[Mkramden]

Sorry John.

“…is like asking someone to keep being beating on and coming back for more.”

As far as I can see, NO one from BM has responded to me in this thread. I asked them to support a statement made by a company representative. If you see this as bashing, then you need to reread the thread. You made guesses at what could be going on here. I asked the source to tell us. So far all quiet. Not sure why you have such a problem with this. I guess asking a question as a customer and never getting any response from the company is acceptable to some people… or considered bashing.

Mark

[Mkramden]

Hi Patrick,
Yes! You hit the nail on the head! This is what is typically done on most products, and I can atest to the fact that I have been the “early adopter” more than once 🙂

My posting here has more to do with BM support than their pricing. Of course they can do whatever they like with the price, and if we just bought a product, that’s the breaks. But why didn’t they just say exactly what you just said? Or nothing at all? Why put a lame excuse like, we replaced a $1000 chip on the board and passed the savings on to you! I find this insulting. I find it just as insulting that no one from BM has responded to me calling this out. This all goes back to how you treat your customers.

Substantially lower the price and leave your loyal customers hanging. (even Apple gives 30 day price protection)

Make lame remarks, and then when your called out, ignore the customer.

Sorry, but I don’t like being treated that way. However from the responses here, most people don’t seem to mind being treated like a punching bag AS LONG AS THE PRICE IS LOWER! (DID I MENTION THE PRICE IS NOW LOWER, so I can now take any abuse dished on me 🙂 I have never given into the WalMart mentality, and never will.

Respectfully,
Mark

[Mkramden]

That’s all well and good Nick, but again has nothing to do with my question.

The lack of response by BM tells me by assumtion is correct, and this had little to do with part changes. They have put this childish behaviour with the competition above treating the customer with respect. Very sad indeed.

Mark

[Mkramden]

Sorry, but you guys have taken this discussion completely off topic. No one in this thread has complained about lower prices of goods. My comment that each of you has responded to without actually addressing is how a company treats you. How do your comments about being happy with your purchases answer my question about a ludicrous statement made by BM?

Is Luke or anyone from BM going to respond to my question about how this price drop was do to a “$1000 lower price part” and not in response to AJA’s announcement? So most of you that have responded don’t find this of particular importance. That’s fine and you all have a right to this opinion, but please don’t trash me for asking a fair question that DOES matter to me. And once again being treated repsectfully by a company means I expect an answer from them that does not insult me.

Mark

[Mkramden]

So John, I take it you are not willing to pay a reasonable price and get a better product than what we have now? So price for price sakes alone is the ulitimate goal here? Are you not seeing any of the myriad of problems with the last few buggy driver releases that most of us are seeing? I would rather BM and AJA and the rest spend a little more time refining their products so that we get a usable tool than get into these price wars with each other to the point they can no longer spend any money on R&D, but spend it all marketing against each other.
BTW John, I believe you missed my point altogether. I don’t like being treated like a retarded child by anyone, especially not a company I have paid a service to. Perhaps you don’t mind being jerked around, SO LONG AS THEY JUST KEEP LOWERING THE PRICE ABOVE ALL ELSE, but I perfer a little respect. My point was in reference to Sam’s original comment that I doubt there was a $1000 chip on these boards that they were suddenly able to replace and pass the savings on. BTW, if they changed the same chip on these three boards as Luke has stated, then how come two of them dropped by $1000 and one dropped by only $300. Again as Sam stated, we were either being “raped” originally, or are now being jerked around, but I guess AS LONG AS THE PRICE IS LOWER anyone can jerk me around all they want and I’ll just be glad, defend them, and ask for more of the same.

Mark

[Mkramden]

Luke,
I can understand some of the hostility towards BM expressed here. So you are saying you changed a part on the DL HD 4:4:4 card and saved $1000? That just doesn’t make sense. I have never seen any other company of any product continually drop their prices in half in response to competition, and I don’t understand how you think this will not piss people off? So the fact that AJA announced the KONA2 at NAB, and you guys then announced your prices dropping in half after they made there announcement, and now they announce the KONA LH and then you announce your prices are dropping in half after them again, but you feel you are leading the industry? It appears you are just over reacting to the industry. Please give me an example of when BM has lowered the price of one of their products NOT in response to competative pressure.
Now many people are probably saying, so what? If the prices keep coming down I’m happy. I for one am not. I purchased an original DL HD card at $1999. At that years NAB several companies announced new products, and the next day BM dropped the price to $999. This year AJA announced new products, and the next day (see a pattern here?) BM dropped the price to $599. This is my frustration. The same as Sam’s and Mike’s. The products have zero resale value shortly after you by them, and no parts cost drop 75% in 6 months, so I think this is where Sam’s “raped” comments comes from. So even if prices dropped some in that frame time, and you are still able to make money at $599, then you were gouging at $1999. You can’t have it both ways.
So as Mark commented, why is there a problem with offering a customer loyalty program? Many companies do this and it goes a long way to brand loayalty. By not providing such a program, and wildly changing prices is alienating users. It is obvious to anyone who has gotten “burned” by your childish pricing fluctuations that you just have to be the lowest price company at any cost, even if it means pissing off your existing customers. Bad move in my opinion.

Mark