dannie@coplex.UUCP (Dannie Gregoire) (05/02/90)
This Letter/Article is concerning the Educational Sales of Commodore Inc.
There has been much mention of an Educational Discount on A3000 equipment.
The discounts I have seen floating on the net have ranged around a
whopping 50%. This seems a bit too good to be true, and as of yet is not.
I really would like to know if there is going to be ANY discount offered
on the A3000. When I questioned a local dealer about educational
discounts, he became almost infuriated. He said that there is to be
NO educational pricing on the A3000, and proceded to tell me how
little Commoder supports educational sales.
He went on to say that he, and many other dealers were very upset with
Commodore's educational programs. Educational sales of Commodore
equipment were basically a hassel to him. He said that Apple offers
reimburstment for educational support, and Commodore does not (This
was brought up to Commodore at the recent Ami Expo, but was not answered
satisfactorily). As a result, I think LESS Commodore equipment may be
sold to education in the comming months.
I would like to know what Commodore plans to do about this problem.
This could have a drastic effect upon the sales of the A3000.
I, being student, cannot hope to afford an A3000 at list price. I'm
sure there are many others in my situation. Commodore needs to have
a GOOD educational program in place for sales to become sucessful, and
to make amends with their dealers. I could go out and purchase a MAC II
(dread the thought) at a discount (not sure on %) and still receive
special reduced finacing through Apple. It is a program like this
that could only substantially increase the sales of Commodre equipment.
I look forward to Commodore's answer to this problem, as I am sure many
others do.
Thanx,
Dannie Gregoire
(dannie@coplex)
UH2@psuvm.psu.edu (Lee Sailer) (05/02/90)
>I, being student, cannot hope to afford an A3000 at list price. I'm >sure there are many others in my situation. Commodore needs to have It is too bad you cannot afford one. I can't either, and I make oodles of big bucks per year (which I spend on car, mortgage, three kids, etc). Being a student has nothing to do with it. I've seen lots of students shell out this much and more for PS/2's and NeXTs. Look at it as an investment, or a semester's tuition. Buy one now. Figure out what product will be hot about the time you graduate, a structured draw program or maybe a sales/marketing package for the Real Estate business. Start working on it now, piggy backing your course projects onto it (assuming you have the right major). About the time you graduate, you'll be ready to spend two years in the attic putting the finishing touches on it, and eating beans. Then you'll get rich. lee
sterling@cbmvax.commodore.com (Rick Sterling) (05/02/90)
In article <122@coplex.UUCP> dannie@coplex.UUCP (Dannie Gregoire) writes: > > > This Letter/Article is concerning the Educational Sales of Commodore Inc. > > There has been much mention of an Educational Discount on A3000 equipment. > The discounts I have seen floating on the net have ranged around a > whopping 50%. This seems a bit too good to be true, and as of yet is not. > > I really would like to know if there is going to be ANY discount offered > on the A3000. When I questioned a local dealer about educational > discounts, he became almost infuriated. He said that there is to be > NO educational pricing on the A3000, and proceded to tell me how > little Commoder supports educational sales. > > He went on to say that he, and many other dealers were very upset with > Commodore's educational programs. Educational sales of Commodore > equipment were basically a hassel to him. He said that Apple offers > reimburstment for educational support, and Commodore does not (This > was brought up to Commodore at the recent Ami Expo, but was not answered > satisfactorily). As a result, I think LESS Commodore equipment may be > sold to education in the comming months. > > I would like to know what Commodore plans to do about this problem. > This could have a drastic effect upon the sales of the A3000. > > I, being student, cannot hope to afford an A3000 at list price. I'm > sure there are many others in my situation. Commodore needs to have > a GOOD educational program in place for sales to become sucessful, and > to make amends with their dealers. I could go out and purchase a MAC II > (dread the thought) at a discount (not sure on %) and still receive > special reduced finacing through Apple. It is a program like this > that could only substantially increase the sales of Commodre equipment. > > I look forward to Commodore's answer to this problem, as I am sure many > others do. > > Thanx, > > Dannie Gregoire > (dannie@coplex) > With Mr. Diamond's permission I am posting his response to Dannie Gregoire's inquiry. ----------- Hi Dannie, At the risk of being flamed, I thought I'd respond to your recent note regarding the Education program. 