On Tuesday 31 October 2000 05:44, Matthew R. Sprague wrote:
| On Monday 30 October 2000 14:14, you wrote:
| > Jason Straight <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
| > 1. We has to put out this version due to very tight time schedule:
| > WalMart doesn't want any new products on the shelves from 1st of
| > november, until mid january.
|
| Is this really that important to MandrakeSoft? Don't get caught up in
| allowing Walmart to dictate the terms. What is more important stable
| release or Nov 1st target. If Walmart won't take it past a given date,
Looks like you have never been working with Retail.
Retail is _VERY_SPECIFIC_ barnch.
Concerning Walmart: I can say that it is probably the most important company
in the world. Keeping good relatioinship with them is more important then ,
IMHO, with IBM, Sun, HP and Compaq together.
Do you suggest that talking, for example, to IBM, they will not _dictate_ you
their terms? Gosh, I think not.
When you tal to retailer they say: we can agree on promo from: (usally 2
months from the date)
So, if you deliver product to them after Nov.1, it will be selling only from
January. So, you miss Christams season...
I was working closely with METRO, biggest European retailer.
These guys screw you up, I can tell you.
Do you know that sometimes you pay just for shelf space? You pay if product
is even not sold. Just becuase it is on the shelf. Not selling? That's yours
(vendor's) problem.
Not sold in 45 days? We return it to you...
| politely remind them about how well the product is selling at Staples. (Yes
| lie, make up imaginary sales figures, whatever).
Yes, it can work. With small or medium-size retalier. Not with WalMart.
But,, I believe, long-term strategy for Mandrake should be direct sales from
the web site (in US) and cooperation with largest IT distributors (Computer
2000, etc.) and Retails Chains (carrefour, METRO, Office Depot, etc.) in
Europe.
As for Asia and Japan - I don't situation there, will not comment.
| As the end buyer of your product, I don't want to see the crap that is
| being sold as Mandrake. I have installed Mandrake for 4 friends and would
| like to have them purchase the boxed set and send some money back to
| MandrakeSoft. I can not do this in good faith knowing what crap comes in
| that Macmillian box.
|
| > Fortunately the download version does not have this limitation and
| > holds the updates to 2.0, that are also available in download for
| > retail customers.
| >
| > 2. You had bad experience with it because you apparently purchased the
| > "beginner" version that prices $25. We have removed plenty of
| > "expert" things in it and that's what pissed you off, that's normal.
| > Wasn't there the "PowerPack Deluxe" also available on sales?
|
Just wondering how much will cost version with Expert install in US?
--
Vadim Plessky
http://kde2.newmail.ru (English)
http://kde2.newmail.ru/index_rus.html (Russian)
