master jedi david
Suggestion: Keep Items in Gem Store
There have likely been studies done that show what ANet does actually brings in more money on average. More players who are on the fence buy it because the item isn’t going to be around for a while. Or they may have a character that glider will work for in the future but not now. Whereas if the item was there for forever, they wouldn’t buy it because it’s not going anywhere and will buy it when and if they have a character it will work for.
Plus, it likely gets some players to spend real money on gems instead of just time in game to convert gold to gems.
There have likely been studies done that show what ANet does actually brings in more money on average. More players who are on the fence buy it because the item isn’t going to be around for a while. Or they may have a character that glider will work for in the future but not now. Whereas if the item was there for forever, they wouldn’t buy it because it’s not going anywhere and will buy it when and if they have a character it will work for.
Plus, it likely gets some players to spend real money on gems instead of just time in game to convert gold to gems.
i just think its strange that on hero panel and you see a list of,mini,gliders and so on and when you go to buy they are not there. if they are not available in gem story they should not show up in your mini,gliders, list
master jedi david
So that players can know when they are in the store if they don’t pop into the gem store often but are looking for a new skin or new mini for their character.
Business people believe that artificial scarcity (keeping things in the gem store for a limited time only, and not telling us ahead of time when, if ever, they will be back) increases profits. I’m not convinced that they do, but I haven’t seen the studies throwing around this claim, so I can’t say for certain whether artificial scarcity is a good business practice or not. So far though, it seems to have worked out well enough for Anet.
Business people believe that artificial scarcity (keeping things in the gem store for a limited time only, and not telling us ahead of time when, if ever, they will be back) increases profits. I’m not convinced that they do, but I haven’t seen the studies throwing around this claim, so I can’t say for certain whether artificial scarcity is a good business practice or not. So far though, it seems to have worked out well enough for Anet.
considering most people live pay check to pay check and sometimes do not have the extra cash laying around they will wait tell they have the extra cash to blow but if what they wanted is not there any more when they do finally have the cash it will go some where else. so there study is very flawed
master jedi david
Business people believe that artificial scarcity (keeping things in the gem store for a limited time only, and not telling us ahead of time when, if ever, they will be back) increases profits. I’m not convinced that they do, but I haven’t seen the studies throwing around this claim, so I can’t say for certain whether artificial scarcity is a good business practice or not. So far though, it seems to have worked out well enough for Anet.
considering most people live pay check to pay check and sometimes do not have the extra cash laying around they will wait tell they have the extra cash to blow but if what they wanted is not there any more when they do finally have the cash it will go some where else. so there study is very flawed
You don’t need to read any study. For a proper real life example of what Ori’s talking about, go read/watch about why diamonds are so expensive….
Hint: it’s not because they are rare.
(edited by onevstheworld.2419)
It seems strange to me too but it’s an extremely common tactic so I assume it does work. For example I know that if I want to buy winter clothes I’ve got a month at most before all the shops switch over to their summer wear. Now you could say that’s due to limited space but surely if it was so much more profitable to keep stuff available they’d devote at least a little bit of space to warm clothes in the summer.
But they don’t. They make a big fuss about them going out of stock then make another big fuss about new stuff coming in. Because it gets people to go and see what great deals/new things they can get instead of only shopping when they need something because they know it’s always available.
It’s the same with the gem store. At some point (probably around February/March) they’ll do a big announcement that many of the current minis, armour sets, outfits etc. are being removed and you should get them while you can. Then they’ll bring in a load of “new” stuff and tell you to get it while it’s here. Then 6 months later they’ll do the same thing again.
But the REALLY frustrating part is that every so often there is an item which doesn’t cone back, or takes years (literally) to return. So even though I know this and I’m willing to be patient I don’t want to risk not getting things I want. I end up doing things like buying the Black wings because my level 5 revenant will want them when he’s level 80.
