The Idiocy of no digital edition

[DBeves]

As someone else has already pointed out the cost of the game in uk is around £65.

Now I am quite willing to pay that for this game - but the thing I am not willing to pay is half as much again to post me a physical copy I dont want and a set of paper books I dont want. I am quite happy not to have them and pay the same as everyone else for the digital game. Matrix can keep the books as spares and save me the postage.

Can I do this ? No . thats the idiocy of not offering a digital edition.

[AxelNL]

ORIGINAL: DBeves

As someone else has already pointed out the cost of the game in uk is around £65.

Now I am quite willing to pay that for this game - but the thing I am not willing to pay is half as much again to post me a physical copy I dont want and a set of paper books I dont want. I am quite happy not to have them and pay the same as everyone else for the digital game. Matrix can keep the books as spares and save me the postage.

Can I do this ? No . thats the idiocy of not offering a digital edition.

It is how it is - but as a proud owner (bought it at Essen) of the books I can tell you they are very high quality. I am reading them at my leasure away from the screen. Learning more than a quick look-up would do, in fact I would never read them on the screen. Well-written as well.

[DBeves]

ORIGINAL: AxelNL

ORIGINAL: DBeves

As someone else has already pointed out the cost of the game in uk is around £65.

Now I am quite willing to pay that for this game - but the thing I am not willing to pay is half as much again to post me a physical copy I dont want and a set of paper books I dont want. I am quite happy not to have them and pay the same as everyone else for the digital game. Matrix can keep the books as spares and save me the postage.

Can I do this ? No . thats the idiocy of not offering a digital edition.

It is how it is - but as a proud owner (bought it at Essen) of the books I can tell you they are very high quality. I am reading them at my leasure away from the screen. Learning more than a quick look-up would do, in fact I would never read them on the screen. Well-written as well.

Fine - and I dont mind having the books - but as I point out - and what was different for you - is that you didnt have to pay for them twice - which given the fact I have to have them posted at half the cost of the game is what I am doing. Its the logic of that I dont understand. Why not offer a digital version - which I would get anyway - for the same cost - but without the physical so I dont have to pay a stupid price to get them delivered ?.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: AxelNL

ORIGINAL: DBeves

As someone else has already pointed out the cost of the game in uk is around £65.

Now I am quite willing to pay that for this game - but the thing I am not willing to pay is half as much again to post me a physical copy I dont want and a set of paper books I dont want. I am quite happy not to have them and pay the same as everyone else for the digital game. Matrix can keep the books as spares and save me the postage.

Can I do this ? No . thats the idiocy of not offering a digital edition.

It is how it is - but as a proud owner (bought it at Essen) of the books I can tell you they are very high quality. I am reading them at my leasure away from the screen. Learning more than a quick look-up would do, in fact I would never read them on the screen. Well-written as well.

I agree. The tips on play which are in them are especially valuable for newbies to read. I sometimes even pick up the volume and continue reading. They are not the tough rule book you might expect them to be...

[AxelNL]

ORIGINAL: DBeves

ORIGINAL: AxelNL

ORIGINAL: DBeves

As someone else has already pointed out the cost of the game in uk is around £65.

Now I am quite willing to pay that for this game - but the thing I am not willing to pay is half as much again to post me a physical copy I dont want and a set of paper books I dont want. I am quite happy not to have them and pay the same as everyone else for the digital game. Matrix can keep the books as spares and save me the postage.

Can I do this ? No . thats the idiocy of not offering a digital edition.

It is how it is - but as a proud owner (bought it at Essen) of the books I can tell you they are very high quality. I am reading them at my leasure away from the screen. Learning more than a quick look-up would do, in fact I would never read them on the screen. Well-written as well.

Fine - and I dont mind having the books - but as I point out - and what was different for you - is that you didnt have to pay for them twice - which given the fact I have to have them posted at half the cost of the game is what I am doing. Its the logic of that I dont understand. Why not offer a digital version - which I would get anyway - for the same cost - but without the physical so I dont have to pay a stupid price to get them delivered ?.

