Some make the choice to live in the past time... They get old very fast! VSL offer us to live in the future today!
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@Migot said:
VSL offer us to live in the future today!Yeah, for a price. [;)]
If you want pithy sayings, how about...
"When a river forgets its source, it soon runs dry"
or simpler
"Customer service is either good or bad. There is no in-between."
or totally straightforward
"It never ceases to amaze me that companies spend millions to attract new customers (people they don’t know) and spend next to nothing to keep the ones they’ve got! Seems to me the budgets should be reversed!"
Remember text online doesn't carry tone. I'm not moping, and thought my last line above was clearly a joke in good spirits. I love the VI's and libraries I've got and again think that the offer on Appassionatta II in December/January was great. VSL went the extra mile to make sure I got the deal even though the distributor in my area was unable to get me the product by the deadline. That's exactly what successful companies do to keep customers happy and loyal, and I give VSL big kudos for that.
But in this case they're making a point of NOT offering a discount to existing SE customers while offering one to new customers. That is just plain bad customer relations, an insult to those who consider themselves on VSL's team. This is the sort of thing that makes customers either leave altogether or adopt the above mentioned waiting by the river policy. Why buy any of VSL's libraries when you know you might get them cheaper next year? I feel especially sorry for anyone who bought SE just before Plus and the bundle was announced.
Anyway, my aim isn't so much to complain as to advise. VSL, look after you existing customers first. If not, at least offer them the courtesy of the same deal as new customers! Don't take us for granted!
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didger, i don't exactly understand your argument which appears to me like *why purchase a computer now though i know i'll get it cheaper next year* ... unfortunately there has not been a *Special Edition PLUS Offer* like the *Appassionata Strings II VIP Offer* past year, but easter is not christmas ;-)
christian
and remember: only a CRAY can run an endless loop in just three seconds. -
Please CM, let it go with your easter and christmas comparaison.
Since I'm using VSL I'm trying to figure out the way, you, People of VSL, handle your product line and prices especially for your SE editions. For "almost new customers" like me (SE oriented), there's a lot of bad news coming out all the time:
— weird price differences (I don't know how laws are made in Österreich but in US and France, you cannot turn your company into an improvised loan bank, even for your own products: see your monthly download offers)
— false announcements about your product line in your newsletter (again monthly download library)
— and now, no special discount for previous customers on what is obviously a product upgrade (SE plus & Ext)
You've got very good products, but let's cut the crap one and for all about your policy on SE: you don't have a clue on how to handle and define this product line, and make announcement at the right time.
So here I am now with my SE Extended library, and some pieces of upgrade I've downloaded (as SE Plus was not supposed to come out in a package — as you said on your forum — and Plus Extended wasn't announced some weeks ago )... and I don't know what to do anymore.
I do understand that you're trying to figure out how to manage a new product line, but please guys, if you're not good at it: don't make your first customers on those products pay the price for your lack of care !
This is, even for easter, a very, very, bad policy.
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manu, the subscriptions have been postponed, not at last because of some discussions here (about pricing, about exchange rates, about selecting single packages, ect)
your argument is different from the one from above to which i replied, unfortunately there is no upgrade path from SE PLUS strings to Special Edition PLUS currently, but i'm sure the respective people are listening ...
please consider that changing the release date of a new product line might have other reasons too
christian
and remember: only a CRAY can run an endless loop in just three seconds. -
Then I'll spell it out for you. I bought SE last year, I want SE Plus. There's a good discount for new customers who buy both now, but not for existing customers. Why would I buy a new VSL product ever again if this sort of thing might happen? The Appassionata offer was indeed a generous Christmas present to Appassionata customers. The SE Plus bundle is a cheery 140€ Easter 'screw you' to SE customers. Heaps of businesses from airlines to juice bars have programs for regular customers to reward and encourage loyalty. VSL is doing exactly the opposite and sticking it to their repeat customers. It's not cool! So here's the correct response from a good company: 1. Anybody who bought SE Plus downloads who now wants the DVD gets their download purchase price credited towards the DVD purchase. 2. Existing SE customers get the bundle discount when they buy SE Plus.@cm said:
didger, i don't exactly understand your argumentAnything else is just rotten business, doing the wrong thing by your customers.
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I second that, I just simply STOP BUYING VSL products for the very same reason. [See my complain in other Post [DVD VS Download] Bought SE+ Brass via download, If I buy a DVD, VSL should refund the $$ or at least credit for future purchase. I don't dare to request discount for bigger products that I own also feature in SE, Like discount for SE+ Strings package because I already have FULL chamber and Solo, Appassionata - because I know it will go to the deaf ears. VSL owners... you'll not get a dime from me if you don't change, your products are great but the business you are running is rather arrogant... other products from other company are catching up so you should change. PS: Thanks to VSL policy, I just bought Kirk Hunter's Ruby package and it worth the money, try it and you'll know what I mean... for what, $300 bucks and IMO, much better than SE in term of Value/Money.
