#IPAS Pricing?
10 messages in this thread
Fellow 3ders:
I'm curious to the opinions of those who use "Studio" and what you
feel about IPAS pricing and packaging.
I'm sure we all would like to save money and would buy more if
"everything" were "cheaper." This seems to be part of our nature that
we want more for less. I however, am a firm believer in the "Good
Book" that says "a laborer is worthy of his wages" …paraphrased:
Your deserved to be paid FAIRLY for what you do.
My personal suggestion is I really would buy more, more frequently,
NOT if IPAS's were cheaper, only packaged differently. This is
primarily a suggestion to the YOST Group who have developed
incredible routines but are packaged in a way that are not as easily
purchased! Don't get me wrong, it's not the price that I suggest you
change, (I feel they are worth the money) only offer them
"individually" at a slightly higher rate, and, as you do now also as
a "package" at a savings of the current rate. I have purchased "group
4" thus far and am saving toward another. Group 4 has 6 .axp's which
retail would be about $50 apiece. I would pay say 50% higher to buy
ONE ($75) and would do it more often.
I feel that many "Studio" users have the same problem as me in that
you start saving up toward your next IPAS, get to about a hundred
bucks and then need to use the money for something else. Start again
and get to maybe two hundred and need to use the "green" for yet
another bill. The point is I honestly feel I would buy a single IPAS
every other month AT LEAST. You make more money in the long run
"singles" and the power users get the discount by buying the whole
package. Bottom line….overall more sales!
Besides, although I may not be interested in the entire package, you
get me "hooked" using the singles where now I want them ALL.
I realize that there are many hidden costs in developing these that a
certain dollar count is necessary, my opinion is that the TOTAL sales
would far outweigh the additional costs of making them available
seperately.
What is your opinion?
Jerry
If this was the proverbial "best of all possible worlds", I'd
completely agree with you. Unfortunately, the IPAS Boutique is
something that takes too much energy ALREADY. It's set up the way it
is (in collections) to simplify the order-taking and administrative
process because it just wouldn't exist if that process was any more
complex.
While I think it's misleading to say "IPAS's are too expensive" when,
as you state, they generally work out to about $50-75 ea, I
absolutely agree that there are routines I can't justify getting (for
my architectural office) because they are in a $300 bundle with 5
other routines I have absolutely no use for.
I realize that tracking sales and orders and upgrades for the 40+ Yost
Boutique (for example) routines separately is a lot more work and
trouble than doing it for 7 sets, as a consumer, that's not really my
concern. What do I care if it's easier on the seller if I can't
afford the product?
Gary has stated before that his contracts with the various programmers
(who generally do one whole disk each) are written such that the
routines can't be broken up/re-packaged, etc. I guess I don't
understand why new agreements can't be written. I also agree with
your statement that it'd be worth paying $75 each for routines
separately that are bundled for $50.
The thing is, we see Schreiber and others following suit with bundles
only. I'm not sure I understand this.
I agree with your ideas and would definitely buy a couple of IPAS
"singles" immediately if they were unbundled.
I tend to agree with you, about purchasing routines separately. However,
regarding Schreiber, I was under the impression that with their convertible
demo CD, anything could be purchased seperately? If this is true, is there a
reason that the IPAS boutique can't be marketed this way?
Bob W.
Good point — I hadn't thought about the fact that the CD (other than being
worse [IMHO] than T7G to install<g>) allows demo-unlocking of all their
routines individually. But as Gary said, they barely have time to program the
routines in the first place, let alone incorporate soft-copy protection. It
would all depend on how hard it is to incorporate.
Dave
As a new shop, I have to concur with these sentiments. I feel, however, that
Viewpoint has a good solution. That is the CD-ROM.
Put all available IPAS from a given manufacturer (ie. Yost) on a CD-ROM.
Distribute the CD-ROM freely with demos on it. When you decided you want an
IPAS, call up the manufacturer and get the code to unlock the IPAS. An
automated creditcard/bbs system for established clients would simplify the
process even further.
This simplifies distribution and sales since only one mass produced CD-ROM is
involved instead of several diskettes. I bit more work will be involved in
making a purchase, but the end result (IMHO) is an even trade in terms of
effort. Plus, the buyer gets to choose the routines that best suites the need
at hand.
— James E. Coulter — Mindscape Animation Productions —
I agree, but I imagine, as Gary says, they (YG) can barely find the time to do
the IPAS's in the first place, let alone spend time addind copy/demo
protection.
Dave
Hello With schreibers routines most are sold as individual routines.
About the only ones sold in sets are Ours Fx10 and the filter and animated
factory. I feel the cost is pretty fare considering all the effort and work put
into IPAS. With out a majority of the routines you can't do what the guy with
them can.
Mike White [SDP]
Hmm… I agree with that, mostly because the $300 is a major major
percentage of my paycheck. I'd like to purchase displace, very very much so,
but I can't afford the disk yet.
Yost's IPAS' are the most fairly priced I've ever seen. I have a
burning desire for Schreiber's Detailor module – but it costs $300 in itself…
you're paying for overseas piracy there… I wonder how the sales reports look
from one company to the next?