Danielle Aurorel, Dear Dragon We Got Your Cookies [Nom], Desolation (EU).
“Life’s a journey, not a destination.”
“Life’s a journey, not a destination.”
Business people believe that artificial scarcity (keeping things in the gem store for a limited time only, and not telling us ahead of time when, if ever, they will be back) increases profits. I’m not convinced that they do, but I haven’t seen the studies throwing around this claim, so I can’t say for certain whether artificial scarcity is a good business practice or not. So far though, it seems to have worked out well enough for Anet.
considering most people live pay check to pay check and sometimes do not have the extra cash laying around they will wait tell they have the extra cash to blow but if what they wanted is not there any more when they do finally have the cash it will go some where else. so there study is very flawed
You don’t need to read any study. For a proper real life example of what Ori’s talking about, go read/watch about why diamonds are so expensive….
Hint: it’s not because they are rare.
I was about to mention diamonds as well.
Impulse purchases are definitely a real factor in business. Also, from a psychological perspective, artificial scarcity tends to have a similar effect with regard to non-essentials as real scarcity does with essentials.
There are a myriad of studies on limited availability stock, in all markets, selling far better than stock that is always available. It is a tried and true marketing method that works. It would not be used across pretty much every retail sector if it meant less money for the companies employing the tactic.
The people that make these decisions have the qualifications and experience to know what to do better than some random commenter on a forum.
Yes, it sucks kitten for the people unable to get gems in time that hey miss out on things, but that’s the entire poi9nt. Having limited availability makes people far more likely to spend to get that limited item, and those that don’t spend probably aren’t big spenders, if they spend anything at all.
Resident smug Englishman on the NA servers, just because.
Business people believe that artificial scarcity (keeping things in the gem store for a limited time only, and not telling us ahead of time when, if ever, they will be back) increases profits. I’m not convinced that they do, but I haven’t seen the studies throwing around this claim, so I can’t say for certain whether artificial scarcity is a good business practice or not. So far though, it seems to have worked out well enough for Anet.
considering most people live pay check to pay check and sometimes do not have the extra cash laying around they will wait tell they have the extra cash to blow but if what they wanted is not there any more when they do finally have the cash it will go some where else. so there study is very flawed
If they have extra cash on hand they can afford to put on pixel fluff, why not go ahead and get the gems then? That way when the item appears they have the gems to buy. Or farm up gold and buy gems when the rates are favorable?
Be careful what you ask for
ANet may give it to you.
ANet may give it to you.
Business people believe that artificial scarcity (keeping things in the gem store for a limited time only, and not telling us ahead of time when, if ever, they will be back) increases profits. I’m not convinced that they do, but I haven’t seen the studies throwing around this claim, so I can’t say for certain whether artificial scarcity is a good business practice or not. So far though, it seems to have worked out well enough for Anet.
considering most people live pay check to pay check and sometimes do not have the extra cash laying around they will wait tell they have the extra cash to blow but if what they wanted is not there any more when they do finally have the cash it will go some where else. so there study is very flawed
If they have extra cash on hand they can afford to put on pixel fluff, why not go ahead and get the gems then? That way when the item appears they have the gems to buy. Or farm up gold and buy gems when the rates are favorable?
Because that makes too much sense /s
But really, I hate artificial scarcity a lot. I know its used around the world, in many different markets, but I am not convinced that the extra revenue is as much as business people think it is. Of course I don’t have the qualifications to say for sure. I also don’t think that something like the items in the gem store correspond to a real good, such as clothes. For something like a clothing line, I can see how artificial scarcity might work, but I don’t think that the effect is necessarily mirrored perfectly to online goods in a video game.
they’d make more money if they release a full proper expansion same as the old gw1 when they released the canthan’s expension then nightfall. they’ll win more players and the community would really grow.`
they’d make more money if they release a full proper expansion same as the old gw1 when they released the canthan’s expension then nightfall. they’ll win more players and the community would really grow.`
Well, those were stand-alone games, and not expansions, so different from the actual expansions that have been released in the franchise. Not to mention, a different kind of game, being almost exclusively instanced, rather than an Open World MMO.
