Frontier Shop?

[WaveRider]

New player to the game (3 months). If camo, outfits, bobble heads etc have already been made - why not sell them?

For example, the iridescent paint recently on sale - I bought one for the SRV, another for a ship I have=£6

Yet, I would have bought the camo for another 5 ships I have if it was available; an additional £15.

My money would have been yours, and if you brought out new camos etc I like, I would do it all again! Instead, you show me a camo I like and create a situation where I won't spend on anything else until I get the iridescent camos.for my ships.

On a side note, people come and go from games - capitalize on that new interest and 'Take my money!'

 

[Jaiotu]

One of the worst examples of Frontier's poor marketing was the Limited Edition Cobra Mk III Wireframe paint job. It was available for a very limited time and that limited time was only while the game was in beta. For a long while it was a constant sore point in these forums and elsewhere. There were a lot of people who loved the original Elite who really, really wanted that paint job but who weren't plugged into the game until after it was released.

 

[Factabulous]

people asking to give more money to fdev - seems fdev's plan is working - demand remains high

 

[Jukelo]

If camo, outfits, bobble heads etc have already been made - why not sell them?

If they sold you what they know you want first, chances are you wont come back to have a look at all those things you didn't know you wanted.

 

[OBYOZ]

people asking to give more money to fdev - seems fdev's plan is working - demand remains high

Peanuts to what it could have been. Very short sighted.

 

[WaveRider]

people asking to give more money to fdev - seems fdev's plan is working - demand remains high

It's a bad plan then! Somebody 'wanting' to give you money doesn't pay the bills. Getting the money does.

If a person doesn't get that immersion in game then their interest is likely to wander elsewhere - the more you can get a player to invest the better.

I can want to give money, but not giving me something to exchange it for achieves nothing.

 

[WaveRider]

If they sold you what they know you want first, chances are you wont come back to have a look at all those things you didn't know you wanted.

Good point; except as stated that approach has me withholding my money now.

I am sure it rings true with others though

 

[PiLhEaD]

I've got the DBOBE bobblehead.

#smug

And the Cobra IV.

#notsmug

But it wouldn't bother me if they had been limited time exclusives.

 

[thistle]

New player to the game (3 months). If camo, outfits, bobble heads etc have already been made - why not sell them?

For example, the iridescent paint recently on sale - I bought one for the SRV, another for a ship I have=£6

Yet, I would have bought the camo for another 5 ships I have if it was available; an additional £15.

My money would have been yours, and if you brought out new camos etc I like, I would do it all again! Instead, you show me a camo I like and create a situation where I won't spend on anything else until I get the iridescent camos.for my ships.

On a side note, people come and go from games - capitalize on that new interest and 'Take my money!'

It's marketing. There's a few different things going on, some store items are widely available for most ships, some limited to some ships, and some like the midnight black and iridescent, released as time limited specials. I bet Frontier know what they are doing, better than we do.

Also, they won't have people sitting all day hammering out new bobble heads and skins with a huge vault as yet unreleased, just to annoy you. They will apportion a % of employee time to this stuff per week or month, and that's it.

 

[WaveRider]

It's marketing. There's a few different things going on, some store items are widely available for most ships, some limited to some ships, and some like the midnight black and iridescent, released as time limited specials. I bet Frontier know what they are doing, better than we do.

Also, they won't have people sitting all day hammering out new bobble heads and skins with a huge vault as yet unreleased, just to annoy you. They will apportion a % of employee time to this stuff per week or month, and that's it.

Understand and agree in the main to your first part. Not so much the second, as although I would like a steady flow of new stuff, my post was actually talking about the stuff already made.

Stuff they just have to put back on sale and earn revenue with.

Point in case, I have invested in items on another game - and will be playing that game because of it.
No silly threat or moan - just something that is (with me anyway)

 

[Misty_Dark]

Peanuts to what it could have been. Very short sighted.

Seems to be working as expected....


Just look at all the threads that pop up about the midnight black skins, that is only available around Black Friday. some people got absolutely crazy about how they would not be able to buy this skin for the announced new ships.



We do not have to like it, but this kind of tactics to artificially limit some supply have been proven to work time after time, compared to haveing it available at all times.

 

[WaveRider]

Seems to be working as expected....


Just look at all the threads that pop up about the midnight black skins, that is only available around Black Friday. some people got absolutely crazy about how they would not be able to buy this skin for the announced new ships.



We do not have to like it, but this kind of tactics to artificially limit some supply have been proven to work time after time, compared to haveing it available at all times.

Again, excitement about something is great - unless you don't get around to selling it lol.

So there is a black camo that is available too - great, whereas I was looking to buy the tactical graphite packs but was unsure (as I had seen pictures of even darker camos) - again I will not be buying zip until Nov (if I am still invested in the game because it has drawn me in by allowing me to customise my stuff). Which is exactly the point - it isn't allowing me to make it my game/my personal experience; this is what leads to feeling invested.

