Permanent Crown Price Reduction

Inoki · January 2019

I see a lot of topics on various things, but I don't see often (or at all, disregard search now, I know it would yield results) ongoing topics on permanently lowering the prices of crowns.

We all know they periodically put discounts, like during Christmas there were some good discounts. I personally liked them and bought crowns.

Now that they are back to defaults I'm again put off because it's just grossly overpriced for pixels that have no real life value. Think about it - if the game at any point goes offline you will lose everything you ever spent on, because it's limited to a virtual world but you spent a real life currency.

On top of that, we (most I believe) pay for an (optional, yes, but sort of necessary) subscription. Which brings me to believe they do not rely on the pricing they got, and by permanently offering crowns for more reasonable prices, say the discount during Christmas would be permanent, I firmly believe they could generate more revenue by making the store more accessible to a wider variety of consumers, not just those with much deeper pockets than the average worker (no disrespect to anyone).

ZOS can see, that because people post about it they are in fact interested in spending, but the prices are simply too high.

Thoughts?

IzzyStardust · January 2019

If they permanently lower crown prices, then crowns per item price will eventually just go up. So you’d spend the same or more.

Crowns are unnecessary so we can buy them or not.

WrathOfInnos · January 2019

I think it’s a marketing tactic. There’s no concrete dollar value to a crown, so they could be anything. The fact that they go on sale for a limited time makes people buy them thinking they are a good deal.

Steelshiv · January 2019

IzzyStardust wrote: »

If they permanently lower crown prices, then crowns per item price will eventually just go up. So you’d spend the same or more.

Crowns are unnecessary so we can buy them or not.

How about lowering crown pack prices and leaving the store item price the same?

I've spent about 200 USD on a game on my phone in the last 2 months because the prices are low with decent benefit and satisfaction . I've spent less than 100 USD on the ESO crown store in the last year and every time I think to myself "was that worth it" and in most cases come to the conclusion of "no. Why did I spend that much. Not doing that again."

In the case of the crown store if satisfaction < price then I'm not buying it.

Wildberryjack · January 2019

If crowns cost less I'd buy more often and spend more in the end, I know this. It's simple psychology, seeing the smaller number makes people feel better about spending the money. It's why some "nickel and dime" themselves to death, it didn't seem like much each time. Maybe that doesn't make sense but it's how it is. They'd make more money in the long run if they permanently reduced the cost of the crowns.

heaven13 · January 2019

I'm the opposite. If the prices of crown items were lower, I'd buy more things and then buy more crowns because it feels like I get more for my money. I know it's the same principle really but I feel like prices for crown items are the thing that's exorbitantly high. Other games I've played have had in-game currency and the cost was about the same for the dollar to psuedo-currency as crowns, but the items that could be bought were cheaper so it felt like it stretched farther. As of now, I only spend my crowns if I really, really, really want something (and usually it's after I pass on it the first time because I hate being pressured into a purchase by arbitrary 'limited time only' exclusives). If I still want it the second time it comes around, I can buy it then.

Watchdog · January 2019

You see, the problem here is that we want to pay less, while ZOS wants us to pay more.

I am pretty certain the competent ZOS employees and managers know what they are doing to reach their goal.

AWinterWolf · January 2019

Only thing(s) I refuse to buy are crown crates. I'll open the free ones but I refuse to put my crowns down on them.

That being said, I like buying cosmetic items (outfits and such), and a reduction in the price would not help, they'd reduce the price of crowns and the cost of everything, so you'd end up spending the same, if not more money on an item.

Beardimus · January 2019

Inoki wrote: »

I see a lot of topics on various things, but I don't see often (or at all, disregard search now, I know it would yield results) ongoing topics on permanently lowering the prices of crowns.

We all know they periodically put discounts, like during Christmas there were some good discounts. I personally liked them and bought crowns.

Now that they are back to defaults I'm again put off because it's just grossly overpriced for pixels that have no real life value. Think about it - if the game at any point goes offline you will lose everything you ever spent on, because it's limited to a virtual world but you spent a real life currency.

On top of that, we (most I believe) pay for an (optional, yes, but sort of necessary) subscription. Which brings me to believe they do not rely on the pricing they got, and by permanently offering crowns for more reasonable prices, say the discount during Christmas would be permanent, I firmly believe they could generate more revenue by making the store more accessible to a wider variety of consumers, not just those with much deeper pockets than the average worker (no disrespect to anyone).

