Google's plan for floating retail stores runs into legal quandary

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 46
    It's a great way to create a roaming store that can visit various ports.... A lot cheaper than having a bunch of permanent land-based stores.
  • Reply 22 of 46

    Maybe Google could buy Alcatraz and put a store there?

  • Reply 23 of 46
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member
    It looks kind of tacky. Maybe it's just unfinished.
  • Reply 24 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post



    How innovative: When it fails, they can just sink it for the tax write off.

     

    You do actually have to show a tax liability somewhere in the first place to be able to write it off.  Perhaps these vessels will be declared nation states with their own tax rules - forward planning for when they run out of places to hide their cash.

  • Reply 25 of 46
    Dudes! The Amazon Prime Air is a perfect companion to the Google floating barge stores!! By nearing the shore all around SF, Prime Air can provide citywide delivery to plutocrat rooftops from the Google floating pizza ovens and gourmet cuisine kitchens! The pizza will arrive still sizzling and you'll have to wait for a minute to cool down.

    Dudes! Surfers can have pizza delivered while waiting for the next big set to roll in from Alaska. DogCowabunga, dudes!
  • Reply 26 of 46
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Typical Google, always after a free lunch.

    Tow it and dock it to avoid the usual land and planning charges.
  • Reply 27 of 46
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member

    I doubt very much that this project is cheaper than paying rent for "normal" retail space.     And it's also not very environmental, because either the barge or whatever is towing it is going to have to burn oil to create electricity.   It's one thing to have to put up studs, plasterboard, flooring and fixtures in existing space and quite another to have to create a retail environment from scratch on a barge.

     

    But "whatever floats their boat".   

  • Reply 28 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post

     

    Didn't google say this things it going to cater to the rich and famous and VIP crowds and this is going to drive visitation or tourism.

     

    Yeah google is thinking outside the box, and trying to market product is different way, but you still have to deal with people in government and we all know how they can be. I wonder who will get fires over this if they can not pull it off.


    Makes me wonder how the Chromebook Pixel is working out for them. Google doesn't quite realize that there's a difference between being out-of-reach and harboring elitist aspirations vs. Apple's strategy of affordable luxury. Glass is out-of-reach enough. Did they have to make seeing/using this product truly only available to Glassholes? Their marketing is just, just horrible.

  • Reply 29 of 46

    Google's dishonestly and cheating just has no end. There's this sense I get that they, as an organizational, believe that the world's resources are theirs to take as they please. If they need to lie, cheat, and steal to get it they will.

  • Reply 30 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post

     

    I doubt very much that this project is cheaper than paying rent for "normal" retail space.     And it's also not very environmental, because either the barge or whatever is towing it is going to have to burn oil to create electricity.   It's one thing to have to put up studs, plasterboard, flooring and fixtures in existing space and quite another to have to create a retail environment from scratch on a barge.

     

    But "whatever floats their boat".   




    Actually, there have been a lot of experimental designs out there involving refitted containers, and similar modular components, that can be readily disassembled and transported.  If anything, a barge is simply one platform among many that can accommodate such a structure.  I can see this structure floated out on a barge, and then disassembled, transported, and reassembled in an inland location.  Other companies already use tricked out RVs and semi-trucks as touring product showcases.  This would potentially serve a similar purpose, only on a far larger scale.

     

    As temporary architecture goes, this could be a very interesting exercise.  Not sure to what extent it serves as a superior technology showcase or marketing push, but it has certainly attracted an inordinate amount of attention and speculation.

     

    Like I wrote earlier, I doubt that Treasure Island is the permanent location for this installation, and it might be there simply because of the large hangars/soundstages on TI that can be used for constructing and installing the parts that would go onto the barge. 

  • Reply 31 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by drblank View Post



    And how are all of the people that don't have any money that typically buy Android products get on the boat? Are they going to run them like some of these pop up stores where you can't take an actual product home? Apparently, they opened up a Pop Up store in my area for Christmas, where you can see all of the products, order the products over the internet (probably trying to get better internet sales numbers) but you can't take anything home and I don't think they have anyone there that will repair/replace a product and these are just temporary stores.



    I think Google is thinking so outside the box, that there's no logic involved in actually providing the customer with a solution.



    Freaking idiots.



