U-He on Splice Rent-to-Own?

[hariossa]

What if those entry level versions gives the buyer the possibility to buy the pro version for the difference? I mean, if the pro version price is 150 and the entry level is 50 the buyer must pay 100.

[Urs]

What if those entry level versions gives the buyer the possibility to buy the pro version for the difference? I mean, if the pro version price is 150 and the entry level is 50 the buyer must pay 100.

That's kind of what I was thinking about.

[hariossa]

Then there will be no reason to complain anymore, great.

[schmerzschlag]

I like the idea. Zero-G is doing something similar with the new Ethera. They offer a stripped down, but still usable "Lite"-Version at an affordable price (it's cheap actually) and if you're good with it, you're good. If you decide to upgrade, you pay the difference to the full version.

[lunardigs]

You know, there's always stuff like https://www.splitit.com/
If it's about ultimately owning something through installments, any merchant could use this sort of thing. It's not a complete solution, of course, but it's a major piece.
From the U-he side, barring any kind of online activation system, it might look like providing 'timed demos' for a month or so, where each payment allows for another 'timed demo download,' or something like this.

'Timed demos' also opens up the one-off scenarios where a producer might need a synth for a project, etc.

[SneakyBeats]

What if those entry level versions gives the buyer the possibility to buy the pro version for the difference? I mean, if the pro version price is 150 and the entry level is 50 the buyer must pay 100.

That's kind of what I was thinking about.

That's something I asked you to do around 4 years ago
Funny that you've now thought about it.

Beatzille etc could easily be that 49€ synth.

I'd gladly pay "entry price" for 1 oscillator version of Hive2, if I knew I could get the full version later with a smaller price tag. Though if entry Hive'd cost 49€, there'd still be that 100€ leap to the full version and again we're facing the same issue as earlier.. 100€ is quite alot for one more oscillator.

[FarleyCZ]

Since Urs has said he doesn't want to do it and has shown no interest in it, why are people trying to convince him? Is it just to argue? (most likely). It is certainly not for the benefit of u-he.

This thread should have stayed locked. What a complete waste of time to over and over say the same basic speculations.

I haven't argued, have I? If it sounded like that, I'm sorry! I'm trying to be most respectful to the argument Urs holds against the model. They are all well tought through and I'm definitelly not qualified to comment on any technical or bussiness side of the issue. ...just trying to point out that from what I see around me, I get the impression that there is money to be made. If that covers the r&d cost, that's a different story. But the potential does exist and should not be under-estimated. It might turn out to be the wild card giving some comparative advantages in the long run. (Or might not. Who knows.)

Btw right now, at this very second, I have another kid on my Messanger. Guy who would like to produce some trap beats for his raps. And again, same story like the first one I described earlier. I'm trying to talk him into buying software legally. He's considering FL studio. He'll need some money for that and his plugin budget aftewards will be really limited. In total it's fifth kid I know like that. All of the previous ones rented or already bought Serum on Splice and wouldn't do it otherwise. And I'm a nobody from the middle of an insignificant little European country. Just scale that on a bigger markets. I really do believe there are money to be made.

But again. That's just my uneducated guess I'm offering here. Nothing more. Pls don't take it as a try to argue.

[rod_zero]

I don't get the fuss for rent to own, like credit cards exist for a reason and it isn't like you are paying thousands of dollars.

[Teksonik]

Some people have no credit or cash. If that's the case then I suggest plugins are the least of their worries.

Besides.......freeware.

[FarleyCZ]

I don't get the fuss for rent to own, like credit cards exist for a reason and it isn't like you are paying thousands of dollars.

The fuss is in the safety net of being able to change your mind. (Especially hot for kids with unreliable income.) ...which is also a no.1 argument against it from dev's perspective. But dunno. Still feels to me like to get "at least something" is better than not getting anything from the same potential customer. But again. I'm not a business man. Can't argue about any of this.

[lunardigs]

I don't get the fuss for rent to own, like credit cards exist for a reason and it isn't like you are paying thousands of dollars.

The fuss is in the safety net of being able to change your mind. (Especially hot for kids with unreliable income.) ...

Right, this is true. Millennials and later exemplify this in my experience. I could pontificate at length as to why the world has been brought to this point, but the fact remains; each generation has become poorer.
What to do about it? Heh ...
That said, I can certainly see a rationale for rent-to-own. Even though it doesn't really appeal to me.

[FarleyCZ]

Right, this is true. Millennials and later exemplify this in my experience. I could pontificate at length as to why the world has been brought to this point, but the fact remains; each generation has become poorer.
What to do about it? Heh ...
That said, I can certainly see a rationale for rent-to-own. Even though it doesn't really appeal to me.

Yeah. I totally feel that. And it's a lengthy beer talk way beyond the scope of this topic. I don't really think everyone is in it by their own incmpetence, though. Anyway. Yeah. Music software is a luxury. And if you're not sure you're gonna be able to justify that luxury few months down the road, that safety net is really nice to have. It's not my case, I can deal with buying something with a credit card if I really want it and it's pricey. (Looking at you, Omnisphere.) But lot of these kids can't do that yet. Plus it's understandably scary thing to do. And let's face it. They are the most passionate ones in many cases.

[lunardigs]

... And let's face it. They are the most passionate ones in many cases.

Yeah, it's a funny thing. Youth is like fire. I recall it well, where I had all this energy and drive and time, but hardly the means. Hah, now days it's basically reversed.

Thinking back to those times, I would have definitely enjoyed rent-to-own gear/software--in fact I did, once, where I bought a violin that way. I never would have gotten/learned that instrument otherwise.

[the_arrow]

[I know, coming in late...]

Do Splice rent to own require use of the Splice application, which is Windows and macOS only? That's a hard no then as a Linux-only user. Especially in the context of u-he which are one of the few plugin producers with a good Linux track-record.

[Urs]

I don't know...

(they do require implementing/wrapping some challenge & response thingy afaik, which a no go among many for us)