KVR Audio

quincy · Post by **quincy** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 10:51 am

Hey folks,

I had a thought about software cross-grades. I have VERY occasionally seen offers allowing users of a certain modular synth or sequencer trade over to a rival and make a saving.

It makes me wonder why more developers don't offer this service. If they are clearly gaining a user to the loss of a competitor, you'd think it would be worth their while.

For example - Like many I really want to get hold of Live 4, cos it looks fantastic. I have a fully boxed and registered copy of Orion Platinum. Currently, I can upgrade my copy of Live Delta(received with audiophile soundcard) to version 4 full for about £200 (300 euro). If I could send my copy of Orion in and do a crossgrade, and maybe knock the price in half and gain ableton a customer, I'd do it without a second thought.

Am I going crazy? This seems like such a simple idea I can't belive it isn't being done already. When people change host or whatever, many must resent the loss of all thre cash spent on the original host. The devs could help to gain new customers and help us poor folk save money.

Who's with me?!

r_module · Post by **r_module** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:30 am

quincy wrote:It makes me wonder why more developers don't offer this service.

imho a crossgrade-offer only makes sense (for the developer) if:

a) the product is very much comparable (=need for further impulses to push sales)
b) there are more products in the range that can/will be sold with the new software (=initiating further sales around the core product)
c) the number of installations counts (for marketing purposes or other reasons)

r_m
ps. you'll not go wrong buying live4...

Trojan Badger · Post by **Trojan Badger** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:02 pm

It seems a lot of cross-grading is done opportunistically rather than regularly. For example, the Charlie cross-grade coming several months after release suggests a creative marketing ploy rather than an original strategy. Great product, but a newbie in a marketplace already sewn up. Whereas the Kontakt crossgrade from HALion didn't seem to come from necessity.

To be a serious cross-grade it should be done really at launch rather than a few months later, which looks like "erm, we're having some trouble shifting this..."

Or I may be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

spaceman · Post by **spaceman** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:05 pm

Trojan Badger wrote: the Charlie cross-grade coming several months after release suggests a creative marketing ploy rather than an original strategy

those drug dealers are really becoming professional these days

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 6:27 pm

I feel sorry for those smack-heads though - they haven't got any equivalent to cross-grade to.

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 7:52 pm

I thought generally you got to keep the original software as well. You just would get a sales discount with proof of purchase.

The benefit for the developer would be that they could attract new customers who are known software buyers.

That's how the current Vertigo crossgrade offer works at DiscoDSP.

AAS offered one for Nord Modular users. Surely you didn't have to send in your Nord Modular to AAS? What would they do with it? Seems to me it'd be a bigger pain in the ass for them to have to unload a bunch of used gear.

Cheers,
Steve

spaceman · Post by **spaceman** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 7:56 pm

kritikon wrote:I feel sorry for those smack-heads though - they haven't got any equivalent to cross-grade to.

maybe we could have a poll?

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:00 pm

Yep! Cross grades = help we ain’t selling anything because the competition has it all,

and we don’t like it so we are going to do a bargain cross grade and try and piggy back the marketing of another companies success.

Anyone got a match?

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Trojan Badger · Post by **Trojan Badger** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:03 pm

shamann wrote:I thought generally you got to keep the original software as well. You just would get a sales discount with proof of purchase.

I think that is the norm, after all what would (say) NI do with 500 HALion licences?!

It's a recognition that that kind of software has less value to someone who already has an equivalent. For someone with no sampler at all you may be willing to pay £200, but if all you're getting is different filters and a different gui it's not worth that much to you.

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:04 pm

Spe3D wrote:...we are going to do a bargain cross grade and try and piggy back the marketing of another companies success.

Why not? I think that's a brilliant way to do things. Why pay for marketing when you can just rely on others at a low cost?

tk421 · Post by **tk421** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:07 pm

I have never taken advantage of a cross grade deal. They do seem common in the world of graphics software. I think they seem like a good idea. If you are a user of a type of software, you might be interested in features the others have that you don't. I think if you are a user of a type of software you are definately a potential customer of similar apps. And whoever you bought your software from already has your money.

Now when can FL Studio users get 50% off Reaktor?

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:47 pm

shamann wrote:
Spe3D wrote:...we are going to do a bargain cross grade and try and piggy back the marketing of another companies success.
Why not? I think that's a brilliant way to do things. Why pay for marketing when you can just rely on others at a low cost?

Well I think developers could join forces and offer a package deal – it would work on a discount code that could be given by the developer after the initial sale of one their package qualifying instruments – this code could then be used to buy any one of the other participating developers qualifying products.

Sketchy idea but could work with a bit more thought.

Any misconceptions would be eradicated – plus boost sales of those instruments from the participating developers – a sort of developer package group buy.

Like the essential collection Pack

RgcAudio Pentagon1 & SFZ+

BigTick Rhino

LinPlug CronoX (v3)

Voxengo CurveEQ

As an example at a package price – just a thought. It would depend on what is essential I guess.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:05 pm

I've often thought that many of the indies, especially those most familiar to the KVR hoardes, would be stronger if they banded together/pooled resources.

Maybe some of them might pop in here to let us know why that wouldn't work. Things under the G-Media umbrella look to be keeping a good pace. More of that I think would make the indies more resilient against market changes forced by the majors.

Cheers,
Steve

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:13 pm

I like the idea of the independents as each developer and small company have their own character and in a way it would be nice to see a collective effort on a package deals – independent from big umbrellas – a sort of working out a solution between themselves would be more effective and create a new character of its own.

I agree I would like to know why it would not work (time is not an option as reason

)

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Crossgrade theory, opinions please?