Marketing(?) rant

[russclan]

So I get this email from Toontrack regarding their upcoming new version of EZDrummer. I click on the link to Sweetwater (with the ever-so-enticing "I WANT TO BE FIRST" title), which brings me to their order page. Of course it has a couple of videos, couple of screenshots, a fairly in-depth description, etc. Nice page.

 

As I'm reading through the page, I come across a highlighted section, which is, I assume, supposed to convince me to order from Sweetwater, as opposed to the plethora of other online dealers. It says, in big, bold font "The Sweetwater Difference: Giving You a Choice". It then states how there are "two ways to buy", because Sweetwater has a firm belief in "doing the right thing" for their customers. You can "skip the preliminaries", "get ahead of the game", and "be ready to download EZDrummer 2 the instant it is released". If you choose this option, you'll get an authorization code immediately.

 

Buuuttt...you can't use the code until the release on May 6th.

 

Purchase option 2 is: you pre-order the program, but they won't charge your card until the May 6 release date, when they'll also send you a code. And then you can download the program, same as if you had prepaid.

 

Well, goddamn!! I can't choose! I'm so giddy with this whole "my cup runneth over" warm fuzzy feeling I have, that I simply can't decide!!

 

Of course, if you order now, there's gotta be something else they're throwing in, right? I mean, if I give you my money now, or at least commit to the purchase now, then I get a discount, or maybe a free expansion pack...right?

 

Nope. Nothing. Not a thing. Just the aforementioned satisfaction and great honor of having ordered from Sweetwater.*

 

Please, gimme a break. It seems like I've been seeing this a lot more lately. Pre-order this, or that...but you don't get anything extra for doing so.

 

If you want me to pre-order, if you want my money now, you gotta give me something extra, gotta sweeten the pot. Make it worth my while. Advertising that the "electronic delivery" is FREE, doesn't count. Well no sh!t it's free...it's a goddamned download. "Reserving a copy" means f*ck-all...there are infinite copies...it's a goddamned download!

 

 

A$$holes.

 

*The ad has a retail price of $99.00 crossed out, and a "Sweetwater savings" of $10.00, making the cost $89.00 (upgrade price). This is crap. Toontrack already stated, in a youtube video/webcast, that the price would be $89.00. Go to around the 27:00 mark in the video below to verify this.

 

[video:youtube]

 

/rant

 

[skipclone 1]

WTF? are they assuming people aren`t paying attention? that`s ridiculous.

[Chad Thorne]

They wouldn't do it if it didn't work. Many people do NOT pay attention, apparently.

[russclan]

I should clarify that I have ordered from Sweetwater before, and have not had a bad experience. Their prices seem on par with the competition, the staff seems knowledgeable, and their gear reviews are among the better ones, imho.

 

I doubt I'll order from them in the future, because this is sneaky and just plain wrong.

[Fred_C]

Using the "Accrual Method of Accounting" They can't "cash your check" until the product "ships" (downloads).

[Caevan O’Shite]

I should clarify that I have ordered from Sweetwater before, and have not had a bad experience. Their prices seem on par with the competition, the staff seems knowledgeable, and their gear reviews are among the better ones, imho.

 

I doubt I'll order from them in the future, because this is sneaky and just plain wrong.

 

I've liked Sweetwater Sound and have been quite satisfied with their sales and service. I'll tentatively suggest that, rather than just ceasing to do any business with them at all, you let them know what you think of this particular issue, and go forward from there.

 

Using the "Accrual Method of Accounting" They can't "cash your check" until the product "ships" (downloads).

 

True. And the other option, if I understand correctly, DOES allow them to "cash your check"- which would be good for them, getting sales revenue in their accounts all the sooner. Glib fast talk aside, I can't blame them...

[whitefang]

Other companies often offer a thrown bone for early orders; "Order now, and we'll also give you a _____, at NO EXTRA COST!"

 

With the ordering of a download, I have no idea wht they could offer to "sweeten the pot". But I get your point AND your frustration. Since you mentioned another outlet offers the same download for Sweetwater's "discount" price and the fact that there ISN'T a limited supply, what's the rush?

 

Caveat Emptor.

Whitefang

[russclan]

I've liked Sweetwater Sound and have been quite satisfied with their sales and service. I'll tentatively suggest that, rather than just ceasing to do any business with them at all, you let them know what you think of this particular issue, and go forward from there.

 

I'll probably email them about it.

 

 

Other companies often offer a thrown bone for early orders; "Order now, and we'll also give you a _____, at NO EXTRA COST!"

 

With the ordering of a download, I have no idea wht they could offer to "sweeten the pot".