I’d guess it would take even more time to release something like that. Still, I would love to go to another continent or new land we haven’t visited before.
OT: It might be nice if there were more items on offer, and returning items offered bit more often.
I don’t want Anet to keep the items in the Gem Store, just rotate them more often.
TL;DR
The reason objects are not available all year through is so people have a push in the back when the object is available to buy it because you won’t know when the next opportunity is
People keep posting that artificial scarcity is a successful marketing ploy. The only thing it seems to generate w/GW2 is aggravation, frustration, and resentment. It may work in the retail world, but it’s been done there forever and people expect it, almost like a tradition. I think it doesn’t work here because what on earth other video games withhold their merchandise for months or years at a time? Never even letting their customers know when or if something will ever be back? From what I have seen, it’s just not done elsewhere, so its unexpected and just feels rude and kind of mean.
People keep posting that artificial scarcity is a successful marketing ploy. The only thing it seems to generate w/GW2 is aggravation, frustration, and resentment. It may work in the retail world, but it’s been done there forever and people expect it, almost like a tradition. I think it doesn’t work here because what on earth other video games withhold their merchandise for months or years at a time? Never even letting their customers know when or if something will ever be back? From what I have seen, it’s just not done elsewhere, so its unexpected and just feels rude and kind of mean.
Is not a question of whether it’s an enjoyable method. If it works, it works. And anet will c continue to do it. Many companies do it
People keep posting that artificial scarcity is a successful marketing ploy. The only thing it seems to generate w/GW2 is aggravation, frustration, and resentment. It may work in the retail world, but it’s been done there forever and people expect it, almost like a tradition. I think it doesn’t work here because what on earth other video games withhold their merchandise for months or years at a time? Never even letting their customers know when or if something will ever be back? From what I have seen, it’s just not done elsewhere, so its unexpected and just feels rude and kind of mean.
I can think of a few times, off-hand, it seemed very successful:
Bunny Ears.
White Wings.
Keys.
Upgrades.
Glasses.
It’s unlikely that all those that take advantage of an item’s return, and are happy with the opportunity will come post on the forum. Though, in some cases (see above), they do.
I can see the artificial scarcity thing and I can see how removing then bringing back spurs sales but why can’t they rotate the items faster? Some items are gone for months. That’s way to long to ask a player to wait for a gemstore item to come back.
What would be nice is if they posted every Monday or every other Monday their list of returning items. Gives people time to get the gems if they are tight on money and let’s people know what days to log on if they aren’t playing regularly and also less people missing items because they didn’t check the gemstore for a few days.
Be careful what you ask for
ANet may give it to you.
ANet may give it to you.
(edited by Just a flesh wound.3589)
People keep posting that artificial scarcity is a successful marketing ploy. The only thing it seems to generate w/GW2 is aggravation, frustration, and resentment. It may work in the retail world, but it’s been done there forever and people expect it, almost like a tradition. I think it doesn’t work here because what on earth other video games withhold their merchandise for months or years at a time? Never even letting their customers know when or if something will ever be back? From what I have seen, it’s just not done elsewhere, so its unexpected and just feels rude and kind of mean.
I’d guess you don’t play many MMO’s then, because almost every single MMO I’ve ever played that uses a cash shop also makes use of rotating out items and artificial scarcity. Only ones I can think of that don’t are the low income, low population F2P ones.
Resident smug Englishman on the NA servers, just because.
What would be nice is if they posted every Monday or every other Monday their list of returning items. Gives people time to get the gems if they are tight on money and let’s people know what days to log on if they aren’t playing regularly and also less people missing items because they didn’t check the gemstore for a few days.
That would negate the impulse buy effect that artificial scarcity is built on
Resident smug Englishman on the NA servers, just because.
