The Group Buy Phenomenon

[kovacs]

I would love a group buy on Voxengo Elephant.

I asked for a GB on Voxengo stuff last year but was basically told it was not likely.

After that I ended up buying stuff from Voxengo anyway because frankly it's quite reasonably priced.

A GB on the whole Coloring suite or the Mastering suite would be sweet, though.

[Ocean Zen]

Since Voxengo is PC only, you won't get me organizing a Group Buy for them.

If it's a mastering suite you need then check out the Izotope Ozone3 demo @ www.izotope.com
I'm currently organizing a GB for this and should have a definite price by Tuesday, which I'm hoping will be about 50% off.

[kovacs]

I saw that, Ocean Zen. I'll probably hop in on it. Yes, Voxengo is PC only and I also use a Mac so it's a good call for me.

[Cabinfever]

group buys distort the natural pattern of sales - you may not buy when you really want to because you suspect a group buy is going to happen.

and if you miss out on a group buy by a week or two you may feel you have "paid too much".

at the extreme range you have wusikstation which is in a permanent 'group buy' mode. in its case it has little meaning since its common price has been at the 'group buy' level ever since its release.

personally i dislike group buys. i think they appeal to a sort of 'herd-hype' mentality.

i have much more respect for companies which stay out of this craze. i also feel more confident and happy to buy their products. maybe all just perception, but thats how i feel.

[Ocean Zen]

An interesting take.

You'd rather pay twice as much, so you don't have to worry about having missed out on a GB and paying half the price?

"group buys distort the natural pattern of sales - you may not buy when you really want to because you suspect a group buy is going to happen."

That's probably true, but there is still no harm in hundreds of people getting software at half price.
If anything, this will discourage piracy.

I could never have afforder EWQLSO Gold at full price, but it was still on my wish list. I'm now a happy owner of it, purely because someone organized a Group Buy, Does that make East West, Quantum Leap and Native Instruments less respectable?
I think not

[Lunatique]

The stuff I'd love to get in on a group buy are:

The new EWQL releases like Symphonic Choirs, Ra, Colossus, and other EWQL stuff like Yellow Tool Culture, Rare Instruments, Voices of the Apocalypse.

Spectrasonic's Symphony of Voices is another one, and of course Trilogy and Stylus are quite drool-worthy too.

A highend complete orchestral library would be awesome--either the Vienna Symphonic Library, or EWQL Platinum.

The new Big Band/Jazz library from Garritan looks like a real winner too. I can hear my wallet crying in fear already.

I've been eyeing Ultra Focus for a while now too, maybe Sonic Synth 2 as well, but I'd only be interested in SS2's synth sounds, as I'm not really impressed by the other type of sounds it offers.

I just bought Bella D's Diva in a group buy, and that gives me 10% off towards Giovani when it's released, but I think I'd prefer the better deal of a group buy on that instead.

[jens]

group buys distort the natural pattern of sales - you may not buy when you really want to because you suspect a group buy is going to happen.

and if you miss out on a group buy by a week or two you may feel you have "paid too much".

at the extreme range you have wusikstation which is in a permanent 'group buy' mode. in its case it has little meaning since its common price has been at the 'group buy' level ever since its release.

personally i dislike group buys. i think they appeal to a sort of 'herd-hype' mentality.

i have much more respect for companies which stay out of this craze. i also feel more confident and happy to buy their products. maybe all just perception, but thats how i feel.

luckily you're in a minority

oh, and you're wrong about that 'group buys distort the natural pattern of sales' b.t.w. - in fact it's quite the opposite - they help in coming closer to what social-economists call 'the perfect market'
(and yes, I've been studying social economics )

[Ocean Zen]

Sounds Online recently organized a group buy for EWQLSO gold so I doubt they'll do the platinum one any time son,
but they may well do the new Choir package, although it will probably mean waiting a good few months as they wouldn't do it straight away.

[kevvvvv]

IMO what makes a group buy work is a price no musician can resist, at a volume no dev can refuse.

Franky at VintAudio made a packet over Christmas because he offered his Grand Piano at a fabulous price, plus he threw in his upright piano, plus he threw in his vintage electric guitars.

I bought it just for the electric guitars as it was still phenomenal value.

Price we can't resist
Volume no dev can refuse

[Ocean Zen]

True,

In response to the guy who said GBs are bad.

I don't think it is bad for business because people might wait for a GB.
These are the same people who are always looking out for bargains whether it's in a sale or 2nd hand.

The same people that have wishlists that they can't afford.
GBs bring decent software often to people who could otherwise not afford it.

Some of us have to count the pennies we spend

[kevvvvv]

OZ .. I like your sig

[op519]

I think it is a thin line really.

Take for instance Wusikstation. Great product capable of some stunning sounds. Even at the regular price, it is a great deal. But now there have been I think 7 or 8 group buys on that one and quite honestly I don't think WilliamK could even sell a copy at the regular price. Ultimately in this case it took a 99usd synth and turned it into a 50usd synth. So it devalued it and repairing that is probably impossible.

Same goes for constant group buys, ultimately I think it will devalue most products in the long run. If it were a special once in a while thing (I am speaking on the whole of vst/vsti/dx sampler world here) then I think it is a good thing.

Of course it is always good for the consumer but in the long run, it might not be so good for the developers and the market as a whole as everyone will just hold out for the inevitable GB.

edit to actually answer the original question.
i would love to see a group buy on something like, hmmm actually i don't know i never have any money so it seems

[dusted william]

Group buys are great.

I missed out on the EWQL, but damn I wanted to get in. They would have never gotten my money anyother way.

Of course it is always good for the consumer but in the long run, it might not be so good for the developers and the market as a whole as everyone will just hold out for the inevitable GB.

I think most dev's will wait on a group buy for new products. So you can wait a long while for a possible group buy or pay full price and get it right away.

WilliamK has always been a marketing rebel

dw

[kevvvvv]

op519

Same goes for constant group buys, ultimately I think it will devalue most products in the long run.

Well, maybe yes, possibly ... but maybe no, too.

In the example of VintAudio I gave above, Franky the dev made $25,000.

I don't think he felt devalued by this

As for Wusik:

Well the Wusik GB created a lot of users and a lot of gossip, and a lot of music.

When ppl come to KvR and see the level of Wusik activity that goes on, it leads them to believe that Wusik is an unmissable synth they ought to buy. It encourages sales.

While constant price reductions may potentially reduce the perceived value, it's not quite that cut and dried.

Besides .. I love GBs

[leonard]

I think GB is a great concept: for me as a buyer it has meant that I ended buying stuff that nor was on my shortlist or in my usual price-range.

It is a win-win situation and I really hope GB's have come to stay.