Dirt Nap City - The Most Interesting Dead People In History
Dirt Nap City is the podcast about the most interesting dead people in history. In each episode, Alex and Kelly dive into the life of a famous person that you have heard of, but probably don't know much about. Our stories are about actors, entrepreneurs, politicians, musicians, inventors, explorers and more! We also cover things that used to be popular but have fallen out of favor. Things like pet rocks, drive in theaters, Jolt Cola, and many other trends of yesterday make up our "dead ends". But whether we are talking about interesting historical figures or past trends, the show is funny, light-hearted, entertaining, informative and educational. You will definitely learn something new and probably have some laughs along the way. Everyone will eventually move to Dirt Nap City, so why not go ahead and meet the neighbors?
If you love hearing stories from Dirt Nap City, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/DirtNapCityPodcast
If you have comments about the show or suggestions on who we should cover, please email us at not@dirtnapcity.com - we really appreciate you listening!
Dirt Nap City - The Most Interesting Dead People In History
CODs - Venmo Before Venmo Was Venmo
Remember a time before one-click checkouts and digital wallets? A mythical era when buying something online involved a real-life, human interaction and a wad of crumpled bills? In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the history of Cash on Delivery (COD), the payment method that was the unsung hero of early e-commerce and mail-order catalogs.
Join us as we explore what Cash on Delivery actually was—that slightly awkward, suspenseful doorstep dance where you handed physical money to a delivery driver in exchange for your much-anticipated package. We unpack why this system was once the king of remote shopping. In a world before widespread credit card use and when online security was a digital Wild West, COD was the ultimate trust-builder. You didn't pay until you could literally touch the box. It eliminated the fear of sending your money into the internet void, never to be seen again. We reminisce about the logistical genius and the sheer consumer confidence that the COD payment method provided for decades.
So, where did it all go? We chart the inevitable decline of Cash on Delivery. Discover how the rise of secure online payments, the ubiquity of credit and debit cards, and the arrival of digital giants like PayPal and Apple Pay made the COD model seem charmingly ancient. We discuss the logistical nightmare it became for retailers—managing floats for drivers, the high rate of refused packages, and the security risks of carrying cash.
From its peak as the most trusted way to shop from home to its current status as a retail fossil in many parts of the world, we cover it all. If you’ve ever wondered about the history of online shopping or want a nostalgic laugh about the way things used to be, this episode is for you. Tune in to learn why the simple, effective system of Cash on Delivery was both a brilliant solution and a logistical headache destined for the history books. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!
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Dirt Nap City is the podcast about the most interesting dead people in history.
Subscribe and listen to learn about people you've heard of, but don't know much about.
Someday we'll all live in Dirt Nap City, so you should probably go ahead and meet the neighbors!
