Announcing The Platinum Club Plus [Beta] Program
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Yeah I don't have that problem. There is (insert favorite curse work in here) ton of content that I still do not have from the already listed vendors. One vendor I would love to see added to the list is Dreamlight. I do have one questiong. This is said to have been put together from surveys and customer feedback. I saw no surveys, but I would have asked for a lot of the stuff that has been added. DAZ knows its not perfect but its a BETA so will require BETA TESTERS which will be the people in the opt in program which I most likely be a part of.
Pay more then the prices go up? No, the membership price remains the same.
And there are TWO $6 coupons, one with no minimum that can't be used on PA items, and one with $18 minimum that can.
Just upping the price to say 2.99 still doesn't solve the issue of all items being the same price however.
Why? Wasn't that the point of the PC. You pay a fee to be a member and in return you have access to these items in the catalog at this price anytime? Someone at DAZ decides what will or will not be added to the catalog and it is not the PC members. If something is deemed too expensive for the PC, then why not just place it in the regular store as a DO?
Sorry, I'm not buying the complaint about pricing.
Pay more then the prices go up? No, the membership price remains the same.
still going to cost me more to get less .
Just upping the price to say 2.99 still doesn't solve the issue of all items being the same price however.
How does the PC system work for the PA's creating the $1.99 models? That's the bit I don't understand. Do they get a fee based on the complexity of the model or is it a flat fee? If the membership fee doesn't cover this then why was it lowered? The problem with flexible pricing for PC models is that there'll no longer be any certainty of a regular selection of affordable models each month. If a PC item costs as much as or more than a non PC item then what's the incentive to become a member? The coupons are useful only for those who haven't bought most of the PC items over the years and for those who can afford to spend $12 or more on a limited range of PA items.
Why? Wasn't that the point of the PC. You pay a fee to be a member and in return you have access to these items in the catalog at this price anytime? Someone at DAZ decides what will or will not be added to the catalog and it is not the PC members. If something is deemed too expensive for the PC, then why not just place it in the regular store as a DO?
Sorry, I'm not buying the complaint about pricing.
Well that's certainly an option, but I don't see how that offers any benefit to either the PC or it's members?
Personally speaking, I could have put all of my own items either in the store brokered, or as DO's, but then that's even more expensive than the 70% off PC prices.
I've read the information on the PC+ program 3 times, and I've read every page of this thread. Since we're giving opinions here, I'll share mine.
1. Jack, you're a saint for taking on the responsibility of managing this thread. No one ever likes change, and that is pretty clear here. You've managed it with dignity and patience. I commend you.
2. The information about this program is very confusing. It is clearly a change that everyone needs to be able to understand in order to consider even if it is a one month beta. We shouldn't have to whip out calculators to do the math in order to understand just how much we'd be paying for items if we opt in. That's why I quoted Dead Reckoning. His post was the first one that clearly explained the money side of it without having to do so much math that it made my head hurt. I'll discuss biology or the paranormal with you till the sun sets, but don't make me do math in my head. So, shame on the marketing team trying to sell us on this for not supplying real world examples of the pricing schemes under the current plan and the new one. Granted, DR's example only shows how things will go up which is the negative side of the coin. Another point to the marketing team needs to be that if they want to sell this idea, then they need to provide examples of how it will benefit us monetarily in other areas.
3. Jack, please stop just flatly pointing out that $1.99 isn't a viable sales model any more. Maybe it isn't. I'm even inclined to agree, but you're beating a dead horse and forgetting your audience. Everyone who signed up for PC did so based on the benefit of $1.99 items and the $6 monthly coupon. You're asking a group of people (the customers) to empathize with another group of people (DAZ and the PA's) over the amount of profit they make. That is ludicrous. How many times do you go to the store to purchase something and think, "Gosh, everything was $2 yesterday and now it is all over $5. All I have to spend is $10 and had hoped to buy 5 things. Well, I'm okay with only getting 1, maybe 2, items because the poor underaged kids in a third world country are making more profit now."? I'm guessing you don't say that very often. Neither do we as the customers. While I can sympathize with the PA's, and even still hope to one day be one, you can't expect the customers to just swallow this just because the old model isn't beneficial to the manufacturing side of the house. The PA's choose to sell here just like we choose to buy here. If DAZ isn't meeting the needs of either group, we can leave.
