HP: I feel like I got jipt for adopting early

[firebymike1111]

I pre-ordered and did the nice thing and got it on launch day. I was even really excited because you gave e a credit for being an early webos adopter with my phone but now you knock 100 off the phone anyway leaving me hanging with paid even more than the best deals now and I can't even return for a price adjust because I already sent in my rebate

I can never win...

[RedMist]

Early adopters ALWAYS pay more.

[Titan078]

It is what HP does...Look at logic buy.com. All of HP's laptops run through there like diarrhea. Be happy that they are doing good things to expand the userbase which will get you more apps in the long run. There is always a price for newness, and if you dont like to pay it wait a bit and buy off of ebay. /shrug

would you prefer the apple strategy of paying full price up until the refresh? That is when you should fee jipt.

[shock_terminal]

Welcome to being an early adopter.
Don't like it?
Wait longer next time.

I for one am happy with my purchase.

[LCGuy]

Remember the original iPhone issues??

[toy4x4]

And it happens with every product mostly when you are a early adopter.

[LinT]

I knew a thread like this would be coming. You really think HP should be forced to NOT lower the price? Thats the way technology works. Prices start high...then go down. If you wait till next year you could probably get a TP for 100 bucks!

[firebymike1111]

yeah good perspective... I am really happy with it and that is all that matters. I really am glad they are making an effort to get it out to more people so that the platform gets the size it needs.

anyone see any great deals on touchstone chargers?

[65fastback]

how did you get jipt???

When movies come out...$24.99

a year later, $10.99

when new vehicles come out, $39,999

10 months later....$29,999


its called product cycles and you should really get used to it.

[OldSkoolVWLover]

I waited a little longer than you and paid 600+ for the bundle, have had my touchpad for going on 3 weeks now, can't complain I knew exactly what I was doing.

When the Pre came out, I waited 4 months, got ours for $50 cheaper than the launch day folks.

[passlogix]

HP should give some kind of incentive to those early adoptors. Apple did it for first iphone. Nintendo is doing something with 3DS. Perhaps, they should give some credit for app buys. If they don't implement this kind of program, who is going to buy early on next TP2?

[firebymike1111]

I guess what shocked the most was how fast it happened. I know product cycle and have had my share of them working in the wireless industry for 7 years... But wow after a month to be 100 bucks off...

but if you think about the timing it makes sense and had to happen. Its back to school time and what better way to get attention than big price drops.

[65fastback]

Originally Posted by firebymike1111

I guess what shocked the most was how fast it happened. I know product cycle and have had my share of them working in the wireless industry for 7 years... But wow after a month to be 100 bucks off...

but if you think about the timing it makes sense and had to happen. Its back to school time and what better way to get attention than big price drops.

actually, many products use this marketing strategy.

like Panasonic TV's for example. It creates "value" in the purchasers mind.

Brand new Panasonic models "regular $1599, sale $1199".

Laptops and desktops do this also as well as several other products out there. Makes you think youre getting an extra good deal and shouldnt wait "in case the sale goes away"

[Wagz50]

Take it from someone who's worked in marketing for almost 20 years, if HP wants to compete with a complete eco-system, they need to understand the power of their user community. And this latest price drop, in concert with the botched 'making things right' rebate shows they just don't get it.

Apple does this really well with their Worldwide User Group. There are legions of Apple ******* and fangirls because Apple put in the time and energy to build a fervently loyal user base back when they were the minority.

When Apple launched the iPhone at $600 and then lowered it to $400, it was a calculated strategic pricing move but they were careful to extend an olive branch to their early adopters by making up the difference with an iTunes gift card.

I was a Pre- owner on launch day (bought 2 of them with touchstones in fact), and I pre-ordered the Touchpad and a touchstone. In a perfect world for HP, I would be singing the praises of this device to everyone who asks about it.

