LOR Spring Sale .... disappointment

[Greg Young]

texascop wrote:

...

What I was addressing was a problem in the purchase process and so were a number of others here. Now I see the phrases "whiners", "grow up", "don't complain or they won't sell us stuff anymore". I really don't do business with companies that feel like they are doing you a favor letting you buy something. I don't think LOR has that attitude but some of the customers here do. I also understand brand loyality but some of this is a little over the top.

I am new to this, last year being my first year, and am certainly new to the forum. A number of people were very helpful as I brought my display on line and I am grateful for that. I am also pretty thick skinned in most instances. However, I will be more than happy to stay off of your forum if it is considered whining to point out issues. The term "grow up" can be applied to a number of situations.

I wouldn't go under the assumption those comments were in reference to any of your posts. There were other posts, that I don't see now, that I suspect were the ones that was being referred to,

It's fine to raise issues, as long as the emotional elements are left out of the posts, and no individual/group, etc is being denigrated..

As you stated, you are new. For those of us who have been "a while", we have seen the grumbling occur after every sale, so you might want to take that perspective in consideration.

I think you will find this forum, and its members, to be one of the more educational and helpful ones. If you decide to leave, you will be the one that loses out....

Greg

[PaulXmas]

I think no matter what you can never make all the people happy.

There was lots of warning about how fast things sold out last year. (too much).

And it not like you can't buy anything you can right now just have to pay more or wait for the summer. And be prepared for next year!

[kzaas]

Brian Mitchell wrote:

Here is my suggestion how to do the sale next year. Do it like a lottery to give some of us who couldn't be at the computer at 10pm Wednesday a chance. Have a day where people can enter their order for the sale. Have an option box where if you are out of certain items you will still either fill the rest of the order or none of it.

Then draw names from a hat (similar to the try for free promotion) and fill the orders until you run out of product.

What does anyone think about this?

I disagree Brian, it should be the way it is as far as a first come first serve sale. I didn't participate this year as I am going to wait for the summer sale. I figure let the guys who use this stuff for other shows year round get it first. The price difference between the two sales is not that much and not enough to stress about to see who's got the fastest finger.

[shfr26]

I think that in a few days, after all have got over the joy of getting stuff or the disappointment that they did not, this thread will go away. LOR is great, the info you can get is above and beyond. So, lets move on and have a happy forum once again. If Dan can do anything to make it better, he will!! Now, when is the summer sale so I can start saving more money and not have to make a mad dash to get my order in. Happy Lighting all!

[Guest Don Gillespie]

Max-Paul wrote:

Gee whiz guys. To the whiners, grow up! Dan tried to make everyone aware that there was going to be a limited amount of certain items. Hell I like to buy the CBT16PC kit that requires soldering, but without a high power heat sink. All available this year is the one with the high power heat sink. Which cost more than the regular priced one I want.

But you dont see me and many others getting all worked up. Please quit pissing in LOR's wheaties.

Well put

[rwertz]

texascop wrote:

This is really interesting. One of the reasons I chose to go with LOR was the reviews I saw about their customer service. Generally, companies that provide excellent customer service get to that point by listening to their customers. Again, I fully understand the limited quantities and the purpose of the sale. They are reducing on hand inventory to reduce tax liabilities. All businesses try to do that.

What I was addressing was a problem in the purchase process and so were a number of others here. Now I see the phrases "whiners", "grow up", "don't complain or they won't sell us stuff anymore". I really don't do business with companies that feel like they are doing you a favor letting you buy something. I don't think LOR has that attitude but some of the customers here do. I also understand brand loyality but some of this is a little over the top.

I am new to this, last year being my first year, and am certainly new to the forum. A number of people were very helpful as I brought my display on line and I am grateful for that. I am also pretty thick skinned in most instances. However, I will be more than happy to stay off of your forum if it is considered whining to point out issues. The term "grow up" can be applied to a number of situations.

I wouldn't let this make you feel like you need to leave. There is a very diverse group of personalities on the forum. Some people are too harsh when they have an issue. Others seem to come off like LOR groupies. Some of us dare to take the middle ground. LOR is a very good company (well above average). But they are not perfect.

As for the sale, I didn't get what I wanted and I'm mad as hell about it
That's not quite the case, but I do feel I pulled the short straw when it came to the connection (or server) I had with PayPal.

Oh yeah, I think Dan should just bring all the mad grab stuff to the NJ mini and give it away as door prizes. Just saying…

[Max-Paul]

In your dreams Reg. Yous guys got it all last year. I think Dan needs to come out to the midwest this year.

