Tutorials on Sale - Page 2

NLC Beads · #31 2010-11-07, 6:34pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deborah

I think folks put up sales and specials to raise quick cash - at least, I've done that in business.

Agreed - with the tutorials and sometimes beads.

Sometimes with beads I just want them out of here so I can repopulate the shop with new. And if they've been sitting for a while without someone buying them, a lower price can help. Kinda like eBay in reverse...

chrissij · #32 2010-11-08, 7:25am

If lower prices later cause ire, people should be really p*ssed at Apple...

Laura B · #33 2010-11-08, 7:34am

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrissij

If lower prices later cause ire, people should be really p*ssed at Apple...

And who says they aren't?

Laura B · #34 2010-11-08, 7:35am

But yeah... them and every other big company.

Game systems constantly get lowered prices after a year or two.

mandyjw · #35 2010-11-08, 7:37am

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrissij

If lower prices later cause ire, people should be really p*ssed at Apple...

Yep! Or any company that makes flat screen TVs.

Moth · #36 2010-11-08, 8:33am

I don't understand the irritation about tutorial sales either. Everything (well...almost everything) goes on sale eventually. What's the big deal?

If I put my tutorials on sale it's because I need cash...that simple. Tutorial sales have slowed for me mainly because all of mine have been out a long time. Pretty much most who really wanted it--already got it. LOL I'm not interested in releasing any more (at least not that I know of) because I don't feel like anything else I've been doing is worth a whole tutorial. I put out the ones I believed I could do justice to, and that's the end of it. I'm not going to keep cranking out tutorials for every bead I make. That's why it's important to keep the ones I already have available alive.

If I lower the price, people who wanted it but couldn't afford it can get in on the action. I don't put them on sale because I think their value has decreased. It's a demand thing. As was mentioned...supply/demand doesn't apply because the supply is endless. So when the demand drops there isn't any other way to counter it than by lowering the price, either temporarily or permanently.

Laura B · #37 2010-11-08, 8:52am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moth

I don't understand the irritation about tutorial sales either. Everything (well...almost everything) goes on sale eventually. What's the big deal?

If I put my tutorials on sale it's because I need cash...that simple. Tutorial sales have slowed for me mainly because all of mine have been out a long time. Pretty much most who really wanted it--already got it. LOL I'm not interested in releasing any more (at least not that I know of) because I don't feel like anything else I've been doing is worth a whole tutorial. I put out the ones I believed I could do justice to, and that's the end of it. I'm not going to keep cranking out tutorials for every bead I make. That's why it's important to keep the ones I already have available alive.

If I lower the price, people who wanted it but couldn't afford it can get in on the action. I don't put them on sale because I think their value has decreased. It's a demand thing. As was mentioned...supply/demand doesn't apply because the supply is endless. So when the demand drops there isn't any other way to counter it than by lowering the price, either temporarily or permanently.

Thanks for such a thoughtful post.

Chuckie · #38 2010-11-08, 10:00am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyjw

Yep! Or any company that makes flat screen TVs.

Speaking of flat screen TVs, right before the economy took a dive, the manufacturers were pumping those things out of the factories en mass. When the economy went south, they ended up with an overabundance of flat screens. I read a news report just a few days ago that said consumers can expect some crazy low prices on flat screens this buying season. Keep an eye out for the price drop if you're looking to invest in one.

I've only been angry one time when the price of something I purchased dropped like a rock shortly after my purchase. I made a large purchase, close to $1000, intentionally from a reputable dealer when a more unscrupulous dealer was undercutting the MSRP by a few hundred dollars. Sure, I could have bought at a lower price, but who knows how long I'd have had to wait. I'd have gotten it eventually but I didn't want to reward an unscrupulous sales person when I could support a reputable distributor.

I wrote to both the person I purchased from and the people he bought from and told them why I was buying from them instead of the other dealer. Within a few short weeks of my purchase, the main distributor decided to lower his price to beat the unscrupulous person. It would have saved me somewhere in the neighborhood of $300.

I feel I should have been reimbursed for some of what I paid, but no offer was made to do so, even though I suggested it. I'm still miffed about it, but at least I can take comfort in the fact that the person I purchased from was able to put food on the table for the kids and my money wasn't pocketed by a total jerk.

Shit happens...

sangell · #39 2010-11-09, 8:12am

If I had ordered on less than 2 months at a higher cost, I would probably contact the seller and ask about a reduced cost for any addtional tutuorials right up front.

Suzanne

shawnette · #40 2010-11-09, 8:40am

Quote:

Originally Posted by sangell

If I had ordered on less than 2 months at a higher cost, I would probably contact the seller and ask about a reduced cost for any addtional tutuorials right up front.

