Why Remove Items From The Crown Store?

Delsin

So each update brings new items for sale on the Crown Store, which is awesome. But I still don't grasp why Zenimax actually has to remove stuff other than to create a fake demand.

All Crown Store Items are downloaded by all players because we can preview them and there is no download time once you purchase them, so does that not make the Crown Store simply a place to buy outfit "keys"?

I can understand removing holiday items, such as a halloween polymorph or something, but I really think Zenimax is losing out on money here. For instance, me and a few friends just started playing again and we saw that recently the armor for all the cinematic Heros were made and put up for sale, but for 4 days only per set? We would literally all purchase all three sets in an instant, which is easily a $100 in crowns for Zenimax. Even if someone went on vacation, they missed one of those armor sets because 4 days is not a long time to sell such iconic sets.

Just my two cents Zeni, but you are losing money by removing items from the store, why not just build a vast library of items to provide variety of different outfits and use sales to entice people to buy a certain set of costumes instead of entirely locking it away?

JimT722

I don't get it either. They say it's to make room in the patch notes. It seems they want few options available at a time. Like the new hair styles, body markings, and adornments. There were options on the pts and now very few are available. I don't get it. Maybe it's to try and get maximum profit per release, but if more options were available that I like, I would probably spend more.

Abeille

So that you will say "Oh no, if I don't get it now, I won't be able to get it later! What if I want it some day?" and then impulse-buy the things being removed.

Delsin

JimT722 wrote: »

I don't get it either. They say it's to make room in the patch notes. It seems they want few options available at a time. Like the new hair styles, body markings, and adornments. There were options on the pts and now very few are available. I don't get it. Maybe it's to try and get maximum profit per release, but if more options were available that I like, I would probably spend more.

Yea, that's exactly how I feel. There is so many things I've apparently missed on the store that I would buy in an instant if they put them back up. The mage guild set, hero sets, some of the mounts. I mean yea they might make a small demand by taking things off, but they would probably do better long term if they just kept expanding the store instead of keeping it the same size by removing stuff.

Brrrofski

Abeille wrote: »

So that you will say "Oh no, if I don't get it now, I won't be able to get it later! What if I want it some day?" and then impulse-buy the things being removed.

And then bring it back so people think "Oh, it's back, I'll buy it now while I can".

Abeille

Brrrofski wrote: »

Abeille wrote: »

So that you will say "Oh no, if I don't get it now, I won't be able to get it later! What if I want it some day?" and then impulse-buy the things being removed.

And then bring it back so people think "Oh, it's back, I'll buy it now while I can".

They didn't do that yet, but yeah, I imagine they will eventually do that.
The only limited items that came back so far were three senche recolors that came out before console release. ZOS said it was so that console players had a chance to grab them.

ADarklore

I think it's to avoid clutter... and to keep stock rotated. In a real store, you don't see them leaving all the old stock out and add new, they typically rotate the older stock out, that way it doesn't look like a cluster-'mess'. Plus, some styles have a theme going, and when you start throwing all those themes together, it really does look like a mess. I'm sure the older stuff will eventually rotate back in, but in the mean time the store will remain a bit more organized with less clutter.

Delsin

ADarklore wrote: »

I think it's to avoid clutter... and to keep stock rotated. In a real store, you don't see them leaving all the old stock out and add new, they typically rotate the older stock out, that way it doesn't look like a cluster-'mess'. Plus, some styles have a theme going, and when you start throwing all those themes together, it really does look like a mess. I'm sure the older stuff will eventually rotate back in, but in the mean time the store will remain a bit more organized with less clutter.

I don't find the ESO store to be that big, and that it would still take a whole lot of items to become a cluttered mess since they already have it well organized with the tabs. And I'm sure there is still plenty of ways organizing could be done.

They've yet to rotate any older stock back too, so I'm getting the impression they don't plan to which seems silly because I feel like they are definitely losing out on potential sales.

dodgehopper_ESO

Artificial scarcity.

ookami007

It's called artificial scarcity. Things are more valuable with their scarce (like Gold). That doesn't exist in a virtual environment, so it has to be created artificially by removing items or putting them up for a limited time.

It's all merchandising... why do you think Disney only releases their movies for small blocks at a time - not sure if they STILL do that? They pioneered the concept.

It's no different. Hey... they have to make money, otherwise they can't afford to maintain the servers, keep the programmers, etc.

But perhaps a wishlist function and notification when something on your wishlist is about to go bye-bye.

nordsavage

So they can put them back on occasionally to trigger impulse buys. They have to give something for the people they trick into subbing to burn those excess crowns on other than the DLC so they have to rebuy those later when they stop subbing.

DarkMasterJMK

nordsavage wrote: »

So they can put them back on occasionally to trigger impulse buys. They have to give something for the people they trick into subbing to burn those excess crowns on other than the DLC so they have to rebuy those later when they stop subbing.

