Unreal! Nine Volt Audio going out of business!

[e@rs]

Back by popular demand...

[CableChannel]

Yes they are one of those who go out of business just as a marketing trick. Also, this way they can just sell products and never give support (because they are out of buisness, ya know). Shady business in my opinion, will nevery buy anything from them again.

[Doug1978]

http://www.ninevoltaudio.com/

Quote from NVA website:
''In January of this year we stopped selling our libraries - but have reopened for 10 days only.

Why are we doing this?

We recently gave away a free loop collection and in less than 10 days there were over 4500 downloads of the library.

We received a ton of emails from musicians that were hearing of Nine Volt Audio for the first time.
Many of these emails said something like:

“Please: Can I still get the ‘Going Out of Business’ collection at the $199.99 Group Buy price?”

For the next 10 days the answer is: YES!

Between now and Nov 21 we will are re-running two sales at the same time:

Sale #1: the "Going Out of Business" Group Buy:
Because enough people previously joined in, we've made the best deal available again.

$199.99 immediately gets you 38 titles with a value of $3000+

There’s no need to wait!
You can purchase now and begin using the sounds immediately.
Head over to the store!

Sale # 2: Individual Titles:
Individual titles are now available in our store at 60-70% off.

Don't miss the opportunity to get so much high quality material for so little money.''

NVA was very open here at KVR last year in its decision to close shop due to piracy issues.

A few of you might chuck the 'shady', 'marketing trick' line around - and naturally everyone is entitled to their opinion (even those who are way wide of the mark).
For what it's worth, I believe Kyle.
He's a decent fellow who is now doing pretty well with his new sample library company (yet still contactable there regarding Nine Volt Audio issues - as I contacted him about these very things in spring this year).

[Totolitoto]

Yep shady marketing strategy but excellent products
A pity really.

[zvenx]

Why is it shady, given the explanation in the post above yours?
Kyle closed NVA, and started a new company with a different emphasis (guitar stuff only).

rsp

[CableChannel]

Then they should reopen their store for good. But not just sell for 10 days and never give support afterwards for bugs in products because officially they're out of business. That's shady.

[zvenx]

So is it the possible lack of support afterwards, that is the issue?

Kyle is still in the business, I am pretty sure he won't refuse support if there is a problem with one of his products.
What should he not have done?
Given away the free product Taiko 2? Or should not have reacted to it, when 4,500 people downloaded it in less than ten days?


Caveat: I have 'known' Kyle for years (started of as me being one of the earliest NVA customers) both professionally and personally.




rsp

[Gonga]

All I know is:

1) The Nine Volt stuff is top-quality and has no bugs to begin with. Or if there are bugs (none that I ever encountered), they are overshadowed by the great value these libraries offered.

2) Kyle's libraries were being pirated to the extent that, though he was one of the best REX file makers, he could no longer continue make a living with those libraries.

I don't think he had much choice really, other than just leave the industry altogether. So now people buy the enormous top-notch libraries at very low cost, knowing there will be no support other than here and elsewhere. No big deal imo.

[eDrummist]

To be frank, zvenx, the problem is this. Nine Volt/Kyle's practice of heavily promoting a "going out of business sale" where he clearly stated that he was "absolutely" closing his doors at the end of last year -- then staying open for at least a few more months and now coming back several months later -- makes the original "going out of business sale advertising, email and posts seem a lot like deceptive marketing tactics used to create a false sense of urgency in order to artificially build up demand for his libraries, and that is what some people take issue with.

To put it more simply, people feel lied to, deceived. Did anyone actually get ripped off? Not really. But some are certain to feel they were disingenuously communicated with in order to motivate them to a purchase they otherwise might not have made or not have made with the same sense of urgency based on the developer's communications. Is that the worst thing ever? No. But I also don't think those were good, ethical practices that will build an atmosphere of trust for that developer in his future endeavors. At best they were disingenuous and manipulative techniques that will leave a bad taste in the mouth of some people. I think the bottom line here is that you're advertising you are going out of business and that you will never be selling something after a certain date, be true to your word. That is what most people expect. Again, it's not the worst thing in the world, but it definitely will leave many people with a sense that they cannot trust that dev.

[CableChannel]

All I know is:

1) The Nine Volt stuff is top-quality and has no bugs to begin with. Or if there are bugs (none that I ever encountered), they are overshadowed by the great value these libraries offered.