ZOS can see, that because people post about it they are in fact interested in spending, but the prices are simply too high.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are to leave their commercial / pricing strategy decisions up to them.

I get people want stuff cheaper, who doesn't. But suggesting what's best for an organisation just doesn't make sense. They have their strategy, and will do what works best for their goals.

If you are on a budget best bet is buy crowns cheap and only buy stuff when its on sale cheap - double dip.

idk · January 2019

IzzyStardust wrote: »

If they permanently lower crown prices, then crowns per item price will eventually just go up. So you’d spend the same or more.

Crowns are unnecessary so we can buy them or not.

This, but reading the overall OP is really just seems they are complaining about paying money in general when you continue on and read the complaint continues into the subscription some of us pay. However, they clearly make generalizations that they have no information to support so it is really just baseless comments, empty words.

Like any business they determine the price and adjust it as they find necessary. It is up to you to determine if you are willing to part with your money at that price. The simple solution is do not buy crowns if you do not like the price.

Beardimus · January 2019

idk wrote: »

IzzyStardust wrote: »

If they permanently lower crown prices, then crowns per item price will eventually just go up. So you’d spend the same or more.

Crowns are unnecessary so we can buy them or not.

Like any business they determine the price and adjust it as they find necessary. It is up to you to determine if you are willing to part with your money at that price. The simple solution is do not buy crowns if you do not like the price.

Spot on.

Acrolas · January 2019

ZOS can't fix the price of any of their products. No manufacturer can tell any retailer that they have to charge X price all the time, nor can there be a mutual agreement among competitors.
That other retailers tend to closely follow the pricing that ZOS uses in their storefront suggests that they find those prices to be acceptable.

If you want to try to open your own retail storefront and try to become an official retail partner that sells crowns, and you want to sell them for next to nothing, that's something you can do. And then you'll get hit with a predatory pricing lawsuit.

It's like people don't realize that retailing is a pretty complex thing and we didn't get here by accident or through malice.

Jayne_Doe · January 2019

First - the Crown Store is optional, full of fluff items and consumables that have superior (for the most part) counterparts in-game. DLC is also in the store, but remains at a relatively low cost. You said it yourself that these are digital goods with no real world value that will just disappear eventually when the servers shut down. Why, then, spend any money on these items at all. Would cheaper prices mean that these items suddenly have value and won't just disappear eventually?

Second - cost is relative. Even if they lowered Crowns to the sale prices, there will still be players saying it's too expensive. At what price point would ALL players be satisfied? How much should crowns cost so that ALL players can comfortably buy as many Crowns as they'd like to get all the CS items they want?

Bottom line is this game is a hobby - pure entertainment. Not a necessity. If one can't afford the prices on crowns to get all the items they want, then they need to budget (or decide they can enjoy the game with all the free stuff we get). Not lobby for lower Crown prices. When something comes up in the CS that I like, I have to decide (A) how much do I really like this item, (B) will I actually use it, (C) can I afford it, and (D) are there other things I want more and should I save my crowns for those things.

On a related note, I really liked the Black Fredas sale this year on the CS items themselves. A lot of items were on sale and I picked up a couple of things I had my eye on. Sure, a CS sale means that they may not have the items I want on sale, but I'd like to see them do sales like this more often, in addition to offering a decent sale on Crowns from time to time.

Inoki · January 2019

I appreciate the discussion we're having here and the thoughts, thank you all so far.

I agree with some and disagree with some as well, certainly to some extent, allow me to clarify,

there are some items that could potentially have their prices justified, but still could see at least a slightly lower price tag, e.g. a banker and merchant that cost (in my currency) 70 EUR (!) together, which, while a useful item for everyone, more expensive than a brand new game with lots of content, thus if one of these costs 35 EUR (5000 crowns), lower it to say 20 EUR for one and get both for 40. That seems much more reasonable than 70 EUR and typically if you go for one, you go for the other as well.

Then, we have an outfit slot that is not even account bound, but a purchase per character and it costs 1500 crowns (13 EUR) in my currency. That is just way off.

Then vampirism / werewolf curses, also overpriced.

In the end they are just pixels. The game needs to make money, but keeping a steep price tag will make most shy away from purchasing. I'm not saying lower the prices to the ground where you sell a lot but the profit is minimal, but try to balance the pricing to find more reasonable grounds.

At this rate I think it's too expensive.

