi in the shop and has decided to turn off the WiFi on weekends. The shop owners complained that the place had become less social, as it was just a sea of laptops, rather than people talking to each other. Also, more people were avoiding the polite standard of at least buying something before using the WiFi. It would be interesting to know if there were other free WiFi coffee shops nearby, and how they fair in comparison. There's nothing wrong with deciding it's just not right for the type of customers the shop wants, it's a bit surprising that the place became so overwhelmed with users.
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Sweet
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Wifi Access
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I didn't know there was free wifi
I just got a wireless card through work, though I've only used it at work-- at home I plug it into my ethernet.
The kids were being unruly, so I set out in search of a wireless coffee shop where I could snack and work. It seems you have to pay a ridiculous amount of money to use most of these.
So... I wired the crawlspace with ethernet and worked down there.
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No Subject Given
I used to go pretty much every day for coffee, a bagel and to read the paper before going to work. It was a nice, neighboorhood-y, quiet kinda place. When they first implemented 4 years ago, I thought it was really cool, and I was the only one using it for a long, long time. Now it's just laptops and people running outside to answer calls. It's like going to work.
Dunno if they are making more or less money, but they also raised the prices and I see the same people sitting there all day, every day.
Chris.
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Freeloading problem should be simple to fix
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Telecommuting Offices
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Free Wi-Fi at coffee shops
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