Suzanne

Two months is a long time to expect compensation for a price drop. Most large companies only do 7-14 days and a lot of small companies don't do it at all.

Moth · #41 2010-11-09, 8:49am

Yeah, 2 months seems too long. A week or two, yeah ok...but 2 months? I don't think so.

Laura B · #42 2010-11-09, 9:21am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moth

Yeah, 2 months seems too long. A week or two, yeah ok...but 2 months? I don't think so.

Previously, if I've done something like this, I just pro-actively refund the difference to anyone who's bought it in the last 30 days.

As a customer, I'd probably be too passive (shy) to contact a seller and ask for a refund... so as a seller, I try to empathize with that.

PerfectDeb · #43 2010-11-11, 9:17pm

i'm not a big fan of sales - if you put something on sale the mentality is that nobody wants it so its going cheap. if i'm trying to generate sales then i go for the "buy more get more" philosophy - so buy this tut and i'll give you this other one for free idea, i dont think that cheapens the product it just generates interest

elyart · #44 2010-11-12, 5:15am

I love your pricing tut.
Thanks!
elyart

Moth · #45 2010-11-12, 6:57am

Quote:

Originally Posted by PerfectDeb

i'm not a big fan of sales - if you put something on sale the mentality is that nobody wants it so its going cheap.

I agree with this if you are 'clearancing' things and when they are gone, they are gone.

But using the lame 'milk' example again...what about a sale like that? Limited time, just to sell some milk. LOL

Everybody is still going to want it after it goes off sale, but for a short time they can take advantage of a good deal. It's not on sale because it is suddenly worth less or nobody wants it. The store is running the sale to get you in their building so that while you're buying milk you pick up some other things too.

~~Mary

Laura B · #46 2010-11-12, 7:31am

Quote:

Originally Posted by elyart

I love your pricing tut.
Thanks!
elyart

Thanks!!!

Hey, you couldn't possibly have already gotten it and tried it. Ha ha ha!

But yes, this was the one I had intended to lower the price of. (I've sent your refund, but I don't think it will clear for a few days... sorry.)

PerfectDeb · #47 2010-11-13, 4:08pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moth

I agree with this if you are 'clearancing' things and when they are gone, they are gone.

But using the lame 'milk' example again...what about a sale like that? Limited time, just to sell some milk. LOL

Everybody is still going to want it after it goes off sale, but for a short time they can take advantage of a good deal. It's not on sale because it is suddenly worth less or nobody wants it. The store is running the sale to get you in their building so that while you're buying milk you pick up some other things too.

~~Mary

i'm not saying i dont agree with sales at all - i just like the "win win" scenario better. i remember this guy once was trying to haggle with me on some beautiful silk scarves i had, not on sale, they were $40 and he was trying to haggle me down to half price (not gonna happen buddy), so i said "if you buy 2, i'll give them to you for $35 each, that way you get a better price and i get an extra sale" he looked at me like i was demented and left only to come back an hour later and take the deal

tammydownunder · #48 2010-11-14, 2:09pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by PerfectDeb

i'm not saying i dont agree with sales at all - i just like the "win win" scenario better. i remember this guy once was trying to haggle with me on some beautiful silk scarves i had, not on sale, they were $40 and he was trying to haggle me down to half price (not gonna happen buddy), so i said "if you buy 2, i'll give them to you for $35 each, that way you get a better price and i get an extra sale" he looked at me like i was demented and left only to come back an hour later and take the deal

We do this at the market all the time. Earrings are $35 each but if you buy 3 pairs, we'll do them for $100.

Bundling the tutorials is a great way for someone to spend a bit more but get a whole lot more.

dymond_mom · #49 2010-11-16, 10:54am

Quote:

Originally Posted by tammydownunder

Bundling the tutorials is a great way for someone to spend a bit more but get a whole lot more.

Some of the tutorial writers did this last year at Christmas time. It was a great way to purchase the tuts and then have each of them sent to different members in the Secret Santa list. Writer got a sale, I got a good deal and I was able to gift more than one person at a time! Win win, in my books.

glvz · #50 2010-12-09, 9:21pm

Businesses have sales all the time-I feel fortunate if I find one. Sure, if I already bought something and then see it on sale it gives me a momentary twinge but only at my poor luck-not the business.

jonibird · #51 2010-12-11, 8:28pm

Nothing wrong with a good sale! Happens in any other business or product... and with Beads and Jewelry and tutorials... as a consumer...sometimes you win... some times you lose... no biggy..