Instead I'm going to tell people two things: I feel like I'm paying HP to beta test an unfinished device, and HP doesn't listen to the marketplace and respect their most loyal customers. My EVO 3D (yup, I left the PRE phone ecosystem) is a better device than my tablet - it launched with a fully functioning OS with all the bells and whistles. I can edit docs, watch Netflix, connect via DLNA, etc.

I really hate to admit it because I loved WebOS as a concept but this has been marketingfail from the very beginning and I'm actually mad at myself for not recognizing it.

[Cantaffordit]

has there ever been a new piece of consumer electronics that didn't go down in price over time? paid twice as much for my first palm smartphone as I did for my pre plus.

people used to buy HDTV devices for 5 to 19 thousand. Now they are under one thousand.

so there was no way to see this coming?

[observator]

Hey, let the guy alone! He feels he got jipt because it's only a month after initial release; not 10-12 months.

Early adopter tax is BS, I don't care what any one says. I paid $440 for mine on ebay and I did wait a few weeks because I knew this was gonna happen. I HATE the early adopter tax and paying full MSRP and try to avoid as much as is practical.

I didn't think these price drops would happen this soon. Yes, I recall the iphone crap and I was ****ed about it then as well though I didn't jump on that until well after the fact. It's called empathy. I was annoyed because I knew how some of those folks felt. Yes, they should have gained some patience and waited but they didn't. Doesn't mean a corporation needs to be capitalizing on it; but they do. Nothing to do about it.

HP should have released with these prices instead of the "early adopter tax" crap. Why? Because it was their stated goal to push webos 3 on a tablet device and compete with current market offerings. Pricing the unit the same as the current market "king" and pretending it's a more "productive" or useful tablet, is not so smart. Fake it till you make corporate none sense. You can't tell me there wasn't talk of dropping the TP prices as they are currently; $399 and $499 for both versions would have helped move more product from the out set. Not to mention, perhaps, fostering a better image for the product and HP's "commitment" to webos.

I was slightly annoyed about it but after reading these comments I'm even more annoyed now. Then again, this type of crap happens on other forums as well. People ****ing thinkjust because it happens all the time that it's acceptable. It's NOT acceptable.

Paying what I did, I even feel a little burned about the purchase even though I was pleased with the price I paid.

[OldSkoolVWLover]

everyone comparing this to the iphone should wait til the 8th.... if the price doesn't go back to MSRP then you have a point, this is a 3 day SALE.

These forums and the front page comments are horrible lately, and completely ignore REALITY. HP did NOT announce a price drop like apple did, HP announced a 3 day instant rebate sale.

[65fastback]

Originally Posted by observator

Hey, let the guy alone! He feels he got jipt because it's only a month after initial release; not 10-12 months.

Early adopter tax is BS, I don't care what any one says.

tell that to people, for example, who bought a Mustang GT500 and had to pay OVER sticker price only for them to end up with rebates available BELOW sticker price.

It just happens. You either pay it or you dont. Its your money at the end of the day.

[Wagz50]

They're horrible because HP's marketing team is not on the ball.
Everyone who is grumbling wants the device to be successful but HP really does need to tighten up if they want to compete in this space - ecosystems are a lot harder to market than commoditized items like PCs and servers.

There's a reason Apple gave iPhone early adopters an iTunes gift card and why Nintendo is hooking up the early adopters of the 3DS right now (like, as I type this).

Marketing basics: your early adopters are how you get word of mouth advertising, you really want to delight and enchant them. I like my touchpad but I'm not delighted or enchanted today.

[observator]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolVWLover

everyone comparing this to the iphone should wait til the 8th.... if the price doesn't go back to MSRP then you have a point, this is a 3 day SALE.

These forums and the front page comments are horrible lately, and completely ignore REALITY. HP did NOT announce a price drop like apple did, HP announced a 3 day instant rebate sale.

Right, the same sale that is on amazon, newegg, etc. As far as I'm concerned, the TP is not worth the MSRP and the current prices are as they "should" be. The device, for what it is, is now more competitive, at least in price if not in function, for the moment.