Justanotherlurker wrote on Sep 6
th, 2019 at 5:05am:
RL as content was good but the pricing strategy was oh my god what are they thinking to the point that even fanboy Trudh called them out on it. Sharn was more of the same gouging without the good content.
Because no one there understands supply and demand economics and they're stingy as fuck.
This comes back to my ribbon candy analogy. They literally have an unlimited supply of certain resources, yet are afraid to give away a pennies worth of something that doesn't sell because they think it will lose them a pennies sale later on down the road.
I can forgive them for wanting to charge triple A prices for an obviously not triple A game - but they don't even follow the sales of triple A games. When you buy the deluxe package from a triple A game, it's packed to the gills - and usually includes actual physical merchandise with it.
What do they offer? Usually a hire and a cosmetic and a handful of crap. Even on the forums most people that buy the highest tier sales admit they're basically doing it out of charity to keep the game running - but even then Turbine still wants to break the ribbon candy in two and call it a bonuses.
The whales are going to buy everything no matter what. You don't aim the sales or the packaging at the whales. You aim it at the people who normally wouldn't be inclined to make that purchase and it has to be tempting as hell. The premium packaging (really the top two tiers) should include and ottos box.
"But we'll lose money later" the idiots cry.
No you FUCKING won't if you have a fucking clue how to market. You have an unlimited supply. An experienced player can eat up an Ottos box every 3 days. If they have them they can easily use over 100 a year. You only offer them for a limited time so it absolutely will NOT hurt sales if you 'give' one away for a fucking 130 dollar package that does not include 130 dollars worth of merchandise.
Time out your sales where there is a few month gap between. Ottos, new expansion, Ottos. The whales are going to continue to buy an Ottos every time you release them, regardless of 'giving' one away in a package - but you'll see more of your casual players and non-whales willing to spend more money on the game.
I swear these people have never seen a commercial in their lives. Things sell when advertised as 'a 300 dollar value for ONLY 129 dollars.' 'ALMOST a 129 dollar value for only 129 dollars' is a stupid as fuck tactic.