I bought the whole set for 150,- at Essen. I think you will pay around that as well, maybe a bit less....
(and I do not count the gas Centuur used to get us there)

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: AxelNL

ORIGINAL: DBeves

ORIGINAL: AxelNL




It is how it is - but as a proud owner (bought it at Essen) of the books I can tell you they are very high quality. I am reading them at my leasure away from the screen. Learning more than a quick look-up would do, in fact I would never read them on the screen. Well-written as well.

Fine - and I dont mind having the books - but as I point out - and what was different for you - is that you didnt have to pay for them twice - which given the fact I have to have them posted at half the cost of the game is what I am doing. Its the logic of that I dont understand. Why not offer a digital version - which I would get anyway - for the same cost - but without the physical so I dont have to pay a stupid price to get them delivered ?.

I bought the whole set for 150,- at Essen. I think you will pay around that as well, maybe a bit less....
(and I do not count the gas Centuur used to get us there)

Gas? Diesel! And you forgot the entrance fee at the door of Spiel, parking fee, lunch, etc. etc.... Diner with your wife and kid was very nice... [:D]

[Akula23]

Have to agree, surely by insisting that people purchase a physical edition (In a seperate forum post, Matrix have stated that 20-40% of there client base want physical copies (So 60-80% of us dont), they are limiting their sales potential.

Personally I won't be purchasing this game until it comes as a purely digital download, as I will not be forced to purchase products I do not want or need.

That sort of sales strategy is very archiac.

[DBeves]

ORIGINAL: Akula23

Have to agree, surely by insisting that people purchase a physical edition (In a seperate forum post, Matrix have stated that 20-40% of there client base want physical copies (So 60-80% of us dont), they are limiting their sales potential.

Personally I won't be purchasing this game until it comes as a purely digital download, as I will not be forced to purchase products I do not want or need.

That sort of sales strategy is very archiac.

Yes - but its not even that. I am saying I will pay the same price as the physical game. Its not being forced to buy the books - I dont need them - its being forced to pay UPS to bring them too me I dont agree with.

[bo]

ORIGINAL: Akula23

Have to agree, surely by insisting that people purchase a physical edition (In a seperate forum post, Matrix have stated that 20-40% of there client base want physical copies (So 60-80% of us dont), they are limiting their sales potential.

Personally I won't be purchasing this game until it comes as a purely digital download, as I will not be forced to purchase products I do not want or need.

That sort of sales strategy is very archiac.

I feel you have a right to your opinion Akula23 and I respect it, and money spent is a concern for all of us no matter where we live. I thought that AxelNL explantion was right on, this games rules need to be read unless you were a board game player. There is nothing more irritating to me then reading rules on a bright screen sitting in a not so comfortable chair.

At least with the rule books I can relax anywhere and peruse them. Just an opinion, but you do have one other option, and that is do not buy the game if that annoys you. I also think you will have a very long wait for just the download.

Bo

[Greyshaft]

So if you don't want the manuals then ebay them (sold WITHOUT the game) and just keep the digital download + DVD for yourself... I'm sure you'll have lots of interest.

[CSSS]

You will NEED the Manuals. I have played this game for 30 years , and it WOULD be Idiocy NOT to release it as they have!

[Mynok]

At some point one would hope they could get Slitherine involved in the distribution process so that shipping is less of a cost for at least Europeans. But this is absolutely the right choice in format.

[Greyshaft]

ORIGINAL: CSS

You will NEED the Manuals. I have played this game for 30 years , and it WOULD be Idiocy NOT to release it as they have!

I quite agree that you need the manuals. I'm just trying to persuade the moaning minnies who don't want the manuals that they have other options than just complaining on these Forums.