Or so they can trigger impulse buys by removing old items permanently and keep people buying stuff by bringing in new items, then rinse and repeat. Financially, they have no real reason to bring back old items that have been removed because new items have a higher chance of selling better than if they put up items that they sold once or twice before.

Despite ZOS seemingly having no plans on ever making removed crown store available for purchase again at the moment, they may decide to bring some items back every once in a while anyway for the players who want another chance to purchase an item they missed out on. It most likely would be a change in plans, though.

PS4_ZeColmeia

It's easy, the more stuff in the store the easier it is to be overwhelmed as a new customer. When you feel like you are getting something that will make you feel special (even its only for awhile) you are more likely to buy. When you feel like if you change your mind later it won't be there you are more likely to buy. If the amount of items on each page of the shop is the same, you are more likely to buy.

There is a science to retail sales and I'm sure (based anecdotally on my experience) no one spends a majority of their time in game shopping in the crown store. So I am sure their method is to keep the inventory low enough you can quickly scroll through and see what you want. When you add typical retail sales strategy approaches listed above (there are more than the ones i bothered to list) it makes a lot of business sense.

megageeklizzy

As a fairly new player and role-player, I find it really irritating that I can't get some of the mounts that were available in the years prior to when I started playing. I just want a sort of stealthy (not glowing, not white, no mane) senche for my character to ride, but there hasn't been a single one in months, and there may not be another available for another year, for all I know.

PS4_ZeColmeia wrote: »

It's easy, the more stuff in the store the easier it is to be overwhelmed as a new customer. When you feel like you are getting something that will make you feel special (even its only for awhile) you are more likely to buy. When you feel like if you change your mind later it won't be there you are more likely to buy. If the amount of items on each page of the shop is the same, you are more likely to buy.

There is a science to retail sales and I'm sure (based anecdotally on my experience) no one spends a majority of their time in game shopping in the crown store. So I am sure their method is to keep the inventory low enough you can quickly scroll through and see what you want. When you add typical retail sales strategy approaches listed above (there are more than the ones i bothered to list) it makes a lot of business sense.

If the crown store was just better organized, this wouldn't be an issue, and everybody would be happy. People don't avoid going to supermarkets because they have too many brands available. They go there because of the large selection and accessibility. I think we just need better categories and subcategories... something like this:

Featured
New
Limited Time
DLC
-collector's editions
-normal editions
-base-game upgrades (Imperial edition, adventurer pack, etc.)
Items
-motifs and mimic stones
-consumables (foods, drinks, soulgems, potions, poisons)
Character
-respecs
-service tokens (include Pledge of Mara and vamp/werewolf here; make vamp/werewolf accessible from character select like current service tokens)
Appearance Collectables
-hats (may need multiple hat categories eventually)
-combat costumes(functional armor)
-occupational costumes(jester, plague-doctor)
-ceremonial costumes(armor and clothing for specific lore factions, like Ordinators, Ashlanders, the Tree-thane costume, etc. ; also has race hero costumes)
-casual costumes(everyday clothing that isn't terribly fancy)
-formal costumes(dresses, tuxes, other fancy things)
-polymorphs
-skins
-personalities
-hairstyles
-facial markings
-body markings
-dye stamps
Mounts
-horse
-senche
-guar
-camel
-wolf
-other
Pets
-Dominion (related to Dominion races)
-Covenant (related to Covenant races)
-Pact (related to Pact races)
-common (common domestic animals)
-daedric
-exotic (anything that doesn't fit elsewhere)

Elfbait

PS4_ZeColmeia wrote: »

It's easy, the more stuff in the store the easier it is to be overwhelmed as a new customer. When you feel like you are getting something that will make you feel special (even its only for awhile) you are more likely to buy. When you feel like if you change your mind later it won't be there you are more likely to buy. If the amount of items on each page of the shop is the same, you are more likely to buy.

There is a science to retail sales and I'm sure (based anecdotally on my experience) no one spends a majority of their time in game shopping in the crown store. So I am sure their method is to keep the inventory low enough you can quickly scroll through and see what you want. When you add typical retail sales strategy approaches listed above (there are more than the ones i bothered to list) it makes a lot of business sense.

Nailed it.

Also, the grocery store analogy mentioned upthread doesn't quite fit, imo. The Crown store's model is not based on grocery stores, or even Amazon or Sam's Club, where you'll find anything and everything- it's modeled on something closer to a department store or boutique. While a large catalogue-like site would certainly delight me personally, it has been shown again and again that smaller, more "curated" stores simply tend to sell more. Reducing stimulus (in this case, Crown store content) leads to more frequent and decisive purchasing- look up "paradox of choice," "information overload," and "analysis paralysis." It's entirely counter intuitive, yes, but the research is there.

Mandragora

I do understand, why they have to keep rotating things in their store somehow, but still I always wanted that mage pack, but it was available during the time I wasn't playing - so will it come back? The same with professions bundles.

It is not only about some cosmetic, but it is something, that you need for roleplaying, because it is an important part of the game - it is mage's guild outfit, so if you want to play a mage, you want to have the mage clothes. Or does some armor set look like that? (I don't mean the ancient crafting set).

