11 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

So. As we all know, starting with the soon to be delivered Kodiak, PGI started a new approach to the Package sales.

Instead of just Standard Package, with Collectors and Hero Upgrades, they also added the Reinforcement Packages, and with the Phoenix Hawk, as a convenience, the Ultimate Package.

While we can debate the value of the Collectors Pack and the Reinforcements ad nauseum, that's is for other threads. On this, I simply want to address, and hope PGI is listening about a missed sales opportunity for the Ultimate Packages.

In and of themselves, there is nothing inherently wrong with the Ultimate Package. For those already determined to buy the whole shebang, it's convenient, and less likely to get your bank's security alerts on notice, than having to separately make multiple individual purchases.

Though one could question as to why if they can have them all together as an Ultimate Pack, why can't they let you pick and choose the separate components of the the Mech Packs that you want BEFORE going to the payment menus?

Still, this (finally) is the point I am trying to make: The Ultimate Mech Packages are an example of poor marketing, and sale opportunities lost.

Why? Because they only matter to those who have already decided to "Buy it all"!!!

Conversely, if they had added incentive to it, a la the Collectors Pack, such as Extra Items, Premium Time, Badges, etc, or my preference, something akin Discount for Buying it All, they would also be swaying, and adding sales from those who were either undecided, or even decided against buying them all, in the first place.

Let's be realistic. The "Reinforcements" require minimal resource investment from PGI. No new textures to map, no custom skins, geometry, etc. Hard-point mapping is about it. In most cases, the amount of undecided buyers and extra sales that adding perceived value would generate far outstrips the "lost revenue" from those who already decided to go all in, anyhow.

This is nothing new, it's literally part of Marketing 101. Perceived value generates sales. Look no further than the adds you get in the paper, or online, all the time.

For whatever faults (real or imagined) people may have with PGI, so much of it really boils down to how little effort or understanding appears to be put into proper PR and Marketing, and this is just another example. They were tone deaf and oblivious to public sentiment when they blithely rolled out Transverse. The Jumbo Packs led to buyer burnout and remorse. A la Carte was largely reviled from the get go. Collectors packs are largely considered a poor value, overall. This isn't a one time thing.

So please PGI guys. Take some time and really think about the perceived value of your Package Marketing.

Regarding increasing perceived value of Package Sales, in general, please refer to this Topic:
http://mwomercs.com/...d-hero-upgrade/

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 13 May 2016 - 02:40 PM.

[CDLord HHGD]

Missed advertisement opportunity: UltiMECH Package.

[Bishop Steiner]

CD LoreHammer Lord, on 13 May 2016 - 12:33 PM, said:

Missed advertisement opportunity: UltiMECH Package.

Touche!

[Wintersdark]

I'd like to see any full pack have a discount, whether you bought it via the ultimate pack or upgraded piecemeal.

I wouldn't want to see what amounts to a penalty if you bought small and upgraded.

Mostly, because I usually don't have $100 for an ultimate pack (stupid exchange rates, it's a bloody Canadian company!) up front and within the early adopters window.

[Bishop Steiner]

Wintersdark, on 13 May 2016 - 12:45 PM, said:

I'd like to see any full pack have a discount, whether you bought it via the ultimate pack or upgraded piecemeal.

I wouldn't want to see what amounts to a penalty if you bought small and upgraded.

Mostly, because I usually don't have $100 for an ultimate pack (stupid exchange rates, it's a bloody Canadian company!) up front and within the early adopters window.

I get you, but that's really not how retail sales works. It's to get the mad money now. Sales are often emotionally motivated, and short window, perceived extra value categorically brings in more revenue than what you are saying.

As a consumer, I agree it sucks, but as a retailer (which PGI is, technically), it's what is proven business.

[Metus regem]

Wintersdark, on 13 May 2016 - 12:45 PM, said:

I'd like to see any full pack have a discount, whether you bought it via the ultimate pack or upgraded piecemeal.

