Strong Guacamole

 

When you subscribe you can set keywords to tell the bot what sort of packages want. Since July the number of addresses with avocado selected as a positive keyword have tracked perfectly with those that want whisky. To be clear, we do not sell whisky or avocados as these are both expensive and tricky to ship. These keywords will get you accessories. Like whisky stones or an avocado slicer.

As you can see, there was a sudden selloff of whisky and avocado over the summer. Then demand for both grew slowly until a couple weeks ago when avocado and whisky keywords got deselected by dozens of subscribers, going down 33% and 59% respectively. Now the bot isn’t buying as many of those avocado slicers.

You might think, perhaps it is the same people who have both avocado and whisky selected. Perhaps they like some scotch with their guacamole. Nope! Look at the low flat black line. There have been just seven people asking for both whisky and avocados since August. All the change is in addresses which have just one or the other. Is this just noise? Probably. With thousands of keywords are there going to be some spurious correlations? I suppose so. Or perhaps both peak in the spring and fall for reasons that are hard to explain. We will have to wait to see what happens next.

Cautionary Tale

I just wanted to re-post something that Shaun Slatter just put on Facebook

I have been using the service for some time. Finally today after much anticipation, I finally got the bobcat. He was much larger, and angrier than expected. This was likely due to this 300lb machine of deaths .5 sq ft package, with insufficient styrofoam packing peanuts. Upon receiving the package, I used my trusty pocketknife to break the seal. This action caused me to knick the bobcat’s ear, which sent it into a rabid frenzy. It terrorized my family for over 7 hours and ate my children’s pets. Animal control has left with the bobcat, my wife has left with the children, and I Am currently undergoing reconstructive surgery to repair the lacerations from this animal gnawing on my face, like fido did with his rawhide before he became this beasts snack. You’ll be hearing from my attorneys.

While I have yet to hear from Shaun’s attorneys, his post has spurred me into getting some liability insurance for the bot as you never know what mood bobcats will arrive in. USPS isn’t as gentle as they used to be. Shaun later posted an update…

Wife has left me for bobcat. I’ve come to terms, I just want them to be happy. Next month’s box better have a gift certificate for therapy.

Item Of The Day: Resurrection Plant

A subscriber wrote in with a picture of this very unusual and interesting resurrection plant.  She writes “The plant is awesome. It is basically dead and can survive like that for years apparently. Then when you add water it comes back to life. This is what it looks like after a couple of hours in water [see below picture]. You should get the bot to buy this for others.”
https://www.bobcatinabox.com/myboxes/ximages/product/image6397.jpg

The top picture is how the plant shows up, the bottom picture the subscriber sent in after it had been in water for a few hours.

First Bought
Feb 4, 2016

Keywords
plant
unusual
witch

Cyber Monday: Ship Dinosaurs

dinosaur-309638_1280

Just for Cyber Monday, we are launching ShipDinosaurs.com with a special offer… as many dinosaurs as you like for $1 each. We worked out a special integration with some suppliers just off Costa Rica and have a great deal with the post office on shipping.

We only have a few of the best sorts of dinosaurs left. The Hatzegopteryxes can be a handful. So head over and make sure your Aunt gets a Stegosaurus in time for Christmas.

If you already have a Bobcat In A Box account and would like to add some dinosaurs, send me an email at alexander@bobcatinabox.com