I think we all enjoyed the lower pricing of the previous stronghold packs (210 CC vs 300 CC) for each pack and 4536 CC vs 6480 CC for the hypercrate. Is there a particular reason the prices were raised to the old higher prices for this pack?

This deserves an answer.

 

I assume the pack contains the same amount of items as the past two packs.

Was wondering the same thing. Thanks for asking, I'm sure it will be a popular question.

 

As much as I like decorations I will most likely pass at the higher price and just buy things in game on the GTN. I don't need more stacks of worthless droid armor from packs that are 42% more expensive than the last couple. :/

Edited October 14, 2014 by BobaFaceroll

I want to know too...

Same. Purchase choice went from "maybe" to "no way" with the increase in price.

Just finished opening my hypercrate (my virtual coin wallet is crying) and the only thing I can tell is that there were maybe slightly more certificates? I got 8 vs 5 in the Constable's hypercrate. I'm seriously hoping this is a bug and that the difference will be refunded, especially since I missed out on all 3 items I wanted most.

I suspect the lower prices were part of a promotional plan for strongholds.

 

I wouldn't expect them to stay and it seems they haven't. I am disappointed of course. 210 was a nice price.

I think the answer should be clear, after all this isn't the first time we saw an increase in prices. The Cartel Market team always tries to maximize the profit, so if they believe they'll get more revenue with a more expensive pack, they'll make it more expensive, and if it doesn't sell as good as expected, they'll reevaluate.

 

My personal guess is that the first two Stronghold packs were supposed to get players interested in decorating their stronghold and boost sales a little bit, but now that the market is sated, they go back to the usual prices for packs before decorations will lose their value and become even cheaper on the GTN, like it happened to the SPVP items.

Edited October 16, 2014 by Jerba

Unexpectedly greedy. Apparently, the first two packs sold better than expected; this obviously warranted a price increase to find the 'sweet spot' pricing for packs where they get the most sales for the highest price. An 'experiment' again, no doubt.

Unexpectedly greedy. Apparently, the first two packs sold better than expected; this obviously warranted a price increase to find the 'sweet spot' pricing for packs where they get the most sales for the highest price. An 'experiment' again, no doubt.

 

How do you think they pay for development? I liked the lower prices too but let's not pretend like we thought 210 was the new normal.

 

They reserve the right to price things as they ssee fit for the market demand. I am sure they expect lower sales with a higher price but they balance that with increased margin in each sale. What is greed in this case? What is normal profit and what is greed? Please define your terms. Isn't all corporate profit greed?

Edited October 14, 2014 by Arkerus

all the packs have now a lower price. Lower prices go to more buying from players. Why not the senechal ?

 

the answer will be interesting. I will wait before buy 3-4 of it.

Edited October 14, 2014 by TheHvergelmir

looks like they are trying to nickle and dime the f2p players into buying these garbage pack with the launch of strong hold...nothing but bunch of re-skin/recolor armor/weapons, another money grab from EaWare AGAIN, why am i not surprise lol...wow just wow after the success and praises for the 12x XP they go and pull crap like this...unbelievable

Considering that 90% of the items in this pack are reskins and not worth a dime (decorations aside), the price is just a slap in the face.

looks like they are trying to nickle and dime the f2p players into buying these garbage pack with the launch of strong hold...nothing but bunch of re-skin/recolor armor/weapons, another money grab from EaWare AGAIN, why am i not surprise lol...wow just wow after the success and praises for the 12x XP they go and pull crap like this...unbelievable

 

How is it a cash grab if you, as the consumer, can say "I am not going to buy this because the price does not meet my expected value"?

 

There is no nickel and dime going on here. It is a pack of "stuff" and you can choose to buy it.

How is it a cash grab if you, as the consumer, can say "I am not going to buy this because the price does not meet my expected value"?

 

There is no nickel and dime going on here. It is a pack of "stuff" and you can choose to buy it.

 

you are surely a player who don't buy packs regularly

The funny thing is that these packs have no real "cost" for BW other than the design of the items.

It's not like there is a production cost for each pack.

And with the lower price, I found myself buying two packs instead of one (thus paying a total of over 8000cc).

But with this hiked up price, I'll be back to paying for only one... IF I buy one at all.

 

 

So it's really just bad business.

 

(and judging from the HUUUUGE influx of items and packs on the GTN this last time, I'm betting I wasn't alone in doing this)

you are surely a player who don't buy packs regularly

 

Actually I do. I look at each pack and what the contents could be. I usually buy a handful of packs if I feel like the price is worth it.

 

So what is your point again?

Considering that 90% of the items in this pack are reskins and not worth a dime (decorations aside), the price is just a slap in the face.

 

agreed 100%, they are hoping players will IGNORE the price in favor of trying to get the decors..this is in top 5 for lowest move Eaware have done to the community...there's No Excuse for this Ridiculous price increase for straight Garbage items..abosolutely none what so ever

The entitlement runs strong in the SWTOR community.

 

EA is gonna charge whatever they feel is reasonable. Clearly sales at the lower price were more than expected and that is clearly reflected on GTN prices as well. You can score just about everything from the first 2 stronghold packs fairly cheap on GTN right now. I saw packs selling for about 125k a piece the other day. When you do the real world dollar to in game credit ratio, the sellers are losing bad on that deal.

The funny thing is that these packs have no real "cost" for BW other than the design of the items.

It's not like there is a production cost for each pack.

And with the lower price, I found myself buying two packs instead of one (thus paying a total of over 8000cc).

But with this hiked up price, I'll be back to paying for only one... IF I buy one at all.

 

 

So it's really just bad business.

 

(and judging from the HUUUUGE influx of items and packs on the GTN this last time, I'm betting I wasn't alone in doing this)

 

Agreed 100%. It's no mystery that it's far better to sell 2000 packs for 210 CC than it is to sell 500 for 300 CC. Like I said, this is - once again - an experiment to find the sweet spot price for a pack.

I'm just LOVING this new pack. Bought three. Got Thul Flags (never saw that before), Thul Banner (if my stronghold was thul based maybe I'd be stoked) and some really hideous cages that hang from the ceiling. Oh and some costume bits that will be worth nothing when they are available to resell.

Agreed 100%. It's no mystery that it's far better to sell 2000 packs for 210 CC than it is to sell 500 for 300 CC. Like I said, this is - once again - an experiment to find the sweet spot price for a pack.

It's not as simple as that. There is no guarantee that decorations will always be this popular. While I also liked how the decorations from the last pack were easy to get, if this keeps up, decorations will quickly lose their value.

Just like the Galactic Starfighter paint jobs and engine colors which were on the GTN for 100 credits because nobody bought them, the same could happen to the decorations if everyone already decorated their houses and no longer looks for new items.

By increasing the price, the ensure that the perceived value of decorations will still stay up, even if it means that less players buy them, and in the long run, they'll get more revenue than by making a quick buck in the first few packs and then no longer having someone want them.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Jerba

Yeah..... Not touching the pack..... Despite desperatly wanting 50 revan statues for the sake of having them....

 

>_>

 

 

<_<

I think the answer should be clear, after all this isn't the first time we saw an increase in prices.

 

Hmm I can't recall the last time the prices went up on something. Can you give an example?

Hmm I can't recall the last time the prices went up on something. Can you give an example?

Sure, though I wasn't talking about an increase in price, but more like high-priced items on the Cartel Market in general, like the Ashfall Tauntaun for 3,000CC or the more expensive collection unlocks. 300CC for a pack is not that high, previous packs cost 320CC IIRC.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Jerba