We've Heard You - No Zygor Subscriptions!

[manicmaniac]

I can't help but feel that the community is over-complicating this entire thing.

Where is the downside to offering the one-time lump sum payment we have now, and the option to subscribe for a monthly fee, side-by-side? Zygor claimed that there's an expectation of "extras" coming from the word "subscription." Why? And why does it have to be called a "subscription" at all? It's an alternative way to gain access to the guides - nothing more, nothing less.

I am not willing to pay another $35 all at once to buy the dailies and events guides, plus whatever it will cost for these new guides. But I would be willing to pay $8, $9, even $10 a month to be able to use the guides. It's a matter of fiscal availability. It's a lot easier to budget for $10 a month than it is for $35 all at once, multiple times.

Also, I agree with what manicmaniac said. This whole "well, actually..." fiasco has just really shaken my confidence in this site, and left a very bad taste in my mouth. If you weren't sure about something, don't announce it. The way this has been handled is, quite frankly, pathetic and insulting. You can't just announce something and then, a few days later, turn around and say, "Whoops! We didn't plan this enough. Nevermind!" and then claim you're "doing what the customers wanted." Don't treat us like children - we're not blind, we're not stupid.

I understand you're a business and you've got a bottom line to focus on, but jerking around your customers is not the way to go about it.

Speaking of the bottom line: Zygor won't be seeing another penny from me until we have the option for a "subscription" service. Your guides are good, but that doesn't excuse such unprofessional behavior.

Right on.

A polite boycott on purchasing until Zygor "hears" ALL their customers is a super idea!

[tmgrogan]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Yes, I agree this shows you are flexible - to make this kind of change quickly. I thought I would be regrettably moving on to one of your competitors. Now I don't have to!! I'm one of those that wants to pay everything once. Though I am also someone who buys all your products. Well done and thanks for listening to us!!

[forwarder78]

Zygor, we salute you !
Thank you for that decision, the majority of your (forum-) users will be thankful !
Sure, there is a little minority which is complaining now about no-subscription but it is more democratic to listen to the majority so.. i'm happy with your decision !

[cabby]

People who don't have a problem with something seldom post. Just because there were a lot that posted having a problem with the subscription does not mean they are the majority. Normally for every negative post there are 2 or 3 people who don't bother posting because they're happy with the original announcement.

[soor]

Hi Guys,
Good news this morning, thanks for saying sorry.
Best Regards

Hey!

The response to our subscription payment model plans has been
overwhelming. Even at a drastically low price point, it seems
that a subscription option is not favorable at all.

So, we are brave enough to try new things, but also humble
enough to admit when we are wrong. So... we were wrong, we
made a mistake - sorry. :-(

We assumed that customers would very much prefer to pay a small
and manageable monthly fee over time, rather than large one-time
payments for our guides. We also made the fatal mistake in
assuming that everyone would like to have all of our products
if the price was right. Wrong.

In light of these discoveries, we will be abandoning the
subscription payment plan until further notice. If anything,
we may add subscriptions as a second payment option later on.
However, for now, we'll be going back to our tried and true
model of selling products for a one-time fee, with expansion
upgrade fees.

Now, we understand how this may look, with us changing business
models within a few days. However, we would like to believe
it shows the ability that small businesses have to react quickly
to customer feedback - good or bad. At the end of the day,
it is our job to keep you happy, and we know that. What better
way to do that than to listen to your customers and give them
what they want? :-)

That is exactly what we are trying our very best to do. We
made a mistake - we admit that, but now we are working to fix
it.

There will be 3 new separate products available for purchase:
1. Professions & Achievements
2. Vanity Pets & Mounts
3. Titles, Reputations & Macros

We will pin down the prices to finalize them before the products
are released. We look forward to continuing to provide you
with high quality products to increase the enjoyment of your
gaming experience!

We'll be releasing another video tonight, so stay tuned.

Let us know what you think, thanks!

Take care.

John Cook
Zygor Guides, LLC
http://www.zygorguides.com

[Vestaa]

KUDOS TO ZYGOR

THANK YOU ZYGOR!

I commend you for your prompt responses regarding this issue, for listening to your clients, for tolerating the repetitive questions and statements, for reassessing the subscription situation and for providing the best guides and support available!

People change, businesses change....some people don't like change. Change is necessary for growth whether personal or business related. Zygor continues to change by providing updates, upgrades and adding new types of guides. And, sometimes it's appropriate for business strategies to change. Personally, I like the one-time payment. But, who knows, this may be one of those times for change.....