I suspect that LOR does not need to do a spring or summer sale. Hence the reason I ask for anyone that has a problem to quit pissing in LOR's Wheaties. I see that a few of you have acknowledged the point I was making. The above is for those who really seem to fail to understand that if this becomes to much of a problem, that suspending the spring sale might look good to them (LOR).

Thank you my friends that agreed with me. I just hate to see a good thing get ruined. And I say leave things alone. Dang in the past few years when they had what I was looking for. I enjoyed the virtual elbowing (game on!) to get in and get what I wanted.

[caniac]

Max-Paul wrote:

In your dreams Reg. Yous guys got it all last year. I think Dan needs to come out to the midwest this year.

I suspect that LOR does not need to do a spring or summer sale. Hence the reason I ask for anyone that has a problem to quit pissing in LOR's Wheaties. I see that a few of you have acknowledged the point I was making. The above is for those who really seem to fail to understand that if this becomes to much of a problem, that suspending the spring sale might look good to them (LOR).

Thank you my friends that agreed with me. I just hate to see a good thing get ruined. And I say leave things alone. Dang in the past few years when they had what I was looking for. I enjoyed the virtual elbowing (game on!) to get in and get what I wanted.

I agree, I don't think most of us got into this because it was "bargain basement/WalMart" hobby. Do I like to save a buck, sure. But at the end of the day it is all about the show and I for one will pay whatever I can afford to put on the best possible show, sale or no sale.

[Guest guest]

Brian Mitchell wrote:

Here is my suggestion how to do the sale next year. Do it like a lottery to give some of us who couldn't be at the computer at 10pm Wednesday a chance. Have a day where people can enter their order for the sale. Have an option box where if you are out of certain items you will still either fill the rest of the order or none of it.

Then draw names from a hat (similar to the try for free promotion) and fill the orders until you run out of product.

What does anyone think about this?

We can wayyyy over-engineer this, and still never make everyone happy.

This was my first "March Madness" (since my beloved Spartans got bounced on their a** first round in the original March Madness, it was a therapeutic replacement...)...

It was well document, AND, well discussed, that stuff sells out in minutes...this one isn't for the faint of heart.

I think Dan does more than enough with the summer sale, this is just an added bonus, it is what it is. If I hadn't gotten the single item I wanted (ELL), I had bought it soon, or with the summer sale. Unless one was hiding under a rock, we all knew the rules of the game. I was bummed because he didn't have and of the CTB-16 series stuff on sale, so I bit the bullet and bought 4 controllers (and I'll need more..) at the standard price.

I also don't think Dan will just get annoyed by all of this and up and leave, and cancel any sales. This helps him too, I respect and admire him for being able to do things a more typical business can't, still make a buck or two, and maintain the quality level he does.

Honestly, the only downer, as I see it, from the sale, was all the threads with all the sniping..and, yea, all the gloating. Seems like it is now time to move on...and start counting down towards the summer sale. Lock all these threads and lets start talking about Christmas 2011..I have 500 new sqaure feet to decorate, 200A of power (as soon as the local co-op hangs me a transformer) and I have no freaking clue what I want to do..

[Guest wbottomley]

To settle it all... Dan could do this.

Enter the sale page with all of the terms of service. Before you can continue on where the deals, you'll have to check "I Agree With These Terms" then click next.

That way... if they [Foul Language Used] & moan and made it to the products page, they were aware of the TOS.

[Guest guest]

Mountainwxman wrote:

To settle it all... Dan could do this.

Enter the sale page with all of the terms of service. Before you can continue on where the deals, you'll have to check "I Agree With These Terms" then click next.

That way... if they [Foul Language Used] & moan and made it to the products page, they were aware of the TOS.

Now THIS SOUNDS like a VERY EXCELLENT IDEA!

I didn't take part, for one, being unemployed and Unemployment doesn't pay much in the way pf adding new stuff to my display or controllers, etc.

For another, from what I've read in the past about this particular sale, I feel it just isn't worth my time to worry about a sale like this o to even attempt to take part (if fund$ available).

So I buy my goodies when I have the fund$ to do so, if I would happen to get it on sale, fine, if not, that's okay too. Just as long as I can buy what I want, when I want (and can afford it), I'm happy.

This way I don't have to worry about being disappointed I didn't get what I was after either! But that's just me I guess.

[TGabriel]

I believe everyone knew what they were getting into with the sale, except the first timer and they should have know by reading all the posts. Now they know what it will be like next year.