4. For me, being a member of PC means flat rate prices that I can work into my budget. The monthly coupon really doesn't matter that much. If $1.99 isn't the price that the PA's are willing the make items for, then I'd rather see that flat rate price go up to $2.99. You go much past that, and you're into "real" shopping territory, not impulse shopping. I know each week I can spend $7-$10 dollars and get 4-5 new models that I can also use to enter the weekly contest. I'm not paying $16 or more for the same items, and don't like not knowing exactly what those items will cost from week to week.
5. I would also hope that DAZ intends to make any changes they permanently implement effective at the end of each person's PC term so that each member can choose to re-up, or not, under the new model. I certainly don't want them coming in and changing the terms I agreed to in the middle of my term. That isn't sporting. I agreed to pay X amount for X period of time in order to get X benefits. So, when they do pull the trigger on whatever new model they implement, they need to make it effective when people re-up, or they need to offer a full refund of the time remaining for people that don't like the new terms. I'm sure this will meet with a response of "No changes are planned yet. This is only a beta." Don't insult me. This may be a beta, but all good beta's end with a final product which stands a good chance for change.
How does the PC system work for the PA's creating the $1.99 models? That's the bit I don't understand. Do they get a fee based on the complexity of the model or is it a flat fee? If the membership fee doesn't cover this then why was it lowered? The problem with flexible pricing for PC models is that there'll no longer be any certainty of a regular selection of affordable models each month. If a PC item costs as much as or more than a non PC item then what's the incentive to become a member? The coupons are useful only for those who haven't bought most of the PC items over the years and for those who can afford to spend $12 or more on a limited range of PA items.
In most cases, the content offered in the PC is bought out by DAZ. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part this is how we acquire content.
As already stated, the PC prices will always be the best price in the DAZ store. In theory, PC content should be cheaper than non-PC items - that's our intention as much as it is now and in the future.
The number of PA's offering 30% off to PC members is limited, but the coupon can be used for any PA, not just the ones who are 30% off that week.
"Just upping the price to say 2.99 still doesn't solve the issue of all items being the same price however".
That really should not be an issue to anyone in my opinion. If an item is created or procured for the Platinum Club merchandise lineup, it is expected to be marketed for a flat rate according to the current rules of the Platinum Club.
In all honesty, I spend more money on Platinum Club items than I do on other purchases and I appreciate having a wide range of items for a low fixed price. It allows me to increase my content library and gives me more outlets for creativity when I have lots of stuff to play with. It also benefits DAZ 3D as I spend my money pretty much exclusively with them rather than other content providers. I am a hobbyist. I have a fixed budget for this hobby. If you price me out of it, you lose that income because I then HAVE to go to another provider which while not having some of the things I want, still has terms I can afford to meet while still enjoying my hobby.
That said, I will admit that the other purchases outside of the Platinum Club that I make are either figures or figure bundles ( If I feel I will use most of whats in it, I go for the "Pro" bundles) or scenery and props. Most of my scenery and prop items are NOT Platinum Club items. This is where the PA's make their money off of me. This and the odd outfit or item that I simply "must" have. Under the current system, both DAZ3d and the PA's get paid from my purchases. It seems fair and equitable.
All that said, I can also see where perhaps the flat rate of $1.99 needs to go up to keep the Platinum Club a profitable concern. Maybe a flat rate of $3.00 could be an option? There would be more money being charged for items in the Platinum Club but it would not price most hobbyists like myself out of the ability to make those quick impulse buys which any economist will tell you are a LARGE part of any retail business whether online or brick and mortar.
After looking at what has been proposed for the Platinum Club+, here is a suggestion for an alternative format:
1) all Platinum Club items at a flat rate of $3.00
2) Keep the 5 Monthly Freebies
3) Let the original $6 coupon be expanded to include PC items but NOT new PC items. ( Since we already have the intro discount it is perfectly reasonable to not allow "double dipping" of discounts there)
4) Toss in the extra coupon for $6 on a purchase of $18.00 or more on any item. This would actually get more of my money spent outside of the Platinum Club and be a profitability driver for both DAZ3D and the PA's
5) The extra 30% off on a rotating selection of PA's every week would be nice but only if you can get all or even most of the PA's to go along with it. If its just a few artists repeated over and over, eventually you would have little to no income being generated from this. In light of that, maybe take this option off the table if necessary to help with keeping a fixed price of $3.00 for platinum club items???
These are just my thoughts on the matter.
