kaufman@eecs.nwu.edu (Michael L. Kaufman) (04/24/91)
About 8 months ago there was a lot of discussion about the fact that HP was
giving away free equation library cards with the purchase of a new HP48. Many
people (myself amoung them) felt that HP had somehow treated them shabily. We
felt that we had supported HP by buying our 48s right away and that HP had
not returned the favor. I would like to point out that HP did exactly the same
thing with the LaserJet IIP. People who waited a few months were given free
paper trays (a $200 value).
Many people disagreed with our complaints. They said that the people who
purchased their 48s right away got the advantage of having their 48s right
away and did not deserve anything else.
The point that I tried to make then, and that I can probably make better now,
is this. I will probably get a 95. My father will probably get one, too. If
HP did not have the habit of offering free incentives 5 months after introducing
new products we would buy our 95s as soon as they were available. Now we will
wait and see. I wonder how many people out there are not going to buy a 95 for
the same reason. Also, given the way the market works, I wonder how many people
will end up buying products from other companies. If Poqet drops their price
while I am waiting, I may go with a Poqet instead.
Any comments?
Michael
--
Michael Kaufman | I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on
kaufman | fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in
@eecs.nwu.edu | the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be
| lost in time - like tears in rain. Time to die. Roy Batty akcs.briank@hpcvbbs.UUCP (Brian Korver) (04/25/91)
I don't quite understand your complaint. What is abnormal about what HP is doing? Anyone who buys a brand new iconsumer electronics item, be it VCR, DAT player, or calculator, can expect to pay more than those people who rush out to buy it right away. The people who wait also get the benefit of a better product because technologies are always improved. That's life--there isn't any other way to bring out these products any other way. And of course you will always end up seeing a product you bought advertised for less and/or with additional features. I would be unhappy if electronic items didn't get cheaper as time goes on. I recognize this and therefore I don't get upset that a product I purchased 1 year ago can now be purchased for less. As I see it, it just means that the next time I buy something, I'll be getting something better for less. For instance, way back when I bought an Apple II+ for the same price I paid for my Macintosh recently. The Mac is a much much better computer--but that doesn't mean the Apple II+ was a rip off!! To the contrary, it was a wonderful computer--but technology changes (thank God!!). The same can be said about the HP95. Of course something better/cheaper will always come along down the road. Who would have it any other way? I love the fact that these products keep getting better and cheaper!
e4666881@rick.cs.ubc.ca (richard louie) (04/27/91)
In article <1991Apr24.021447.1916@eecs.nwu.edu> kaufman@eecs.nwu.edu (Michael L. Kaufman) writes: > >About 8 months ago there was a lot of discussion about the fact that HP was >giving away free equation library cards with the purchase of a new HP48. Many >people (myself amoung them) felt that HP had somehow treated them shabily. We >felt that we had supported HP by buying our 48s right away and that HP had >not returned the favor. I would like to point out that HP did exactly the same >thing with the LaserJet IIP. People who waited a few months were given free >paper trays (a $200 value). > >Many people disagreed with our complaints. They said that the people who >purchased their 48s right away got the advantage of having their 48s right >away and did not deserve anything else. > >The point that I tried to make then, and that I can probably make better now, >is this. I will probably get a 95. My father will probably get one, too. If >HP did not have the habit of offering free incentives 5 months after introducing >new products we would buy our 95s as soon as they were available. Now we will >wait and see. I wonder how many people out there are not going to buy a 95 for >the same reason. Also, given the way the market works, I wonder how many people >will end up buying products from other companies. If Poqet drops their price >while I am waiting, I may go with a Poqet instead. I have had a similar experience with HP when I purchased my 48sx. I had originally purchased it within the stated period of time so that I would be entitled to get my free library card. Unfortunatelt, HP was sold right out of the 48sx, so I purchased one in advance (after I spoke to an HP representive about this problem). HP stated that because I purchased one in advance and it wasn't my fault that they were sold out, I would still be entitled to my free card. I wait 3-4 months for that 48sx to come and when it did, I mailed away my registration card. After afew weeks, HP notified me that I was no longer entitled to the card since I mailed in the registration card so late! I didn't have the card until I got my calculator! Now thats unfair! Would anyone from HP like to comment on this? Richard