Rise of the Hutt Cartel – Free to Subscribers Starting September 12th!

[Theodrid]

Sorry, but to those of you saying, 'stop complaining, you got to play for 6 months', you are not understanding the situation.

 

I will hazard a guess here, of course the figures are probably wrong, but I will go for fairness. Let's say that 50% of those who have only recently purchased the RotHC are 'new' or 'new-ish' players and subscribers, should these people receive the CC's as the product is going F2P? - yes, yes they should.

 

It's the other, lets say, 50% that concerns me, that would make these people either A) not bothered with buying the expansion or B) people returning to the game, as some in my guild are, who have not been subscribing for the last few months or more. Why should people who have not been supporting the game as a subscriber for the last 3,4,5,6 months get CC's as an in game credit and those that have been supporting as a subscriber not get them?

 

Sure, I've got to play RotHC for six months, but I also paid for that expansion and have been paying a subscription ever since. And please, don't harp up with 'you get coins for subscribing' because so will any subscriber, old or new That is not related to this issue concerning RotHC going F2P or the 'in store' refund being offered to late comers, and those that have not been supporting the game to the same degree as us long term subscribers and early expansion purchasers.

 

In short, BWEA, please don't give preferential treatment to those that have not been loyal over those that have.

[DarthTHC]

In short, BWEA, please don't give preferential treatment to those that have not been loyal over those that have.

 

It reminds me of my dealings with my ISP's. Comcast and AT&T are the only 2 in my area. As a non-loyal customer, I can switch from one to the other and get a great discount for 6-12 months. Then they jack up the price.

 

When they jack up the price, I call them and tell them that they'll put it back immediately or I'll call them in 48 hours to cancel. They never agree. Then I call the other to hook up service and make good on my promise to cancel. THEN they offer me the discount. Too late, you lose, good day sir.

 

I mean, how stupid is that? All they have to do is keep the price the same and they get to keep my business forever.

 

It's much less expensive to keep an existing customer than to acquire a new one. Do MBA schools not teach that concept any more?

[DarthTHC]

Personally, I am not asking for coins. I'm wondering why they give the coins to anyone at all. They could have just started making it free and give those who dropped the cash the title. Should be so simple.

 

They can't. Consumer protection laws in many places give anyone who bought the expansion within 30 days of the price reduction the right to a full refund of the purchase price.

 

In an effort to convince recent buyers not to take advantage of that opportunity and therefore keep the funds in their pockets, EA chose to give away the (relatively valueless) cartel coins instead.

 

It will probably work in most cases, if only because the recent buyers either don't know they can get a full refund or don't care or, possibly, find reasonable/equivalent value in the cartel coins.

[Devrius]

They can't. Consumer protection laws in many places give anyone who bought the expansion within 30 days of the price reduction the right to a full refund of the purchase price.

 

In an effort to convince recent buyers not to take advantage of that opportunity and therefore keep the funds in their pockets, EA chose to give away the (relatively valueless) cartel coins instead.

 

It will probably work in most cases, if only because the recent buyers either don't know they can get a full refund or don't care or, possibly, find reasonable/equivalent value in the cartel coins.

 

Wait, you can refuse in-store credit and demand a full refund?

[Theodrid]

It reminds me of my dealings with my ISP's. Comcast and AT&T are the only 2 in my area. As a non-loyal customer, I can switch from one to the other and get a great discount for 6-12 months. Then they jack up the price.

 

When they jack up the price, I call them and tell them that they'll put it back immediately or I'll call them in 48 hours to cancel. They never agree. Then I call the other to hook up service and make good on my promise to cancel. THEN they offer me the discount. Too late, you lose, good day sir.

 

I mean, how stupid is that? All they have to do is keep the price the same and they get to keep my business forever.

 

It's much less expensive to keep an existing customer than to acquire a new one. Do MBA schools not teach that concept any more?

 

And keep the analogies coming please, they are very amusing, however, each business model is different to the next, you may not have noticed but this is an MMO not an ISP.

[fozika]

Well I had just subscribed and was planning on somewhere along the line buy the expansion, and this came off as a nice surprise.

 

I can understand why they did it, but also think for those who preordered and bought it earlier, should have gotten something for it, regardless how long ago it was.

 

An exclusive mount, pet, gear, something substantial would have been better.

 

With this it just means either they have hurt future expansion content sales, as who in their right mind will buy an expansion if they will release it for free afterwards? Or they simply have no real expansion package deal planned for the future.

[DarthTHC]

Wait, you can refuse in-store credit and demand a full refund?