What's the most pc items cost now without the pc price, I remember seeing a really old pc item for about $100 when browsing the pc items before I considered joining years ago. I don't think most items are that much now, i think most are under $20 I think, I guess I'm unsure what I think of it, I understand the reasons, but I know I wouldn't be able to buy a bunch of $10 - $20 pc items
Like the previous poster, the guaranteed prices of that catalog are WHY I pay to be a Platinum Club member. As someone else in-thread stated, there are many times in the 11th hour of creating something for my job that I need something I don't have, and that catalog has saved my life (and my bank account) more times than I can count. I am desperately trying to make my way right now as a digital artist/illustrator and the whole "starving artist" stereotype is definitely a stereotype for a reason: because it's true!
In my own personal experience (and I don't know if this is true for others), this is what happens to me when it comes to being a PC member: I eagerly log on every Wednesday morning to see what's new for PC; in the process, I also check out the latest new releases. Often, I have stumbled into spending FAR more money (often to my own financial detriment, but, hey, now I have cool stuff, right? lol) than I had initially planned to spend simply by the initial LURE of new PC items in the $1.99 catalog, which then led me to higher priced items on the new release page (or sometimes even elsewhere). PC items have also helped to introduce me to artists here and the rest of their catalog--artists like Jack Tomalin, Valea, Moyra, Sarsa, -Esha-, Stonemason, Petipet, and others--whose PC items I will buy religiously, but to whom I have formed a devotion to the quality of their work that leads me to buy their non-PC-priced items as well at every available opportunity. In that vein, I see the current PC catalog serving much the same purpose as those folks who stand for hours handing out samples of food (for example) on sticks: the $1.99 items entice you into exploring the "flavor" of certain established artists, and then, once you have "tasted" their work, the non-PC prices seem more appealing than they would have had you not had a previous "sample" of their work.
I fear if PC eventually becomes what is described in PC Plus it is going to do more damage in the long-run than good, when it comes to new people coming in. Is what's presently described great for those with big wallets and an already full catalog? Yes, probably, and, as such, perhaps it should be offered as a separate "PC Veteran" membership or something, but for those beginning to build a catalog, and just becoming introduced to some of the artists here, and also on very limited budgets, the present state of PC is the better option for many reasons, including those I just listed.
It's an option, yes - to just work to the budget and price point of 1.99, but all we could do with that is to create smaller products.. I doubt people would be happier with that option either.
Good morning all, nice to see that Jack has survived the night ;-) I am just catching up with this thread but I would like to remind folks that there is a way to send in feed back, so that everyone at DAZ is in the loop,, please use the field in your Platinum Club Portal for you to submit feedback. Fill out the field with your suggestions and comments and then click “Submit Feedback
You can still post feed back here, but please use the Submit Feedback area as well because when we review the beta part of what we will be reviewing is the feedback from the "Submit Feedback" area.
Is it odd that I see positives where other people see negatives and vice versa?
The coupon with the 18 dollar minimum purchase, I can do. Its not as bad as the completely random coupons other stores put out. Save 15% on orders of 35 dollars or more. If I am reading correctly its a 6 dollar coupon off of any 18 dollar or more product that you can use at any time of the month. And you still have the other 6 dollar coupon for Daz Originals.
It's an option, yes - to just work to the budget and price point of 1.99, but all we could do with that is to create smaller products.. I doubt people would be happier with that option either.
Actually, if you read further in my post, I suggested a price point of $3.00 as a flat rate for all Platinum Club Items. Perhaps I should have made that more obvious/worded it more clearly. Forgive me, I'm still not up to my 2nd cup of coffee yet. :)
I still haven't had time to do a thorough read of this thread, and I am kind of afraid to.
I have been a member of the PC for more years than I should have, but I still enjoy it.
I truly enjoyed being an occasional ninja and moped when that option was removed, but I understood the reasoning even as I silently complained.
I know that DAZ has been saying for quite a while that the PC is not financially feasible for them. I can understand it, and I understand the reason for the change. That doesn't mean I won't state my opinion. I really don't expect to be listened to, I just need to vent.
I admit, like many others I have a limited source of money to spend each week. I am lucky and have a job, but I do have a smallish allowance that I can spend most weeks and I usually choose to spend it here. So I was just pointing out that while the PA options included are nice, I doubt that I will make use of it too often and that the amount of items purchased will, most likely, diminish.
Do I like the price of PC items raising? No, I am not stupid. But do I understand it? Yes, again I am not stupid. I know that the economy is not what it was when I first joined. I know that DAZ needs to be able to stay competative and that is both in pricing for the items offered and the quality of the items offered. I am sure that DAZ could keep offering items at 1.99 into infinity, but that doesn't mean that the QUALITY would be what we have come to expect and like from DAZ. After all, even though I hate it, you do get what you pay for. We, the PC members, have been spoiled for a long time and enjoy it.
