New Marketplace Items: Bovochs and Bristlebane!

But... Taco Bell is crap and not something that an informed consumer should buy... its a bad deal at any price.

The Marketplace has been within a sector that was said to be loosely governed by an 80/20 rule. in that one would only expect 20% of the customers to participate, but that they would spend more money there than the other 80% would have with subscriptions or whatever. And the SoE marketplace has had a participation rate much higher than 20%, so they're doing better than they (or you) should expect. People with a lot of disposable income are willing to give a lot away. It's sound business to have items on the marketplace to capture the funds of the big spenders. It is not sound logic for everyone to expect to have everything they want, whether that's on the Marketplace, in the loot tables, or outside the game.

Premium pricing is one possible strategy that may be used on exclusive, rare items, like the one-day-only pink mount. Other items - like the other two mounts, which are still available - are still part of the regular pricing structure.

AKA -- we managed to sell a recolour for $50, so that's a baseline upped that people are willing to pay. I can't wait to see the premium PREMIUM item.

Whether Taco Bell's food is good or not is irrelevant. It is the BUSINESS MODEL of PRICING to STAY in business and keep customers happy that I was referring to.

And in the meantime how much of their business losses of PAYING CUSTOMERS have they lost through mis-managment, smoke and mirrors and outright lies?

This was a test of the market, and thanks to those who actually bought into it, those with less money, in areas where jobs are scarce/non-existent wont' have a chance at competing in this game.
It is headed to PAY TO WIN and we all know it. These are just the first baby steps in that direction.
I for one will NOT be purchasing any more SC cards to spend in their marketplace. I will use mastercrafted gear made in game from other players and learn to be content with what I have already purchased this year ( around $200.00 between Dec and Jan spent on SC ).

Incoming lvl 90/280 characters for the low low price of $50 each.

If someone wants to pay 100USD to ride nagafen, or 1000 USD to ride Fironia Vie (in a defensibbly PG-13 way), and that means SoE can hire more people and push more polished content.... Go for it.

And what I meant is that Taco Bell's business success has less to do with their acumen than with the US public's near-universal dietary stupidity.

LOL you're dreaming. SOE has long since been funneling all SC sales towards EQNext. EQ2 will not be gaining any new development staff, we're in maintenance mode.

Well, here is some feedback....

I will never spend another dime of my money on your game again if this is the face of things to come. This was a slap in the face to your customers. I've given SOE thousands of dollars over the past 10+ years - games, expansions, monthly subscription for two accounts - plus station cash.

And then SOE gives us something we really want - but price gouge us? That's insulting.

I didn't buy your pink cash cow.

And if this continues, I'll go play a game (and give my $$$) to a company that respects it's players.

What is wrong with that exactly?
I see cars that I'll probably never be able to afford from time to time.
I see cars that I'd never pay the sticker price for quite often

I thought you were of the mindset that the SC was good for the game in that it brought additional revenue. That is all this is it is premium items targeted at specific players that WILL buy them. There are identically shaped items that come with different paint jobs, one is made to stand out, and it costs more to obtain that one.

I'd like to see them start making some one of a kind items [artifact], one per server and have sealed bid auctions for them, start on Tuesday close on Friday, or the next tuesday, doesn't matter. I have like 12K SC I'd bid on a headless meatbeast, probaqbly wouldn't win, but it would be fun to have one of those.

I think I'll feedback it!

Sadly this topic is just getting beaten to death by the players and will result in no changes in SOE's attitude. This is how they will continue to do business. We can discuss semantics all we want and just end up arguing amongst ourselves which I am pretty sure is always the goal. Get the player base so wound up at each other that they forget to be made at the real cause.

I have been a customer of SOE since EQ1 launched. Playing EQ1, EQ2, SWG, and all associated expansions for each of those games. To me this is a slap in the face. Very bad form SOE. I am not angry at the fact I didnt get a pink bovoch, what I am upset about is the fact that we will be having to pay a premium price for content in the future.

Just wanted to reply that, though I've been wrong before, I don't believe I've ever supported SC. I've offered it in my giveaways since people seemed to like it, and I've used it for some appearance stuff, but overall I've not had strong opinions on it being good or bad. Lately, it's been swinging more towards bad, and I just wanted to express it.
Overall, doesn't matter. My voice is less than a drop in a giant bucket.

"Buying the Beloved Berry-Fed Bovoch, like any item in the Marketplace, comes down to a personal decision: is it worth it for you at the price that it's available at? If it was, hopefully you are enjoying your new mount! Yes, this type of exclusive time and premium pricing was something new for us, and we will take all forms of feedback (from purchase amounts to forum discussions and everything in between) into consisderation as we move forward."

In SOE speak this means expect more overpriced "premium" items on the marketplace every holiday celebration. Nothing more than a pathetic money grab.

And they have succeeded well haven't they? Notice how when they ask for our feedback and state they are listening to us is all it amounts to is us venting and them doing what they want anyway?

Very True Elostirion, but it works and is proven to work. Sell something at a lower cost = more sales = more profit in the long run.

Law of Demand (which is what you just quoted) assumes comparable quality among price points. So it isn't the right reference here.

And given that you are one of SoE's customers, I would hope you arent suggesting they are free to pursue policies that rely on their customers being idiots. If you are, then as another one of their customers, I resent that.

You sound just like a campaign manager covering for a politician. It's funny how many times over the years I've seen a politician claim they never deceived anyone or misrepresented anything. That is until the emails come out. Or the insider leaks. Or the mistress comes forward. Or the bookie rolls over. Or the "paid escorts" ledger is found. Or until the politician gets caught in their own lie.

From Dexella's responses already, it is plainly apparent that this price was intentional and a new "experiment". They could have had the decency to mention this new experimental pricing scheme before the Station Cash sale.

It's sad that I now equate SOE's management with the level of most politicians.

You might of added that if it was the "standard pricing" they could of easily made more money in sells I'm sure, so it can't be greed. I'm sure they could of sold three or more times more than what they did if it was the standard price.

But they had a standard price option. Two of them. They offered both. You had choice. What more do you want?