 

Your legal right to do so depends on the consumer protection laws where you live. However, BWEA may simply blanket-grant them just to be certain not to run afoul of any such laws.

 

If you want a refund and you bought within 30 days of the "free" date, you should contact... billing, I would guess?... and ask for a refund.

[DarthTHC]

And keep the analogies coming please, they are very amusing, however, each business model is different to the next, you may not have noticed but this is an MMO not an ISP.

 

Differing business models in analogies notwithstanding, the flat out truth is that it is always less expensive to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones.

 

Every business would be more profitable if they remembered that and acted accordingly.

 

In other words, it's quite a foolish business move to irritate your existing customers. Wouldn't you agree?

[Eldeos]

Begging?? - really?, your definition of begging leaves an awful lot to be desired, I am neither begging nor expecting any preferential treatment, I am simply asking for parity and fairness to those that have been supporting the game over a long period. And those that 'have not', well, some of them CHOSE 'to not' get the expansion on or near release, some of them chose 'to not' support the game over the last few months and then chose to come back, they should be rewarded why exactly?

 

if you want to support to game youll purchase the cartel coins instead of asking them for free

its not a reward for those who bought the game after august 11th, where did you get that from

Edited September 11, 2013 by Eldeos

[AlienEyeTX]

They can't. Consumer protection laws in many places give anyone who bought the expansion within 30 days of the price reduction the right to a full refund of the purchase price.

 

In an effort to convince recent buyers not to take advantage of that opportunity and therefore keep the funds in their pockets, EA chose to give away the (relatively valueless) cartel coins instead.

 

It will probably work in most cases, if only because the recent buyers either don't know they can get a full refund or don't care or, possibly, find reasonable/equivalent value in the cartel coins.

 

Actually, the laws usually provide for the right of a refund if the consumer requests it. The company does not have to do anything proactively.

[DarthTHC]

Actually, the laws usually provide for the right of a refund if the consumer requests it. The company does not have to do anything proactively.

 

That was my point. EA is trying to offer an incentive for customers not to request the refund.

 

If you bought within the last 28 days, would you rather have your $10 back or 1,050 cartel coins?

 

Me, I already have more CC's than I'll ever spend. I'd pick the $10.

[Theodrid]

Differing business models in analogies notwithstanding, the flat out truth is that it is always less expensive to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones.

 

Every business would be more profitable if they remembered that and acted accordingly.

 

In other words, it's quite a foolish business move to irritate your existing customers. Wouldn't you agree?

 

Of course I agree, that was the entire point of my post, now of course, certain business practices in relation to customer retention and promotions for new customers are fundamentals, but at the same time some are not. An MMO is a quite unique business model in a way because many of the subscribers/players have an almost emotional connection to the game. They have friends in game, they spend many hours improving characters, achieving new things, acquiring new things.

 

When the customer of a bank sees a promotion of '£100 to new current account customers' he or she may think, 'I'd like that', shame. But in an MMO - especially as a subscriber it is different, because of that emotional attachment and because of perceived or not 'unfairness'. In many ways you do have a choice in terms of what you play and what you don't, but if you like an MMO, it is a far greater like than say a bank, an ISP, or virtually any other business I can think of right now. Will all share my opinion on this, no, of course not, but many will.

 

It is this, in my opinion at least, unfairness in terms of BWEA's most long serving and loyal players/customers that is the crux of the issue here.

[Spacekasekat]

This change actually benefits me, as I purchased the expansion on August 13th whenI recently returned to the game. I am happy to be receiving cartel coins in the near future.

 

However, I need to stand up for the other subscribers that have kept this game going and gave me something to return to in the first place. Cartel coins are a virtual item and the "cost" of giving the same amount of coins to all current subscribers seems small to me. Even if I had to get fewer coins, I would support the stance that all subscribers should get the same amount of coins, not just those of us that happened to purchase in the last 30 days.

 

I am a business woman and have run my own multinational business with investors and a board to answer to, so I understand the pressure to maximize profits, but I just wanted to say that I think this decision should be looked at again. I fully admit that I do not understand your revenue model and strategy as one of your customers, and I am sure that the internal decision makers know more about this than I do, but I ask you again to reconsider this decision on the behalf of all subscribers.

[Theodrid]

if you want to support to game youll purchase the cartel coins instead of asking them for free

its not a reward for those who bought the game after august 11th, where did you get that from

 

It's not about 'wanting' to support the game or not, I HAVE been supporting the game and will continue to do so regardless of this decision. And you know I haven't purchased CC's how exactly?

[Sorwen]

It's not about 'wanting' to support the game or not, I HAVE been supporting the game and will continue to do so regardless of this decision. And you know I haven't purchased CC's how exactly?