I wouldn't want to see what amounts to a penalty if you bought small and upgraded.

Mostly, because I usually don't have $100 for an ultimate pack (stupid exchange rates, it's a bloody Canadian company!) up front and within the early adopters window.

Extra funny bit Winter, doing the Ultimate pack actually saves you a few bucks on the exchange rate rather than doing it for each item one at a time. I found that out when I was looking at the Phoenix Hawk package.

[Felicitatem Parco]

I 100% support a grid of check-boxes that I can populate to determine my final transaction.

I already created a thread before saying that the only thing you get as incentive to buy the Ultimate Pack is fewer mouse clicks, but people defended the non-value-added package pretty voraciously. It seems like many people think there is no reason to give a better value to those who buy large quantities of materials.

Edited by Prosperity Park, 13 May 2016 - 01:45 PM.

[Malleus011]

They need to address the value perception of their packs.

20$ for three assaults, because of their own previous pricing strategy, is seen as a value.
20$ for three lights, because of their own previous pricing strategy, is seen as a ripoff.

15$ for a hero is seen as an OK price; 20$ for a (S) version and some toys is seen as a bad deal.

They need to normalize and standardize their pack pricing and "special 'mech" pricing.

IMHO, go 10$ for three lights, 15$ for three mediums, 20$ for three heavies, and 25$ for three assaults.
(S) models and hero add-ons should be the same prices, do the same things, and come with the same extras.
Reinforcements should add more than just the extra variant(s); at least some more cockpit trash or premium time, or be significantly cheaper.

Failing that, start adding more goodies. Give out bigger pre-order bonuses for early hero or collector's packs (because right now the smartest thing to do is buy base and wait till release). Give out a nice extra for buying the all-in-one pack.

Seriously, consider a limited, easy-to-make item for preordering everything. Yes, people whine about it, but they also spend $ to get things that are limited. Make it a warhorn or cockpit dangly if that's the cheapest thing, but use your marketing wizardry and make people feel happy when they spend money on your stuff.

[Bishop Steiner]

Malleus011, on 13 May 2016 - 01:43 PM, said:

They need to address the value perception of their packs.

20$ for three assaults, because of their own previous pricing strategy, is seen as a value.
20$ for three lights, because of their own previous pricing strategy, is seen as a ripoff.

15$ for a hero is seen as an OK price; 20$ for a (S) version and some toys is seen as a bad deal.

They need to normalize and standardize their pack pricing and "special 'mech" pricing.

IMHO, go 10$ for three lights, 15$ for three mediums, 20$ for three heavies, and 25$ for three assaults.
(S) models and hero add-ons should be the same prices, do the same things, and come with the same extras.
Reinforcements should add more than just the extra variant(s); at least some more cockpit trash or premium time, or be significantly cheaper.

Failing that, start adding more goodies. Give out bigger pre-order bonuses for early hero or collector's packs (because right now the smartest thing to do is buy base and wait till release). Give out a nice extra for buying the all-in-one pack.

Seriously, consider a limited, easy-to-make item for preordering everything. Yes, people whine about it, but they also spend $ to get things that are limited. Make it a warhorn or cockpit dangly if that's the cheapest thing, but use your marketing wizardry and make people feel happy when they spend money on your stuff.

I don't disagree with you, but I don't want to muddy the water with other stuff, on this thread, if we could avoid it. As I have said, I have made plenty enough threads and posts about Package Value, beside this one. So I do agree, but prefer to focus as much on the Ultimate Pack as possible, here.

[Wintersdark]

Metus regem, on 13 May 2016 - 01:39 PM, said:

Extra funny bit Winter, doing the Ultimate pack actually saves you a few bucks on the exchange rate rather than doing it for each item one at a time. I found that out when I was looking at the Phoenix Hawk package.

I didn't compare, as financial limitations prevented my buying the full pack at once. Also, it's easier to justify the odd $25 to the wife than $100+, even if they add up the same

[Zordicron]

IMO, it is hard to discuss the ultimate pack without looking at what it comprises of. But we don;t really even need to do that now do we.... the red haired collector editions are really what holds the whole thing back.