Sailor_Palutena · January 2019

Wildberryjack wrote: »

If crowns cost less I'd buy more often and spend more in the end, I know this. It's simple psychology, seeing the smaller number makes people feel better about spending the money. It's why some "nickel and dime" themselves to death, it didn't seem like much each time. Maybe that doesn't make sense but it's how it is. They'd make more money in the long run if they permanently reduced the cost of the crowns.

I agree. I'd probably have purchased a lot of houses by now. I've spent a lot with name changes already!

MerlinPendragon · January 2019

USD price per crown is generally fine. There are a few items that need crown price adjustment downward, although I expect prices to remain flat. This game is more balanced than most others.

notimetocare · January 2019

Steelshiv wrote: »

IzzyStardust wrote: »

If they permanently lower crown prices, then crowns per item price will eventually just go up. So you’d spend the same or more.

Crowns are unnecessary so we can buy them or not.

How about lowering crown pack prices and leaving the store item price the same?

I've spent about 200 USD on a game on my phone in the last 2 months because the prices are low with decent benefit and satisfaction . I've spent less than 100 USD on the ESO crown store in the last year and every time I think to myself "was that worth it" and in most cases come to the conclusion of "no. Why did I spend that much. Not doing that again."

In the case of the crown store if satisfaction < price then I'm not buying it.

That isnt how business works? If people are buying something for 10$ why would you gamble selling twice as much at 5$? You know what you have is working and there is technically a limit to how many people can buy something. If you only have 100k players and 60k by something at 10$ you have a good income. Some of that remaining 40k have no interest or extra money anyhow

Tigerseye · January 2019

I also find Crowns/the Crown Store overpiced.

I'm not a tight, something-for-nothing type, either and have spent quite a lot in the game.

So, if I feel this way, you can bet almost everyone else does, too.

The only exceptions being those who never buy Crowns anyway (so, don't care) and the true whales.

Full disclosure: I am currently reeling after a particularly nasty, totally unrewarding Crown Crate experience - but, I feel like this in general, anyway.

Tigerseye · January 2019

Beardimus wrote: »

Inoki wrote: »

I see a lot of topics on various things, but I don't see often (or at all, disregard search now, I know it would yield results) ongoing topics on permanently lowering the prices of crowns.

We all know they periodically put discounts, like during Christmas there were some good discounts. I personally liked them and bought crowns.

Now that they are back to defaults I'm again put off because it's just grossly overpriced for pixels that have no real life value. Think about it - if the game at any point goes offline you will lose everything you ever spent on, because it's limited to a virtual world but you spent a real life currency.

On top of that, we (most I believe) pay for an (optional, yes, but sort of necessary) subscription. Which brings me to believe they do not rely on the pricing they got, and by permanently offering crowns for more reasonable prices, say the discount during Christmas would be permanent, I firmly believe they could generate more revenue by making the store more accessible to a wider variety of consumers, not just those with much deeper pockets than the average worker (no disrespect to anyone).

ZOS can see, that because people post about it they are in fact interested in spending, but the prices are simply too high.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are to leave their commercial / pricing strategy decisions up to them.

I get people want stuff cheaper, who doesn't. But suggesting what's best for an organisation just doesn't make sense. They have their strategy, and will do what works best for their goals.

This theory would make more sense, if there weren't already other, very similar, games selling very similar things, for far less.

Some of those games not even having a sub - or, not one which has to be purchased with real money, anymore.

As opposed to the ESO sub, which feels virtually non-optional (if you want to gather, or craft, as most do) and always costs real money.

So, we're not just judging ESO in isolation, with no reference as to what games companies can, or can't, afford to charge and still make a decent profit.

We're comparing and contrasting and finding that ESO comes up wanting...

IzzyStardust · January 2019

Steelshiv wrote: »

IzzyStardust wrote: »

If they permanently lower crown prices, then crowns per item price will eventually just go up. So you’d spend the same or more.

Crowns are unnecessary so we can buy them or not.

How about lowering crown pack prices and leaving the store item price the same?

I've spent about 200 USD on a game on my phone in the last 2 months because the prices are low with decent benefit and satisfaction . I've spent less than 100 USD on the ESO crown store in the last year and every time I think to myself "was that worth it" and in most cases come to the conclusion of "no. Why did I spend that much. Not doing that again."

In the case of the crown store if satisfaction < price then I'm not buying it.

I don’t work for ZOS so I don’t know ? But using the past as an example - not happening. :-(

Reistr_the_Unbroken · January 2019

I’d like it if ESO+ items could be a bit cheaper with the sale they have- but then again when they get released to everyone the price will go from what, 3500 to 1500?