Coupons, ever?

[liasen]

So I've been sitting on a stack of points for um...well ever since Dawn came out.

Yeah there's things in the store I like... I have a ton of KG's Songbird sets in my wishlist and a few characters and things in my cart. But....

It only takes a very, very tiny sliver of savings from the points, so small that the savings don't encourage me to buy anything. Maybe if there was a sale, AND a coupon, AND the points.

It's hard to get on board with the store when there's so little opportunity to save. Yes, I do occasionally see sales. Got one today. Nothing in my wishlist is in the sale. Not complaining about that particularly. Just saying, it's really hard. Most stores, I browse every day. I come here maybe every few months.

Still sitting on the tons of points because it's just basically a simple 15% off, and I'm guessing prices are set to figure that extra in.

So it doesn't feel like you're ever really saving very much, and as a result, I don't really end up buying very much here. Yes there's definitely good stuff. Just not affordable and the points system doesn't really work for me. Just my humble thoughts.

 

[Satira Capriccio]

During the first few years, I calculated my savings with intro price and points. I was surprised to discover it was rare I didn't get at least 30% or more off when I used points.

During Ken's recent Songbird Remix sale, I got more than 50% off of my purchases when I added in points. Ken has a few products in the current 35% off sale. With points, it becomes 45% off.

Store prices do take into consideration that people use points, so while the discounts may not look as "deep" as at other stores, once you add in points, I've not found there to be all that much disparity between prices at HiveWire and elsewhere.

HiveWire may not have as many sales as other stores ... but that doesn't bother me quite that much. Not when I don't have to pay a yearly fee to be able to get discounts but am instead rewarded for each purchase with points I can use on my next purchase.

 

[Miss B]

Well put Satira. I can honestly say I've not been disappointed with my savings over the almost 3 years the HiveWire store's been open, and as you mention, it's not costing a monthly/quarterly/yearly fee to do so.

I also did well with Ken's recent sale, so I'm not at all disappointed we don't have coupons.

 

[Pendraia]

I buy here and at Daz and haven't noticed a lot of difference with pricing. To get the really deep discounts at Daz you often have to buy a heap first which is only useful if you need what you're buying. Prices generally are not as cheap as what they once were...at least that's what I think for what it's worth.

 

[kobaltkween]

So I've been sitting on a stack of points for um...well ever since Dawn came out.

Yeah there's things in the store I like... I have a ton of KG's Songbird sets in my wishlist and a few characters and things in my cart. But....

It only takes a very, very tiny sliver of savings from the points, so small that the savings don't encourage me to buy anything. Maybe if there was a sale, AND a coupon, AND the points.

It's hard to get on board with the store when there's so little opportunity to save. Yes, I do occasionally see sales. Got one today. Nothing in my wishlist is in the sale. Not complaining about that particularly. Just saying, it's really hard. Most stores, I browse every day. I come here maybe every few months.

Still sitting on the tons of points because it's just basically a simple 15% off, and I'm guessing prices are set to figure that extra in.

So it doesn't feel like you're ever really saving very much, and as a result, I don't really end up buying very much here. Yes there's definitely good stuff. Just not affordable and the points system doesn't really work for me. Just my humble thoughts.

Could you give a specific example of something on your wishlist that you find too expensive even with points? And some specific examples of what you have bought? Not that you have to name names. I'm just curious about what kind of things you have bought, and what prices you find worth it.

 

[Lorraine]

Being a NZ Kiwi buying things in US dollars and suffering an awful exchange rate, I buy pretty much everything on sale and using my points and thus sort of break even. And I'm kinda happy with that (not the exchange rate but, will never be happy with that, but that's not HW's fault).

 

[liasen]

well there's several of Ken's birds I've been wanting, but I can't tell if each set of birds is a standalone or if it has to be bought together.... I really want the birds of legend but it's not on sale right now. I also would love more hivewire horse stuff- textures and poses. And a LOT of LB's plants. Generally, the things I look at are about 20 bucks a set. Unless its on sale (the things I need right now, for example, are not, unfortunately.)

