On May 14, 2007, at 2:47 PM, Bob Keeney wrote:

>> If you (the plugin developer) are happy setting your prices very high
>> and selling only one a week, then by all means do so.  The problem is
>> that products that are priced too high attract lower-priced
>> competition.  Eventually, you will find yourself not selling  
>> anything.
>
> I strongly disagree with this stance!  The opposite is true.
>

I don't understand.  Would you clarify what the "opposite" is?

> If I can buy the entire Einhugur package for $100 per year then
> there's NO WAY for another developer to undercut that market.  It
> would be suicide.  Why buy mine when you can buy his for that little?
>
> But, if that price is instead $100 PER CONTROL then I *might* be able
> to enter the market assuming my control is as good or better.
> Developers have to make a living off their wares.  As far as I know,
> neither MonkeyBread nor Einhugur are full time RB developers.
>

The core problem is not the price of the plugins; the problem is that  
there are not enough buyers.  Increasing the  price of the plugins is  
not going to cause buyers to appear.  In fact, I believe the opposite  
is true. The only "fix" for low RB plugin prices is more RB users.

Now, developers *can* raise their prices if they are content to move  
fewer units.  But I think that plugin prices are elastic; a 10%  
increase in prices is probably going to cause a higher than 10% drop  
in units moved.  Messing with the price too much can cause your  
revenue to actually decrease...

> I also think you misunderstand how markets work.  In my experience
> the higher the price the more the perceived value.  A Toyota and
> Lexus are both very nice vehicles.  But can you honestly say that the
> Lexus that is twice as expensive has twice the value?  Why buy a Mac
> for $1300 when you can get a Windows PC for $600?  They both do the
> same thing.
>

Supply and demand set *market* prices.  The demand for a Lexus is  
strong and the supply is constricted.  Thus, a high price results.

The demand for a Toyota is moderate, but supply is good.  An  
"average" price results. (I am being generic here.)

Unfortunately, the demand for RB plugins is not strong --- prices  
stay low.

> Obviously there's a limit to higher prices/perceived value but the
> point is that low prices for software and/or services stifles
> competition.  I believe it's called the barrier to entry.

It is true: unprofitable markets do not attract new business.

-----------------
Russ Tyndall
Wake Forest, NC



_______________________________________________
Unsubscribe or switch delivery mode:
<http://www.realsoftware.com/support/listmanager/>

Search the archives:
<http://support.realsoftware.com/listarchives/lists.html>

Reply via email to