[andyst2409]

well mr zygor,
first of all let me say (from a personal pov) thank you. now i can get you achievments guide and possibly the macro one too.

however i will say (and i did write this in my earlier posts) that i think BOTH payment options will suite your business better judging from the response here. So i think the sooner you can impliment the subscription plan to run alongside the one off payments the sooner you are going to be able to make ALL your fans 100% happy

but once again thank you for allowing the purchase of individual guides for 1 off payments you have shown that you care about your customer base (something sadly lacking in todays world of industry) and as such you will certainly have my continued support

[alz2011]

Thanks Zygor

Thanks Zygor for listening to your customers.

To be honest I did not expect to be back in this forum. I had already started looking into the alternatives to the guide. However provided that Zygor now stick to the one off payment plan that I was happy with no problem.

I was very happy with the guides and will continue to support Zygor and purchase new content when I feel I require it.

One small problem that needs looking into. The moderators should not have been left to deal with the fallout from the subscription announcement. They obviously were struggling to deal with the responsibility.

Someone on Zygor paid staff should have stepped in sooner. Nevertheless, you cannot have people paid or unpaid calling customers idiots!
Having the moderator hat on or off that just will not wash.

The bad feeling engendered by two of the moderators in particular was almost enough in itself to have me leave Zygor guides irrespective of the subscription issue.


That said I look forward to continuing my support for Zygor guides.

Have a nice day

[Beth73]

Thank you!

Thank you ... Thank you. Yes, I am so happy it was worth saying it twice.

I think you guys might have a group of people that want subscriptions (based on what I've read so far), if you ever want to do a two-tiered ... or optional way for it. I for one am very happy to not have to rely on a subscription to get the new guides. As I said in one of my posts before this announcement was made, I can't afford another monthly bill ... but I can save up, or afford, a one time fee.

Your guides are awesome, and I will continue to suggest them to guild mates and friends. Hopefully, now that they aren't worried about a subscription too, more will be able to purchase the Leveling or one of the newer guides when they are released.

I look forward to seeing what the price is for the new ones individually or bundled.

~Beth73, a now very happy long time Zygor member who is anxious to see the new guides

[mzanker]

I think the moderators handled things very well considering the amount of abuse they and Zygor were getting from certain people, alz2011.

It would be nice if those people would follow Zygor's example and apologise.

[roblinz_10]

omg

Right on.

A polite boycott on purchasing until Zygor "hears" ALL their customers is a super idea!

There is so much QQ in this thread. The term "Get over it" comes to mind. Either pay with the payment options available or don't. The choice is yours.

[slim_roberts]

Well done. I must say I am happy to see you react to customers requests. I for one would not have used the subbs but will continue to do the one time as I need them bits.
Many thanks
Slim

[roblinz_10]

There is so much QQ in this thread. The term "Get over it" comes to mind. Either pay with the payment options available or don't. The choice is yours.

I was also under the assumption that subscription based Addons were against Blizzards EULA.

[phantomhawk]

I think I was one of the loudest protesters.

So I will now say I think Zygor has done the right thing now, and thank you for that.

Hey, we got though it and the world didn't end.

PH

[dsan]

You are to be commended Zygor!

It is rare in this day and age for a company to listen to the will of it's customers and not force something into action that they know will anger a lot of people.

For all those people that are now angry that Zygor has decided to stick with the current payment model, please remember that he said that subscriptions were not completely off the table but they realised after the huge uprising since the subscription announcement, they couldn't ignore the fact that they were going to lose a LOT of customers - majority or minority, it doesn't matter - losing customers is bad for business.

All he has said is that they didn't expect the negative response from the payment change so they have decided to look into it further and rethink things before having another go at it and I, for one, believe he is completely genuine. It's a win/win for everyone - people that didn't want a subscription forced upon them don't have it - people that did want a subscription haven't been ignored either, they just have to wait a little longer for Zygor and his staff to work out the bugs so all customers are happy with it.

I am one of the customers that have already bought all of the guides currently on offer by Zygor so I felt that moving to a "single price for everything" subscription presented really bad value for me (and others in my position) - a large portion of the $8 per month would be levelling & dailies/events guides. This means you would effectively be renting something you have already bought (especially since you will still be getting lifetime updates to those guides with or without a subscription).

I would still support a subscription if there was an option to simply "fill the gap" - a smaller fee that just provided the guides that I had not already paid for outright.

Thanks again Zygor (and your staff) for your hard work and attention to the needs of your customers...