This is plain wrong. I have the sticks series and there is an issue. Not confirmed whether it is on Kontakt's side or on NVA's, but the issue is there. I never really cared to take the effort and write to support because the sound wasn't all that great and also I got myself a workaround.

And also apart from the support question, the definite absolute going out of business and then reopening, even if under a different name with a slightly different product range, that is just shady and will always be. It can occur very rarely that you indeed planned to close your business and do something completely different, i.e. gardening. But if you continue to work in the profession and you continue to sell your stuff, than it's just dishonest or very shortsighted and naive to say that one closes the business and one couldn't foresee that there would still be people wanting a product.

[budweiser]

Yes they are one of those who go out of business just as a marketing trick. Also, this way they can just sell products and never give support (because they are out of buisness, ya know). Shady business in my opinion, will nevery buy anything from them again.

What kind of support do you need for loops & some old nki's ? Nothing shaddy here, imo.

[zvenx]

To be frank, zvenx, the problem is this. Nine Volt/Kyle's practice of heavily promoting a "going out of business sale" where he clearly stated that he was "absolutely" closing his doors at the end of last year -- then staying open for at least a few more months and now coming back several months later -- makes the original "going out of business sale advertising, email and posts seem a lot like deceptive marketing tactics used to create a false sense of urgency in order to artificially build up demand for his libraries, and that is what some people take issue with.

To put it more simply, people feel lied to, deceived. Did anyone actually get ripped off? Not really. But some are certain to feel they were disingenuously communicated with in order to motivate them to a purchase they otherwise might not have made or not have made with the same sense of urgency based on the developer's communications. Is that the worst thing ever? No. But I also don't think those were good, ethical practices that will build an atmosphere of trust for that developer in his future endeavors. At best they were disingenuous and manipulative techniques that will leave a bad taste in the mouth of some people. I think the bottom line here is that you're advertising you are going out of business and that you will never be selling something after a certain date, be true to your word. That is what most people expect. Again, it's not the worst thing in the world, but it definitely will leave many people with a sense that they cannot trust that dev.

Ok, but what if it is as he said? NVA went out of business. For whatever reason, he gave the free package, and realised there was such a demand that it may be worth re-selling?
Very Possible no?

How should he have done it differently if the above as I said happened?

Some times situations do change. Have you ever changed your mind about a business decision? I know I have.

I guess, because I know Kyle I see it completely different. But you don't know me either , so me 'vouching' for him clearly has no real weight..

But curious if you owned NVA, went out of business. And give away a package and saw such interest what would you do?
OR you wouldn't have even given away the package?

To me its like a band, who choose to break up, disband, then a few years later decide to have a reunion tour. Doesn't mean that all along this was the plan.

curious,
rsp

[jsp1979]

To the best of my knowledge, the NVA "final sale" "closing" offer remained open for months and months and months.

It's not the same as a band reuniting. In the U.S. in many states there are laws against such thing in physical stores if that gives you any indication that the situation is different when selling items.

An example: http://consumer.georgia.gov/consumer-to ... ness-sales

Note: I may no claims that physical stores and internet sites are equivalent. I'm just pointing out that the "final sale" sales tactic is such a common deceptive practice with physical stores that there are laws against it.

At any rate, I thought edrummist's post was a pretty good summary of why it can strike people the wrong way. The NVA situation doesn't anger me or anything. I just find the situation bemusing

[zvenx]

To the best of my knowledge, the NVA "final sale" "closing" offer remained open for months and months and months. Maybe close to ten months after the "final sale"?

It's not the same as a band reuniting. In the U.S. in many states there are laws against such thing in physical stores if that gives you any indication that the situation is different when selling items.

An example: http://consumer.georgia.gov/consumer-to ... ness-sales

Note: I may no claims that physical stores and internet sites are equivalent. I'm just pointing out that the "final sale" sales tactic is such a common deceptive practice with physical stores that there are laws against it.

At any rate, I thought edrummist's post was a pretty good summary of why it can strike people the wrong way. The NVA situation doesn't anger me or anything. I just find the situation bemusing

Hi, I am not aware that it was open for months and months.
rsp

[jsp1979]

In this thread, you can see it was still for sale going into March, so that's at least 3 months after the "final day."