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I understand this is a new product line and the formats and marketing angles have obviously had to be slightly 're-edited' (along with the samples!) but I would just like to say, in the spirit of both whining and encouragement, that clarity and fair pricing for all, as much as is possible, is always appreciated.
I expect many people who buy SE have their sights set ultimately on the Cube, and in a sense we buy what we can when we can, (and a lot of us probably spend far more than we have as well!). I know it has been hinted here that there will be a path from SE to the bigger collections and this is all good.
I think making it as appealing as possible to upgrade in all directions via all the different routes can only be a good thing for both VSL and users. I own SE, some of PLUS and a couple of the other downloadable collections at the moment but in a sense you already 'have' my money for the entire Cube - it's just a matter of us working out together the best way to 'do the deal' over the next few years![;)]
That is how I see it anyway, I expect there are quite a few SE users with a similar outlook towards VSL, too.
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I do agree.@didger said:
Why would I buy a new VSL product ever again if this sort of thing might happen?
Since I've bought SE — the product line we're talking about — last year I feel like I'm some kind of experimental marketing dummy for those people. They release and announce products and prices far before thinking of how to do so, then change their mind half way... I just can't believe my eyes!
But however why not ... Well the big issue here is that when they made up their minds they always pick the worst for me. Just another example : the very last news I just get from another of their post is that SE Plus DVD box is 30 Euros shipper than the equivalent downloadable product (the one they ask me to stick with since I've started with it). Never seen that before, either: server HD space and bandwidth is more expensive for those people than a package box???
Guys from VSL its time to put yourselves together,
or you will have very bad press, very soon.
I assure you.
My advice: think before do, and don't screw customers.
(I don't believe I have to say that ... lol).
Best.
Manuel
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Yes. I'm a bit disappointed too. I bought some of the download versions and, as a result, to complete the full SE library I will now end up paying more than those who buy the DVD version. If I hadn't been so enthusiastic I would have saved money. Let's hope that the promised discounted upgrade path for VI users who want to upgrade to Orchestral packages such as Chamber Strings, Appasionata Strings etc goes ahead.
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Please, Jacopo, just don't make out of topic statements: It's not because you've chosen the wrong products that VSL people doesn't need to respect their customers. That's not the point. I want VSL, I've chosen VSL, but don't want to be screwed.@Jacopo said:
I own more EWQL sample library and paied them a lot of $$; actually I can't even use them because I own a new MacIntel... And now they are all in a big sale... I'm disappointed too with those, so now I bought the SE Plus!
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When the future is around a one month time-lapse... a call it "be screwed". And, for your information, we're not talking about hardware here.
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Right, hardware is a more tricky market, as the products can get cheaper when the production workflow makes breakthrough espacially at the component providers level for instance (chipset, displays, memory ... ). Market scaling up has the same kind of consequence on hardware products prices.
That's what happens with Apple iPhone, never the less early customers were very upset. Then Apple has made an offer to compensate the fall of its iPhone price.
But since we're talking about software the story isn't the same at all (And I know what I'm talking about here).
The important point in this story is that people at VSL have said on those forums that THERE WILL NOT BE a hard boxed package for SE upgrades, then they change their mind, and make it even cheaper all this in a monthly time-lapse, with no compensation at all.
Some companies are fair (ie Toontracks) some aren't at all and seem to behave erratically (ie VSL).
If VSL guys don't make us an offer in the next weeks, I'm done with this company.
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I'm also in the same position as Justin and feel the same way. The bottom line is this. If the Plus package was available at a discount to existing users I would buy now. As it is I shall wait and see if I really need it, in the meantime VSL could have made a sale and have the money in the bank now instead of hoping I might buy at a later date. I suspect that a number of people are in the same position.
Richard
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@Justin Matthews said:
I had Opus and then paid for the same samples again with VI SEplease do not post such a misleading information - the upgrade from opus (38.000 samples) to the Special Edition (75.000 samples) is EUR 390.-
the price for opus 1 has been ~ EUR 900.- (or during the sale at least EUR 725.-), the price for additional 37.000 samples is 390.-, so i can't find something with that beeing a bad deal ...
btw: it seems you have not registered your Special Edition Extended library yet ...
christian
and remember: only a CRAY can run an endless loop in just three seconds.
