Want to buy an HP calculator HPCalc.org? Think again.

[Lightages]

A person by the name of Eric Rechlin runs a nice site with information and software for HP calcs, http://www.hpcalc.org

He also has a commerce site selling HP calcs and a modified one called the WP 34S. It looks just like something I wanted so I emailed him as directed on his website to do so for foreign orders:
"*Note:* For international deliveries, I can ship it by First Class Mail, reducing the shipping fee to US$16 (instead of $27+). However, there is no tracking available with this shipping method. Please email me for details."

So I did. I got no answer for two days. I emailed again asking if he was still there at that email and I got the response, the full response "NO".

So I emailed him again:
"Please excuse my ignorance. I don't know if you are being ironic or sincerely do not wish to sell me anything.'

His response:
"I'm not that interested in selling.  It's just such a hassle to make these.

If someone orders one, I'll ship it eventually, but if someone is waffling and emails me to ask a question that's answered on my web site, I'll say no, because I prefer to only ship to the people who want it most."

What a great way to sell things........

Some people have no idea how to behave correctly if they want to sell things.

[Tepe]

He also has a commerce site selling HP calcs and a modified one called the WP 34S.

He did sell me a WP 34S. I have it right here on my desk.

[Wytnucls]

You can always make your own. 
http://commerce.hpcalc.org/34showto.php

[Lightages]

I am sure he has sold them before. Why he is being an ass to me I have no idea. Yes I could make my own, but that means finding the programming cable, buying the label stickers from him, and finding other parts here in Chile. It was cheaper,easier and faster to buy from him. But he obviously is just not interested in dealing with this anymore and could care less if I actually wanted to buy his other goods too.

[Wytnucls]

That thing looks way too busy anyway. Probably designed by a committee, aiming to satisfy every obscure need.

This is what I use:

[Stonent]

What did you say in your original e-mail?

[Lightages]

"Hello Eric:

I am interested in buying a WP 34S from you. I am a Canadian living in Chile and would like to know the price to ship to me here.

My address is:"

[jvdb]

Can you blame the guy? He clearly isn't making enormous margins on these. It wouldn't be worth it financially for most of the people here to produce one-offs like this.

He gave full instructions to produce this yourself. He should be commended, not publicly shamed.

[David_AVD]

If he doesn't want to sell them, why have them for sale?  From the side we've heard so far it sounds like he is acting somewhat childish.

[jvdb]

Looks like there are other people selling these, so you have options.

http://www.thecalculatorstore.com/WP34s-Package/en

[jvdb]

If he doesn't want to sell them, why have them for sale?  From the side we've heard so far it sounds like he is acting somewhat childish.

No doubt, but that doesn't make him a dishonest businessman. Some of the brightest people I know can be incredibly childish or otherwise petty in very quirky ways.

Personally, I completely ignore people if they leave me voicemail. That has made some people downright angry, but I find those are the people I typically don't want as customers anyway. 

[Lightages]

jvdb:

I think you are missing the point, He specifically asked to be emailed for foreign shipments. I did as he asked and treated like an inconvenience. If he doesn't want to sell anything, and doesn't want people emailing he should not put what he did on his web site. If he isn't making any money and finds it to be a problem, why is he advertising it?

[jvdb]

I think you are missing the point

I did not miss your point. I even agree that this was handled poorly by hpcalc.org.

My point of contention is his Right to Refuse Service. If he had accepted your money and not delivered, I think public shaming would be appropriate, but not in this case.

[EEVblog]

I think you are missing the point, He specifically asked to be emailed for foreign shipments. I did as he asked and treated like an inconvenience. If he doesn't want to sell anything, and doesn't want people emailing he should not put what he did on his web site. If he isn't making any money and finds it to be a problem, why is he advertising it?

Probably just hasn't bothered to update his website. I've been guilty of that myself many times.

[Lightages]

Probably just hasn't bothered to update his website. I've been guilty of that myself many times.

Could be. In that case the correct response is to not jerk me around but to say, "Sorry, not selling anymore. I haven't changed the web site yet."

I have sent people his way in the past to buy HP calcs. I guess I won't be anymore

[EEVblog]

I am sure he has sold them before. Why he is being an ass to me I have no idea.

This calculator was produced essentially for the calculator nerds over at the hpmuseum.org forum. It is a rather small and tight knit group that even have a yearly gathering at HP. It is very likely that he produced them for those people and maybe a few others, and them lost interest in it once it got beyond that. I'm sure he would not have acted that way to those in "the circle".

One of the guys that wrote the software for the 34S also wrote a good lot of my uWatch software, and did a manual for it too.
And the parallel key on the 34S is a direct result of my complaining that no calc since the Casio 61F had one!