What would be nice is if they posted every Monday or every other Monday their list of returning items. Gives people time to get the gems if they are tight on money and let’s people know what days to log on if they aren’t playing regularly and also less people missing items because they didn’t check the gemstore for a few days.
That would negate the impulse buy effect that artificial scarcity is built on
To some extent but not completely. If people know the items are leaving again for an unknown period of time then the impulse to buy is still there and the game still has artificial scarcity. They’d also get more sales by people able to plan ahead.
Be careful what you ask for
ANet may give it to you.
ANet may give it to you.
People keep posting that artificial scarcity is a successful marketing ploy. The only thing it seems to generate w/GW2 is aggravation, frustration, and resentment. It may work in the retail world, but it’s been done there forever and people expect it, almost like a tradition. I think it doesn’t work here because what on earth other video games withhold their merchandise for months or years at a time? Never even letting their customers know when or if something will ever be back? From what I have seen, it’s just not done elsewhere, so its unexpected and just feels rude and kind of mean.
I’d guess you don’t play many MMO’s then, because almost every single MMO I’ve ever played that uses a cash shop also makes use of rotating out items and artificial scarcity. Only ones I can think of that don’t are the low income, low population F2P ones.
I have played games that rotate or have time limited sales on a few premium items, but their main stock (which in all games I’ve played is considerably more extensive than what GW2’s store offers) remains available at all times.
Other games with premium stock are selling things that give an advantage over players that don’t want to touch cash shops at all. For me it’s just a scarf I really want that I’ll get if it comes back. That’s just an example, the scarf skin isn’t my style in this game. What I really enjoy is if a sale for an item has just ended, support almost always helps that player out. It’s ok if they say no since that’s not really their job, but those stories are always nice.
And we do have our quality of life items always there for purchase. The only ones that are missing sometimes are the permanent passes and the salvage o matics.
TL;DR
The reason objects are not available all year through is so people have a push in the back when the object is available to buy it because you won’t know when the next opportunity is
Let me give an example of why this logic is flawed. MMOs tend to have larger turnover rates of customers than any other type of business. Players come and go all the time, so you have someone like me that started not that long ago. I go up to the banker and i start looking at all the wardrobe pieces to see what I would like to work for or buy next. Every piece i really like i go google the name of and wouldn’t you know, this is the crap i see
Gem Store 2015 (currently unavailable)
Gem Store Historical
Black lion chest historical
Seriously, i look at the wardrobe section now and just think to myself “Don’t get your hopes up, because you’ll find something you like and it won’t be available anywhere.”
Shame too, since anet could have made another 4000+ gem sales from me in a week if the stuff i wanted was available.
Either the rotation needs to be quicker or more items per rotation or just remove them from the wardrobe view. No sense showing me something i’m most likely never going to get a chance at obtaining.
So short version. There are new players every day, why not market some of your older items to them as well, because they might want a shot at getting those items, and might be inclined to purchase more gems.
Could even do special event announced far in advance that ALL gem store items (past and present) will be available for purchase for 24 hours. That would shoot up gem sales as everyone would be scrambling to get the items they have not seen in over a year or more. Could do it once a year, but the date is random. That way there is always the ability to obtain an item you have been looking forward to and not just “hoping” that it will come back.
The only thing it seems to generate w/GW2 is aggravation, frustration, and resentment.
You don’t have the information to make that statement. What you could say is, “I see forum posts that limited time items cause aggravation, frustration and resentment.” For all any of us know, that might be all it generates, or it might be generating increased sales.
I couldn’t wait until Marjory’s outfit came out. Still haven’t gotten it. Do you know when I will? When there’s a 24 hour count down timer on it.
It’s not that they don’t tell us when an item is being removed, they give us a 7-day countdown with the only exceptions being flash sales that last a day.
We are heroes. This is what we do!
RIP City of Heroes
RIP City of Heroes