    I saw that on a broadcast report.  Why bother with pop up stores if they don't even offer up the option of taking the demoed products home today or serving as a point-of-presence for aftersales support/returns?  Aside from the demos and showcases, the whole point of a B&M store in the first place is instant gratification -- you have the product in your hand right when you decide that you want to buy it.  Free or overnight shipping is no substitute for taking something home right now.

  • Reply 32 of 46
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Captain Gatorguy will sail it to Samsung in South Korea and be amongst friends.
  • Reply 33 of 46
    hmmhmm Posts: 3,405member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post



    Captain Gatorguy will sail it to Samsung in South Korea and be amongst friends.



    That is a strange comment.

  • Reply 34 of 46
    sflocal wrote: »

    There are some leaked photos of Google's plans for the midwest/desert areas of the US.  Perhaps in one of these they will find the Droids they were looking for. :)

    <img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="35673" data-type="61" src="http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/35673/width/350/height/700/flags/LL" style="; width: 350px; height: 282px">
  • Reply 35 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dunks View Post



    It looks kind of tacky. Maybe it's just unfinished.

     

    With Google Glass it will look like a palace with augmented reality. 

  • Reply 36 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Woochifer View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post

     

    I doubt very much that this project is cheaper than paying rent for "normal" retail space.     And it's also not very environmental, because either the barge or whatever is towing it is going to have to burn oil to create electricity.   It's one thing to have to put up studs, plasterboard, flooring and fixtures in existing space and quite another to have to create a retail environment from scratch on a barge.

     

    But "whatever floats their boat".   




    Actually, there have been a lot of experimental designs out there involving refitted containers, and similar modular components, that can be readily disassembled and transported.  If anything, a barge is simply one platform among many that can accommodate such a structure.  I can see this structure floated out on a barge, and then disassembled, transported, and reassembled in an inland location.  Other companies already use tricked out RVs and semi-trucks as touring product showcases.  This would potentially serve a similar purpose, only on a far larger scale.

     

    As temporary architecture goes, this could be a very interesting exercise.  Not sure to what extent it serves as a superior technology showcase or marketing push, but it has certainly attracted an inordinate amount of attention and speculation.

     

    Like I wrote earlier, I doubt that Treasure Island is the permanent location for this installation, and it might be there simply because of the large hangars/soundstages on TI that can be used for constructing and installing the parts that would go onto the barge. 


     

    The RVs and Semi trucks don't need a bunch of permits. Setting up a giant container based building on land is not going to be easy either. 

  • Reply 37 of 46
    hmmhmm Posts: 3,405member

    I'm a little disappointed. No one made a joke about them copying the "mothership" concept.

  • Reply 38 of 46
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Carthusia View Post

     

    Makes me wonder how the Chromebook Pixel is working out for them. Google doesn't quite realize that there's a difference between being out-of-reach and harboring elitist aspirations vs. Apple's strategy of affordable luxury. Glass is out-of-reach enough. Did they have to make seeing/using this product truly only available to Glassholes? Their marketing is just, just horrible.




    Glass was never meant for the general public but for the die hard independent developer, it's a test bed, nothing more. Google also sold every single one made and at cost, zero profit was made from it. Google also had no plans on turning a profit with the Pixel, or use it to try and convert people over to Chrome OS. They built it for themselves, i.e. employees, their developers and as gifts, lastly was to offer a few to the public, which is how many they sold. These are in house projects that basically had enough overstock that made it possible to Offer them to the public in limited numbers.

  • Reply 39 of 46
    rob53 wrote: »
    If this "store" is going to stay on Treasure Island, it will have problems attracting the number of people Google is hoping for. I've gone across the Bay Bridge and the exits to Treasure Island are not that easy to use. Try getting there during rush hour!

    Add this to Amazon's insane drone delivery service and while these two ideas are definitely "thinking differently" there is a difference between "different" and absolutely crazy. Of course, Google is just trying to get out of paying property taxes. I'd love to hear how they plan of handling sewage. One spill in the Bay and they better be closed.

    Yeah—I think Google is cruisin' for a bruisin'.
  • Reply 40 of 46
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,285member
    Talk about a real reality distortion field, but it is not bendable to reality this time I'm afraid. Google is out of touch with reality. If i was a shareholder I'd be worried by a lack of focus.
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