LOL (well, sort of) : is THIS how Sony sees promotion ?

sirbellog wrote on 5/29/2003, 3:56 PM
Just received a SonicFoundry mail, like many of you, I guess : they offer a $5 discount for their new "Digital Video and Audio Production" book, that makes it about $25,00....
Just fine.
So I'm tempted, click on "buy now", and I am taken to the checkout page.
There I'm requested to select my country for updating S&H cost . I select France, since it's where I live.
Right away, the automatic process decides that the book must go UPS worldwide (no other choice) and hence charges me $46,00 for shipping, leading to $70, 00 ..... almost 3 times the price which was announced in the mail.
Without me !
-------
More seriously, SoFo people :
- something called global priority exists out there, thakes about 5-6 days from U.S to France, and costs about $ 8 or 10.
- why haven't you considered offering a pdf version of the book, with no cd full of fancy "bonuses and materials" ?
Or do you forget that you sell vegas to all kinds of people thoughout the world ?

Comments

FuTz wrote on 5/29/2003, 8:50 PM
Mmmm... bummer.
Here too (Canada) I used to buy a few things via internet and save bucks but since I have to pay taxes every time plus shipping&handling, I now take a pencil and do my maths. Most of the times, it'll be cheaper or about the same price to go next door and buy right here. Hence quicker.
When I ordered V4, I declined this texture loops DVD offer too because it would cost me $25 US bucks ;
- I don't use 'em very much (even if I'd like to have those for eventual use)
- I get a few free ones at mainconcept.com every month
- Seemed a little expensive for shipping since we're neighbours (!!!).
Damn postal charges...And we couldn't simply download those texture loops. Same situation.

Maybe with Sony everything will get a little more "worldwided" with distribution offices everywhere on the globe...

Somehow reminds me this 90 Days contest too... and a few "international users" expressed their disapointment with this contest rules (US only).

But as we speak, I'd never get rid of my Vegas...
BillyBoy wrote on 5/29/2003, 9:46 PM
I would be the last to try to tell SoFo how to run their business, but I've send stuff ALL OVER THE WORLD cheaply and quickly. Hint... priority international mail. Its cheaper than UPS or some air freight company and gets there as fast or faster and you can even get a signed return receipt to confirm delivery. Of course depends on where and how much it weights.

For software, typically a single CD we should be talking just several ounces. Hint #2 the USPS even has special CD wrappers FREE for the taking at larger post offices... $45 bucks? Geez... should be more like $15 to most of Europe.

http://www.usps.com/global/globalprioritymail.htm
farss wrote on 5/30/2003, 1:21 AM
I have to agree totally with whats being said here, my 'free' CD ended up costing 50 Australian dollars. I know SoFo doesn't get anything out of that either so its bad for all concerned. I've bought other stuff, much bigger than a CD, from other US sources and it arrived a little slower but only cost me $US 5.00 to be sent by post.
TorS wrote on 5/30/2003, 3:38 AM
I've complained about this, too, some months ago. But there is a complicating thing, at least in Norway: The various companies that do the shipping out from one country have arrangements with companies that handle the stuff once it arrives here. And if you go with the cheapest and most efficient company at the sending end you may well end up with the most expensive and least efficient company at the receiving end.

But then, if SoFo had had the financial muscle to run a truly international operation, many things would have looked very different. I think their priorities were right: use what you have (plus some) to develop a brilliant, irresistable product.
FuTz wrote on 5/30/2003, 4:18 AM
Right on !
Bottom Line here: I'd rather give a few additionnal bucks to SoFo directly and be able to *download* instead of throwing between 20 to 40 bucks to those Men in Brown or FedEx or any other company/service/postal entity.
But that supposes the actual file size is "fit to download" (or broke into smaller files if too huge). Like those texture maps that were too big...
Oh yeah, by the way, I plainly realise it's not SoFo that fixes postal charges and yes, TorS's absolutely right: better develop a very brilliant program than spend all energy at shipping problems.

Anyway, I'm almost sure there will be a solution to that problem soon.
See? I got the faith...! ;)
Arks wrote on 5/30/2003, 9:59 AM
Honestly, UPS "gets" the businesses to do this. If they have an account with them and have huge volumes or little volumes of product sent through in the US, they require you to use there worldwide (extremely expensive) service, or they charge you extra for NOT using it. Pretty sad, but thats the business I guess.
FuTz wrote on 5/30/2003, 10:03 AM
Yep, a real ***iN the BrOwN*** business...
Once again: viva downloading !!!
sirbellog wrote on 5/30/2003, 10:41 AM
The bottom line of all that is that I -and likely many other people who find that extra cost ridiculous and out of proportion- shall do without this book.
So no side wins : the user could have got some interesting material, SoFo would have got more sales.
That being said, Vegas remains a terrific software, no doubt.