The coupons - I like the fact that the PC one will be usable on PC items, even if I almost always find something to spend it on. It is nice of DAZ to have come up with a way to be able to offer a PC only coupon for PA items. Not quite as flexible as we old-timers had in the ancient past, but still nice. As is the PA discount on selected PA stores.
For me, even if I may not opt in to the beta (still need my pennies to get Aiko), I don't think I object to the changes that it will initiate as long as we still get a) the monthly PC coupon and b) the freebies without purchase required. Those are the two items that I think would make me lose my desire and faith with the PC club.
This
I wished we had the old store ... I would go back to the 5$ coupon, but the coupon worked on only the Daz half of the price of a PA item.
That way the PAs didn't have a hit (and I don't see a difference for Daz whether the coupon takes the dollars off a DO or their share of a PA item).
fond memories of that old coupie, up to 50% off pa items.
Yeah, I like that instead of replacing the coupon they made it two coupons, so both people who don't have a lot of cash still have the no-minimum coupon, while those who want to use it on PA items have that option, too.
And if I read Jared's posts from the beginning correctly, if you use your regular PC coupon before signing up for the beta, you still get two PC+ coupons, so that's $18 in coupons, pretty good incentive to try the beta.
Laurie,
would it be ok to just copy and paste my post into the feedback form. Not saying I would after reviewing it, just would it be ok?
Wrote up a big long feedback bit in the Platinum Club text box on the account page, and got a security error. Post was lost. (Is anyone else getting this or is it just me?)
Brief summary:
I'm okay with having the option to switch to PC+
By and large, I like the new perks.
In an ideal world, it would be possible for long-term members to switch between the plans. Perhaps limit it to once every three months without penalty, or charge a fee for switching more often than that (just to eliminate exploitation of different pricing schemes).
I'd be sad if this became the only option, though.
Laurie,
would it be ok to just copy and paste my post into the feedback form. Not saying I would after reviewing it, just would it be ok?
Yes, that's fine.. :)
;-) What Jack said
This is the bit that has me wondering. A "rotating selection of PA's"...but I am wondering how many are going to go along with that? Obviously, PA's do this for income so I'm curious how many of them are happy to have their products - ALL their store, not just new ones - discounted by 30%. As Daikatana says above, if it's the same artists being repeated over and over (which we actually often see in the Fast Grab),then I wonder how viable this will be to customers financially. There'll come a point where you'll have all the products you want or need from a particular vendor - particularly if it's a favourite vendor that you buy from often. And while there are currently some AWESOME artists there now (and probably a good marketing idea to include them as it gets us excited), it doesn't necessarily mean they will be the artists who will do this from now on. If my favourite artists whose work I love to buy and use aren't going to be included, and it ends up being just a "handful" doing it, then that particular offer is of no use to me whatsoever, and no incentive. I understand that we can't get right now a CONFIRMED list of artists who will be doing this, as this "beta" period is a test for everyone, customers AND pa's alike. But it's just such a tenuous "offer" that it has me backpedalling on this beta.
That, and of course the loss of the 1.99 items. If the 1.99 items are no longer FINANCIALLY viable for DAZ, then I'll be brutally honest here - not my problem. DAZ isn't my friend, DAZ isn't my buddy - they are a business like every other business in the world. I have a business relationship with DAZ, not a friendship. And to be even MORE brutally honest, their finances ONLY concern me if it means I can no longer afford to buy their products. When i get to the end of my payday and see I have $6 left over after all bills and necessities are met, and that $6 is my "mad money" that I can do whatever I like with, I get excited and think "ooooo I can grab at least 3 pc items and feel all cool and excited cos i'll have at least 3 more toys to play with in my hobby and be all happy!". THAT'S what I finally realized what the PC membership meant to me. Knowing I can come here and grab a few items to play with, and feel satisfied cos I got full products for a tiny bit of money. If I lose that, and that $6 becomes one product, or not even enough for one product, then my spending here will pretty much stop. I keep coming back to the PC club FOR THOSE ITEMS.
So I think I may sit the "beta" period out and see what happens at the end - if we are able to be given a confirmation on which PA's will join in, and see what happens with the PC prices. My membership is due in about 6 days - I'm only going to purchase a one month extension (now I've finally found otu HOW to do that) and see what happens.
