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General discussion (archive)The only thing I don't like about GOG(61 posts)(61 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted September 05, 2011
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shadi.lahham: The $x,99 is a very old and cheap marketing trick and it saddens me that GOG suffers from it.
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Navagon: As far as I know it started out as a tax dodge. Meaning a $10 item would require the shop pay more VAT than they would on a $9.99 item. Of course, I don't think that's why the practice remains today.

$10 would seem more honest to me.
More honest?

We're talking about a penny here. If someone is so susceptible to the _.99 ploy that they buy something that they wouldn't have otherwise, that is still the buyer's fault 100 percent. Jesus Christ. Shift the responsibility to the buyer on this one.
Posted September 05, 2011
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shadi.lahham: Interesting to read all the comments and the history of $x.99

My main points for the change were

1] It doesn't cost GOG any money to change (in fact they would get 1 cent more per game).

2] Leaving $x.99 as it is transmits the wrong message. It makes GOG seem like all the others and that it's trying to use a cheap trick to get money (even though that's not what GOG does).

3] Changing would transmit a positive message about GOG. It would differentiate them also visually from all other game sellers out there and it would reinforce GOG's image as an honest and transparent seller.

In the end, it's all about the message and relationship with the community that sets GOG apart and this would reinforce those messages even more.

There might be legal/contract reasons why that can't be changed easily, but I am sure that GOG is capable enough to manage that.

PS: any comment from GOG moderators maybe ? :)
I disagree with 2, 3, and the paragraph after 3. It doesn't transmit the wrong message in my opinion. In fact, we are paying less per each game. That is the right message and good for buyers such as myself. Also, it wouldn't change gog's image to me. In fact, I would just think, "Wow, I can't believe the guys at gog actually bought into this ridiculousness."

I don't know why you guys would want to actually be charged more for games. There is a lot of talk about rational and logic, but I'm not seeing too much of it here. It's a penny. If you aren't competent enough to decide if the game is worth buying at _.99 then you probably shouldn't be handling currency in the first place. If you do buy into it and you wouldn't have otherwise, it is completely your fault. Get a grip people. There is nothing dishonest about this practice.

This is a mountain out of a molehill situation.
Posted September 05, 2011
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da187jimmbones: This is a mountain out of a molehill situation.
Sorry ;-) , but I can't even see that there is a "molehill" here - GOG.com , generally , has this normal flat price of $5.99 or $9.99 per game, some might see the price on some of the games as slightly in-flat-ed , but still it is , well , like a more or less a flat price ;-)

The "complaining party" complains over a $ 0.01 variation and this variation held against even the lowest normal price would not stick out more than $ 0.01 divided by $ 5.99 = 0,001669449081803005008347245409015 parts of the lowest normal price level in discussion.
So we are really only talking about a 0,001669449081803005008347245409015 parts of a variation , which really doesn't seem to stick that much out to me ;-D

So , I am against price raises , so you can call me "a stick in the mud" for that - that'll probably stick out a little more than a "molehill" ..... :-D
Posted September 05, 2011
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da187jimmbones: More honest?
There are two main points to be made here. Firstly, it doesn't matter if the trick is an obvious one, the very fact that a trick is being used at all creates a less honest appearance.

Secondly it's not so much that people are going to think they're getting something a dollar cheaper, it's that the simple fact it's formatted as $9.99 instead of $10.00 gives a subconscious impression of a smaller sum. I doubt that it works quite so well with $5.99, but it would look very suspicious if they didn't both have the #.99 pricing format.
Posted September 05, 2011
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Navagon: Firstly, it doesn't matter if the trick is an obvious one, the very fact that a trick is being used at all creates a less honest appearance.
If anyone thinks it dis-honest by GOG.com that have charged only $_.99 rather than round up to _.00 then perhaps all the dis-satisfied could make a "make GOG.com an honest company" group and collect amongst themselves all the $ 0.01 per game that they haven't paid themselves and then send sent the few dollars to GOG just to make the GOG.com image better in the eyes of dis-satisfied... (At least then the dis-satisfied can no longer feel cheated because they were not allowed to pay $ 0.01 extra per game......)