Look, I get that there are fans of certain mechs that would buy a collector variant. Hell I bought the Marauder one, because I was waiting for a looooong time to have that chassis back in a MW game.

Problem is, that collector variant... well, even if a fan really wants one chassis, it is pretty silly to think they want all of them then.

Bottom line: I won;t buy any ultimate packs because I have no interest in the collector edition on most of the chassis. Because there is NO INCENTIVE in either cost, or even goodies, to buy the whole lot- there is NO WAY I can justify buying the ultimate pack because it is simply a repackaged bundle including the collector mech I didn;t want in the first place.

Now, with that out of the way, I think the real question is how does one make the collector edition mech actually appealing to anyone besides those particular fans of said chassis, OR, and this is a big OR, use the ultimate pack as a way to entice people to buy said collector mech even though they didn;t particularly care enough about it t pony up for it seperately.

IMO, easiest way to do it is simply make the ultimate pack contain more goodies, be it premium time + cockpit items or whatever, PLUS knock 10 bucks off the price point for it. As it stands, it is a complete waste. Setting the ultimate pack up at a slight discount price(with maybe more goodies too) lets PGI sell the mech(collector one I mean) to more people, even if it is at a discount. I mean, is it better to not sell it at all to some people, or sell it to them for less money? I would think more sales, even if the price point is slightly less per item, is always a good thing on a productr like a mech pack where there is litterally ZERO additional costs once it is released.

If it was something material, that required production time to make, I could see being a stickler for the item prices. However, this is an item with 100% up front production costs. So, IMO, better to package the mechs to entice more sales with either a bunch more "internet data fluff" like cockpit items and premium time etc, or simply a lower price point for not buying a la carte'. So yeah, missed sales opportunity in the most basic definition of that phrase IMO.

[Bishop Steiner]

Zordicron, on 13 May 2016 - 03:14 PM, said:

IMO, it is hard to discuss the ultimate pack without looking at what it comprises of. But we don;t really even need to do that now do we.... the red haired collector editions are really what holds the whole thing back.

Look, I get that there are fans of certain mechs that would buy a collector variant. Hell I bought the Marauder one, because I was waiting for a looooong time to have that chassis back in a MW game.

Problem is, that collector variant... well, even if a fan really wants one chassis, it is pretty silly to think they want all of them then.

Bottom line: I won;t buy any ultimate packs because I have no interest in the collector edition on most of the chassis. Because there is NO INCENTIVE in either cost, or even goodies, to buy the whole lot- there is NO WAY I can justify buying the ultimate pack because it is simply a repackaged bundle including the collector mech I didn;t want in the first place.

Now, with that out of the way, I think the real question is how does one make the collector edition mech actually appealing to anyone besides those particular fans of said chassis, OR, and this is a big OR, use the ultimate pack as a way to entice people to buy said collector mech even though they didn;t particularly care enough about it t pony up for it seperately.

IMO, easiest way to do it is simply make the ultimate pack contain more goodies, be it premium time + cockpit items or whatever, PLUS knock 10 bucks off the price point for it. As it stands, it is a complete waste. Setting the ultimate pack up at a slight discount price(with maybe more goodies too) lets PGI sell the mech(collector one I mean) to more people, even if it is at a discount. I mean, is it better to not sell it at all to some people, or sell it to them for less money? I would think more sales, even if the price point is slightly less per item, is always a good thing on a productr like a mech pack where there is litterally ZERO additional costs once it is released.

If it was something material, that required production time to make, I could see being a stickler for the item prices. However, this is an item with 100% up front production costs. So, IMO, better to package the mechs to entice more sales with either a bunch more "internet data fluff" like cockpit items and premium time etc, or simply a lower price point for not buying a la carte'. So yeah, missed sales opportunity in the most basic definition of that phrase IMO.

all true.