1) The 3000, and all new products are being added to the Ed program. The pricing is being sent out to all dealers at the end of the week, along with their regular pricing on all the new products. 2) You may want to be careful about talking to one dealer, (or one anybody) and generalizing their statements. The Ed program is going VERY well. It is not perfect, but the reality is that most of our dealers realize it is a much better program for them, than Apple's. For Example, in the Apple program, Apple keeps the large University accounts for themselves....in our program, dealers are involved in all sales. The fees we are paying the dealers, are equal to, or in some cases higher than those being paid to the dealers through the Apple program, or any other Ed program. Your dealer's concern is that Apple gives each dealer in the program market development funds using a formula that gives them an additional 1% credit for these expenditures. What apple has found is that the majority of dealers DON'T USE THE FUNDS...so what we have done is told the dealers they will NOT get the funds automatically, but ARE able to submit proposals for specific promotions which we will fund as appropriate. In fact, your dealer has already received special support from this program (assuming I know who he is based on where you are located) We talk to the dealers regularly, and will modify the program as seems appropriate, but at this point most of the dealers who have made a significant committment to the program have found it to be very lucrative, and have asked for few changes. More systems have been sold to Education in the last three months, than had been sold in the last few years. We hope to see this trend continue, and grow. Let me know if you have any questions, Howard S. Diamond Director of Education CBM
kovach@SRC.Honeywell.COM (Pete Kovach) (05/03/90)
In article <122@coplex.UUCP> dannie@coplex.UUCP (Dannie Gregoire) writes: > > I, being student, cannot hope to afford an A3000 at list price. I'm > sure there are many others in my situation. Commodore needs to have > a GOOD educational program in place for sales to become sucessful, and > to make amends with their dealers. I could go out and purchase a MAC II > (dread the thought) at a discount (not sure on %) and still receive > special reduced finacing through Apple. Sure could - Yep. You could buy a Mac II for a discount price, thus paying more than the A3000 at full price, and have less of a machine in the process. Sounds like a great deal to me :-) Peter Kovach I've owned IBM XTs, ATs, Color computers I, II, III, TI, Exidy Sorcerer, Pet, TRS-80 Mod I, Elf, and others, I've worked//with Mac I and IIs, but the only real machine is the ---- // \\// AMIGA \/
seamus@bucsf.BU.EDU (Jeff Rizzo) (05/03/90)
In article <11252@cbmvax.commodore.com> sterling@cbmvax (Rick Sterling) writes: > >At the risk of being flamed, I thought I'd respond to your recent note >regarding the Education program. > >1) The 3000, and all new products are being added to the Ed program. >The pricing is being sent out to all dealers at the end of the week, >along with their regular pricing on all the new products. > This is GREAT! Any chance we can get a peek at the prices? :-) Hopefully, if the cut is big enough, I'LL even be able to scrape up the means to buy one... >More systems have been sold to Education in the last three months, than >had been sold in the last few years. We hope to see this trend continue, >and grow. So do I... Can we have some figures? Maybe a breakdown by model....? >Let me know if you have any questions, > >Howard S. Diamond >Director of Education >CBM It's nice to read that C= is doing so well with the Ed. discount from someeone in the know. Now if only the University computer store sold them... I am SO sick of seeing their stupid 'PS/2 It!' ads everywhere, especially when I see the 'discounted' prices which are still outrageous. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeff Rizzo seamus@bucsf.bu.edu Boston University phyq8jc@BUACCA.BITNET CLA '91 lemon curry? (617)738-4625
nv89-rbi@nada.kth.se (Ron Birk) (05/03/90)
Just a question: Why aren't any educational discounts exist in Sweden??? We live here in total shadow of countries like germany etc.. All prices here are at least double of germany. It isn't funny, when you want to buy a good machine (amiga). The standard amiga 500 without anything cost here in Sweden around $900. (That is cheap here). I study here in university in Stockholm and could not likely afford to buy even a 2000 with those prices.
