Digital BW, The Print

Stephen A. Tucker wrote:

>  
>
>>across the board discounts to our listmembers
>>of 5-10% (with discounts from other vendors coming)..
>>    
>>
>
>Keith,
>
>This is the first I've heard of this across the
>board discount.  Could you elaborate, please?
>
>  
>
Well, it came out of some discussions Bill Gore (founder of the MacEPSON 
list) and I had.. Actual discussions, not e-mail ones..

When the Leben list collapsed many said to both of us that they missed a 
single place where they could get a good dose of "EPSON info" to feed 
their inkjet addiction..

There had been discussions by different vendors of running or expanding 
their own sponsored lists, but Bill and I, as well as many who wrote us, 
felt that a key attraction for a good list to serve as the central point 
would have to be its independence from those vendors..

Look at the Digital BW list.  What makes it so successful is its 
independence and openness.   Martin and Antonis offer opinions but 
aren't beholden to any particular vendor.  Paul works hand in hand with 
MIS on much, but is objective.   Jerry is in pursuit of the holy grail 
of a 2.0 dMa and will use whatever products get him there.

Just as importantly, the x7x list, as many may remember grew directly 
out of one of those rare instances when Mitch DID censor his list.. 
 Amidst the whole orange-shift debacle he also was  reportedly looking 
for list sponsorship, not a great situation to be in when some 
rabble-rousers are hammering EPSONs flagship prosumer offering..  What 
that meant is when I established an alternative list, I decided to stay 
away from onlist advertising, and/or sponsorship.  I committed to 
keeping the list non-commercial inasmuch as is possible for a list 
discussing consumer products can be, to ensure that we could always HOPE 
to be objective..

With the Leben list collapse there was a vacuum and many migrated to the 
x7x list and the Mac EPSON list.  

I wondered, would it be possible to keep the lists essentially 
independent and non-commercial, YET, give vendors the opportunity to 
reach a key portion of their target market?  Was there some way, beyond 
simple announcements of new product offerings, that the vendors could 
express their support for all those list members who were so focused 
upon inkjets..?

I thought about having vendors offer discounts to members, and ran it by 
the membership, it was their decision, if there had been any significant 
opposition it was a "no go."  To my surprise I received,. I recall, only 
tow or three rather tepid objections and many comments of support for 
the idea.

So,  what we've done is established a folder in the files section (kept 
the files accessible ONLY to members) that contains actual discount 
coupons which people can submit by code with online orders, reference in 
phone orders, or e-mail with orders..  InkjetGoodies was the first to 
come on board, offering a 5% across the board discount.  MIS Associates 
agreed to a 10% across-the-board discount (the only delay being I've had 
too  many family problems with a hospitalized sibling to create the 
actual coupon), MediaStreet is offering a discount (I'm waiting for the 
actual figure and codes from Norm - but they offered the chip resetter 
at a 20% discount to our members at release), and we have had initial 
discussions with InkJetArt (more an issue of Royce and I both having 
time to really discuss this and possibly hash something out, than a lack 
of interest on either of our parts).

The important thing is, beyond the individual item price discounts (like 
the resetter),  these discounts are across-the-board.  They cover Canon, 
EPSON, HP, products, whatever. They are offered to members of the x7x 
List, the Mac EPSON list, as well as the newer: "HP-inkjet" list, 
"Canon-printers" list, "Lexmark-inkjet" list, and  "ink-jet" list.. (the 
codes for the discount do differ from list to list, so that vendors know 
which lists are most worthwhile in providing sales of which items..

This means any member can choose to avail themselves of these discounts 
and protect their privacy independently, without us ever having to give 
out the e-mail addresses, etc. of our list members..  Only those who 
want to take advantage of the discounts need do so.. I don't know who 
those users are, it's between them and the vendor alone... That keeps me 
from having any potential fiscal interest in in shielding the privacy of 
our members any less zealously than I have in past..

Also, it's easy to subscribe to the  list anc choose "web only" reading 
of the posts, if all someone wants is the discount.  My hope is that in 
giving our uses/members (including myself ) more than just information, 
the list becomes more valuable, and that with the discounts LARGE users 
will find belonging to the list and perhaps once in awhile imparting 
their vast knowledge and experience to the more everyday list users, 
like myself, worth their time and effort..

All in all, I think this structure allows vendors to announce new 
products, offer discounts to an important customer base, and keep the 
market niche growing, while keeping the list essentially independent. 
 If anyone has suggestions or tweaks they think might help, I, and all 
the other listmembers are willing to listen..

One thing I am considering of late is establishing a folder containing 
the current mailers/flyers from RedRiver, InkJetArt, InkJetGoodies, MIS, 
and MediaStreet, etc.. That would allow people to read the flyers and 
choose to buy or not WITHOUT having to subscribe to the vendor's mailing 
list FIRST and give up their privacy...
 
  

Keith

 

"Just some guy," and founder of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSONx7x_Printers/
 
"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"

 




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