T-RackS 5 (5.0.1 update,information about free CS version, release date countdown added)

[dmbaer]

Can i do "ny compression" in the t-racks standalone?
If not, my wish would be then to add wet/dry in the compressors

Easily done. If you want to mix compressed and uncompressed (as opposed to compressed in two different ways), put another compressor or EQ in the parallel slot and leave the settings such that no signal alteration happens. Then use the Output Gain control of each to set the levels of the mixed output.

[cprompt]

Except that when you buy in bulk you are not paying the same amount

Indeed, but I guess your definition of "bulk" differs significantly from mine

[ATS]

...
We also are more than OK with you purchasing IK products from dealers - we love our dealers and they, too,..

No doubt - but where´s the loyal customer reward incentive, in that case?

When I registered an IK product I bought at a dealer I got jam points.

[Harry_HH]

...
We also are more than OK with you purchasing IK products from dealers - we love our dealers and they, too,..

No doubt - but where´s the loyal customer reward incentive, in that case?

When I registered an IK product I bought at a dealer I got jam points.

Yes - I got a load of "jampoints", that´s not the issue, getting those, but what to do with these "jampoints". Read few comments back.

[peke]

Can i do "ny compression" in the t-racks standalone?
If not, my wish would be then to add wet/dry in the compressors

Easily done. If you want to mix compressed and uncompressed (as opposed to compressed in two different ways), put another compressor or EQ in the parallel slot and leave the settings such that no signal alteration happens. Then use the Output Gain control of each to set the levels of the mixed output.

Thank you dmbaer

[ATS]

...
We also are more than OK with you purchasing IK products from dealers - we love our dealers and they, too,..

No doubt - but where´s the loyal customer reward incentive, in that case?

When I registered an IK product I bought at a dealer I got jam points.

Yes - I got a load of "jampoints", that´s not the issue, getting those, but what to do with these "jampoints". Read few comments back.

A really good to use them is on pre-release sales. IK usually offers good intro discounts and you can still use jam points on these.

[Harry_HH]

...
We also are more than OK with you purchasing IK products from dealers - we love our dealers and they, too,..

No doubt - but where´s the loyal customer reward incentive, in that case?

When I registered an IK product I bought at a dealer I got jam points.

Yes - I got a load of "jampoints", that´s not the issue, getting those, but what to do with these "jampoints". Read few comments back.

A really good to use them is on pre-release sales. IK usually offers good intro discounts and you can still use jam points on these.

Last time we saw pre-release sale (T-Racks 5), you finally get product sheaper or at the same price from the dealer, than from the IK with full "jampoints". Summary: no loyal customer incentive.

[braj]

You know if you need to make tutorial videos on how to use your purchasing system, you have real problems

Sure Peter, many people make use of jam points and gear credits because there is no better way. But any time I see a new product listed at whatever price, I immediately know anyone is a chump for paying your asking prices on anything. Instead of giving good value at good prices, you give an inflated price and the illusion of value if the user is clued in enough to take advantage of your discounting system. I would rather you just made everything reasonable prices that generate loyalty and sales all by themselves, instead of a system that frankly always feels like a marketing scam.

[acousticglue]

I agree to leave set prices but Waves, UAD, Plugin Alliance, Unfiltered Audio, UVI etc etc does same dam thing

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

You know if you need to make tutorial videos on how to use your purchasing system, you have real problems

Sure Peter, many people make use of jam points and gear credits because there is no better way. But any time I see a new product listed at whatever price, I immediately know anyone is a chump for paying your asking prices on anything. Instead of giving good value at good prices, you give an inflated price and the illusion of value if the user is clued in enough to take advantage of your discounting system. I would rather you just made everything reasonable prices that generate loyalty and sales all by themselves, instead of a system that frankly always feels like a marketing scam.

We have a wide range of users from beginners who barely have used a computer to make music to power users (like are commonly found here). I wouldn't shame a company that helps all levels of users.

We also do sell our products at great regular prices, especially considering what goes into them (MODO BASS years of research, always having the actual hardware and the talented people who can take them apart and understand everything down to the circuit level and then have that turned to code, etc). We put products on promotion like many other companies, of course, but the regular price for many of our products is very fair for what they are and what they provide. If you feel otherwise, you wait for a promotion or you don't buy them. Just like any other product sold (not just music production tools).

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

...
We also are more than OK with you purchasing IK products from dealers - we love our dealers and they, too,..

No doubt - but where´s the loyal customer reward incentive, in that case?