I have bought Dawn, some dynamic clothes, a couple Dawn characters. When they were in a stack and on sale and with points, it was a decent price. However, when you are picking a thing here or there... and not getting a stack... it's just harder to shop that way.
I feel bad, because i'd like to buy more at hivewire, but it seems more geared to people who bulk-purchase a lot of things at once in stacks, but isn't so helpful to people who just buy a few random things they need/like on a regular basis. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Satira Capriccio]

One of the benefits of the value stacks is that you do not have to buy everything in the value stack to get a discount. The discount is greatest if you purchase all the products and is decreased for each product you skip purchasing. But any product you previously purchased that is also in the value stack counts toward the discount. Any product in a value stack that you've purchased will be checked with the notation that you already own it.

This is especially helpful if you have all but one or two products in the value stack as you don't have to purchase them again to get the discount as you would with a bundle.

For example, the Songbird ReMix Big Year 3 Stack is listed at $182.18. But when I look at that Value Stack, I have previously purchased seven of the individual products. Those cost of those products is deducted from that $182.18 total and a 5% discount is applied to the remaining products.

I'm then able to add 837 points for a further discount of $8.37. The regular price of those three products totals $55.85. The Value Stack Discount is $2.79, and the Reward Points is $8.37 ... resulting in the cost for those three products as $44.69 at a 20% discount.

Value Stack discounts apply even if you don't add the products from the Value Stack product page. If I were to add the Flamingo from its product page instead of the Value Stack page, the store knows it's part of a Value Stack and applies the Value Stack Discount. In this case, the Value Stack Discount is 4% ($0.72). Max Points I could use is 269 ($2.69) for a 15% discount. The cost is now $14.54 instead of $17.95 for a total discount of 19%. That doesn't seem bad for a product that is not on sale.


If you don't get the newsletter, I'd recommend doing so as it will notify you of sales. I certainly understand you wanting to purchase products at sale prices over regular prices. Like I mentioned, Ken had a recent big sale ... the Songbird ReMix 10th Annual Audubon Sale which ran from April 22 through May 2. That sale precedes the 2 month Open Rendering Season contest which ran from May 2 through the end of June this year.

Each Songbird ReMix product is stand alone as long as it includes a CR2. I believe even the oldest SBRM product includes the CR2 for the birds included in the product.

You also only need to buy the product with the birds you want. If you are only interested in Golden Eagles, you'd only need to get SBRM Birds of Prey Vol 4 Mini-Set - True Eagles (aka Booted Eagles) which includes the Eagle Base CR2 and the Golden Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Martial Eagle, Steppe Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle morphs and materials.

You don't also need to get SBRM Birds of Prey Vol 4 Mini-Set - Crested Eagles, SBRM Birds of Prey Vol 4 Mini-Set - Fish and Snake Eagles, or SBRM Birds of Prey Vol 4 Eagles of the World.

SBRM Birds of Prey Vol 4 Eagles of the World includes the birds from the three mini-sets, so if you bought that product you would not buy the Vol 4 Mini-Sets.

Nor do you need to get the Birds of Prey Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 5 or any of those Birds of Prey Mini-Sets.

I hope some of that information helps you.

 

[Alisa]

well there's several of Ken's birds I've been wanting, but I can't tell if each set of birds is a standalone or if it has to be bought together..

The birds are all stand alone. They were not originally, but Ken reworked them years ago before HW even existed and changed that. Please read the product pages as I do put any required items (other than super obvious ones like anything "for Dawn" "for Dusk" "for Baby Luna" requires those figures). When in doubt please ask!

Ken's Nature's Wonder products have a base and several volumes - again, it will state clearly on the product page what is required.

This is a good place to look for sales (which we actually have a lot of )

Shop

Sale categories will be at the top

 

[Lorraine]

That's such a good explanation of Value Stacks, Satira

 

[liasen]

thanks for all the replies. Satira, I do understand how the stacks work- but if you're just buying one thing from a stack, its less helpful, unfortunately. I did unfortunately miss the sale though I watched the contest. Oh well! The bird pictures were gorgeous as always.
Long ago I had one of the early versions of Songbirds, the one that required the base and had add ons for it- so it led to my confusion I guess. One of these days I'll get one of the new bird sets. They look lovely. I'll try to keep eyes peeled for sales.

 

[Glitterati3D]

Nothing to add to the original conversation, but Ken's Kiwi burrow is on sale right now! It's really a lovely piece and very versatile.

 

[Alisa]

Long ago I had one of the early versions of Songbirds, the one that required the base and had add ons for it- so it led to my confusion I guess. One of these days I'll get one of the new bird sets. They look lovely. I'll try to keep eyes peeled for sales.

