Stephen Lee-Woolf Stephen Lee-Woolf

The Cost of Skinning

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The Cost of Skinning

from WinCustomize Forums
I realise that this is likely to become a contentious thread, and will probably get me flamed, but ... here goes

I am becoming concerned at the increasing number of skins (or Icons or Cursors) that are only available after paying a free. The OD ethos has always been that you pay for the system and a worldwide band of dedicated users are sufficiently motivated to produce the skins that go with it. This has always worked well.

I fully accept that a lot of work goes into producing some skins and that the creator is fully entitled to recompense for his work (if he is a professional graphics designer), but this trend is increasing and could deter users from buying OD products in the first place. BTW I don't recall Stardock ever mentioning on it's advertising that some skins etc may incur further expenditure to acquire.

Don't get me wrong, I have purchased both the Orion and Toon XP suites because I consider them to be outstanding pieces or work so I am not bitching just because I want something for free
13,558 views 35 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Something to bear in mind Aqua is that even though it's your opinion that certain premium skins/themes/whatever aren't worth the asking price, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're in the majority. For all you know, there could be a sufficiently high percentage of buyers that lowering the price would reduce profits.

I've been unemployed on an almost-permenant ba sis for well over a year and a half now, so I'm well aware of what it's like to have limited finances. I wouldn't ever think of suggesting that they lower their prices just because I don't have the money to meet them though. I'm sure I could scrape together the $10 without too much trouble if I felt the need, but I feel by contributing to the community and trying to produce the best work I can is a form of payment in itself.

I have to say, I was very tempted by a couple of the premium skin packs, but my reluctance to buy them had more to do with the frequency with which I change my desktop than the price they were asking. As a skinner myself I've pretty much always got one of my own in-production skins on my machine.
Reply #27 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know, and I'm not asking them to lower the price because my income is rather low right now.

I'm saying that they could probably get more volume with a lower price, and end up with more money. $1 probably is too low, but I think they should experiment with their prices.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #28 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, the price is not very high IMHO. It is about the price of a Dutch cinema ticket. I know what time goes in such a project and I am surprised it is that low. And no, I am not rich.

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Reply #29 from WinCustomize Forums Top
MadIce, I know what you're saying. I'm saying that they could probably get more money than they are currently if the experiment with various lower prices.

They would more than make up in volume what they would lose on individual sales.

The point of the store is to bring in as much money as possible.
Reply #30 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I tell you a little story. About 20 years ago I tried to sell 40 drawings which I initially made for myself. Friends asked me to show them in an exposition. And by chance I had an opportunity to do so. The prices were low. About $25 each. I didn't sell any. There was another exposition. Even more professional than the first one. Again, I didn't sell any. The third time I tried I gave the drawings names and increased the prices to somewhere between $200 and $500 dollar each. Within a month I sold all of them. Moral of the story? The pictures didn't sell earlier, because they were too cheap.

The same goes for the skins. $1 is too cheap, makes the product unbelievable and it will not sell.
Reply #31 from WinCustomize Forums Top
BTW: I think there is another moral in the story. But that one is off topic.
Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Me personally, if I was going to sell a skin for one dollar I probably wouldn't sell it. I would just give it away. It wouldn't be worth the trouble. (my skin doesn't work! - I want a different color! - I need a bug fixed! - I want a update! WB 5 came out! - and think of the transaction fees per unit sold.)


Funny you mentioned the cursor XP pack because no I wouldn't sell it for 8.95. It would be more like 4.99 or something. (but not a dollar, if you want it for a dollar then your out of luck, but please feel free to download other wonderful skins I made for free!)

anyway, back to the poll question... the more I think about it the more I think maybe there should be another option as she suggested.

Or maybe another poll about pay-for-skin designs.
Reply #33 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The moral of Matt's story is don't pay 200 for one of his drawings, cause they're only worth 25!!!
(This is where the laughing and winking icon would go if they worked.......)
Reply #35 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hippy:

/me points to post #31

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