Whitefang

 

There are any number of things they could do. As I stated before, they could give a discount, throw in an EZX expansion pack, a coupon/promo code for a future purchase - whatever. The fact that this particular purchase would be for a download doesn't really matter...I would be giving their company my money.

 

 

Since you mentioned another outlet offers the same download for Sweetwater's "discount" price and the fact that there ISN'T a limited supply, what's the rush?

 

There's no rush. I've been a user of EZDrummer for a couple of years, and I get email from Toontrack from time to time. After having watched Toontrack's webcasts, I knew I was going to be upgrading, and I also knew the release date and price. I clicked the link more out of curiosity than anything else.

 

I think the $89.00 upgrade price is fair, and a nice tip o' the hat from Toontrack to their existing customers. All existing Toontrack software will be upgraded to be compatible with version 2, so you lose none of the investment you've made so far.

 

But my beef isn't with Toontrack, it's with Sweetwater.

 

They came knocking on my door (along with thousands of other customers), so to speak. And to discover that it was only a ploy to get my money early really pisses me off.

 

If Sweetwater had advertised something along the lines of "Hey, we know you're probably interested in this new product that's coming out soon, so please consider giving us your business", I'd be perfectly ok with that. But instead they are playing a smoke and mirrors game and trying to make it appear that you would actually benefit by sending them money early.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[whitefang]

This may or may not help. The companies you mentioned are bigger concerns than the ones I dealt with in another matter.

 

I would constantly get calls from "home improvement" companies offering special deals on roofing, gutters, windows of any other work on my house. Simply saying "no thanks" didn't stop them. One day I got fed up and told them this: "I know you have my name and number on a list. I also have the names and numbers of similar companies on my OWN list. When I AM interested in getting any of that kind of work done on my house, I will go down the list and get prices. In other words, when I need any of this done, I will call YOU. If YOUR company keeps calling ME unsolicited, I will scratch your name and number off MY list. Got it?"

 

So far, it seemed to work. Don't know if it would work in your case, but it may be worth a try.

Whitefang

[Fred_C]

"I know you have my name and number on a list. I also have the names and numbers of similar companies on my OWN list. When I AM interested in getting any of that kind of work done on my house, I will go down the list and get prices. In other words, when I need any of this done, I will call YOU. If YOUR company keeps calling ME unsolicited, I will scratch your name and number off MY list. So far, it seemed to work. Don't know if it would work in your case, but it may be worth a try.

Whitefang

 

Great response!!

[5 string Mike]

The accrual stuff is one aspect-

 

I suspect another is there is a certain 'equity' in being first for many things tech-related. SW may be targeting those folks.

[russclan]

No, it wouldn't help, because my issue isn't with receiving an unsolicited offer. I could simply click the unsubscribe link, but I actually want to receive email from Toontrack.

 

I appreciate the response, but I think maybe you're missing the point, or I didn't explain my position clearly enough.

 

Sweetwater is advertising:

 

- a savings which doesn't really exist

- an option to preorder or prepay for a product which has no benefit whatsoever over simply waiting for the release date, although they go out of their way to make you believe there is a benefit

- an element of the transaction as being "free", when there shouldn't be a charge for it in the first place ("electronic delivery")

- the ability to reserve a copy of the program, when there are no "copies" and hence no need to reserve one

 

Granted, this is not a big deal, in the grand scheme of things. It's just a rant. Most who read this thread will probably shrug it off and not give a crap. That's cool.

 

These kinds of things strike a nerve with me. I think it's a particularly slimey way of drumming up business.

[A String]

One of my pet peeves for sure.

 

To be honest, the whole "instant Download" thing annoys me a bit as well. I like the instant download, I hate the fact that I'm paying the same price for the software alone that someone else is paying for the software that comes on a DVD with a printed cover and a case with a manual in it. Shouldn't my price be lower because they don't have to print the manual and stamp out the DVD?

 

 

[Chad Thorne]

I don't know why anybody is surprised by marketing ploys. It's what companies do. "Get this for under $100.00!" and the price is $99.99...

 

"Pre-ordering" is just paying for the thing before it's available. If it's the same price you may as well wait 'til it hits the shelves.

 

Or don't.

 

If you don't like this dog-and-pony show you might complain to Sweetwater. If they get enough complaints they might change it. To something equally slick...

[desertbluesman]

Even though Sweetwater does the ad thing in their own way, I find them easy to do biz with, and they always seem ready to satisfy an unsatisfied customer with some sort of solution.

 

Also I am immune to sales tactics anyways, I accept that they try to convince someone to buy from them and sometimes with not so on the table tactics. So does everyone else..... No biggie......

[Larryz]

I have good luck with Sweet Water and would continue to do business with them. Can't beat no shipping and handling on a single pack of guitar strings!