Yep. I remember that, too - not surprising you're confused! By the way, if you have any of Ken's earlier products, see this thread:

Songbird Remix Product updates for products purchased at DAZ 3D

Definitely subscribe to the newsletter. And Lisa posts them here:

BUZZ from the Hive - Newsletter Archive

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Not everyone understands how the Value Stacks work, and it took me a while to figure it out. I'm absolutely not one of those who understands the complexities of discounts/percentages/etc. Some of DAZ's sales always threw me for a loop because they weren't always a straight discount, but a discount on a discount on a discount. So a 50% off sale sometimes ended up being something like 30%.

I'm sorry you missed the Anniversary sale, but definitely keep an eye out for the next one and other sales. I don't necessarily check the store every day, nor do I read every email I get ... so I may or may not promptly read Newsletters. Then I tend to skim them. But ... I do visit the forums daily. (Ok ... I visit them multiple times during the day.) Consequently, I know when new products are released or when sales happen.

Sales definitely help those of us who don't have a lot of spare money lying around (does anyone without a silver spoon in their mouth?). Since I work at a non for profit with State and City funding and we had six years of frozen salaries so my plastic spoon is rather chewed up

Glitter, I finally had a chance to use the Kiwi's and burrow in a render. It certainly is lovely and versatile! I love me Kiwis.

 

[Alisa]

pretty, Traci!

 

[Alisa]

To know when new products are released, subscribe to this thread:
New Product Releases at the Hive!! Please subscribe :)

 

[Glitterati3D]

pretty, Traci!

Thanks, Alisa. I love Ken's birds, but I have to say that Kiwi burrow is the best product ever for me. It inspires the imagination.

 

[Miss B]

pretty, Traci!

I'll second that.

 

[kobaltkween]

well there's several of Ken's birds I've been wanting, but I can't tell if each set of birds is a standalone or if it has to be bought together.... I really want the birds of legend but it's not on sale right now. I also would love more hivewire horse stuff- textures and poses. And a LOT of LB's plants. Generally, the things I look at are about 20 bucks a set. Unless its on sale (the things I need right now, for example, are not, unfortunately.)

I have bought Dawn, some dynamic clothes, a couple Dawn characters. When they were in a stack and on sale and with points, it was a decent price. However, when you are picking a thing here or there... and not getting a stack... it's just harder to shop that way.
I feel bad, because i'd like to buy more at hivewire, but it seems more geared to people who bulk-purchase a lot of things at once in stacks, but isn't so helpful to people who just buy a few random things they need/like on a regular basis. Hope that makes sense.

Yes, I think it makes sense. Thanks so much for sharing that information. But I still don't have a good grasp on what prices you _are_ willing to pay.

To be clearer, I haven't seen too many single items here that are $20 a set. Birds of Legend is more of an outlier because it's a single product with multiple sets, and it includes seven different Songbird bases. It's more than equivalent to getting a single set that includes characters for Victoria, Aiko, Mei, Josie, Olympia, Arabella, and Bethany _without_ having to buy any of those characters, because those birds are a hell of lot more different than those characters. And come with poses, props, and a conformer. At DAZ, most of those characters is $45 full price, and over $30 with a PC 30% off. The lowest I'm seeing at DAZ is around $20 for their least popular single characters. And each of those characters has an HD add-on for about double the price.

Could you give examples of your purchases on other sites? I don't mean by name or anything. More like, "I bought x number of outfits for y amount of money." Or "I bought a clothing set with x number of texture options and y pieces for z amount of money." Not that it has to be clothing. And I realize that you've already taken time to explain, so I totally understand if you don't feel like being more specific. I'd just really like to know more if you're willing to share.

 

[Darryl]

Sometimes (most times probably) it's not the value but the perceived value. Marketers have carefully examined the consumer mind to entice them to spend, many times we spend irrationally. I think the various other markets have it down almost down to a science how to get you to spend on things you don't really need. I've read many posts about all the unused products people have in their runtimes. People may respond better to coupons than the point system. Hopefully Chris and crew can analyze whatever data to determine whether points and stacks are an effective way to sell their products.

I also have a lot of points. The more I buy the more I get. It might be cool to have some double point days where you could use twice as many points against a purchase. That would add perceived value to the points I've collected, whittle them down to where I'd like to build them back up, and allow me to spend on stuff I actually want rather than what's on sale. Just a thought.