On: Dark Patterns are designed to confuse and enroll

[schoen]

B&H Photo Video famously won't accept online orders on Shabbat (in the time zone of the business in New York). Not just not fulfil the orders then, but not allow users to place them, either. I don't know how they decided to use only the time zone of the company and not the time zone of the person placing the order, and indeed where they see the desecration(s) of the sabbath as occurring if they didn't enforce this policy. Interestingly, their web site is still online at that time; it's only the online ordering feature that gets disabled.

[h_posner → schoen]

Ordering involves commerce. Commerce, you paying us for merchandise, is prohibited on the Sabbath. We use NYC time because NYC is our only location. We regret any inconvenience this temporary hiatus cayuses but it is unavoidable. -- Henry Posner / B&H Photo-Video

[schoen → h_posner]

I am super-impressed that someone from B&H found my comment, made an HN account, and replied to it directly.

[soylentcola → schoen]

I thought it was because their NY office is closed and nobody would be there to maintain systems or assist in the event of any screwups.

But then again, that was just an assumption so I may be way off base.

[Bartweiss → soylentcola]

If you're interested, B&H actually commented on on this thread.

Looks like the Sabbath violation would be on their end, when they take money for a service, so the problem only arises when during their local Sabbath hours.