Rent-to-own?

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i edited my post to be more clear.

but for the tl;dr edition: it resembles 'paying with a credit card' in that it defers the actual responsibility of paying the full price to a version of you in the future.

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chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:31 pm Yes. :)

As far as i understand it, Slice offers a SDK so that plugin developers can offer their plugins using the Splice system (which includes a client which has to run when you rent to own the plugin, i think). There's a note on this page (scroll down to the last point): https://splice.com/features/plugins
I guess that's such a pre-made solution then. Gobbler uses iLok. Whatever other website uses whatever else.

In any case, they probably want their share too, something like 15-30%. So not only would the first year plummet by 50% (considering same amount of licenses sold, monthly payments) but potential increases in sales number would be eaten up by commissions.

I have my doubts that this is an avenue worth pursuing. It sounds much more like commercial suicide, unless tested over 3-4 years with a slowly increasing number of products. Who knows if any of those services will still be around by then.

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Anyway I don't see why my ability to take a legitimate stand on the matter is being questioned just because it "wouldn't affect me."

if i happened to own all the plugins—thus making my opinion irrelevant because I had no need of alternative purchasing methods and likely never would—and yet was also on your side, you probably wouldn't dream of questioning my motivation.


EDIT: I realize I might've misunderstood you. Maybe you were only questioning my reasons from the viewpoint of a customer, and already understood that I had a valid 'philanthropic' standpoint regarding the well-being of the company. If this is the case, I apologize for being sort of aggressive.
Last edited by sleepcircle on Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:40 pm You can stop or pause the payment at any time. I can't see how it would remotely resemble paying with a credit card.
It sounds to me like all the advantage is on the customer side, and a lot of it. But what exactly do we get?

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And as far as I'm concerned, even that """advantage""" is mostly an illusion, like pdxIndy said.

There's probably some hypothetical edge case somewhere where someone needs a plugin FOR AN EMERGENCY and pays for only one month of it and finishes their track and goes on to be a great success or something, and then comes back rolling in money and pays for the whole plugin, but how common of an occurrence does that sound?

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Urs wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:57 pm
chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:40 pm You can stop or pause the payment at any time. I can't see how it would remotely resemble paying with a credit card.
It sounds to me like all the advantage is on the customer side, and a lot of it. But what exactly do we get?

The obvious answer would be more sales from a potential larger customer base who can't or hesitant to buy do to price constraints. The question is whether or not people who can buy will buy or will they use splice? A percentage would, no doubt. It's a gamble. The question is whether or no there really is a larger pool of untapped marketplace that would offset this percentage, and indeed, increase revenue. How has it affected these other companies who use it? Maybe a newsletter to gauge interest, or even an official poll thread to qualify a newsletter release if there is enough interest in the poll to? I would think the point is to target new customers who might not be in your system yet, so, you'd have to email blast to those who are in your system but don't own any plugs yet.

I'm for the idea :)
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i think in all cases that the advantages are not currently in evidence—let alone guaranteed—and the downsides are already obvious in the patterns of human nature and in the grim silhouette of the company's current projected expenditures, lurking on the horizon.

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Urs wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:57 pm
chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:40 pm You can stop or pause the payment at any time. I can't see how it would remotely resemble paying with a credit card.
It sounds to me like all the advantage is on the customer side, and a lot of it. But what exactly do we get?
:?

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It's a legimate concern. Sadly, helping out people and helping out a business aren't always correlated. Being able to get it now and sooner could hinder future releases if sales drop. Correct information is needed before proceeding forward.
High Quality Soundsets for Lush-101 | Hive | Electra 2 | Diversion | Halion | Largo | Rapid | Dune II | Thorn | and more.

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Touch The Universe wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:29 pm It's a legimate concern. Sadly, helping out people and helping out a business aren't always correlated.
The claim that it helps the customer is dubious.

Of course Splice talks up the advantages... they make money convincing people to use their service.

In the end, the price is the same for the customer. There is no financial advantage and the developer gets less.

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Essentially buying on terms means you are leveraging funds, which is always beneficial, theoretically. Since each sale would yield the same price, eventually, there will be a financial advantage if it attracts more customers then what otherwise be interested. Whatever, this is too much brain power. urs is a smart guy he'll figure it out if it makes sense to rock the boat or not.
High Quality Soundsets for Lush-101 | Hive | Electra 2 | Diversion | Halion | Largo | Rapid | Dune II | Thorn | and more.

TTU Youtube

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Urs wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:57 pm
chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:40 pm You can stop or pause the payment at any time. I can't see how it would remotely resemble paying with a credit card.
It sounds to me like all the advantage is on the customer side, and a lot of it. But what exactly do we get?
As i mentioned, potentially some customers who would never purchased at full price. I can't say whether or not it makes sense, or works out for you. That's probably something noone can predict. It seems to work for other developers though.

I'm pretty surprised about people's reservations against it here (for me, for the customer, there's only advantages). I have a feeling that it doesn't reflect their own opinion about it, or that they didn't even make up their mind about it, but, anyway.

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pdxindy wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:41 pm
chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:19 pm Why wouldn't it? People who can't afford the plugins
That is just total marketing BS... it has nothing to do with people who cannot afford the plugin. The price is not less with Splice.

The only thing that can be said is it may be an advantage for people who can afford it but are not disciplined to save up their money.
No. It's the same as if you pay for something with installments.

Do you tell people who can't afford a house that they should rather discipline themselves to save up for it as well?

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Touch The Universe wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:40 pm Essentially buying on terms means you are leveraging funds, which is always beneficial
tell that to all the people who lost their underwater homes...

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chk071 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:50 pm
I'm pretty surprised about people's reservations against it here (for me, for the customer, there's only advantages).
the advantage is insignificant... you pay the same amount of money. And of course if you are 3/4 paid and you decide you do not want the plugin... hmm... that is a small disadvantage.

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