Possible DDI Tiered Pricing...

[DEFCON 1]

Actually... DDI already IS tiered. It's just tiered by length of subscription, not by content.

And by the same token... the easiest way for them to 'raise the price' without actually raising the numbers that make up the price (so that it appears as though you're paying the same amount) is to just attribute the current pricing as-is to the various tiers but change the 'length of contract'. So where the current pricing is as follows:

$5.95 per month for 1 year
$7.95 per month for 3 months
$9.95 per month for 1 month

They could change it thusly (assuming Silver level stayed the same):

$3.95 per month for 1 year of Copper
$5.95 per month for 3 months of Copper or 1 year of Silver
$7.95 per month for 1 month of Copper, 3 months of Silver, or 1 year of Gold
$9.95 per month for 1 month of Silver or 3 months of Gold
$11.95 per month for 1 month of Gold

Voila! The price for Gold has gone up without the numbers looking like they have (except for that lone $11.95 price, but that's only there really to inspire people NOT to take it.) Throw in the all-new "super-cheap" price of the Copper level subscription, and boom, now we have a 'discount' option we never had before. It's all matter of perception, and how many people truly pay attention to that sort of thing. Hell, I actually think I'm paying for DDI on a continuous 3-month plan despite having the subscription for over a year, and have just never made the swap to the cheaper price. And there's probably a lot of people like me.

 

[Scribble]

I've always been amazed at how #3 doesnt get used more often. Supply and demand was the most basic lesson in my economics class in high school. When people buy less of your product you lower the price. This is why it amazes me when I see normal sized comics at 4 dollars a piece!

You have to be careful with lowering a price because of the effect is can have psychologically on your customers.

If you lessen your price too much or too often you also give the impression that the item is cheap, or not worth the asking price.

I have a friend who's parents owned an antiques store. Some items need to be priced well above their actual value, as then people buy the "obviously valuable antiques..." otherwise they ignore the dusty old junk.

 

[the Jester]

If you lessen your price too much or too often you also give the impression that the item is cheap, or not worth the asking price.

Unfortunately, if a product is not worth the asking price, lowering the price is the only way to make up the difference without actually putting resources into improving it.

Since we don't see much sign of improvement in DDI...

 

[ki11erDM]

If it was me:
Copper: Character builder + ability to join a VTT game. $35/year
Silver: CB + join VTT + compendium + magazines. $70/year
Gold: CB + Comp + mags + full VTT + other Adventure tools. $105/year

Why? Every single person that plays D&D 4e will want copper. Make it low priced (list price of one book) and sell lots and lots of them and would only serve to increase the overall sales of D&D.

A lot of people will want silver, but they will need to keep improving the mag content to make that worthwhile. Would cost the same as the list price for 2 books, I find the compendium invaluable… but not everyone needs it.

Gold would be for DMs and power gamers. I would offer DM rewards that reduce that cost.

 

[Herschel]

Unfortunately, if a product is not worth the asking price, lowering the price is the only way to make up the difference without actually putting resources into improving it.

You obviously don't understand basic economics. If a product was ever worth its asking price there would be no need for sales or marketing.

 

[Mapache]

Trying to charge more for GM tools would be WotC shooting themselves in the face (and they've given no indication that they're stupid enough to even contemplate it). Without GMs, there is no game, and there is always a shortage of GMs relative to players. You want to do everything possible to encourage more people to GM. Hint: Do cons charge you more for your membership if you want to GM a table, or do they give you a discount of up to 100%?

 

[Squire James]

I think the border colors is much ado over nothing. I mean, if they have Copper, Silver, and Gold tiers, obviously they'll need to come up with stuff to support Platinum and Astral Diamond tiers, right?

 

[Ktulu]

I think the border colors is much ado over nothing. I mean, if they have Copper, Silver, and Gold tiers, obviously they'll need to come up with stuff to support Platinum and Astral Diamond tiers, right?

And electrum! Don't forget Electrum!




....Everyone always forgets electrum.

 

[moxcamel]

That is, of course, the "official" line until the big reveal. *removes tinfoil hat*

No NO put it back on! Put it back on!

Oh they got to you too.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

No NO put it back on! Put it back on!

Oh they got to you too.

Brains? *WotC Zombie shuffles off to find more victims*