Less than thrilled with April's staggered item release

davey1107 · April 2017

Like others, I'm not happy that items in April are being offered for very short periods, with no overlap.

I've saved my crowns like a miser for the Island. I don't care if Kate and Sawyer fight all the time, I want it. Now they have a black Senche I really want. But I am 100% for sure NOT going to buy it if I don't know what the island costs, because then I have no way to budget.

But then if the island costs too much, I won't be able to go buy the lion, and in this case I'm going to save my money and I won't be buying anything.

Honestly...maybe it's just me...but with everything locked behind crown crates and being released like it is, I haven't bought anything from the crown store since...hmm...last October.

SydneyGrey · April 2017

I have 3,500 crowns left that I'm hoping will cover the black lion and that new hair. I'm lucky I don't want the house.

Nerouyn · April 2017

I know what the OP means. I would have liked the white wolf but not knowing how much the elk would cost and wisely expecting the worst I passed on it.

I'd also like to buy a few appearance change tokens and other things but not knowing what might appear in the store and how much it'll cost, I don't buy them.

That's the effect of budget uncertainty. I sit on my money and don't buy.

redspecter23 · April 2017

Wouldn't it be great if ZOS told you the prices of the items when they announce the release dates for them? It feels just a bit shady for the reasons described by the OP. Why not tell us the prices up front?

Blutengel · April 2017

The crown store showcase should always include prices. I remember that eso live use to announce the cost but I don't know if they do that anymore.

Also I Don't think the commoners town clothes should be so costly as well. 100-200 crowns max for that kind of stuff.

cmetzger93 · April 2017

Agreed let's start putting prices on the showcase please or just make everything available at the beginning of the month and remove it at the end of the month. I don't understand the logic of having an item on there for two days in the middle of the month.

ookami007 · April 2017

davey1107 wrote: »

Like others, I'm not happy that items in April are being offered for very short periods, with no overlap.

I've saved my crowns like a miser for the Island. I don't care if Kate and Sawyer fight all the time, I want it. Now they have a black Senche I really want. But I am 100% for sure NOT going to buy it if I don't know what the island costs, because then I have no way to budget.

But then if the island costs too much, I won't be able to go buy the lion, and in this case I'm going to save my money and I won't be buying anything.

Honestly...maybe it's just me...but with everything locked behind crown crates and being released like it is, I haven't bought anything from the crown store since...hmm...last October.

You realize that they PLANNED it that way to encourage people to buy more crowns, right? Their ONE AND ONLY goal is to make money. The sooner people accept that, the sooner you realize why they do the things they do.

They're a business. That's what businesses do. When they stop making money, they go OUT of business.

Wayshuba · April 2017

ookami007 wrote: »

You realize that they PLANNED it that way to encourage people to buy more crowns, right? Their ONE AND ONLY goal is to make money. The sooner people accept that, the sooner you realize why they do the things they do.

They're a business. That's what businesses do. When they stop making money, they go OUT of business.

Two things:

1.) With these things desired by so many, it would make sense from a business perspective to have them as permanent additions rather than very limited time trials. What is concerning about so much stuff in the last two months on very tight availability schedules is it usually is an indicator of a company desperately needing cash. I hope I am wrong about that.

2.) If ESO really wants to make money the plan should be how to eventually phase out the crown store in exchange for more players going as full subscriptions. It is MUCH better planning development with fairly consistent known revenue than the ups and downs that come with relying on a cash shop too much. Just look as the massive revenue fluctuations with GW2 as an example. Subs mean consistent revenue from month to month and are much better for the long term health of a business than any cash shop will be.

Nerouyn · April 2017

ookami007 wrote: »

You realize that they PLANNED it that way to encourage people to buy more crowns, right?

Of course they do, but the point they're making it that uncertainty can have the exact opposite effect.

Uncertainty about the unknown cost of upcoming items can encourage hoarding your crowns and not spending them on other things.

Eg. the mere possibility that ZO might finally see sense and add any kind of storage to housing probably has a lot of players sitting on their crowns, because they've no idea what that might cost and knowing ZO it will likely be exorbitant.

JasonSilverSpring · April 2017

They do limited release items to get impulse buy and also to increase crown sales. If desirable items were available indefinitely many would wait for a crown sale to buy. This method will increase crown sale revenue. Some may be holding onto their crowns but I highly suspect many more are not.

DaveMoeDee · April 2017

Nerouyn wrote: »

ookami007 wrote: »

You realize that they PLANNED it that way to encourage people to buy more crowns, right?

Of course they do, but the point they're making it that uncertainty can have the exact opposite effect.

Uncertainty about the unknown cost of upcoming items can encourage hoarding your crowns and not spending them on other things.

Eg. the mere possibility that ZO might finally see sense and add any kind of storage to housing probably has a lot of players sitting on their crowns, because they've no idea what that might cost and knowing ZO it will likely be exorbitant.

Sure, it goes both ways.

I think they understand that the whales are the impulse buyers and it is better to market to them than to discerning consumers.

Slurg · April 2017

If it didn't work, they wouldn't keep doing it this way.

Surragard · April 2017

This thread summarizes the precise reason ZOS did this lol. It's a business and you're supposed to feel pressure to buy more crowns than you think you need to buy the items you want. Then you'll have leftover crowns, but not enough for next item you want so you buy more crowns. Rinse and repeat. Welcome to it friends.

KitsuneShoujo · April 2017

Honestly I think ZOS is only hurting themselves with these limited releases. They're hoping were going to splurge because "omg it's a limited item, must have!" or they're depending on "whales" to just keep tossing money at their screens.

If they kept stuff on the stores instead of discontinuing them and did more direct sales instead of cramming them into shady RNG boxes they would make way more money. RNG boxes make money too, but it's predatory. though not as horribly bad as some of the Chinese mmo's RNG boxes. Speaking for myself, I am far less likely to spend money on boxes than I am on something that's a sure thing like dresses and hairstyles. I only ever buy the boxes if I have something left over and don't want anything else. I never buy crowns specifically for the crates.

Kodrac · April 2017

There's 10 days between the lion and the island.Granted, that's not a long time to budget but it's around the 2 week pay period interval. Figure 2500 for the lion and 18k for the island. Roughly 20k and a crown sale starting tomorrow.

POps75p · April 2017

if they want us to spend crown's have dual pricing on those web (or what ever they are call, that you only can buy by using the items in the gambling boxes) what a crock of BS

Cously · April 2017

The fact they are insisting in this impulse purchase strategy means it worked well.

Turelus · April 2017

redspecter23 wrote: »

Wouldn't it be great if ZOS told you the prices of the items when they announce the release dates for them? It feels just a bit shady for the reasons described by the OP. Why not tell us the prices up front?

Marketing haven't thrown the dart at their "what should this thing be worth" dartboard yet.