The issue that we have with the current model is that a fixed price of a 1.99 doesn't really make sense. Why should an environment be the same price as a pose pack, when one costs more to produce than the other?
Furthermore, not all environments are the same, same are a lot smaller.. some are a lot bigger. Should they be the same price? The % does allow the base prices to be adjusted to more accurately reflect each products size and contents - and as continue to offer all items at a deep discount.
but then, couldn't those high end sets be DO and not pc items?
so many pc items require other items,
separate the hair and the hair colors, it's 1.99 x2. add a fit, another 1.99.
look at the dream home, over 60 1.99 items, the home is over a 100 bucks.
This is the bit that has me wondering. A "rotating selection of PA's"...but I am wondering how many are going to go along with that? Obviously, PA's do this for income so I'm curious how many of them are happy to have their products - ALL their store, not just new ones - discounted by 30%. As Daikatana says above, if it's the same artists being repeated over and over (which we actually often see in the Fast Grab),then I wonder how viable this will be to customers financially. There'll come a point where you'll have all the products you want or need from a particular vendor - particularly if it's a favourite vendor that you buy from often. And while there are currently some AWESOME artists there now (and probably a good marketing idea to include them as it gets us excited), it doesn't necessarily mean they will be the artists who will do this from now on. If my favourite artists whose work I love to buy and use aren't going to be included, and it ends up being just a "handful" doing it, then that particular offer is of no use to me whatsoever, and no incentive. I understand that we can't get right now a CONFIRMED list of artists who will be doing this, as this "beta" period is a test for everyone, customers AND pa's alike. But it's just such a tenuous "offer" that it has me backpedalling on this beta.
That, and of course the loss of the 1.99 items. If the 1.99 items are no longer FINANCIALLY viable for DAZ, then I'll be brutally honest here - not my problem. DAZ isn't my friend, DAZ isn't my buddy - they are a business like every other business in the world. I have a business relationship with DAZ, not a friendship. And to be even MORE brutally honest, their finances ONLY concern me if it means I can no longer afford to buy their products. When i get to the end of my payday and see I have $6 left over after all bills and necessities are met, and that $6 is my "mad money" that I can do whatever I like with, I get excited and think "ooooo I can grab at least 3 pc items and feel all cool and excited cos i'll have at least 3 more toys to play with in my hobby and be all happy!". THAT'S what I finally realized what the PC membership meant to me. Knowing I can come here and grab a few items to play with, and feel satisfied cos I got full products for a tiny bit of money. If I lose that, and that $6 becomes one product, or not even enough for one product, then my spending here will pretty much stop. I keep coming back to the PC club FOR THOSE ITEMS.
So I think I may sit the "beta" period out and see what happens at the end - if we are able to be given a confirmation on which PA's will join in, and see what happens with the PC prices. My membership is due in about 6 days - I'm only going to purchase a one month extension (now I've finally found otu HOW to do that) and see what happens.
I haven't seen the final list, but the PA's who have opted in is pretty extensive.
You're correct - it is our problem, and we're here trying to come up with ways around it :)
Well, I probably should not been too hasty to upgrade. The pc club items are now more expensive. Or is that across the board for everyone? Seems just this morning I had the viking hair colors at 1.99.. Now it is 2.30 not a horrible price but I should've bought it prior to upgrading I think.
Late Night poses for Gen 2 at the diner is now 3.29
I did realize the prices would go up. but thought not immediately I guess.
but then, couldn't those high end sets be DO and not pc items?
so many pc items require other items,
separate the hair and the hair colors, it's 1.99 x2. add a fit, another 1.99.
look at the dream home, over 60 1.99 items, the home is over a 100 bucks.
Again, yes.. we could have DO items.. but then we're talking $14-$16.. that's even more expensive than the 70% being offered currently.
The Dream Home complete is over $100, but look at what you get for that (it took over two years to complete, too). What price would you expect to pay for it?
I'll quite happily put all my items out as DO's, but I figured PC members like my stuff? ;)
Yeah, I like that instead of replacing the coupon they made it two coupons, so both people who don't have a lot of cash still have the no-minimum coupon, while those who want to use it on PA items have that option, too.
And if I read Jared's posts from the beginning correctly, if you use your regular PC coupon before signing up for the beta, you still get two PC+ coupons, so that's $18 in coupons, pretty good incentive to try the beta.
Well if that's true, I'm gonna have to rush and get the Aiko 6 bundle if I decide to opt in, which I think will, I guess I could cheat and buy a couple pc items before I opt in as well