olsen@hpfcdq.HP.COM (John Olsen) (05/03/90)
dannie@coplex.UUCP (Dannie Gregoire) writes: >There has been much mention of an Educational Discount on A3000 equipment. >The discounts I have seen floating on the net have ranged around a >whopping 50%. This seems a bit too good to be true, and as of yet is not. I think near 35% discount is closer to correct. >When I questioned a local dealer about educational >discounts, he became almost infuriated. He said that there is to be >NO educational pricing on the A3000, and proceded to tell me how >little Commoder supports educational sales. (According to rumor) the A3000 educational pricing may be out this week, but will definitely be out this month. >He went on to say that he, and many other dealers were very upset with >Commodore's educational programs. Educational sales of Commodore >equipment were basically a hassel to him. Are you sure the problem is with Commodore, and not the dealer? I've heard of dealers that are happy to help with the Edu program, and have no trouble at all. Some dealers have even been nice enough to give you a machine on the spot and take delivery of the one you "order" so you can get up and going faster. Does anyone have any other success/horror stories about buying equipment on the educational program? John Olsen olsen@hpfcdq.HP.COM
terry@helios.ucsc.edu (Terry Ricketts) (05/04/90)
In article <4710013@hpfcdq.HP.COM> olsen@hpfcdq.HP.COM (John Olsen) writes: > (stuff deleted) >Does anyone have any other success/horror stories about buying equipment >on the educational program? > Here is my success story. I went to HT Electronics in Sunnyvale & got 2 systems: a A2000HD/PC for myself (to replace my old A1000), and a A500 with a A590 for my son (used my wife as a teacher for this one). They were extremely helpful (even delivering one system to me at work). Both systems had some initial problems. After the first week the bridgeboard in my system died and they gave me a new one from stock. Last week my son complained of the button sticking on his external drive. Again they gave a replacement from their own stock. There was no quibbling about needing a return authorization or anything. As a side note, each time I have gone in, they have had a pile of computers ready for pickup out in the front, and there were people lined up to turn in their A1000's. They have been doing a landoffice business with the two C= programs. There is a smaller dealer closer to home, but I prefer to go a little farther to get their service. I should mention that a coworker also got a A2000HD/PC via the educational discount. He went to the dealer closer to here & was given good service also. He had some problems with his A2091 card (all self caused) and they spent their time checking it out for him at not charge. There may be dealers who don't like the program, but they are not around here. Sure would be nice if C= could give them some help getting on the campus directly. There are a lot of students and staff who love the Amiga & would be glad to help sell it & promote it. The Mac hype around here is very thick. Terry
fredc@usenet.umr.edu (Fred Clauss) (05/08/90)
In article <70270@srcsip.UUCP> kovach@SRC.Honeywell.COM (Pete Kovach) writes: >In article <122@coplex.UUCP> dannie@coplex.UUCP (Dannie Gregoire) writes: >> I could go out and purchase a MAC II >> (dread the thought) at a discount (not sure on %) and still receive >> special reduced finacing through Apple. >Sure could - Yep. You could buy a Mac II for a discount price, thus paying >more than the A3000 at full price, and have less of a machine in the process. Or you could get Apple's financing and go out and buy yourself an Amiga. If I recall correctly, the financing program's literature made considerable noise to the effect that the Apple computer financing program was a "no purchase necessary" offer. So check it out, and have fun with your 3000 :-) Unfortunately, MY credit history isn't exactly clean, so I don't qualify for Apple's loan program :-( -- Fred Clauss INTERNET: fredc@isc.umr.edu (preferred) Intelligent Systems Center or flc@umree.ee.umr.edu University of Missouri UUNET: {occrsh|sunarch}!umree!flc Rolla, MO 65401 BITNET: S081192@UMRVMA
sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (05/08/90)
dannie@coplex.UUCP (Dannie Gregoire) writes: >This Letter/Article is concerning the Educational Sales of Commodore Inc. >I really would like to know if there is going to be ANY discount offered >on the A3000. When I questioned a local dealer about educational >discounts, he became almost infuriated. He said that there is to be >NO educational pricing on the A3000, and proceded to tell me how >little Commoder supports educational sales. Dannie, I hesitate to mention names but are you talking about Mr. Horan's Computer Lab? I can't believe that he is down on the Ed Discount program. He was very enthusiastic about it when I talked to him last. And he told me that CBM *IS* supporting educational discounts on the 3000. Scott Horan is a teacher and he appreciates the educational discount very much, at least that's the impression I get from talking to him. Matter of fact, the story and impressions I get from him are completley opposite of what you posted here. Now if you are talking about that other dealer here in town, well, the story I got on them is that they are not involved in the educational deals at all, so I would assume they are not going to talk it up any. Scott Horan has told me that his store has the exclusive educational contract for this area. -- John Sparks | D.I.S.K. 24hrs 2400bps. Accessable via Starlink (Louisville KY) sparks@corpane.UUCP | | PH: (502) 968-DISK A virtuous life is its own punishment.