Why does buying direct always cost MORE? :(

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

I don't like to be a whiner, but I'm going to do it anyway. Why is it that buying a game direct always costs $5-10 MORE than buying from a retailer? Since no money from that direct sale goes to a middle man, wouldn't the company be making more money selling a copy direct for the same price (or even less) than they get from a copy that a retailer sells? Is it a political thing where they have to make the retailer prices look better or the retailers won't carry it if they are undersold or what? Whatever it is, it's annoying. :/

I hate to end anything on a negative note, so I will say I am looking VERY forward to the game and will definately buy it. I would have really PREFERRED to buy it direct from you so that you would get better profits for your excellent work (no money to the middle man), but I don't think I should have to pay more money for the same game?

--Soulfire
579 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Here, here.

And in a like frame of mind; in these days of high speed net connections, why don't more companies make buying a game via download a choice ?

I have wanted to but SE4 Gold (I already bought GalCiv) but their delevery rates to Canada add fifteen to twenty dollars to the cost.

Really annoying.

Elrikk


~SDC~
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Elrikk, I see you live in Canada therefore you evidently have access to decent to decent broadband ISP. Unfortunately for some of us our countries govt's are so screwed up that broadband is just not an option. For example here is Oz the cheapest decent cable option is $A59.95/month with only 300Mb of download available per month.

No some of us still have to rely on dial up and therefore games via CD.
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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
I can answer this simple. Why would the retailer carry it if the creators sold it cheaper? They have no incentive to offer that product if their margin becomes negligible.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
It doesn't have to be CHEAPER buying direct, but it shouldn't cost more either?

Most people appreciate the convenience of buying at the store...that way if something is wrong with it, you don't have to pay shipping to return it, wait 5-8 days for them to receive the return and ship another copy, etc. So for the same price, most people will still buy from the distributors. Furthermore when you add shipping costs, it's usually cheaper to buy from the store than mail order anyway.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think 95% of the people would still buy from distributors if the prices were the same? The only difference is that the people who want to go out of their way a little to give the company a little extra profit don't have to pay more for the same product to do it? *shrug*

--Soulfire
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Agree,

Also retailers sell different volumes.

By the way I also use broadband but find the bandwidth is not always available and having CDs on hand has advantages.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Arokh72;

I understand and don't want net download to be the only way to get things.

I just would like the option to be there.

Elrikk

~SDC~
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
I agree completely, I want to support this developer and i'll be buying it online without regards to the price difference but it would be very intresting to get on official explanation to why it will cost more.
Frogboy ?!?

/ Falaffel
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Well, Brad said that one of the reasons that it cost MORE to buy from the devs is that if the devs sells at a lower price than the retailers they are actually competing with them about the consumers.
This is not very appriciated by the retailers who then can refuse to take in games from these devs because they atually compete with them..
So therefor the devs sell at the same or higher price than the retailers, hope I made this clear? Or did I just babble? LOL

/Andreas
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
A GalCiv that isn't available at retail might as well not exist.

A GalCiv that costs the same or less direct wouldn't be available at retail.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
There we have it, right from the Frog's mouth. Thank you. :)

--Soulfire
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Just for the record, I only complained because money is really tight for me right now and $5-10 unfortunately matters to me in my current situation.

That being said, I appreciate what Stardock is doing here and perhaps even more how you seem to be very honest and supportive of your customers. Because of this I plan to still buy directly as my way of saying thanks for everything. Hopefully more people will feel the same way and it will really pay off for you. Thanks Stardock. :)

--Soulfire
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
Thanks for the kind words!