When I registered an IK product I bought at a dealer I got jam points.

Yes - I got a load of "jampoints", that´s not the issue, getting those, but what to do with these "jampoints". Read few comments back.

A really good to use them is on pre-release sales. IK usually offers good intro discounts and you can still use jam points on these.

Last time we saw pre-release sale (T-Racks 5), you finally get product sheaper or at the same price from the dealer, than from the IK with full "jampoints". Summary: no loyal customer incentive.

I'd be curious to know what dealer offered T-RackS 5 at 69.99 or less (the end price for someone who had enough JamPoints - the loyal customer you mention, as JamPoints are by definition a loyalty program) as that would likely be violating contractual dealer policies unless we agreed to it specifically.

Bottom line: No matter how you slice it, I have first-hand data showing that JamPoints is an effective loyalty program used by our loyal customers every single day. I'm sorry to hear you don't feel they are a valuable tool for you specifically.

[braj]

Peter, take it as you like it, I like and use your products, the big issue for me is marketing. If you cant digest that feedback from myself and others, we may as not discuss it with you.

[Guenon]

I have first-hand data showing that JamPoints is an effective loyalty program used by our loyal customers every single day.

Of course they are effective from your point of view . They can be used for a maximum of 30% of the product value during a transaction. Also, do JamPoints still expire after a certain time these days? Or are they more fair in that regard now?

Solutions like this are called "soft currencies" in the games industry. Their main function is to drive a profitable psychological approach regarding purchase habits, not to primarily function as the most effective way of rewarding customer loyalty. Soft currencies obfuscate the actual "hard currency" monetary value of long term engagement with products -- and deliberately confuse matters in the shorter term as well -- and more importantly, they can be used to create loss aversion, i.e. a sense of wanting to purchase something so that you don't lose the points you have already acquired.

An effective loyalty program, actually prioritizing straightforward rewarding of customer loyalty, doesn't contain a time pressure element by expiring, doesn't seemingly obfuscate the issue by utilizing one or more soft currencies (JamPoints? Gear Credits?), and can be read and calculated very simply at any time when doing a purchase decision. The Fabfilter model is a good example of such a system.

Some info on the matter of soft currency use, customer psychology, and so on:

http://www.psychologyofgames.com/2011/0 ... -aversion/

http://www.pocketgamer.biz/mobile-maven ... ng-player/

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Peter, take it as you like it, I like and use your products, the big issue for me is marketing. If you cant digest that feedback from myself and others, we may as not discuss it with you.

Who said we can't digest feedback? At least twice I've said any system including ours could be improved and it will. Seems that is feedback being digested, also as indicated by changes we've made to JamPoints and transfers etc over time. I was merely pointing out that there is data for the whole of our user database which is far larger than just KVR but I feel we do also listen to people here. There will be more changes coming, including a small one you'll see in my next message (posted separately to highlight only that specific point).

@Guenon: Companies do things differently based on their own style and what works for them. I will say as politely as possible that while you may prefer a company or two who've been named I can point to certain business metrics that show we companies are ALL (or all should be) utilizing what works for us to meet the metrics that keep businesses in business. We wouldn't be able to provide the cool tools you use to make music if we did not.

[soulone82]

I have first-hand data showing that JamPoints is an effective loyalty program used by our loyal customers every single day.

Of course they are effective from your point of view . They can be used for a maximum of 30% of the product value during a transaction. Also, do JamPoints still expire after a certain time these days? Or are they more fair in that regard now?

Solutions like this are called "soft currencies" in the games industry. Their main function is to drive a profitable psychological approach regarding purchase habits, not to primarily function as the most effective way of rewarding customer loyalty. Soft currencies obfuscate the actual "hard currency" monetary value of long term engagement with products -- and deliberately confuse matters in the shorter term as well -- and more importantly, they can be used to create loss aversion, i.e. a sense of wanting to purchase something so that you don't lose the points you have already acquired.

An effective loyalty program, actually prioritizing straightforward rewarding of customer loyalty, doesn't contain a time pressure element by expiring, doesn't seemingly obfuscate the issue by utilizing one or more soft currencies (JamPoints? Gear Credits?), and can be read and calculated very simply at any time when doing a purchase decision. The Fabfilter model is a good example of such a system.

Some info on the matter of soft currency use, customer psychology, and so on:

http://www.psychologyofgames.com/2011/0 ... -aversion/

http://www.pocketgamer.biz/mobile-maven ... ng-player/