;-)
Post edited September 05, 2011 by FiatLux
Posted September 05, 2011
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FiatLux: If anyone thinks it dis-honest by GOG.com that have charged only $_.99 rather than round up to _.00 then perhaps all the dis-satisfied could make a "make GOG.com an honest company" group and collect amongst themselves all the $ 0.01 per game that they haven't paid themselves and then send sent the few dollars to GOG just to make the GOG.com image better in the eyes of dis-satisfied... (At least then the dis-satisfied can no longer feel cheated because they were not allowed to pay $ 0.0.1 extra per game......)
Firstly, I... just don't care that much. I think that GOG are doing it either as a tax dodge (as in $10 sales would fall into a higher tax bracket), or there is no real reason behind it at all. They're just doing it because everyone does. I don't think they're being scheming bastards here at all.

Secondly, you don't need to hyphenate the 'dis' words, like dishonest.
Posted September 05, 2011
I think a few of you need to just calmly take off the tinfoil hat and back slowly away from your computer. It's all gonna be okay...
Posted September 05, 2011
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Navagon: Secondly, you don't need to hyphenate the 'dis' words, like dishonest.
Sorry , I do no longer not even have the capability to know when to "hyphenate" or divide words into two (or not) in my own language , let alone in a, to me, second language like english...
Posted September 05, 2011
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FiatLux: Sorry , I do no longer not even have the capability to know when to "hyphenate" or divide words into two (or not) in my own language , let alone in a, to me, second language like english...
That was just an FYI, I wasn't having a go at you.
Posted September 05, 2011
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FiatLux: Sorry , I do no longer not even have the capability to know when to "hyphenate" or divide words into two (or not) in my own language , let alone in a, to me, second language like english...
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Navagon: That was just an FYI, I wasn't having a go at you.
It's all right , after all we are just having a relaxed discussion here - and a bit of friendly fun - right ! (?)
(and , thanks for the FYI info !)
Post edited September 05, 2011 by FiatLux
Posted September 05, 2011
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shadi.lahham: The only thing I don't like about GOG is the price choice.
They should just make them $6 and $10 instead of the $5.99 and $9.99
This, and the fact that it's sister company CD Project is supporting its activities by arms dealing and human trafficking.
http://www.gog.com/en/forum/general/wtf_gog_is_on_the_ofac_list
Posted September 07, 2011
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shadi.lahham: The only thing I don't like about GOG is the price choice.
They should just make them $6 and $10 instead of the $5.99 and $9.99
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OctopusMan: This, and the fact that it's sister company CD Project is supporting its activities by arms dealing and human trafficking.
http://www.gog.com/en/forum/general/wtf_gog_is_on_the_ofac_list
That's the funniest comment made so far :)
thanks for sharing
Posted September 07, 2011
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shadi.lahham: The $x,99 is a very old and cheap marketing trick
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xyem: Does it even still work? Even when I ask people how much things are, if it ends in .99, it gets rounded up.
Yes, actually. It does still work.

Source.

And source.
Posted September 07, 2011
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TheEnigmaticT: Yes, actually. It does still work.
I actually had to read part of that article more than once because I read it wrong. I must be really accustomed to rounding prices or something.

I read:
The researcher manipulated the prices and found that when the pens were priced at $2 and $4, 44 percent of the participants selected the higher-priced pen. But when the pens were priced at $2 and $4, only 18 percent of the participants chose the higher-priced pen.
Which clearly makes no sense. I find it rather odd that it still works.. and that people that wouldn't choose the cheap option at first, change their mind because of a one penny difference that doesn't change their position (the cheaper option is still the cheapest).
Post edited September 07, 2011 by xyem
Posted September 07, 2011
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TheEnigmaticT: Yes, actually. It does still work.
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xyem: I actually had to read part of that article more than once because I read it wrong. I must be really accustomed to rounding prices or something.

I read:
The researcher manipulated the prices and found that when the pens were priced at $2 and $4, 44 percent of the participants selected the higher-priced pen. But when the pens were priced at $2 and $4, only 18 percent of the participants chose the higher-priced pen.
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xyem: Which clearly makes no sense. I find it rather odd that it still works.. and that people that wouldn't choose the cheap option at first, change their mind because of a one penny difference that doesn't change their position (the cheaper option is still the cheapest).
People = stupid. >.>
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General discussion (archive)The only thing I don't like about GOG(61 posts)(61 posts)
(61 posts)