Mr. Rich And The Barnyard Bargains Go Experience (Mr. Rich, Rarity)
"...so anypony trotting out between the enchanted rhodium poles will pay you instantly! The spell automatically scans the enscorcelled price tag we placed on the test items, then teleports that exact amount in bits out of their saddlebags and into your till box! You'll never have to pay another cashier again! Now admittedly, there is some degree of ongoing expense for fresh tags, but compared to actual salaries for ponies who do nothing more than shift bits..."
"It isn't going to work."
"Of course it works! I wouldn't have come to you as my first prospective customer if I didn't know it worked! I went through hundreds of tests in my workshop, so I know everything I've told you is true! And frankly, just between the two of us, you know you wouldn't have let me set up the test if some part of you didn't believe it worked..."
"I let you set it up because I want you to see why it won't work. I'm certain you understand the magic involved, and that the enchantments all function well enough for a trial gallop. But you spent an hour on that little sales presentation, and there wasn't a single second of your practiced speech which made me believe you understand the first thing about ponies."
"I understand that your savings from the first season alone should add up to --"
"-- see that unicorn mare approaching the entrance? Just watch..."
"Give me a moment, darling: as long as we happen to be passing by, I should really pick up some fresh gem polishing cloths -- oh, hello, Mr. Rich! Whatever is that strange little endcap display about? I see my cloths, but I fail to recognize the purpose of such a random-seeming assembly..."
"We're testing something, Rarity. Would you mind taking the package and trotting out?"
"...without paying?"
"You'll see."
"Very well... Here we go, then."
*five bits*
"Oh! I felt the weight vanish from my saddlebags! How very innovative! I will be sure to inform Twilight at the moment I see her. And off we go, I suppose -- oh, wait... my pardon and apologies, dear one, but now that I am in the proper place for memory to surface, I recall that our basket was somewhat lacking in napkins. Back in we go --"
*five bits*
"...what? Why are my saddlebags lighter still? Was I just charged twice? Well! I understand that there may be a degree of experimentation in progress, but to pay ten bits for basic polishing cloths...! I am something of a hurry, Mr. Rich, and so we will have to discuss this later, especially as I must now devote time to finding another source of napkins. But please understand that a discussion will be taking place. Goodbye."
*five bits*
"-- I... am sorry, Spike, but I believe I will have to delay my arrival at the picnic somewhat. I suddenly have a certain need to speak with the manager. Immediately. And as he happens to be right inside the doorway --"
*five bits*
"-- MR. RICH!"
"Give the lady her bits."
"...yes, sir."
"Then remove the poles."
"...yes, sir."
"Also, I happen to like having cashiers. Good luck in your future endeavors."
"I -- also had an idea for a customer loyalty program."
"Really?"
"They loyally pay two thousand bits a year and when you're having a sale on overstocked items which nopony has any real interest in buying, you let them into the store half an hour before anypony else."
"Get out."
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The element of greed or stupidity?
This is just as game-changing as I feared it would be.
Wow.
Nice lack of naming who's speaking! It's clear enough that it not needed!
Also, Spike's there. And hasn't said anything! Interesting!
----
8683685
I'd say Rhodium. ... IIRC, this is canon-enough that I'm really wondering about Rhodium now...
And this is why you never test your own code. Especially not in a system where you can't establish a boolean $hasPaid to true.
... You know, I was just channeling PHP there, but the dollar sign at the start of the variable is quite appropriate in this context.
8683704
From Wikipedia, emphasis mine:
That would certainly explain why it was used to store the enchantment, though it clearly doesn't have the exact same magical properties as platinum. Mr. Rich wouldn't have let the poles into his store in that case.
8683701
Ah. Money Theft Spells.
Yes! Very Game-changing!
There's also the problems of
What about stuff like un bagged produce, etc. where the price varies?
What if they don't have the exact change?