kerryf6 · #52 2010-12-18, 3:43am

u have every right to put things on sale !!! its your item u r selling ! and if it was not a good deal at the original price, no-one would have bought it and if anyone did and was not happy with it, they should have contacted u straight away. that means anyone who has bought it at full price and not complained must be happy with the purchase at the original price, and has no reason to complain ........... sales are GREAT !! any sale !! do it ! its yours !!

dianeconroy · #53 2011-01-24, 11:32pm

If I buy a tutorial for $20 then I think it is worth $20, if it goes on sale the next day I might think darn that sucks, but certainly not be mad. I realize that some large stores have a 14 day policy if something goes on sale you can bring your reciept they refund the difference, but i wouldn't do that unless it was a high dollar item and the price dropped significantly. Grocery stores have sales all the time and people don't ask to have the difference refunded for the milk they bought last week that is on sale this week.
The only thing bad about a sale on tutorials, once an artist puts their tutorials on sale if I don't buy it then I might wait hoping it will go on sale.

gallerygal · #54 2011-02-05, 1:53am

When tuts for purchase first started to appear on LE I never gave a second thought about them going on sale, I'd grab them as soon as they were released. I guess I was naive and assumed they'd sell for the same amount for always.

Since seeing some of the ones I've bought go on sale & some of them with significant reductions I changed my buying habits.

I no longer grab a tut as soon as it's released if the author has a history of dropping prices. I now wait for sales.

If the author hasn't offered discounts ever, then maybe I'll buy it sooner; but I'm a lot more cautious now than I used to be.

I do however pre-order if there's a discount offered.

Just the way I do things I suppose - live and learn.

Marianne.

iloveglass · #55 2011-02-06, 8:10pm

Totally agree with you gallerygal. I am a big tut buyer (more like a tut addict) ... I love tuts and truly admire the writers and love supporting them! I am so pleased they are willing to share their knowledge ... I have learned so much. I am definitely not offended if the artist wants to put the tutorial on sale, but, I will definitley hold out for a sale if I know the author has a history of dropping prices ... I also enjoy a sale. If the author has never offered a discount ... I will continue to purchase as soon as they come out. I too have been purchasing pre-orders lately if the author is someone I admire and the tutorial is discounted for pre-orders.

Reenie · #56 2011-02-06, 8:21pm

I love tutorials! I have soo many of them and use them when I need inspiration. When they first come out they were priced affordable. As they became more common however, the price also rose and rose. I print mine so to buy one and then pay for printing is just too expensive for me. So now I wait until the sale item is in my budget along with having it printed. If it's over, then unfortunately I miss out. The authors are free to sell for the price they feel it's worth and this is only my opinion.

Northern Heron · #57 2011-02-06, 8:58pm

I was afraid to buy a tutorial for a long time because I am not very computer savvy and I didn't know how the PDF thing worked so I went without for a long time. Then Mary Moth put her Bleeding Hearts on sale last year and I figured at that price, if I can't figure out how to open it, no big deal...

So, I was able to figure it out easy, I loved the tutorial, and went back to Mary's store and bought a couple more.

PS...the couple more were not on sale. Which was the point of my post but I forgot that part!

sarlit53 · #58 2011-02-08, 9:05am

As a buyer I weigh up whether I think the tutorial is worth the price vs the new techniques and inspiration I am going to learn. The next consideration is whether I can afford it. I am delighted if it happens to be on sale. But the same criteria still holds true.
Therefore, if it is offered for sale later it makes no difference, as at the time I made the decision I thought it was worth the money. The fact that someone else may benefit from a sale price is great. The fact that I paid more and rewarded the wonderful artist that put all that hard work in so that I could learn more quickly is also great.

I want to encourage the artists to do more tutorials so I can also make some fantastic beads!

TomK · #59 2011-05-08, 6:03am

As someone just starting out in lampworking, buying a tut at full price and having it go on sale in days would piss me off. However if it went on sale a couple weeks later, then that's just bad timing on my part. I might request a discount on a different tut because of the sale, but I'm not going to get mad about spending a little more. It would also depend on how much the price changed, 10% or 50%.

glassbeadmakerNZ · #60 2011-05-30, 4:55am

If a tutorial is good, well thought out, great pictures, easily followable (is that a word? lol) etc, then it wouldn't bother me paying full price or sale. Any tutorial should provoke a 'eureka moment' or an 'Ah! so THAT is how it is done!' moment - in which case it is money well spent, sale or no sale.

If however it is a bad tutorial, bad pics, etc, and I learn nothing new - or worse, it is a bad copy of a good tutorial that I already have - then I would be really miffed,even if it was only a dollar.