I'm not spending because I am aware of stuff that is out there that I prefer far more than what is on offer (and I don't spend money for the hell of it). Seeing other people on YouTube with their stuff is great, but not personalising your stuff isn't.

An example could be being allowed onto the Daytona race track in your normal standard car - you see all the flashy stuff others have, but can't get it yourself. You don't mind at first because the experience of 'being there' is great. But as the days go by and you keep passing those other flashy cars and haven't had the chance to pimp out your own car - you get a bit meh!

Again, I am enjoying the game, trying new things out, but my experience could be better - AND Frontier could make money out of it too! I'm just saying 'Daytona is great, but I would like to pimp my ride out please (waiting 11 months for black camo? I hope I am still here lol).

 

[Misty_Dark]

Again, excitement about something is great - unless you don't get around to selling it lol.

So there is a black camo that is available too - great, whereas I was looking to buy the tactical graphite packs but was unsure (as I had seen pictures of even darker camos) - again I will not be buying zip until Nov (if I am still invested in the game because it has drawn me in by allowing me to customise my stuff). Which is exactly the point - it isn't allowing me to make it my game/my personal experience; this is what leads to feeling invested.

I'm not spending because I am aware of stuff that is out there that I prefer far more than what is on offer (and I don't spend money for the hell of it). Seeing other people on YouTube with their stuff is great, but not personalising your stuff isn't.

An example could be being allowed onto the Daytona race track in your normal standard car - you see all the flashy stuff others have, but can't get it yourself. You don't mind at first because the experience of 'being there' is great. But as the days go by and you keep passing those other flashy cars and haven't had the chance to pimp out your own car - you get a bit meh!

Again, I am enjoying the game, trying new things out, but my experience could be better - AND Frontier could make money out of it too! I'm just saying 'Daytona is great, but I would like to pimp my ride out please (waiting 11 months for black camo? I hope I am still here lol).

You are a very small sample to base anything off. Have you considered that you might not be the prime target for this kind of artificial limited supply?

Have you heard the term "whales"? That is players who outspend the average player by a HUGE margin. and by the sound of it, you are the average player, so if you do or do not buy a few paint jobs does not really matter, when there are players who will buy 20x, 30x, 40x, 50x etc more paint jobs, and these whales, will wait for these limited offers paint jobs and buy them "all", while the average player might buy one or two.



So Like I said, we do not need to like this, but it is a proven tactic to cram the most out of an artificially limited supply. And you are not the target for this, the "whales" are.

 

[WaveRider]

You are a very small sample to base anything off. Have you considered that you might not be the prime target for this kind of artificial limited supply?

Have you heard the term "whales"? That is players who outspend the average player by a HUGE margin. and by the sound of it, you are the average player, so if you do or do not buy a few paint jobs does not really matter, when there are players who will buy 20x, 30x, 40x, 50x etc more paint jobs, and these whales, will wait for these limited offers paint jobs and buy them "all", while the average player might buy one or two.



So Like I said, we do not need to like this, but it is a proven tactic to cram the most out of an artificially limited supply. And you are not the target for this, the "whales" are.

Absolutely - whales are people who will open their wallet a lot more than most. Unfortunately this means they are likely to spend whatever the reason - which means they will also buy, at any time, something new that presents itself for purchase (so I'm not quite sure what you are trying to get at?).

So a whale will buy at any time - I will buy if they release things that are already available that I am after. There is no magic here, just 2 groups that want to give the company money lol.


I think you may also think believe I am important enough that if I want something to change it should - I realise I am no more important than anyone else. Yes I would like something to change, I'd like Frontier to allow me to buy stuff from them, helping me enjoy the game more and become invested.

My only intention was to highlight the fact I would spend money if they make things available that they have already spent time and money to make.

 

[Misty_Dark]

Absolutely - whales are people who will open their wallet a lot more than most. Unfortunately this means they are likely to spend whatever the reason - which means they will also buy, at any time, something new that presents itself for purchase (so I'm not quite sure what you are trying to get at?).

So a whale will buy at any time - I will buy if they release things that are already available that I am after. There is no magic here, just 2 groups that want to give the company money lol.


I think you may also think believe I am important enough that if I want something to change it should - I realise I am no more important than anyone else. Yes I would like something to change, I'd like Frontier to allow me to buy stuff from them, helping me enjoy the game more and become invested.

My only intention was to highlight the fact I would spend money if they make things available that they have already spent time and money to make.

You do not appear to understand how the artificial scarcity mechanic works, and how that makes people go on a shopping spree...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/artificial-scarcity-drives-consumers-experts-1.970206

 

[WaveRider]

You do not appear to understand how the artificial scarcity mechanic works, and how that makes people go on a shopping spree...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/artificial-scarcity-drives-consumers-experts-1.970206

I believe I understand:

A whale is someone who is prone to spending money - there is rarely a specific thing that sets them off; they will usually spend on anything at anytime. Am I correct?