Do they have customers that run a tab & pay, say, monthly? Or, for farmers, after selling the harvest? (Both historically accurate)
Should cut down on shoplifting -right up until would be thieves start pulling tags
Also might work for an express "Exact Change -Cash Only" lane for ponies in a rush
8683743
*nods* It's safe to say Mr. Rich saw a dozen problems lurking ahead and decided to demonstrate one. (And would have explained most of the others, but 'customer loyalty program.')
"So you're saying Mane Street is now a toll road?"
"That's right. Everytime you walk down the street, a single bit gets teleported out of your bit bag to pay for maintenance."
"Everytime?"
"Yes."
"So if somepony without any bits walks down the road, what happens?"
"Oh, don't be silly, Rarity. Everypony has a few bits."
"Such as the Cutie Mark Crusaders-- Whew, that was close. Ahem. As I was saying, Twilight. Do you mind looking in your bit purse?"
"Mine? Why... Hey, it's three bits low. And here they come again."
"I'll just leave you here to deal with the tiny details of your spell, Twilight. Taa."
And if they keep zooming up and down the street like I told them, I'll just have to buy them two scoops of ice cream each instead of the one that I promised.
So before I read the newest chapter, Estee said they were going to upload a Triptych chapter at more or less the same time as a Elements of Elements story that took place at the same time, is this that story or is it a different one entirely?
8683944
Different one entirely.
Poor Mr. Rich. Being a successful business pony makes him a lightning rod for quacks.
And here I was wondering how Rarity was going to
hagglenegotiate with the poles...But. You just teleport the price tag with the bits. And reassign the cashiers to actually provide customer service. The only problem I see is shoplifters; in which case the lack of bits alerts the manager and snaps a discreet photo of the pony in question.
I've been in retail a long time. Please do this chapter the honor of a second take with those corrections in place ;p
Just killed the whole concept in one savage blow. The pianos weren't enough, now Estee comes for the companies. Fear.
8684206
I don't think it's going to be quite as simple as that "just" implies... but on the other hand, that fact opens up more story opportunities. Rather than a do-over (if that's what you meant by second take), I'd like to see a followup that shows how the next major trial run goes once the obvious problems have been fixed. And if the system doesn't end up in the control of a new less–gouge-happy developer, it should be interesting to see just how the inventor tries to compensate for the revenue they'd lose from stores being able to reuse the teleported tags rather than having to constantly buy replacements, and how it inevitably goes horribly wrong....
Haha, this is actual kind of relevant again as Visa has even more and faster payment options, but a bit more processing so you wouldn't be charged twice.. tho self-checkouts exist so I'm not sure how valid that would be.
As soon as Rarity was involved, I knew it had to involve repayment
"One simply cannot make up their mind" and proceed to walk in and out, forgetting things 
Mr. Rich is going to have to change his mind when the local dropouts start agitating for 100% raises.
"15 bits an hour? Here's your replacement."
That was funny and I would like a follow up to that story where the inventor comes back again and again wiht the solution found in the comments of this story and each time Mr. Rich find another inherant flaw.
So... What about installing turnstiles combined with enter and exit only lanes? Wouldn't that work THIS problem? Simple, Mecanical. No additionnal magic. Add a security gard. Put a sign explaining.
8687215 Seriously. $15 an hour is more than my starting salary when divided into an hourly rate for BIOLOGY RESEARCH! Which took a masters degree.
And the robots do a better job. And don't put nasty things in your food.
8684206 A better idea is a self-driving cart! Because there's no way THOSE computers could be hacked! Right?
Wait, so is this the chapter we shouldn't read before reading that other chapter of Triptych?
8692007
No.
Also,
.
(I'm currently composing said Triptych chapter. With luck, both pieces will go up by Saturday night.)
Actually? This is a brilliant idea. You just need to have the Rhodium *remove* the tag/spell after the purchase is completed.
Um... where are flim and flam? This is rrrrrright up their alley.
8701749
I think Flim and Flam would know better than to try and sell this innovation to someone like Mr. Rich.
8688719
there IS a story by Estee where someone sells Mr. Rich some carts that are supposed to return themselves to the store...