Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!pacbell.com!ucsd!mvb.saic.com!ncr-sd!serene!cbmami!jason
From: jason@cbmami.UUCP (Jason Goldberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
Subject: Re: Animation Journeyman: Wayne Knapp's Reply
Message-ID: <193b58af.ARN1010@cbmami.UUCP>
Date: 1 Jun 91 11:48:47 GMT
References: <15005@encore.Encore.COM> <1991May31.170819.14600@techbook.com>
Reply-To: jason@cbmami.UUCP
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
Distribution: usa
Lines: 62

Martin,
	Let me just say I am sorry to have caused you this grief on the net
with my origonal post.  I did not intend to imply anything negative about
your product, I believe I stated several times that from the little I have
seen of Jman I really like it.  
	Personally, I was/am disappointed with your decision not to sell
through dealers.  As one potential customer of your products I decided to
let you know, and I encouraged other potential customers to do the same.
If you were to find that many people wanted to buy your products from a
dealer then perhaps you would change your policy.  If no one else felt the
same as me then you would have had your policy confirmed.  Now you know how
I feel and you know how some others feel as well.
	I am sorry you took my post as a flame, it was not intended as
such.  However, you and some others have some misconceptions that I would
like to address.
	First of all, if you really thing that I expected to make any money
selling JMan then you are crazy.  You get your cut on evey Jman sold where
I only get my cut on the ones I sell.  You get a piece of every JMan I
sell, plus you act as my competator and get both pieces when you can sell
direct.  The market for JMan is very small (the market for any serious
Animation package is small), I couldn't sell many and I couldn't sell them
at a very bit profit.  So why you ask would I even want your product in my
store?  Simple, when a customer walks into my store and says I just quit
my job so that I can start my own animation company, I can sell him X
number of Accellerated Amigas, HardDrives, Sysquests, Monitors, 24-bit
cards, single-frame controllers and decks, etc... all with your software!
Now guess where my profit is there?  Not with your software, but your
software makes the sale, thats why I need it in the store.
	When I called your company, all I asked is that you let me break
even on the product.  If you are selling the product for $500 then you have
to sell it to me for $450 so that I can cover my costs in ordering the 
product, displaying the products, training my staff, etc... and still sell
the product for $500 so I am competative with you.  Its funny that you are
worried about me undercutting you, because I am worried about you
undercutting me!  It seems all too likely that I buy JMan for $500 and sell
it to my customers at my loss for $500, only to have you walk around a
shows saying "JMan costs $500 but if you buy today I can give it to you for
$450."  What I am trying to avoid is spending my time promoting your
product, only to have my customers go to you and buy it for less.  
	Even more important than that if I have 3 copies of your software
v1.3 on my self and you come out with v2.0 I can't take the loss on that,
you need to stock balance my 1.3's in exchange for 2.0's plus the
difference in price, and you were not willing to do that!  So currently I
can't afford to have your product in my store.  I sell Amigas to
proffesional animation studio's all the time, I have even sold to Disney
and IL&M!  I can't sell or recomend your product to anyone because you
won't play ball.  Your arguments about Distributors or outstanding bills
are mute since I called Hash and tried to order 3 JMans COD, before I was
told your upgrade policy and pricing structure.
	I wish you and your customers all the luck in the world with JMan.
I hope you make $$ and are always able to support your customers.  
I can't help but to keep thinking, there was a time when EA could have taken
the same marketing stratagy with DeluxePaint that you are taking with JMan,
and they would have been able to make all the same arguments, Newtek surely
could have done what you are doing...


-Jason-

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Goldberg				UUCP: ucsd!serene!cbmami!jason
Del Mar, CA