Scarcity is usually tied with either a limited edition release, or something that is withheld in order to ramp up the price - neither seem to be relevant in this case, as the items I am discussing are not limited edition or over expensive; they are old items that are sold at the same price as others (well in the case of the iridescent camo, I guess I'll have to wait another 8 months to see the price of the black camo lol).

Would I like to buy them? Of course! Do I feel they are being held back as limited editions, to ramp up the price, or make them a must buy for the whales - absolutely not.

I'm not sure why you see it this way, but that is your prerogative. For me, I was making a suggestion to put out items that are no different than any other regarding price or general choice; items that are already available and will be again (nothing special, nothing limited as far as I know).

 

[Misty_Dark]

I believe I understand:

A whale is someone who is prone to spending money - there is rarely a specific thing that sets them off; they will usually spend on anything at anytime. Am I correct?

Scarcity is usually tied with either a limited edition release, or something that is withheld in order to ramp up the price - neither seem to be relevant in this case, as the items I am discussing are not limited edition or over expensive; they are old items that are sold at the same price as others (well in the case of the iridescent camo, I guess I'll have to wait another 8 months to see the price of the black camo lol).

Would I like to buy them? Of course! Do I feel they are being held back as limited editions, to ramp up the price, or make them a must buy for the whales - absolutely not.

I'm not sure why you see it this way, but that is your prerogative. For me, I was making a suggestion to put out items that are no different than any other regarding price or general choice; items that are already available and will be again (nothing special, nothing limited as far as I know).

You are clearly NOT understanding the mechanics behind artificial scarcity... did you even bother to read the article?



Why should FDev make this change? what is the ECONOMIC incentive for them to do the change you are proposing? There are some very anoylingly smart people out there, that does this for a living, that can predict how much more you are likely earn by using artificial scarcity to time limit supply.

So like I have said several times, we do not have to like this, but in general, consumers are STUPID, so this keeps on working, time after time. Just look at yourself, you have already stated that you will most likely buy this if you are still playing when they become available again.... And that is just the point, people buys these "time limited" stuff when it becomes available, often in bulk, just to have to avoid waiting a long time the next time. I have bought my own fair share of these time limited skins over the years... so I am just another stupid consumer this obviously works on.



I do not like this tactic, but I do understand why it is present and why it works....

 

[WaveRider]

You are clearly NOT understanding the mechanics behind artificial scarcity... did you even bother to read the article?



Why should FDev make this change? what is the ECONOMIC incentive for them to do the change you are proposing? There are some very anoylingly smart people out there, that does this for a living, that can predict how much more you are likely earn by using artificial scarcity to time limit supply.

So like I have said several times, we do not have to like this, but in general, consumers are STUPID, so this keeps on working, time after time. Just look at yourself, you have already stated that you will most likely buy this if you are still playing when they become available again.... And that is just the point, people buys these "time limited" stuff when it becomes available, often in bulk, just to have to avoid waiting a long time the next time. I have bought my own fair share of these time limited skins over the years... so I am just another stupid consumer this obviously works on.



I do not like this tactic, but I do understand why it is present and why it works....

You seem to be getting quite wound up by this whole thing - that wasn't my intention.

My intention was to indicate if WG would put past items on sale I would buy them (well, those I liked).

I appreciate and thank you for your insight into why Frontier do what they do - I have no doubt there are points you have made that sync in with their strategy. But all the information aside, it does not apply to whales because whales will buy anything at any time scarce or not (so withholding makes no sense), I will only buy things I like - but they have to actually be on sale (so withholding makes no sense). I will not buy something I don't like, even if it is super scarce, so your thoughts in this area are wrong (IMO).


You say in general consumers are stupid - yet I have shown that whales aren't beholden to the points you have made, and neither am I. Are some drawn in by these tactics? I'm sure they are. But I don't believe I am the only one who isn't.

Please understand, just because I have been able to show not everyone falls into the areas you have read from a book - I am not saying some don't.

I am merely saying 'Frontier, if you put items that have already been created on sale, if people want them, they will give you money'.

 

[WaveRider]

To add to the above - the Phantom was included in the recent iridescent camo sale, but I didn't need it. This week I am now looking to exploration...guess what... Yep, I want to use the Phantom!
So I have just missed the window - and because I know the Phantom has iridescent paint I won't be buying it until it's out again.
This tactic Frontier is applying might have a strategic objective, but whatever the strategy, I have to wait for the camo and FD will have to wait for my money!

 

[WaveRider]

Not saying that it is a direct link but haven't played for 2 weeks now.

Not just because Elite aren't selling things I want to keep me interested and invested - but because another game is; I dropped £60 on another game and have been playing that game for the last 2 weeks.

So, lost money and lost a player to another game, due to that game providing more to the player.

Yes, I'm still here and the game is a great one, but your strategy seems flawed, as it isn't keeping me as well as it could.

My best wishes to all spacefarers! O7