Looks like Wild Bill is on the ropes

[Kekule]

That's pretty much what I was eluding to, HT.  

Offering a lower price for non-customers rather than offering the lower price to all/current customers.  Same fish, just a different flavor.  I don't care one way or the other what all y'all companies do.  Anything less that $200 a month is fine by me, and I paid that plenty of times!

Perhaps a good business decision for you and WBill both, but I'm not the one threatening to cancel my account, that falls to Dr.Yo.

Anyway, I find myself in another silly debate.    I promise to crawl back under my rock.

[Mini D]

it was a test kekule... It's not the same.  They were trying to find a happy spot between the price necessary to attract new customers and regaining old customers.  The offer only works if it's permanent.  You already know what the existing customers are willing to pay... it's determining what everyone else is willing to pay that is the problem.  9.95, 14.95 and 19.95 were presented.  When the decision was made on what scheme to use, all were given the same rate.  People were tight about this, but I would like someone to come up with a way for a company to decide just how low their prices should be that doesn't involve a similar model.  If you miss, you've made a change that is very difficult to undo.

Warbirds had the convenience of looking at someone else's price and saying "let's just go $1 less than that".  This is not a test to see what rate is best for everyone... it is publicly being offered to everyone with the explicit exception of current customers.  Basically, it's a hard slap in the face.

MiniD

[BlckMgk]

Only way I'd approach this as a business man, was to tell all my exisiting members that with the new pricing plan, it will be offered to all new members, but at which point exisiting members will pay the same fee's, with enhanced benefits, BUT a credit will be given to exisiting members for all the months they paid till senior/exisiting members could be brought down to the new pricing plan, at which point they will retain their benefits for being "Senior Members", i.e. Betas, special CD, etc.. A credit would be along the lines toward maybe a new Joystick, or Shirt/mug or maybe even to free months of play... credited back to them, to show your appreciation for their sacrifice, in the months of change.

-BM

[helllo]

It doesn't make sense to charge new players $24.95 when your trying to bring new customers. The past is the past. This is a move in the right direction for them.

[crabofix]

Hm, still on probation?

Guess I need to cancel that account again.

[Lizking]

It may have been a test, but it was offered as a lifelong price.  I would still be at 9.95 had I been interested.

[Mini D]

Anything other than lifetime (of the account) would be a gimmick and not an offer.  People were also offered 19.95 and 14.95 accounts.  Though... I'm pretty sure that anyone who signed up for the 19.95 lifetime account actually received the 14.95 price without re-registering with a new ID after HTC decided on the price drop.

MiniD

[Wanker]

I am a former customer of ICI/IMOL/iEN for four years, and when I cancelled my account in 2000 I never thought I'd be giving WBIII another try. But this new pricing has got my attention. To me, as a consumer, it's worth $13.95 to give WB a fair trial and see what the new development team is doing to the sim.

Also remember that this price includes unlimited play in DoA III, which is something that no other company can offer at this point.

Until HTC decides to make a WWI flight MMP flight sim like DoA, then I have no choice than to get my WWI fix over at iEN.

What I think is a real win for the consumer is that the price of playing only one of the AH/WB/WWIIOL games a few years ago, will nearly buy you a subscription to all three today.

[Wlfgng]

 WB is still WB... and run by the same person

[Zanth]

It is a bad sign, undeniably a desperation move.  I hope it works out for em, competition is good.

[DoctorYO]

Kekule you can sign up for my fanclub at..

http://www.Rotten.com

I know brutal truth hurts the most but I dont sugar coat anything for anyone..

If IEN or HTC offered discounts to volume customers thats nomal business practices...

Exp  Airforce buys like 50 accounts and gets it at 5.95 per account then thats the norm..

Now if some company freaking takes new customers and gives them a better deal with no extra volume or other endorsements then that is wrong.. and note this is while long time customers pay more than the new guy..

This isn't even business 101; this is even below paki mart rudementry economics and tribal trade... at all levels of trade or commerce if you want your customers business then half baked desperation tactics as such are not the way to go..

(Now you may ask:  "alright smart guy, what should they do.."  well first I would cut costs.  That stupid foosball table, gone... stupid expenses gone etc...  salaries get full review...clean freaking house...remove fatty cancers..  

Explain to the workers, do you want to work in this enviroment? and be straight forward with them...  They are your number one resource in software so you must keep them content by being fair and realistic ..  If they sense weakness and  try to take advantage then hire foriegn help...  Plenty of programmers in india, speak english and are highly educated..

play hardball...

(most important)(THE BIG ONE)  Regain the trust of your customers...  charging them months after the fact is pathetic AOL tactics and we all know what happened to them for doing such...

secure investment...  if this is not possible, build a better mousetrap (that interests investors) or cut your losses and get the hell out...

Shop your company around, if there is real value to it then it will be bought.  Hell Microslug needs a sim...  sell them your tcp/ip netcode..  etc..  if its good they will buy it...  They buy everyone elses stuff and rename it.  As much as I dislike them gouging people there business model is tight.. (with exception to Open source stealing their marketshare)



If they have exhuasted these options and more (this is like 10 secs in my head) then they need to rethink their business model..  And not rethink basic economics. (Like they did with their new bizarro pricing scheme.) (and note bizarro is most fitting)


Now the only exceptions for these policies that I observe is the telecom industry; but then again.. thats a screwed up dog eat dog marketplace where I dont agree with those practices either....  MCI anyone...


Dont mean to rant but when fan club members rise up I like to smack them down.. baah humbug

Dont take my word on these rudimentry business practices goto:

http://economics.miningco.com/  (note the oldschool mining co domain.. heh pretty old link..)

for some enlightenment..


Enjoy


DoctorYo

[Kekule]

DrYo

I wouldn't exactly call me a fan-boi.  I'd be happy if WildBillGates was completely out of the picture.  (Hey, who allowed WildBill into the picture, anyway? )

As for economics, all I can say is I got a "D" in econ 101.    Didn't help that I skipped half the classes to spend time with a girl.  It was worth it.

Take a look around you for more fan club members that need to be bonked in the head.   Watch out for reflections, though.

Oddly enough, it looks like the majority of current WB subscribers (long time customers) don't mind paying more than new subscribers.  *shrug*  Addiction? Blindly dedicated?  Who knows.  Many people enjoy WBIII and that is good enough for me.

[FUNKED1]

MildDill used to fly in the arenas during his first attempt at destroying WB.  He'll never see a single red cent from me.