Curse

$neekie · Feb 25, 2008, 10:02 AM // 10:02

Most online (gamecompany)stores are expensive compared to normal stores,surtenly wenn the game is already released for a while(they just dont adjust there prices, not only nsoft/anet, ea and others too).Other reasons, i want hardcopies, dont have a creditcard, ect

mzzls

gremlin · Feb 25, 2008, 11:22 AM // 11:22

What would be better from a buyers point of view would be getting most of the content of the store version as well as the game code.

The extra cds could be available for download via a code as could pdf versions of the books.

Or you could pay in the online store for the game code with an optional extra payment so they could send you the retail package too.

I understand its all about costs and some companies have high volume sales and can undercut other sources.

Terra Xin · Feb 25, 2008, 12:34 PM // 12:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stockholm

A-Net (NC-Soft) have to sell at the Recommended Retail Price (set by A-Net at time of release) they can not undersell the retailers or they open them selves up for lawsuits from retailers. It is all governed by trade laws.

The stores can sell for what ever price they want, (it's their loss) but they sell for less than wholesale after a certain time because storage costs money and goods have to be moved (sold).

This is a really good point, for those of you that missed it. To add, ANet do not have issues with storage costs and are not worried whether their products in the online store will sell or not. Retailers become skiddish when something on their shelves sits there for a long time and doesn't move. When they need to get rid of something to bring in something new, most of them will just drop the price - which doesn't bother Anet because their profits are a fixed 'per box sold' to retailers.

X Ice Man X · Feb 25, 2008, 01:04 PM // 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanaeri Rynale

They do not apply the exchange rate from dollars to Pounds/Euros etc resulting in the price being even higher

Products are ALWAYS cheaper in the USA than other places. Its not just ANet, the average family Income in the USA is lower than in the UK how ever the Americans have more spending power because of lower costs for the same products.

It's a fact of life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by $neekie

i want hardcopies

I've never understood why people still want their disks and game boxes when it comes to Guild Wars. The game it 100% online, you can download the game for free as many times as you want, thus removing the need for the CD. The game is constantly changing making vast amounts of information inside of the manuals incorrect. Ontop of that if they shutdown the Guild Wars Servers for any reason then having your hardcopies isn't going to allow you to still play the game.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept of owning a hard copy of everything that I cannot get again for free, or that I can play on a stand alone, but when the game needs the servers to be running for me to even access it a hardcopy seems some what pointless.

I've used the store, it gave me access to everything I wanted within seconds and I've brought several of the character slots. I don't use it anymore because I don't have anything left to buy, and I already have all the skills unlocked so paying to get them unlocked doesn't appeal to me.

erk · Feb 25, 2008, 01:27 PM // 13:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by $neekie

Most online (gamecompany)stores are expensive compared to normal stores,surtenly wenn the game is already released for a while(they just dont adjust there prices, not only nsoft/anet, ea and others too).Other reasons, i want hardcopies, dont have a creditcard, ect

mzzls

Never bought a game on price yet! I have a cupboard full of crappy hard copy disks an boxes that I never look at or read. My nearest EB store is like 20min away, waste of petrol/time and all their GW game keys default to the stoopid European servers instead of American. Not to mention there are several things you can only get at the in game store.

Shanaeri Rynale · Feb 25, 2008, 02:15 PM // 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by X Ice Man X

Products are ALWAYS cheaper in the USA than other places. Its not just ANet, the average family Income in the USA is lower than in the UK how ever the Americans have more spending power because of lower costs for the same products.

It's a fact of life.

That is true(the higher prices part), however it is easily fixed by pricing everything in the store in dollars.
As to income/salary etc, but gut feel says they are about the same, except living in the US is way cheaper than in the UK e.g 10 dollar a gallon gasoline in the UK..

Most companies now have made adjustments to the US/UK/EU prices so it's no longer a 1 dollar to 1 Pound exchange rate as it used to be before people wised up and stopped buying from those places
Anyway, thats one reason why I dont use the store.

tankity tank · Feb 25, 2008, 02:24 PM // 14:24

Strange, I bought EotN, character slots and some other random crap in the store.