I'm still at a loss to understand how they think $15 a month is not supporting the game. I'm obligated in some way to give them that money? I'm still waiting on some return on my investment since almost everything that has come out since F2P has required me to pay additional money for it in the cartel market.

[DOHboy]

That was my point. EA is trying to offer an incentive for customers not to request the refund.

 

If you bought within the last 28 days, would you rather have your $10 back or 1,050 cartel coins?

 

Me, I already have more CC's than I'll ever spend. I'd pick the $10.

 

then please return the RoTHC download, revert your gear, and when it goes free, you will be free to download again and replay everything that you have done since the original download.

[Eldeos]

It's not about 'wanting' to support the game or not, I HAVE been supporting the game and will continue to do so regardless of this decision. And you know I haven't purchased CC's how exactly?

 

at what point did i suggest that you havent

 

stop trying for attention now

i didnt direct my posts only at you

[Theodrid]

What is really baffling me is those arguing against the long term purchasers of RotHC receiving the CC's. If we were, by some miracle to get them how would that in any way harm you? What would it take away from you? What affect would it have on your gaming experience within SWTOR?

 

Some of us are simply asking for parity in terms of the CC's, it costs you guys arguing against us NOTHING if we receive them or not, so could someone please explain to me why you are arguing against it?

[Theodrid]

at what point did i suggest that you havent

 

stop trying for attention now

i didnt direct my posts only at you

 

I never for one second suggested you did only direct your posts at me,however, when you directly quote me surely that is what you are doing? But asking me 'why don't you buy CC's to support the game' at least suggests that I haven't.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Theodrid

[DarthTHC]

then please return the RoTHC download, revert your gear, and when it goes free, you will be free to download again and replay everything that you have done since the original download.

 

My hypothetical was hypothetical. I bought RotHC long ago. I don't fall into the refund window.

 

But thanks for telling me how to play. I appreciate it. I was lost and befuddled before I read your post.

[chuixupu]

What is really baffling me is those arguing against the long term purchasers of RotHC receiving the CC's. If we were, by some miracle to get them how would that in any way harm you? What would it take away from you? What affect would it have on your gaming experience within SWTOR?

 

Some of us are simply asking for parity in terms of the CC's, it costs you guys arguing against us NOTHING if we receive them or not, so could someone please explain to me why you are arguing against it?

 

Hey if they want to just give everyone the CC's, great. I'm sure it would pacify some of the people here, but probably not all.

 

The only argument I'd have against is that I don't think it's necessary just to appease people that think they did not get their 6 months money worth and the pre-order rewards. They're just saying that the game from that point no longer has the monetary value and they are refunding it.

[Theodrid]

Hey if they want to just give everyone the CC's, great. I'm sure it would pacify some of the people here, but probably not all.

 

The only argument I'd have against is that I don't think it's necessary just to appease people that think they did not get their 6 months money worth and the pre-order rewards. They're just saying that the game from that point no longer has the monetary value and they are refunding it.

 

You make a very, very good point. To be honest I'm not saying I haven't had value from my early purchase of RotHC, or from my unbroken subscription. It just feels a little uncomfortable that someone who may not have contributed a penny to this game in six months is now getting 'a reward', 'a refund' whatever you may like to call it over and above those that have and have been the most 'loyal'.

[FallenCamel]

first of all BW WTH?! , whats the point of being a subscriber if ur giving everything for free to F2P anyways ?!

second : do u really think you'l keep ur subs if u dont give em a decent kind of refund for actually buying the expansion? , most likely every single sub thats been playing the game and actually bought it will quit subbing and go F2P since ur giving everything for free anyways

third : a title?! , yeah thats really worth 8 euro's -.- , does anyone over there actually have the brains to realize a title is worth nothing?!

fourth : id suggest u focus less on keeping moaners like the kids and F2P society happy and instead actually try and keep ur subscribers .... , actually pay attention to whose actually paying here , the F2P society who doesnt give anything to the game at all or the subscribers who are actually willing to pay?

 

i hope you realize f2p players arnt getitng the expansion, but subs are

[Exly]

Differing business models in analogies notwithstanding, the flat out truth is that it is always less expensive to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones.

 

Every business would be more profitable if they remembered that and acted accordingly.

 

In other words, it's quite a foolish business move to irritate your existing customers. Wouldn't you agree?

 

I agree.

[Exly]

if you want to support to game youll purchase the cartel coins instead of asking them for free

its not a reward for those who bought the game after august 11th, where did you get that from

 

I support the game by paying my subscription. Now you want me to pay for appreciation grants too. I don't think so.