[Titanwarrior89]

Just got on a few minutes ago.  This was a suprise.  Let me get this right....for 100 bucks you get a boxed game/manuals and a free download of the "Game" it's self?  I need to know this before I buy. [:)]

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Titanwarrior89

Just got on a few minutes ago.  This was a suprise.  Let me get this right....for 100 bucks you get a boxed game/manuals and a free download of the "Game" it's self?  I need to know this before I buy. [:)]

Yes.

[dougb]

I was pretty annoyed to find out that the only shipping option to Canada was Fed Ex. They're extremely expensive at over $40 and that doesn't include the fact that I'll be dinged for the customs charges as well. While the Postal system is pricier than it once was it is still cheaper ( as long as you're willing to wait a couple of weeks) and packages often escape any charges at the border. I order all my boardgames this way.

Doug

[Titanwarrior89]

Thanks.....bought and DLing now.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Titanwarrior89

Just got on a few minutes ago.  This was a suprise.  Let me get this right....for 100 bucks you get a boxed game/manuals and a free download of the "Game" it's self?  I need to know this before I buy. [:)]

Yes.

[PipFromSlitherine]

ORIGINAL: dougb

I was pretty annoyed to find out that the only shipping option to Canada was Fed Ex. They're extremely expensive at over $40 and that doesn't include the fact that I'll be dinged for the customs charges as well. While the Postal system is pricier than it once was it is still cheaper ( as long as you're willing to wait a couple of weeks) and packages often escape any charges at the border. I order all my boardgames this way.

Doug

Custom charges may well be levied, but may not. It is entirely outside of anyone's control and you might get lucky. Part of the reason for using a specific carrier was (IIRC) the size and weight of the package.

Cheers

Pip

[icitrom_y]

ORIGINAL: PipFromSlitherine

ORIGINAL: dougb

I was pretty annoyed to find out that the only shipping option to Canada was Fed Ex. They're extremely expensive at over $40 and that doesn't include the fact that I'll be dinged for the customs charges as well. While the Postal system is pricier than it once was it is still cheaper ( as long as you're willing to wait a couple of weeks) and packages often escape any charges at the border. I order all my boardgames this way.

Doug

Custom charges may well be levied, but may not. It is entirely outside of anyone's control and you might get lucky. Part of the reason for using a specific carrier was (IIRC) the size and weight of the package.

Cheers

Pip

Shipping with any of the carriers such as UPS and FedEx is a well-known problem here in Canada. That Canada Post, acting as the importer instead, often just doesn't charge the consumption taxes nor a brokerage fee is an added bonus.

The real issue is the predatory additional brokerage and related fees that the carriers charge, UPS being the worst of the lot. Many (many!) Canadians simply will not purchase products from the US when there is no USPS shipping option.

Right now, you guys wanted $62 for shipping via FedEx and that's before all the upcoming brokerage fees. I would not have purchased MWiF except I live close to the Canada-US border and sometimes, exactly like in this case, have products shipped to a US receiving agent. Shipping to there was $12.

The carriers have gotten in so much hot water over this including court cases going up to the Supreme Court of Canada, that I think they see the writing on the wall. Now, they offer "higher" services that cost a little bit more but with none of the brokerage fees. Only their bottom-end services, the cheapest, still include the separate brokerage fees.

I guess you guys will have to figure out how many MWiF sales you missed out on in Canada because surely a 40% premium means lost sales. Which, if you have plenty of market in the US alone, you don't care. But, as MWiF is so niche, your market is spread all over the world.
.

[Greyshaft]

ORIGINAL: icitrom_y
I guess you guys will have to figure out how many MWiF sales you missed out on in Canada because surely a 40% premium means lost sales. Which, if you have plenty of market in the US alone, you don't care. But, as MWiF is so niche, your market is spread all over the world.

Against all of that you have to consider how much extra paperwork/negotiation/distraction Matrix would need to endure to attempt what you ask. Maybe they would get a few extra sales (dozens?) but internal management labor costs would soon burn up that profit and then some. I don't like all of what Matrix does but I always ask myself "Is what I want revenue-neutral for Matrix?". If not, then I might make the point in the Forums but I don't complain if it doesn't happen.