Melinda1984 · Feb 25, 2008, 02:26 PM // 14:26

i don't mind either way about having the boxes i understand with the CE but I'm not bothered with the normal versions

since we have 4 GW players in our house that's 4 different accounts so i went for price and got them all at our local gamestation for £15 each (the kids only have proph as they don't play much) but i did use the online store for mine and my husbands BMPs which cost £12 for 2

i wouldn't buy the campaigns from the online store though as its far cheaper in the local game shop even if i do have to find shelf space for 4 copies of proph, 2 nightfall and 2 eotn

still gotta get 2 copies of factions but I'll get them from the local game shop when they get them in again since I've had to order them =(

4thVariety · Feb 25, 2008, 03:21 PM // 15:21

It's the same story over and over:

(1) Publisher/Developer opens onlineshop
(2) Retailers cry them a river about this being unfair
(3) Publisher pledges to stick by his "Suggested Retail"
(4) Retailers cry a river so the publisher gives them a larger margine...
(5) ...which they use to undercut the price of the onlineshop.

cgruber · Feb 25, 2008, 03:45 PM // 15:45

I use the online store and the experience was GREAT. Easy, fast and immediate delivery. However I am at a point in my life where saving $10 isn't that big of a deal to me. If you're pinching every penny then maybe getting it some where else is a better deal.

Paloma Song · Feb 25, 2008, 03:48 PM // 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4thVariety

It's the same story over and over:
(1) Publisher/Developer opens onlineshop
(2) Retailers cry them a river about this being unfair
(3) Publisher pledges to stick by his "Suggested Retail"
(4) Retailers cry a river so the publisher gives them a larger margine...
(5) ...which they use to undercut the price of the onlineshop.

And... so?

Now you have options in where, how, and how much, you buy the item, and you can decide whether you'd rather spend time to save money and get the box, or spend money to save time and get no box. Are you people actually wishing you had fewer options? Do you people who for whatever reason refuse to get some form of electronic payment method, really expect the electronic world to cater to you?

I've bought a couple of the expansions from the online shop, and the bmp came free, as well. I'd like to buy more character slots, but $10 is a ripoff for an extra character slot in a game that penalizes you for spending your time playing alt characters. I have no need for the skill/item unlock packs, since I have most stuff unlocked across my account anyway. I continue to await the release of extra content or even collector edition unlocks for which I'd probably be happy to pay, but right now, there isn't anything to buy. If Anet really is lamenting some player neglect of their store, perhaps they should consider that they need to offer something worth buying, at competitive prices, first.

Qual · Feb 25, 2008, 03:52 PM // 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperF0x

Only few people own credit / debit cards in places other than America, making it impossible to make a purchase.

Wauw you are plain stupid... Heard of the thing called Europe? We all have credit cards over here... Stupid yankie....

CHannum · Feb 25, 2008, 04:41 PM // 16:41

I don't have a problem with the online store, purchased every single product other than Prophecies through there. Of course, I did take advantage of the 50% off with the purchase of GWEN they had in December. Still, that's Factions, Nightfall, and GWEN plus the BMP and two extra char slots for about $115. That's a better deal than I would have gotten by searching for the physical products, which I do not need at all.

jimme · Feb 25, 2008, 04:52 PM // 16:52

Oh ye we all have credit cards in Europe , except for me ?

That's also the main reason for me not to buy from the GW Online Store.

Stockholm · Feb 25, 2008, 05:30 PM // 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by $neekie

Most online (gamecompany)stores are expensive compared to normal stores,surtenly wenn the game is already released for a while(they just dont adjust there prices, not only nsoft/anet, ea and others too).

The Law say's that the manufacturer/publisher CAN NOT SELL under the Recomended Retail Price until such time as any and all retail contracts expire, if they do they will have to refund money to the retail stores that they sold games/products to.

The BMP was not sold/released for retail at first so they could give it as a "bonus" to the online customers.

Trade Law is very complicated, and any misstakes can be very expensive.