Do we have any users of the Railroad & Co software on the Forum. The main reason for asking is that there is a discussion going on in the Digitrax Yahoo forum and trying to go on in the R&R Forum about the new pricing structure.
The owner of the company has decided to charge UK clients at least 50 euros more (he doesn't accept £) for the same software. Complaints about this on his forum are being deleted as he says this is no ones business but his, so the discussion has now moved to the Digitrax forum and there is a swell there to get some action going and I'm canvassing for support amongst any N gaugers who use the software.
It would appear that under EU law if you sell direct you can't charge different prices for the same item in different EU countries. Sales by distributors and agents have different rules and the price structure can change but as it is a one man business it comes under the EU law.
I'm completely outside the conflict here; not using the software, not in the UK, but it sounds like someone I wouldn't do business with anyway, hope he mends his ways.... :( ::)
G. :wave:
Quote from: keerout on August 09, 2012, 11:17:03 PM
I'm completely outside the conflict here; not using the software, not in the UK, but it sounds like someone I wouldn't do business with anyway, hope he mends his ways.... :( ::)
G. :wave:
Likewise even if I did do DCC, PC only and hostile to customers.
Legally unsure about the single price across europe rule counting for the UK as you'd never be able to keep to that with £ vs € exchange rate fluctuation, but telling UK customers they have to pay £50 more is essentially saying "I don't want UK customers, unless they're stupid enough to pay that much more".
Agreed. G.
Quote from: whiteswan on August 09, 2012, 11:09:03 PM
It would appear that under EU law if you sell direct you can't charge different prices for the same item in different EU countries. Sales by distributors and agents have different rules and the price structure can change but as it is a one man business it comes under the EU law.
Sort of. However this is the UK and our regulators mostly exist for the purpose of pretending we have one (see banking, press, police complaints, interception, data protection, etc). Don't expect anyone to care or do anything beyond writing back to acknowledge receipt of your letter. See itunes for example.
Plus there are ways around it - like having a German language edition and an English language edition which are therefore separate products 8)
A small monopoly product supplier can pretty much price how they like. It's best never to depend upon them. Even if they are good they can go under, die, go bankrupt, or retire and the product is then gone.
Just ask all the users of the Sibelius music app right now ....
I'm a paid-up RR&Co Traincontroller user and have been for many years. However, I don't use the latest versions as I won't buy software that needs a dongle. So the latest anti-paying-customer strategy won't be impacting me directly, just strengthening my resolve!
I have used it in the past and it was a good piece of kit back then (early 2000's i think). I was thinking of using it for Burton but not proberbly won't now. I can appreciate alot of time goes into software development, but a sudden large increase is suicidal. A gradual increase over a set time would have possibly gone unnoticed.
Maybe, what started out as a hobby job has now become his main income due to job loss in difficult times etc.
UPDATE
Railroad & Co is now the same price over the whole of Europe.
Quote from: whiteswan on August 09, 2012, 11:09:03 PM
Do we have any users of the Railroad & Co software on the Forum. The main reason for asking is that there is a discussion going on in the Digitrax Yahoo forum and trying to go on in the R&R Forum about the new pricing structure.
The owner of the company has decided to charge UK clients at least 50 euros more (he doesn't accept £) for the same software. Complaints about this on his forum are being deleted as he says this is no ones business but his, so the discussion has now moved to the Digitrax forum and there is a swell there to get some action going and I'm canvassing for support amongst any N gaugers who use the software.
It would appear that under EU law if you sell direct you can't charge different prices for the same item in different EU countries. Sales by distributors and agents have different rules and the price structure can change but as it is a one man business it comes under the EU law.