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Discriminatory Pricing of 50 Percent Offers - How does Plarium believe this is even close to fair

Discriminatory Pricing of 50 Percent Offers - How does Plarium believe this is even close to fair

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Jun 25, 2017, 16:2006/25/17
12

Discriminatory Pricing of 50 Percent Offers - How does Plarium believe this is even close to fair

Another BH member and I were talking about spending a few dollars after not spending any for a long time due to the general RUAL EURU prize reward changes and other poorly handle fiascoes.


He gets a 50% discount offer  for 9.95, limit 3   4475% extra per package

I get a 50%  discount offer for 49.95, limit 3   1993% extra per package.

 (it should be intuitively obvious at this point where is complaint is going.)


We compare the items in each, only difference is his has coil for levels 5-8 and mine 5 - 12.  


19 other items, units etc match as to description.


If I spend the $50 I get for example:

32,700 rubies


5 whirlpools

50 schooners

50 brethren subs

5 airships

3 haven def boosts


While, with the 3 purchase limit he spends $30 and gets:

36,630 Rubies     or 12% more for $20 less cost

6 whirlpools        or 20% more  "        "      "

120 schooners   or 140% more 

120 brethren subs  or 140% more

6 airships           or 20% more

6 haven def boosts  or 100% more

Percentage differences follow the same ratios throughout the comparison of the two offers.




I did send a report to support about this and the gist of their reply was that, offers are on based on a computer algorithm based upon purchasing history and the offers each person receives cannot be changed.  In other words, if you don't like it, tough.

 (Which algorithm apparently does not recognize that I haven't spent money for a long time)  

So I must have foolishly bought a $50 package at one time and from now on I'm am being discriminated against when compared to my BH mate who says he's never purchased a package that cost more than $10 or $20.


So, moderator or anyone else while this maybe legally acceptable,  HOW IS THIS EVEN CLOSE TO FAIR OR MORALLY SUPPORTABLE, how does this create loyal customers that could honestly recommend this or any of the other games to their friends?


We have looked at this over the last several weeks, and this is not an anomaly, the ratios may change some but the packages offered to the BH member at the lower price are always a much better buy.


I hope any new members can read this and come to their own decision regarding the character of the company behind these games.  Just wish I had known this.


Expat John

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Comments
12
Comments
CrowbarModerator
Jun 25, 2017, 20:1406/25/17
03/07/16
2340

In my experience, the offers really do depend on your spending. The problem is that, once you buy a big(ger) package, they drop back down really slowly. Might be as slow as one drop per month, might be even slower.

I made that observation on the old system on Kabam, so I might be wrong and maybe it really does depend only on the maximum purchase you've ever made. I don't know, but I agree it sucks big time if that's the case.

Jun 26, 2017, 22:3306/26/17
06/03/14
67

"I did send a report to support about this and the gist of their reply was that, offers are on based on a computer algorithm based upon purchasing history and the offers each person receives cannot be changed. In other words, if you don't like it, tough."


Free market, cough cough.  If you don't like it, you don't have to buy it.


Also, keep in mind that those that coin harder than a causal player are stronger first and for a duration longer.  So if by fair  you mean that your price point isn't as efficient dollar-for-dollar as his, know that you probably are a little ahead of him because you coined harder earlier.


Lastly, and speaking to the algorithm from personal buying, I sense that there is much more of a moving-average to price points than one-offs ("oh you bought a $50 prize pack, now that's all you get!")  I don't know the down-step that Crowbar is referring to, but I know it took quite a few purchases for me to get to that next tier, and I was OK with that.  Hopefully it is as smooth going up a tier as it is going down.

Jun 27, 2017, 15:3606/27/17
Jun 29, 2017, 15:13(edited)
02/29/16
5605

Hi :) I can only confirm the information given by our Support Team.

Special Offers appear according to a set algorithm which is constantly evolving. Several departments work on the development of that algorithm, and they rely on analytic data, marketing research and other information they receive through their research channels.

You can receive a cheap or an expensive Special Offer. it is chosen by that algorithm. Unfortunately, it’s not a part of the game our players can affect directly or pass suggestions about some changes to it. If you don’t like your current Offers or find them expensive, you can wait for better ones, and they will appear sooner or later.

Jun 29, 2017, 06:2806/29/17
12

So if you spend money here, you get hosed?  Just that simple.  People who rarely spend ,  get better deals plain and simple.


So once again Plarium bites the hand that feeds it.   Once again I am told like it or lump it.


Ya, and great spell checker you have, marks your b l o o d y copyrighted name as misspelled, that is funny. 

 

But maybe that is a 'secret computation' and highly guarded algorithm as well.  


Also the word data is plural and putting an 's' on analytic is incorrect.  But if you are actually a native speaker of 

Russian, all in all not bad, other than the message.



Jun 29, 2017, 06:4306/29/17
12

Gut said:


....