KimberlyannKitsuragi

As far as I'm concerned, I buy little from the store but I do like to browse. I like to see everything possible. There's no way stuff can go out of stock. Show me everything and let me make the decision without pressuring me with deadlines to buy and such

Klemenziusb16_ESO

To trigger impulse-buys.

JKorr

Now it appears another, or possibly the main, reason is the rng/gamble boxes.

Why allow people to buy the item they want outright when they can offer a chance of maybe possibly getting the mount you want in a gamble box. Of course, no information about the percentage chance of getting what you want. There will be an equal chance of getting a costume you don't want instead of the mount you do want. You'll get consumables you didn't want to buy. Anything you don't already own will immediately go into your collection, and is bound to your account. You can trade duplicate items you might receive for "gems", and then use the gems to buy the item you do want, IF it is in the gem store rotation at that time. There is no information regarding where the trade will be a straight forward {I got a guar mount I already own, I want the leopard senche; will it be a one for one trade, or will the gems I get for the guar NOT equal the price of the senche?] So then you need to buy more boxes in the hope you get more dups so you get more gems so you can finally buy the item you want.

Unless the RNG gremlins really like you, you are liable to spend a LOT more than buying the item you really wanted outright. Which could be the whole point of the exercise.

Jayne_Doe

JKorr wrote: »

Now it appears another, or possibly the main, reason is the rng/gamble boxes.

Why allow people to buy the item they want outright when they can offer a chance of maybe possibly getting the mount you want in a gamble box. Of course, no information about the percentage chance of getting what you want. There will be an equal chance of getting a costume you don't want instead of the mount you do want. You'll get consumables you didn't want to buy. Anything you don't already own will immediately go into your collection, and is bound to your account. You can trade duplicate items you might receive for "gems", and then use the gems to buy the item you do want, IF it is in the gem store rotation at that time. There is no information regarding where the trade will be a straight forward {I got a guar mount I already own, I want the leopard senche; will it be a one for one trade, or will the gems I get for the guar NOT equal the price of the senche?] So then you need to buy more boxes in the hope you get more dups so you get more gems so you can finally buy the item you want.

Unless the RNG gremlins really like you, you are liable to spend a LOT more than buying the item you really wanted outright. Which could be the whole point of the exercise.

Yep, I believe this is the reason (and others have mentioned it in the HUGE thread in the General Discussion board).

In regard to the gems, I have a feeling that they will correspond to the crown value of the item. So, if you were to get the Ashlander Pack again, you would get 700 gems. If you were to get a guar mount again, that would be 1300 gems. I imagine, then that if you want one of the senche mounts, which were 2500 crowns, then you would have to obtain 2500 gems. Plus, I would guess that any exclusive items they introduce, which can ONLY be obtained from the gamble boxes, would be 4000 gems at least (for a mount).

Factor in that these are rotating "themes" of items, you may have to purchase a LOT of gamble boxes to earn enough gems to outright purchase the rare item you want. And, if you don't have many collectibles, you'll end up having to accept all the collectibles you do get before you can get duplicates to trade for gems.

So, it appears that any hope of getting items that have been removed from the Crown Store or were sold as Limited Time items, will be to gamble on the Crown Crates, ultimately spending WAY more for the collectible than the original price. It sucks for Limited items when you're not able to play during the sale due to real life. For regular Crown Store items, just be sure to purchase them before they are removed. I'm glad I've done that with the items I really wanted, as I'm not going to gamble for a chance to get them.

altemriel

Delsin wrote: »

So each update brings new items for sale on the Crown Store, which is awesome. But I still don't grasp why Zenimax actually has to remove stuff other than to create a fake demand.

All Crown Store Items are downloaded by all players because we can preview them and there is no download time once you purchase them, so does that not make the Crown Store simply a place to buy outfit "keys"?

I can understand removing holiday items, such as a halloween polymorph or something, but I really think Zenimax is losing out on money here. For instance, me and a few friends just started playing again and we saw that recently the armor for all the cinematic Heros were made and put up for sale, but for 4 days only per set? We would literally all purchase all three sets in an instant, which is easily a $100 in crowns for Zenimax. Even if someone went on vacation, they missed one of those armor sets because 4 days is not a long time to sell such iconic sets.

Just my two cents Zeni, but you are losing money by removing items from the store, why not just build a vast library of items to provide variety of different outfits and use sales to entice people to buy a certain set of costumes instead of entirely locking it away?

you have answered it in your post already

" Zenimax actually has to remove stuff other than to create a fake demand."


It is a pitty they do it, I wanted to buy the demon wolf mount one day, but then I realized it was gone from the CS already

DoctorWho1975

As a new player I really want the Dro'Mathra Senche, shame I have no chance in hell of getting it because they well, aren't making them available.

Perwulf

To milk em kids

Zensonar

It means some players have access to content that others don't.