Just like the first time I experience the sale. I knew I had to grab it and get out quick.

Keep the sale the way it is.

[rwertz]

The way I see it, this is like when the forecast calls for a 30% chance of rain but you go out fishing anyway. If it happens to rain and your day gets ruined, you're probably going to whine about it some. But you're not going to call the weather channel and give them a raft of [Foul Language Used] over it.

Then again if you have a six pack of beer in the truck, the rain might not bother you as much.
Hey, I think I know where I went wrong this year :dude:

[tboerjan]

I was out of town and , I guess, out of luck on the sale. I have never been disappointed in any product bought under any circumstance from LOR. And realize they are in it to make a profit and at the same time deliver a terrific product with the worlds greatest support system. Kinda like going to Disney, at first price seems steep, then afterwords, you wonder how they can to it so cheap. At least, that's how I feel….

[Al in Raleigh]

I didn't buy anything at this sale. I didn't need anything. However, I did buy at past sales. It is what it is. Furthermore, it is fine. Accept it and move on. And yes, I can speak in sentences longer than five words. But, I don't like it. And I don't whine either.

[Surfing4Dough]

PaulXmas wrote:

...
There was lots of warning about how fast things sold out last year. (too much).

Good point! I suspect all the talk regarding this by all of us (not just Dan) probably created what has become the Mad Dash Grab type of sale. I remember last year when we kinda joked around with some of the newer members before the sale that you better hurry once the "secret sale" started to make sure you got something. However, our joking seemed to come true. Things never before went anywhere near that fast previously. And then this year we frequently recalled how many things sold out in the first 5-10 minutes last year, which seemed to generate even a faster dash this year. Now that a record number of people were logged on and experienced this "in person" this year, next year's spring sale will sell out even faster yet. Kinda a snowball effect I guess.

[evan.a]

Thanks guys, trying to push this post out and away.

let just have some fun

http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum81/16176.html

[jeffandnicole]

Sell out even faster? The only way that can happen is if everyone has their shopping cart & CC info pre-entered before the gates open!

I liken it to popular concert and sporting events. There's only so many tickets available - The ones that get the tickets are happy and probably won't say much. The ones that don't get the tickets will be loud and vocal. Granted, I don't think there's too many scalpers on here to buy and resell the equipment though. Simply put - there's X number of pieces of equipment available at the sale price, and X times 3 number of people that want that equipment.

The only real issue: It shows how popular LOR's equipment is. A few years ago, this sale was no big deal. Now, people treat it like the summer's big event (for equipment that, for the most part, will not be touched in the summertime)!!!

[Guest guest]

jeffandnicole wrote:

Sell out even faster? The only way that can happen is if everyone has their shopping cart & CC info pre-entered before the gates open!

I liken it to popular concert and sporting events. There's only so many tickets available - The ones that get the tickets are happy and probably won't say much. The ones that don't get the tickets will be loud and vocal. Granted, I don't think there's too many scalpers on here to buy and resell the equipment though. Simply put - there's X number of pieces of equipment available at the sale price, and X times 3 number of people that want that equipment.

The only real issue: It shows how popular LOR's equipment is. A few years ago, this sale was no big deal. Now, people treat it like the summer's big event (for equipment that, for the most part, will not be touched in the summertime)!!!

My equipment is usually always plugged in and used all year long, I use it to see how my decor reacts to the sequence I'm working on. So some of us DO USE our LOR equipment 365 days a year, 366 on leap years!

[jeffandnicole]

Orville wrote:

jeffandnicole wrote:

Sell out even faster? The only way that can happen is if everyone has their shopping cart & CC info pre-entered before the gates open!

I liken it to popular concert and sporting events. There's only so many tickets available - The ones that get the tickets are happy and probably won't say much. The ones that don't get the tickets will be loud and vocal. Granted, I don't think there's too many scalpers on here to buy and resell the equipment though. Simply put - there's X number of pieces of equipment available at the sale price, and X times 3 number of people that want that equipment.

The only real issue: It shows how popular LOR's equipment is. A few years ago, this sale was no big deal. Now, people treat it like the summer's big event (for equipment that, for the most part, will not be touched in the summertime)!!!

My equipment is usually always plugged in and used all year long, I use it to see how my decor reacts to the sequence I'm working on. So some of us DO USE our LOR equipment 365 days a year, 366 on leap years!

Unfortunately for me, my OCD gets in my way...I have way too many other hobbies/interests that prevent me from working on this 24/7/365. Having said that, it would definitely save me from rushing my sequences in November!!!