Also, keep in mind that those that coin harder than a causal player are stronger first and for a duration longer.  So if by fair  you mean that your price point isn't as efficient dollar-for-dollar as his, know that you probably are a little ahead of him because you coined harder earlier.


...

That is the point, why do they rip off those who maybe spend a bit more than those who spend less? I spend less here in a month than I spend on good Scotch and smokes in a week.   Sorry but this is the only business I have ever seen than penalizes repeat customers.  <>


They really think they have a "Giffen good" here? (review your Economics 101 class notes)


Here I will save you the trouble and maybe the moderator will pass this on to those ivory tower all knowing gurus that deem us mere customers with disdain.

From Wikipedia..

"In economics and consumer theory, a Giffen good is a product that people consume more of as the price rises and vice versa—violating the basic law of demand in microeconomics"

Jun 29, 2017, 15:1306/29/17
02/29/16
5605

divert.ido said:


So if you spend money here, you get hosed?  Just that simple.  People who rarely spend ,  get better deals plain and simple.


So once again Plarium bites the hand that feeds it.   Once again I am told like it or lump it.


Ya, and great spell checker you have, marks your b l o o d y copyrighted name as misspelled, that is funny. 

 

But maybe that is a 'secret computation' and highly guarded algorithm as well.  


Also the word data is plural and putting an 's' on analytic is incorrect.  But if you are actually a native speaker of 

Russian, all in all not bad, other than the message.



Hello :)

I meant that the Special Offers in the game are constantly changing. If you don't like the current Offer, you need to wait for the new one and choose the Offer that is more suitable for you.

Also, thanks for this note on the word data. I'll remember it :)

Jun 29, 2017, 17:2106/29/17
Jun 29, 2017, 17:22(edited)
03/27/14
1660

I haven't bought in a long time..

as i been away dealing with family...


i find the packages are better if you take breaks

If they start getting too expensive for you then don't buy the packages

lay off them a bit eventually they get reset 



( i saying this as a player not a moderator sharing what i have experienced) 

Jul 3, 2017, 23:4707/03/17
12/13/14
1282

Алина Феникс said:


Hello :)

I meant that the Special Offers in the game are constantly changing. If you don't like the current Offer, you need to wait for the new one and choose the Offer that is more suitable for you.

Also, thanks for this note on the word data. I'll remember it :)

Nothing should be set in stone. This situation has been objected to for a very long time and should not be controlled by a faceless algorithm or accountant

Try different offers occasionally, you could be amazed by the results

p.s. Is this your actual name? :)



Jul 6, 2017, 12:2707/06/17
11/06/14
579
Offers are just as random as the wheel of fortune. But pricing is like Blas said.When the pricing is more than you want. Wait awhile, deals will get better and cheaper but you have to wait a few weeks. And again it also matters on your purchase history. If you're buying $330 packs then it'll take longer to get to the $49 packs. Their software pays attention to how much you purchase and how often
Jul 8, 2017, 19:5807/08/17
12

Ok, so i buy $50 packs, which I only do now very rarely.  Thats not the POINT.  


the issue is the $10 generally for my mate has around 5000% 'bonus' listed while if I purchase a $50 pack it is only 1500-1700% bonus.  Look at the numbers in my original post.  


The higher cost offers are a rip off when compared to the lower priced offers.  It does  not require a  rocket scientist to understand this.


He would spend 30 and get 120 schooners while I would spend 50 and only get 50 schooners, I would get 32K rubies he for $20 less would get almost 37K rubies.  


It is BS at its most obvious.  Ya, and I know if you don't like it, wait, don't spend or quit the game...........
CrowbarModerator
Jul 8, 2017, 22:1007/08/17
03/07/16
2340

@divert.ido You said it yourself: $30 buys you more than $50 does. So, why do you buy $50 packs? Stop buying altogether and wait for your offers to drop down to better ones. Then buy only those. It'll take a while, maybe even a few months, but you already know it'll give you more for less, and you just have to be patient enough and have enough restraint.

Is it dumb/weird/nonsensical/... to charge repeat customers more than casual ones? Sure looks that way (but, also, seems to be working for Plarium, so it may not be as dumb as it seems), but admitting or denying that will not do anything for you. So forget about that question and do that which will help you.

Jul 9, 2017, 11:1807/09/17
03/27/14
1660

divert.ido said:


Ok, so i buy $50 packs, which I only do now very rarely.  Thats not the POINT.  


the issue is the $10 generally for my mate has around 5000% 'bonus' listed while if I purchase a $50 pack it is only 1500-1700% bonus.  Look at the numbers in my original post.  


The higher cost offers are a rip off when compared to the lower priced offers.  It does  not require a  rocket scientist to understand this.


He would spend 30 and get 120 schooners while I would spend 50 and only get 50 schooners, I would get 32K rubies he for $20 less would get almost 37K rubies.  


It is BS at its most obvious.  Ya, and I know if you don't like it, wait, don't spend or quit the game...........

most players would be happy to pay less and get more 

*sighs*